Eating breakfast at Tiffany’s is a real thing in Hong Kong

When Audrey Hepburn stood outside Tiffany Fifth Avenue in 1961, paper coffee cup and croissant in hand, pining after her dream diamonds, she immortalized the phrase “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and inspired far-flung fantasies for decades to come.

But now movie buffs and shopping enthusiasts alike can dine a la Holly Golightly — only this time with Instagrammable salmon and caviar — with the launch of the luxury jeweler’s new concept restaurant in Hong Kong.

The Blue Box Cafe, which opened in mid-October, is located inside Tiffany’s new flagship store in the city’s iconic Tsim Sha Tsui shopping precinct and marks the brand’s first dining destination in Asia.

Decked in Tiffany’s signature robin’s egg blue, the restaurant is an immersive experience in the classic brand, serving delicate dishes alongside its suite of sterling silver utensils and bone china crockery.

A view of the interior of Tiffany’s new Blue Box Cafe at its new flagship store at One Peking Road in Hong Kong.Tiffany & Co

Diners can indulge in a varied menu of breakfast and lunch dishes, including coddled eggs and Maine lobster, as well as afternoon tea sets starting from USD$52. A range of alcoholic beverages and a signature Blue Box celebration cake are also available.

The Hong Kong launch marks Tiffany’s second foray into the food business following the launch in 2017 of its inaugural Blue Box Cafe at its flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York.

“We are always looking for new and exciting opportunities and concepts to engage our customers,” Richard Moore, divisional vice president of global store design and creative visual merchandising at Tiffany, said at the time.

“If we feel a dining experience will amplify and excite a new or current location, we will explore those possibilities.”

Tiffany isn’t the only retailer embracing in-store dining experiences in a bid to attract new custom in the era of online shopping.

Ralph Lauren has three Ralphs coffee shops in New York and three in Asia. And Urban Outfitters’ Anthropologie brand has seven Terrain Cafes in the U.S., including three in California, serving fried cauliflower sandwiches at brunch and roasted chicken with farro grains for dinner.

The exterior view of Tiffany’s new Blue Box Cafe at its new flagship store at One Peking Road in Hong Kong.Tiffany & Co

U.S. home furnishing chain Restoration Hardware has even jumped on the trend, with a glitzy eatery and rooftop sitting area at its recently opened New York store, headed up by Au Cheval restaurateur, Brendan Sodikoff.

As for Tiffany, Moore said the luxury jeweler will limit its food and beverage expansion only to locations where it can live up to the brand’s reputation.

“Bringing in a dining experience gives our customers yet another way to immerse themselves in the Tiffany brand,” said Moore.

“We may selectively introduce dining concepts to other flagship stores around the world, but true Tiffany Blue Box Cafes will only ever be considered where we can offer a truly elevated luxury dining experience in our most important locations,” said Moore.

That strategy is reflected in the restaurant’s lengthy waiting list. Tiffany’s New York Blue Box Cafe is booked up for the next month, according to its reservations platform. Meanwhile, restaurant booking platform Chope is currently showing availability at the Hong Kong outlet over the coming weeks.