January to December 2021: A Feast of New Restaurants

Original header image: Lady Nara

BREAKING: Starting January 7th 2022, restaurants will not be able to provide evening dine-in services for two weeks as announced by Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Before 6pm, tables will be limited to: 2 persons for Category B, 4 persons for Category C and 6 per table for Category D. Bars and clubs will be closed. The rules will be reviewed (and possibly renewed) before January 21st .

RELATED: The best takeaway offers 2022

There have been so many new restaurants opening every month this year, which is surprising, but then we did check the 2020 HK restaurant registration data, and we had more restaurants at the end of 2020 than at the start. Hong Kong, you are amazing!

But it’s been hard too. To help you to celebrate and support, we present our list of new restaurants to try.

Jump straight to new restaurants in:

• December
• November
• October
• September
• August
• July
• June
• May
• April
• March
• February
• January

RELATED: New HK Restaurants & Pop-ups in 2020

December 2021

1111 ONES

This fine-dining Cantonese restaurant showcases seasonally and locally driven six- and eight-course tasting menus by Chef Will Leung, with inspiration from award-winning landscape photographer Kelvin Yuen. Both menus at 1111 ONES include unique creations where classic Cantonese and local flavours are enhanced with international twists. For example, to start, there’s a king crab dish combining bamboo shoots, black fungus, ja choy (pickled mustard) and huadiao wine topped with either salmon roe, Kristal caviar or sea urchin, depending on the season and availability, while the dessert Dark Earl Grey is made with dark chocolate, Earl Grey tea and traditional Chinese rose-petal liqueur. Open daily for dinner from 6pm, with lunch available on weekdays from 12–2:30pm.

11/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, 2910 1128

Anne

We’re loving all the new seaside dining options popping up in Tseung Kwan O, and Anne sounds like it will be tough to beat. Opened by Bohème Restaurant Group (of nearby Café Bohème fame), Anne is a Breton crêperie/bistro concept set in a lovely indoor-outdoor space. Anne showcases both sweet and savoury crêpes made with gluten-free buckwheat, as well as authentic French starters (like salade niçoise) and mains (like steak frites). Notable crêpes include The Complete (pictured above) – a classic combination of cooked ham, Emmental cheese and sunny-side-up egg, with the option of adding tomato, caramelised onion and wild mushroom – globally inspired crêpes including The American, The Beijing, The Indian, The Italian, The Norwegian and The Thai and dessert crêpes enhanced with the likes of salted butter caramel and Valrhona chocolate. Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

Shop G05, G/F, MONTEREY, 23 Tong Chun Street, Tseung Kwan O, 6277 2293

Astra

Celebrated Chilean chef Francisco Araya has spearheaded the menu at Chilean grillhouse Astra, with a particular focus on the produce and flavours of the country’s southernmost region, Patagonia. Top-quality meat and fish from around the world are cooked on a traditional Patagonian-style grill using oak charcoal and vine shoots. The signature asado grill items include a showstopping Rubia Gallega “chuleta” rib-eye, dry-aged for 50 days, and a whopping 1kg Argentinian 21-day wet-aged T-bone. Astra also sounds like it would be a great spot for late-night libations, offering a variety of Chilean-style tapas and free-flow drinks – order one snack and get 90-minute free-flow for $138. Open Tuesday–Saturday for lunch, dinner and drinks.

Shop 2, G/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, 2668 2348

Auntie ĀYI

Auntie ĀYI is the first brand to launch as part of Pacific Place’s new wellwellwell F&B destination space honouring the richness and diversity of Chinese food culture (there are two additional concepts debuting soon). This Chinese restaurant celebrates home kitchens across the generations, where customers are hungry for both nostalgia and innovation. It showcases both Cantonese comfort food and popular regional Chinese dishes. One must-order dish is Auntie ĀYI’s sesame candy chicken (pictured above), a creative update on a traditional Cantonese dish that’s presented in an old-school fashion as to imitate a flying phoenix rising from the flames. More highlights include the 8 Immortals drunken platter, a selection of cold appetisers marinated in baijiu and huangjiu, and hand-pulled cheung fun (rice-noodle rolls). Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

Shop 002, LG1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2803 7881, book online

Aurora Lab at the pulse (11 December–2 January 2022)

Looking for something different than the standard buffet this holiday season? Check out Aurora Lab, a unique pop-up experience themed after the Northern Lights, set up at the sky garden of the pulse in Repulse Bay. Here, you can partake in an immersive Nordic fine-dining experience in one of the Arctic-style huts, seating just two. There are two sessions – the three-course Arctic Dinner ($988/person) for sunset views and the four-course Aurora Dinner ($1,288/person) with a sea of lights as night falls – with both offering 180-degree sea views and even snowfall! The menu itself is exciting; a story card will be presented at each course during the dinner. Through quizzes, an Aurora ambassador will lead diners to open a puzzle box in their advent calendar. Guests can then visit the stunning The Moroccan Moment (3/F, East Wing) and show the result for a complimentary special cocktail at a designated time slot. We expect many marriage proposals at this romantic spot! Soft-opening 4–10 December, then open officially from 11 December–2 January. Note that prices will increase for sessions held on 24–26 and 31 December and 1 January.

Rooftop, East Wing, the pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay, aurorahk@gmail.com, book online

Bakehouse (TST)

If you don’t live on HK Island, it’s been tough to get your hands on the fabulous baked goods at Grégoire Michaud’s Bakehouse branches in Central and Wanchai. But now those who live Kowloon-side are in luck with the debut of a takeaway-only Bakehouse outlet in Tsim Sha Tsui in mid-December. We can expect some TST-exclusive items at this branch, in addition to Bakehouse faves like sourdough croissants, sourdough egg tarts and various sourdough loaves in all their crusty glory. Open daily from Wednesday, 15 December, 7am–9pm.

44 Hankow Road, TST

The Baker & The Bottleman

Bakehouse has some big competition on its hands with this one! Opening in late December, The Baker & The Bottleman is a sustainable bakery slash natural wine bar by acclaimed British chef Simon Rogan of Michelin-starred Roganic fame. Just as at Roganic Hong Kong, Head Chef Oli Marlow leads his team in crafting every item from scratch, emphasising seasonal, local ingredients. By day, the bakery features an upstairs space to enjoy sweet and savoury pastries, cakes and bread with a strong British heritage (and that includes Roganic’s incredible soda bread!), while at night the space transitions to a bar serving up natural wines curated by Master Sommelier Pierre Brunelli of Roganic, complemented by snacks, cold cuts and cheese. Opening details TBC.

Shop G14–15 & F15A, G/F & 1/F, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, hello@tbtb.hk

Black Sheep Restaurants’ PLATED winter series (from 20 December)

Available for dinner only on Mondays and Tuesdays from 20 December, Black Sheep Restaurants’ PLATED series is a great way to get a taste of a seasonal selection of their fab restaurants at very wallet-friendly prices. This winter, we have Comfort Club ($588/person) at Carbone for Italian-American indulgence, Vietnamese street-food flavours at Chôm Chôm’s Bia Hoi Winter Nights ($288/person) and a casual Sri Lankan feast at Hotal Colombo’s Street Food, Soul Food ($288/person).

Click here for the menus and to book

BRICK LANE London street food stall pop-up (until 31 January 2022)

The Sha Tin branch of British-inpsired gastropub BRICK LANE is serving up two London street market faves at this limited-time pop-up, and we’re craving both: made-to-order grilled cheese sandwiches (buttered sourdough grilled with Cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and either gammon or onion marmalade, topped with freshly melted raclette) OR raclette melted atop double-cooked chips or paprika-spiced nacho chips with homemade salsa. Carb-a-rific! Pop-up open daily until 22 January, 12–8pm on weekdays and 10am–8pm at the weekend.

Shop 126, 1/F, New Town Plaza Phase 1, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin, 2111 0480

Caffe LB concept café (until 2 January 2022)

Love, Bonito, SE Asia’s largest womenswear brand, has opened up this limited-time café in Sheung Wan in partnership with coffee house stain+. The pink facade with its LB-themed mural painted by local artist Carol Mui has already become an Instagram star. While browsing LB’s latest autumn/winter festive collection, wet your whistle with a cup of rose coffee or pink latte. Open until 2 January, Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–7pm.

2–4 Tai Ping Shan Street, Sheung Wan, 9557 5055

Chalet des Alpes (29 November–19 December)

Black Sheep Restaurants’ Amalfi-themed pop-up was a hit at Tai Kwun this past summer, and now the restaurant group is back with another transportive seasonal pop-up at the heritage centre, this time themed around a magical Alpine winter. Chalet des Alpes is a rustic, cosy cabin (remember when après-ski was a thing?) where just one comforting, wintry set menu ($1,088/person) is offered – mache salad, raclette, cheese fondue with Schnapps, beef stroganoff with black truffle, Swiss roll with chestnut buttercream and confit poached pear and dark chocolate fondue with Japanese strawberries, marshmallows and cheesecake for dipping. Before dinner, head to Monkey 47 Inn for a menu of classic and festive cocktails (eggnog, here we come!). You can also separately book a guided champagne or whisky masterclass ($488/person) at the intimate bar tucked away from the main dining room. Open daily from 29 November–19 December for dinner from 6pm.

Central Magistracy, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, book online

city’super EKI

We’ve been at a loss at Admiralty MTR station ever since M&S Food shut shop earlier this year; it was a super place to pick up lunch or a snack to go. But now the space has been taken over by something even better – city’super EKI, a high-quality convenience store and new brand for the upmarket retail chain. At EKI, there’s the Little Mermaid bakery items that we all know and love from city’super, healthy salads from popular Japanese brand RF1, seasonal fruits from around the world, instant ramen and cup noodles, bento boxes and many more (over 700) tempting items. Open daily, 8am–9pm.

Kiosk ADM 26–27, Admiralty MTR station, Admiralty, 2736 3866

Cookie DPT flagship in Central

Boy, oh boy, have we been waiting for this one! We’ve been frequent visitors of Cookie DPT’s varied pop-up locations over the years, but we’re thrilled that the cookie specialist will now have a permanent brick-and-mortar space in Central opening later this month. We wonder what’s in store at this flagship café and bakery – we’re hoping for doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and a few savoury numbers too! Opening details TBC.

LG/F, 48 Cochrane Street, Central

Cookie Smiles x JOYCE gingerbread men pop-up (6–23 December)

A delicious way to give back this holiday season, social enterprise Cookie Smiles has teamed up with luxury fashion boutique JOYCE for this limited-time festive pop-up. Twelve top local chefs have created their own gingerbread men masterpieces for sale, with proceeds going to ImpactHK and other charitable organisations. The unique gingerbread creations include Andō’s Agustin Balbi with Pastry Chef Joanna Yuen’s Grumpy Mojo flavoured with maple syrup, the Mandarin Oriental’s Robin Zavou with Pastry Chef Christophe Sapy’s MO Salty Caramel Man and Cookie DPT’s gingerbread combined with red velvet cookie dough. #FindYourPerfectMan! Open daily from 6–23 December, 10:30am–7:30pm.

JOYCE, 1/F, New World Tower, 16–18 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2869 5816

The European Art of Taste: Italian Fruit & Veg Masterpieces cooking classes (13–15 & 20–22 December)

For the third year of this EU-led campaign in Hong Kong, the focus is on beautiful Italian produce by the CSO (Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli) – from blood oranges, pears and kiwi fruit to tomato sauces and fruit juices (how we’d kill for a holiday in Italy right now!). For a hands-on demo on how to incorporate Italian fruit and veg into your home-cooking repertoire, we recommend booking one of this month’s cooking classes ($200/person) led by seasoned Italian chef Daniele Casalino, the owner of Aquasala restaurant in Central. These classes will be held from 7–9pm on 13–15 and 20–22 December at Hong Kong New Oriental Culinary Art in North Point, teaching participants how to make Italian ingredient-driven dishes such as smoked salmon carpaccio with avocado and blood orange vinaigrette, homemade tagliolini with tomato sauce and burrata and kiwi tiramisu with dark chocolate – delicious options for your upcoming festive feasts!

Hong Kong New Oriental Culinary Art, 2/F, KP Tower, 93 King’s Road, North Point, book online

Gelato Messina’s gelato cakes

Australian brand Gelato Messina’s beloved handmade gelato cakes have hit their first HK shop this month, and we think they’re perfect for holiday gatherings. Eight drool-worthy options are available – five gelato cakes and three special ”trans” cakes, which have an extended travel time of up to three hours (we hear a beach picnic calling our name). Recommendations include Messina’s OG gelato cake, Dr Evil’s Magic Mushroom ($1,500) – flourless chocolate sponge layered with dark chocolate gelato, peanut cookies and dulce de leche (there’s also a popping candy feuilletine grass base, red chocolate glaze and white chocolate dots added to the mix) – and cute newcomer How Now ($800), comprised of Jersey milk-soaked sponge with Jersey milk gelato and dulce de leche gelato. Stay tuned for the launch of Messina’s handmade “mono” cakes in the new year – single-serving mini gelato cakes made for devouring solo.

37–43 Pottinger Street, Central (no phone)

Harbour City’s Biscuit Class kids’ meals (until 2 January 2022)

As part of Harbour City’s “Christmas Terminal” holiday campaign, the shopping Mecca has collaborated with five restaurants in the vicinity to launch festive “in-flight” meals for kids, along with special extras. These five eateries include family-friendly faves Cucina, Da Filippo Trattoria, Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill, J.S. FOODIES and Kinabaji Korean Café & Restaurant. Served on adorable in-flight food trays, all the Biscuit Class kids’ meals include a main course, dessert and drink, with prices starting at just $89. Kids will also each receive a DIY “cookie penguin” ornament and cookie-shaped souvenir with their meal.

3–27 Canton Road, TST, 2118 8666

Holy Bake pop-up at ifc mall (until 28 February 2022)

Hot on the heels of its successful premier pop-up ar Harbour City, scrumptious scone bakery Holy Bake crosses the harbour to its second pop-up at ifc mall. Starting from 1 December for three months, the pop-up offers a buttery line-up of delectable temptations, ranging from the brand’s signature scones to limited-edition flavours the likes of bacon and Parmesan cheese and ginger and manuka honey. There’s also decadent red velvet white chocolate and orange chocolate lava scones to put a little more spring in your step this holiday season. Gift boxes of four scones and two festive cookies are priced at $268 for early-bird pre-orders before 10 December and $280 from the 11th.

Kiosk LA2, 1/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central

Jom

There are never enough Singaporean restaurants for us in Hong Kong, so we’re keen to pay a visit to Jom. This vibrant contemporary eatery serves traditional-with-a-twist Singaporean favourites, such as Hainanese chicken and laksa, alongside authentic sauces and sambals. Just take a gander at that glorious chilli crab! Open daily, 12–10:30pm.

7 Tai Wong Street East, Wanchai, 6426 3084 (WhatsApp)

K11 MUSEA’s Savoir-Faire Christmas pop-up (16 December–13 January 2022)

K11 MUSEA has something magical in store this holiday season – a Christmas village pop-up that pays tribute to the light festivals that take place around the world. The focal point of the village is a dazzling lit archway, which took 20 craftsmen about 1,500 hours to create. A line-up of over 20 international and local food and lifestyle brands will be showcased at the pop-up. F&B vendors include Baking Maniac, Fernet Hunter, Honbo, Maison Argaud, Para Ti, Paulig Coffee, METZ Tea, Stradf Mall and Candy Stand. Open daily from 16 December–13 January, 12–10pm.

Sculpture Park, 6/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, pre-book online

Kowloon Dairy holiday pop-up (until 23 December)

This is the season for indulgence, so we recommend checking out Kowloon Dairy’s holiday pop-up in Central, where special Christmas ice-cream flavours – gingerbread, cinnamon baked apple, pumpkin spice and hazelnut – will be launched, along with limited-edition ice-cream pints. In addition to the 23 flavours of ice cream up for grabs, Kowloon Dairy’s full range of classic ice-cream products will also be available at the shop, including Mochi Ice and cones. Open daily until 23 December, 10am–8pm Sunday–Wednesday and 10am–10pm Thursday–Sunday.

Shop A, 39 Wellington Street, Central

LANDMARK’s Christmas at Beauty Botanica (until 31 December)

Beauty Botanica, LANDMARK’s immersive beauty and wellness destination, has been gorgeously decked out for the festive shopping season, transformed into a fairy-tale-like Nutcracker Garden. Fab gift ideas include aromatherapy gift sets, an exclusive Beauty Botanica x Atelia Christmas Cabin candle and bespoke crystal diffusers and bottles from Treehouse. There’s even a cheeky “Boyfriend Dropoff” area for male folk to enjoy drinks by The Whisky Library while they wait for their ladies to get their shopping on. On the F&B front, there are festive offerings from Cookie DPT, Frederic Bloneel (Belgian chocolates) and Baking Maniac (hot chocolate bombs, s’mores bites, personalised snow-globe cookies and so much more), as well as complimentary mulled wine. Open daily until 31 December, 11am–8pm.

Shop 312–314, 3/F, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central

LANDMARK’s Star Collector tour (until 31 December)

As part of LANDMARK’s Christmas Concierge programme, the shopping mall is ending the year with a bang with this amazing dining experience. The stars in this full-day tour refer to Michelin stars – 10 in total claimed by fine-dining venues Amber, Mandarin Grill + Bar, Man Wah, 8½ Otto e Mezzo and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, all located in the LANDMARK vicinity, At each restaurant, guests will try a signature dish (think Amber’s iconic uni and caviar dish), with a stamped passport to mark each of the stops along the way. The Star Collector ($4,800/person) is available for booking from 1–31 December. Reservations can be made in person at LANDMARK’s Christmas Concierge, open daily from 11am–7:30pm.

Christmas Concierge, Shop 237, 2/F, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2500 0555

Major Seventh

Japanese-Chinese fusion cuisine is the name of the game at Major Seventh by Mori Tomoaki, a Japanese-Chinese chef himself who was born and raised in Hong Kong. The chef uses his favourite seasonal ingredients to craft dishes such as egg waffles infused with monkfish liver, mapo shirako and hairy crab paella. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

G/F, Berkshire House, Taikoo Place, 25 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, 9162 7855 (WhatsApp)

Maka Hiki

Tai Hang has a fun tropical bar and grill with the opening of Maka Hiki by Max Traverse – the “king” of tiki bars, having also opened Honi Honi and Mahalo here in the Kong. Food is a focus at Maka Hiki, and heading up the kitchen is Russell Doctrove, a veteran of the HK F&B industry. Former Group Executive Chef for Maximal Concepts, Chef Doctrove is also the founder of Patti Boi. Signatures at Maka Hiki include Hawaiian-style tuna poke, grilled mahi mahi and slow-cooked beef ribs in a tamarind jaew BBQ sauce. On the drink side, there’s a creative range of cocktails and punch bowls inspired by island experiences around the world, from the Caribbean to Polynesia. Open daily, 7am–11pm.

2/F, The Corner House, Little Tai Hang, 98 Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang, 2155 1777, book online

The Next Chapter

All-day-dining The Next Chapter is described as “a café, restaurant, al-fresco diner and sports bar all rolled into one” – laid-back fun in Tung Chung! The seasonal menu changes monthly, spotlighting the best of the best ingredients of that season, and the food menu’s got it all – fresh oysters and seafood, appetisers, soups and salads, pastas and homemade sourdough pizzas, prime steak cuts and various mains, snacks and desserts. The drink menu includes craft beers, wines, CBG-infused tipples, mocktails and more. Sustainability is also at the forefront of TNC’s philosophy; they try to minimise their impact on the environment as much as possible, from supporting local farmers, to employing a no-waste philosophy, to using bamboo straws and recyclable glass bottles. Open daily, 12pm–midnight.

Shop R&S, G/F, Seaview Crescent, 8 Tung Chung Waterfront Road, Tung Chung, Lantau Island, 2907 6808, 5966 8722 (WhatsApp)

Otetsu

Causeway Bay is where it’s at when it comes to Japanese dining, and one of the newest Japanese eateries to land there is Otetsu, a spot dedicated to teppanyaki by the folks behind Hungry Monkey and Tora Tetsu. We’ve heard good things about Otetsu’s creative seasonal dishes that are made with Western condiments, meat-smoking techniques and molecular gastronomy elements. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

13/F, L’Hart, 487–489 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, 5703 1162 (WhatsApp)

Petite Coupe pop-up at Frank’s Library (until 30 December)

This is a snazzy little champagne-meets-caviar pop-up at Frank’s Library featuring retro French-style cocktails, exclusive Pommery champagne flights and pairings of prime caviar. For a truly indulgent experience, go for the Années Folles pairing ($780), offering 30g of Royal Cristal caviar served with two glasses of Pommery Brut Royal. A sparkling lead-up to the new year! Open from 6pm till late, Wednesday–Sunday, until the 30th.

Foxglove,18 Ice House Street, Central, 2116 2449, frankslibrary@mingfathouse.com

Plume

Le Comptoir Group is having another go at the rooftop space of H Queen’s in Central. What was once Piqniq is now wine bar Plume, now connected to the group’s two-Michelin-starred ÉCRITURE. Chef Maxime Gilbert of ÉCRITURE is in charge of the refined French bar bites, complementing an extensive European-focused wine list curated by Marc-Antoine Compper, Director of Operations and head sommelier for both ÉCRITURE and Plume. With such a successful team around it, along with its stunning sky-high views, we expect Plume to be packed out every night, especially when there’s a chill in the air. Open daily, 12–10pm, with breakfast launching soon.

Rooftop, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 5200 1363, plume@lecomptoir.hk

Posso

Cicchetti, the Italian (Venetian, specifically) version of tapas, are served at laid-back eatery Posso, straddling Central and Sheung Wan. With a tag line of “No frills. All Flavour”, the duo of former Shady Acres chefs whip up simple, flavourful sharing plates such as hand-cut fettuccine with smoked guanciale and lemon, oxtail with gremolata and tiger prawn risotto. Open Monday–Saturday, 5:30–10pm.

12 Kau U Fong, Central, 9870 0898

Ship Kee

Ship Kee by Epicurean Group presents comforting Chinese favourites – dim sum, BBQ and roast meats, live seafood – in a spacious, casual environment. The culinary team is led by Executive Chef Dee Lui, boasting more than 27 years’ experience working at some of Hong Kong and China’s leading traditional Chinese kitchens. The varied menu has something for everyone – for example, diced lobster with Sichuan dried chilli for the spice fiends out there, braised sea cucumber with pomelo skin in abalone sauce for fans of time-honoured Cantonese cuisine, roasted goose and honey-glazed char siu for the carnivores and freshly prepared dim sum (for all of us!). Open daily, 11am–11pm.

G/F, Pao Yip Building, 1–7 Ship Street, Wanchai, 2893 9688, 6620 3364 (WhatsApp), book online

Swire Properties’ White Christmas Street Fair (2–5 December)

Inspired by its location near the Taikoo Sugar Refinery, the theme for this Christmas market is “Santa’s Whimsical Factory”. You’ll really get into the festive spirit here, with 30 Christmas-themed booths, live entertainment, handicraft workshops and three main attractions: Snowy Christmas Ball, Santa’s Ride and Flying Christmas Truck. Festive food and drink, including hot chocolate, mulled wine and panettone, will also be on offer. Intriguing! Click here for more information. Open 2–3 December, 12–8pm, and 4–5 December, 1–7pm.

Tong Chong Street and 1/F, Office Lobby (Dorset House and PCCW Tower), Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay

Tong Chong Street Market’s Coffee Festival (weekdays until 24 December)

Tong Chong Street Market’s Coffee Festival is a go-to for java lovers and those who champion sustainability. Featured coffee vendors include tech-enabled Flash Coffee from Singapore, Aussie-style café Fineprint and independent local roastery roastwork. In terms of food, Big D’s Southeast Asian-slash-Texas BBQ is a big draw this month, showcasing exclusive dishes like Wagyu Texas brisket bo ssam, kimchi slaw and Cheetos mac ‘n’ cheese tteokbokki. Market-goers can enjoy a $5 discount at selected food trucks if they bring their own coffee cups, and they’re encouraged to bring their own food containers or rent utensils at the market. On-site washing basins for cleaning and recycling bins are also available. Open weekdays (except public holidays), 8am–3pm.

G/F, One Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay

Tori-Za Ten

Rotisserie chicken meets pizza meet milkshakes at Tori Za-Ten, a yoshoku-inspired Japanese restaurant (yoshoku refers to Western-influenced Japanese cuisine). If the food focus isnt’t quirky enough, check out the eatery’s design, described as a “1950s ice-cream parlour crossover with a touch of Japanese modern pop art”. The pizzas include one with Wagyu beef mince, Japanese curry sauce and grilled peach and another topped with uni, caviar and crab. Open daily, 12–10pm.

66 Electric Road, Tin Hau, 2336 1768 or 2336 1868

Woo Cheong Tea House

We wondered what would happen to the historic Woo Cheong Pawn Shop space when The Pawn closed its doors a few months back, and now we know! Following an extensive refurb, the building has reopened as an upscale Chinese restaurant operated by Classified Group. Woo Cheong Tea House is split between two levels. The first floor serves sophisticated dim sum courtesy of Dim Sum Head Chef Eric Sun, premium teas and tea-infused cocktails, while the second floors offers elevated traditional Cantonese cuisine. Notably, every room in the restaurant is connected to Woo Cheong Pawn Shop’s iconic balcony. Highlights of Head Chef Edmond Ip’s menu include sautéed prawns that change seasonally (right now, it’s the wild kuruma shrimp), tea-smoked chicken and stir-fried spare ribs with mandarin peel and black vinegar. Open daily, 11am–midnight.

1/F & 2/F, 62 Johnston Road, Wanchai, 2866 3444, book online

Wulao

Wulao is a beloved Taiwanese hotpot brand, and it’s hitting Causeway Bay this month. The creamy tofu hotpot (literally “ice-cream tofu hotpot” in Chinese) is a winner, akin to a creamy tonkotsu broth. We’ll be on the lookout for the free refills of of pig’s blood (much better than it sounds) and fried tofu skin, as they do it in Taiwan. Open daily from Sunday, 12 December, 11am–midnight.

5/F, V POINT, 18 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, 2633 3586

Ying Jee Club’s whisky-pairing tour (until 31 October 2022)

For the next nine months, two-Michelin-starred Cantonese eatery Ying Jee Club is offering a special whisky-pairing experience. Signature dishes by Chef Siu Hin Chi will be paired with four of Scotland’s finest single-malt whisky labels, beginning with Talisker until 31 January. For this first session, the showcased pairings are crispy suckling pig with one bottle of Talisker 10 ($1,580) and stir-fried lobster with one bottle of Talisker 18 ($4,580), with Talisker by the glass (from $120) also available. The tour continues in 2022 with Singleton (1 February–30 April), Mortlach (1 May–31 July) and Glenkinchie (1 August–31 October), covering the four corners of Scotland. Ying Jee Club is open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

Shop G05, 107 & 108, G/F, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2801 6882, 5291 0503 (WhatsApp), reservation@yingjeeclub.hk

YUÈ

This refined Cantonese restaurant helmed by culinary stalwarts Chef Au-Yeung Chung Kei and Chef Andy Chan comes to us from LUBUDS Group, located just a stone’s throw away from the restaurant group’s Sichuan newcomer, CHUAN, which we visited recently and loved. Chef Au-Yeung was formerly the head chef of Fook Lam Moon for 20 years, while Chef Chan was previously the head dim sum chef at Jade Dragon at City of Dreams and Wing Lei Palace at Wynn Palace in Macau, We’re most excited to try YUÈ’s exquisite dim sum, served until 4pm. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

Shop 1301, 13/F, Food Forum, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, 2838 3968, book online

November 2021

Akoya

Good-quality yakitori at wallet-friendly prices is the name of game at new Tsim Sha Tsui izakaya Akoya. The dimly lit space is perfect for date nights too. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 5:30pm–midnight.

3/F, 10 Prat Avenue, TST East, 3422 8885

Aqua + Hutong

Iconic Aqua Restaurant Group stunners Aqua and Hutong have moved from their long-time homes at One Peking in Tsim Sha Tsui to the top two floors of nearby H Zentre. The dazzling new design feature of Japanese-Italian restaurant Aqua, led by newly arrived Italian chef Andrea Mura, is the glam mirrored catwalk entranceway, pictured above. There’s also a fab outdoor terrace bar. Northern Chinese eatery Hutong has added a selection of new signature dishes and a wider array of dim sum, alongside a Chinese apothecary bar that extends out onto the outdoor terrace, complete with opium-bed sofas!

The spaces at One Peking where Aqua and Hutong once stood won’t stay vacant for long. Stay tuned for details on the two new culinary concepts by the restaurant group.

17/F (Aqua) & 18/F (Hutong), H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, TST, 3427 2288 (Aqua) or 3428 8342 (Hutong), see websites above for online booking details

Aulis Hong Kong’s dessert pop-up (17 November)

Aulis’ new dessert series will kick off with a one-day event on Wednesday, 17 November – a dessert pop-up ($680/person; +$380 for drink pairings) featuring this year’s winner of SCMP 100 Top Tables Best Pastry Chef, Mandy Siu, formerly Chef Pâtissier at L’Envol, joining forces with Aulis’ very own chef, Teigan Jai Morrison. Guests will get to watch demos by the two pastry pros, as well as dig into sweet welcome snacks, an innovative four-course dessert tasting menu and petits fours. From Chef Siu’s Jonyamiso (jonyan, miso ice cream, yeast cone, grated cheese) to Chef Morrison’s local fig-leaf custard tart, it all sounds quite magical. There will be six 75-minute sessions on throughout the day, from 12–9:30pm (hard-working chefs!).

UG/F, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, 2817 8383, reservations@aulis.com.hk

Bacchus

A meeting of seasonally driven wines and Asian-influenced French cuisine, chic yet cosy Bacchus features one of the 852’s most extensive wine lists of over 800 labels from around the world. Dedicated wine educator and sommelier Hervé Pennequin – former Head Sommelier at Amber and the Hong Kong Jockey Club – leads the wine programme at this spot named after the Roman god of wine, hoping to introduce guests to uncommon grape varietals such as Marselan and Rkatsiteli and unfamiliar offerings from Bordeaux and Burgundy, all at prices that won’t break the bank. There’s even a wine-pairing suggestion for every dish! The menu has been created by experienced French chefs Laurent Varachaud and Mickael Messina to showcase seasonal ingredients infused with Chinese and Japanese flavours, from Japanese sea urchin and Black Angus sirloin rolls to Bacchus’ signature dish – Alain Senderens’ Apicius duck magret “revisited” – of honey-roasted duck breasts accented with orange- and cinnamon-flavoured white turnip and sautéed shimeji mushroom. We love the look of the lush outdoor terrace too, perfect for wine sipping as the weather cools down. Open daily from 11:30am for lunch and dinner sessions.

3/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, 3750 5200, book online

Between Coffee pop-up at Pacific Place (until August 2022)

This speciality coffee shop offering Japanese-style café dishes will be popping up at Pacific Place for the next nine months. In addition to the brand’s signature coffee blends, coffee cocktails, wellness beverages and modern Japanese bites like strawberry sando and matcha tart, Between has launched two sandos that are exclusive to this pop-up: roast beef teriyaki and smoked salmon. This sounds like a great spot to refuel during the upcoming holiday shopping season. Open daily, 8am–7pm.

Shop 200D, 2/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty

Black Sheep Restaurants presents Chef Palash Dreams of Diwali (until 6 November)

Chef Palash Mitra of Black Sheep Restaurants has designed a range of festive offerings for Diwali this year. One option, for one night only on Thursday, 4 November from 6pm, guests can head to Rajasthan Rifles at The Peak for the Chef Palash Dreams of Diwali tasting menu ($628/person), a vegetarian-focused menu that also includes the restaurant’s very first chaat counter, where these savoury Indian snacks will be freshly made to order. Book online.

You can also choose to feast at home with family and friends by ordering either the vegetarian-friendly Dhanlakshmi menu ($478/person) or meat-centric Dhamaka menu ($558/person; 5-person minimum) via GO, available for delivery until 6 November with 48 hours’ advance notice.

For a smaller treat, GO is also offering the Mithai Box of Sweet Dreams ($488), created by the chef and his team at New Punjab Club, containing an assortment of kaju (pistachio and hazelnut) barfi and coconut barfi, popular Indian sweets.

BIFTECK

This French-Japanese steakhouse features the finest beef cuts from Japan, the USA, Belgium and Australia, complemented with creative sauces and sides. BIFTECK is the sister restaurant to fusion eatery Le Rêve, and Executive Chef Ken Kwok (formerly of VEA, CIAK, Beefbar and Wagyu Takumi) is the man behind this unique steakhouse concept. In addition to beefy signature such as the Japanese A5 “snow-aged” Wagyu and Australian Black Angus porterhouse, several of the seafood dishes – grilled Alaskan crab leg brioche with buttermilk-anchovy dressing and grilled Spanish red prawn udon with cherry tomato confit and spicy prawn oil – have caught our eye. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

23/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, 2246 8805, reservation@bifteck.com.hk

Brooklyn Yakuza

Founded by chef-restaurateur duo Arron Rhodes and Chris Grare, who also run Kinship and Smoke & Barrel, this is a funky, late-night Japanese-American izakaya concept with plenty of sake on board (the glass-blown sake cups are even handcrafted by Chef Rhodes). Leading the Brooklyn Yakuza kitchen is Head Chef Lorcan Tang, born and raised in Ireland to a HK Chinese family and a protégé of Michelin-starred Irish celebrity chef Kevin Thornton. The à-la-carte menu presents seasonal and locally courced small plates for sharing in cheeky sections including Cold Blood (mainly raw dishes), Fried 911 (from BFC, or Brooklyn fried chicken, to the Home Run corn dog in sushi rice), Grilled 911 (like black cod in bean-sprout risotto), OG Fuel (such as Wagyu beef cheek in roast garlic and orange glaze) and Booty Call (desserts). Brooklyn Yakuza also features Oyabun, an East-meets-West, Manhattan-inspired cocktail lounge bar where the flavours of Japan and the USA merge to the background of Japanese and American hip-hop and monthly DJ nights. Open Tuesday–Friday for lunch and dinner sessions, with brunch, dinner and late-night drinks served at the weekend. Read about our visit here.

G/F & 1/F, LKF 29, 29 Wyndham Street, LKF, Central, 2866 1034, book online

CARBON

Central’s newest lifestyle hub, CARBON (not to be confused with Black Sheep’s Carbone!), is set to open on Thursday the 11th at H Code. The 6,200-square-foot venue will feature a mix of entertainment, wellness and food concepts, with the addition of a 2,600-square-foot private rooftop geared towards events with local fitness and wellness partners. The restaurant and lounge will offer an extensive line-up of dishes, ranging from comforting but indulgent eats like porterhouse steak to healthful nibbles the likes of za’atar-roasted carrots and garden platters. There will also be a bevy of wellness drinks and detox smoothies served at the lounge, as well as bulletproof coffee and CBD-infused drinks. Regular DJ rotations featuring a mix of hip-hop, R&B, funk, soul, reggae and jazz ensure plenty of good-time vibes.

26/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 6166 8585

Carne’s

An Argentinian steakhouse by the same team behind nearby The Patagonia, Carne’s is a recommended spot to for a wallet-friendly meat fix. The eight-ounce fillet steak with punchy chimichurri is priced at just $278 for lunch, and we love the sound of the beef empanadas and ceviche to start and the panqueques (crêpes with dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream) for dessert. Open Monday–Saturday and public holidays for lunch and dinner sessions.

G/F, The Putman, 202 Queen’s Road Central, Sheung Wan, 9144 2620

CHAAT’s Diwali tasting menu (4 November)

Get in there fast to book Chef de Cuisine Manav Tuli’s Diwali tasting menu ($1,288/person) on Thursday, 4 November, another culinary celebration in honour of the Hindu Festival of Lights. Highlights of CHAAT’s Diwali menu include lobster rasam (a clear and spicy lobster soup infused with black pepper), a family-style tandoori kebab platter, Kerala-style halibut polichathu, pan-fried in coconut oil and wrapped in banana leaves, and an East-meets-West berry shrikhand Eton mess. What a special feast!

5/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3891 8732, book online

Chinese Omakase by Masterchefs (until 30 November)

Oftentimes, Chinese chefs don’t get the recognition they deserve in comparison to cuisines like Japanese and French, so we’re thrilled to see the Chinese Omakase by Masterchefs programme this month, featuring 18 Chinese chefs from top Chinese restaurants around town, including three-Michelin-starred Lung King Heen and two-starred Ying Jee Club. This ground-breaking culinary experience will offer six- and eight-course seasonal tasting menus crafted by each chef, with prices ranging from $1,000–3,000 per person and wine-pairing options available. Click here for more information on the featured chefs and booking details for all the restaurants.

Chueca

This chic tapas bar is named after the Madrid district where most of the city’s tapas bars are located. Chef Jordi Vallés, previously the executive chef of multiple restaurants across Aqua Group and Pirata Group, crafts both classic Spanish small bites and heartier dishes, ranging from ham croquettes to lobster rice. Brunch ($588/person) is a great option at Chueca, offering guests a seafood sharing patter, selection of tapas, main and dessert. Open daily, 12–11:30pm (from 11:45am at the weekend).

8–10 Gough Street, Central, 2703 0810, book online

DAM:A

By the Westside Hospitality group behind wildly popular Korean gastropub OBP comes DAM:A, described as a chef-driven noodle bar courtesy of chefs Waheeb Abrahams and Kevin “Ching” Lam. Consisting of Korean-inspired noodles, sharing snacks and daily specials, all with a unique South African twist, the playful dishes include the likes of noodle dish sulling, featuring South African M5 Wagyu with plenty of veg accoutrements in a traditional Korean beef broth, house-smoked lamb kalbi with pickled beets, perilla leaf and crab ssamjang and dubu kimchi – fried crispy tofu topped with kimchi coleslaw (which we tried and loved – addictive!). Open Tuesday–Sunday for lunch and dinner sessions.

110 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun, info@damaramen.com (no bookings)

Deadly Rabbits Concepts

Any Monty Python fans out there? Ask for Alonzo’s SoHo branch is the latest addition to new restaurant group Deadly Rabbits Concepts, the fourth in this series of laid-back all-day Italian eateries, where signature dishes such as roasted Italian suckling pig, Alonzo’s carbonara and tiramisu take centre stage alongside a daily happy hour and weekend brunch menu. Ask for Alonzo SoHo is open daily, 11:30am–10pm (from 8am at the weekend).

The newly launched restaurant group was founded by Bart Szyniec and Giuliano Dacasto, paying tribute to their shared love of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in which a killer rabbit guards the cave of Caerbannog. Get set for two more Deadly Rabbits concepts to debut in 2022. First up will be Porkcentric, focused on sustainably sourced nose-to-tail pork dishes. Capitalising on the frenzy for Japanese-style sandos, Don Sando will follow.

Ask for Alonzo SoHo: 18 Bridges Street, SoHo, Central, 8489 7847, book online

Deng G (K11 MUSEA)

Sichuan restaurant Deng G now has another branch across the harbour at F&B Mecca K11 MUSEA. This Michelin-recommended eatery was opened here five years ago by Chinese celeb chef Deng Huadong. The Sichuan menu is divided into eight sections of different flavour profiles, so it’s not all mouth-numbing spicy. Open daily, 11am–10:30pm (till 11pm Friday–Sunday)

Shop 412–413, 4/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 2545 3288, dng.k11@elite-concepts.com

Fiata Pizza

We have another top-notch pizzeria in SoHo with the debut of industrial-style Fiata, the brainchild of Chef Salvadore Fiata, formerly of nearby pizza joint Kytaly (RIP). We can expect the best of the best imported Italian ingredients on Chef Piata’s authentic Neapolitan pies, and there’s quite a selection of pizzas on offer, from classic margherita to carbonara. Open daily 12pm–12am.

2 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 6032 6626, book online

Gassan

Sibling to acclaimed Hiyama at Harbour City, Gassan is a trendy Japanese kaiseki restaurant themed after a fishing village, complete with a traditional yakatabune houseboat taking pride of place in the 3,000-square-foot space. There are four distinctive dining zones and experiences at this affordable eatery – an open, dimly lit main dining area resembling a park, a grand private dining chamber for groups of 14 that’s enhanced by changing seasonal backdrops and two “chef’s choice’’ sushi omakase experiences, with one dining space including the houseboat itself. There’s also an impressive wine cellar with harbour views housing a floor-to-ceiling collection of over 300 bottles and 50 labels of sake and whisky. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions from Thursday, 18 November.

19/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen's Road Central, Central, 3499 1427, gassan@thefoodstory.hk

Giovanni Pina Ristorante, Bar & Pasticceria (Central)

HK Island now has a branch of this long-standing Italian import, most famous for its pastries, cakes and gelato. We loved the house-made pistachio gelato and signature buttery, flaky cannoncini crema (custard rolls) at Giovanni Pina’s K11 MUSEA branch, and our infamous contributor David Greenberg waxed lyrical about the this new Central outlet’s shrimp fettuccine and French fries with truffled mayo. Open daily, 8am–10pm (from 11am on Sundays and public holidays).

G/F, Two Chinachem Plaza, 135 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, 2755 1088

Grill Manten-Boshi

Ooh, omurice! This Japanese omelette rice specialist will open its first HK branch at Harbour City on Friday, 12 November. Grill Manten-Boshi was founded all the way back in 1978 by Yoshinao Kubota, a protégé of Tokuzou Akiyama, chef to Emperor Shōwa. The restaurant’s most famous omurice dish features silky-soft egg topped with prawn, scallop, green peas and gravy. Open daily, 12–10pm (from 11:30am at the weekend).

Shop OT301–301A, 3/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 3751 5345

Honbo (Harbour City)

The dining options at Harbour City just keep getting better and better! Now, there’s the fourth branch of home-grown burger brand Honbo to tempt us, famous for serving up its USDA Double Gold Standard smash burgers, moreish sides and local craft brews – this time with harbour views. Open daily from 15 November, 12–10pm.

Shop GW2602, 2/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST

Indulgent Eats pop-up at HATCH (4–6 November)

HATCH’s executive chef, Jaime Young, is teaming up with Instagram star Jen Balisi of Indulgent Eats to showcase a tasting menu ($588/person) of dishes (plus a bonus item to be sold out of HATCH’s pop-up window) from her soon-to-be-released cookbook, Indulgent Eats at Home, inspired by viral IG recipes from around the world. Each of Jen’s five crave-worthy dishes (with the option to add a special sixth) is from a different chapter of the cookbook: crispy noodle-wrapped prawns, Filipino sizzling pork belly sisig, spicy tingly pork abura soba, tahdig (crispy Persian rice) with saffron-yohgurt lamb chop and mango float, her take on a popular Filipino dessert. We’ll keep the bonus item a secret, but priority will be given to those who have booked for dinner (or you can DM @eatdrink hatch to reserve one). Bookings at 6:30pm and 8:30pm on 4–6 November.

60 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, book online

Kacho Fugetsu

Another stylish Causeway Bay izakaya – we can’t keep up! Spanning over 5,300 square feet over two split levels, contemporary “urban“ izakaya and cocktail lounge Kacho Fugetsu is one to watch. On the 25th floor, the Japanese menu has it all, from premium sushi and sashimi, to kushiyaki, to Japanese-style tapas, to new wave desserts. A menu signature is the osusume counter, featuring jet-fresh daily seafood that can be selected by type and cooking style. The dark and sultry cocktail lounge on the 23rd floor is accessed like a hidden chamber down through the stairs and into a corridor. Creative cocktails, an extensive sake list and Japanese gin, vodka and whisky are up for ordering here. The restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner sessions, while the lounge will open from 5pm–2am every day from mid-November.

23/F & 25/F, CUBUS, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay, 2872 8968, hello@kachofugetsuhk.com

Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba

The world’s largest mazesoba chain from Tokyo has landed in Hong Kong! Mazesoba is otherwise known as soupless ramen, and this dry mixed noodle dish is the speciality of Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba , which was opened nearly a decade ago by Japanese chef Takuma Ishikawa. Kokoro offers nine flavours of mazesoba, with all the noodles made in-house, including the star of this mazesoba show – premium Tokyo mazesoba, showcasing Japanese-style slow-braised char siu, minced pork, fish powder, seaweed, green onion, chive, bamboo shoot and minced garlic, crowned with a picture-perfect soft-boiled egg. Exclusive to the HK branch is the cold yuzu salted mazesoba, made with slow-cooked Japanese chicken and fresh yuzu juice. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 11:30am–7pm.

68 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, 3751 6966

Little Bao (SoHo)

The most anticipated opening of the month has to be the return of Little Bao to SoHo, opening on Wednesday the 10th at 6pm. This marks LB’s return to its roots, with the hip Chinese diner first opened by Chef May Chow in SoHo back in 2013 (the queues were then legendary for the chef’s creative Chinese buns). To commemorate the big return, the old classics are back, along with brand-new dishes such as skirt steak tataki, mixed seafood ceviche and crab bao. The new beverage programme is dedicated to small-batch brewers and distillers and independent wineries. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 12–4pm and 6–11pm.

1–3 Shin Hing Street, SoHo, Central, 6794 8414 (WhatsApp), book online

Little Napoli

This neighbourhood pizzeria in Happy Valley is serving up authentic Neapolitan pies by Napoli native chef Gavino Pilo, alongside ripieno fritto (pizza pockets) and the Italian baked sandwich known as the panuozzo. Each of Little Napoli’s charred, pillowy pizzas is quickly fired in a hand-built oven from Naples, topped with the best of the best ingredients imported from Italy. Takeaway pies come with scissors to maintain the perfect crust! Open Tuesday–Friday, 6–10pm, and weekends and public holidays, 12–2:30pm and 6–10pm.

8 King Kwong Street, Happy Valley, 6882 1823

The Lounge at Four Seasons’ Middle Eastern menu (until 30 November)

Middle Eastern dishes bring an injection of heady, exotic flavours to The Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong this November with unique lunch and dinner menus featuring live cooking stations. The line-up includes chicken shawarma, saffron biryani, roasted lemon fish, lamb kebabs and rose ice cream to tantalise the taste buds. Available until the end of November, take a culinary trip to the Middle East without the quarantine.

Lobby, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, 3196 8882, book online

Matachli (The Upper House)

Matcha specialist Matchali premiered at The Upper House about a year ago, and the shop is returning to its roots on Tuesday, 2 November with a permanent indoor-outdoor space at the luxury hotel, where drinks are hand-whisked to order at the whisking counter. Try the seasonal pumpkin spice latte, a blend of fresh pumpkin, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, for some autumn feels or the brand-new Dirty Matcha, which combines the brand’s classic matcha latte with a shot of Café Kitsuné espresso. Open daily, 8am–6pm (from 10am on weekends and public holidays).

6/F, The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 9880 7661

MOTD x MobiChef’s Eight Shades of Chuan by Chef Xuelian pop-up (11–13 & 18–20 November)

Private dining venue MOTD has collaborated with MobiChef, a platform for local private chefs, to offer a Sichuan dinner experience called Eight Shades of Chuan by Sichuan chef Xuelian (one of the most popular MobiChefs!). The eight-course tasting menu ($880/person; +$380 for wine pairings) features flavourful (and not always spicy) dishes such as Sichuan-style abalone, steamed pork belly with rice powder and osmanthus ice jelly.

1/F, Union Park Tower, 168 Electric Road, Causeway Bay, 2335 5333, 6778 9807 (WhatsApp), book online

Musubi Hiro Games (13 November)

Let the games begin! This cool-cat musubi specialist is now hosting a monthly series of eating, drinking and graffiti art contests, beginning on Saturday the 13th from 4–7pm (with future Saturdays of 11/12, 22/1 and 19/2, so mark your calendar). On each date, Musubi Hiro will crown the Musubi Hiro Game Day Champion for each discipline – eating (4 musubi), drinking (3 beers + 3 glasses of sake) and culture (graffiti art). Great prizes include beer, sake, SEVENFRIDAY caps and apparel, CUZ Barber Shop vouchers, dining vouchers for Musubi Hiro, Musubi Hiro products and more. Those interested can enrol ($150/participant) by commenting on the designated Musubi Hiro Games Instagram post or by signing up on-site at the restaurant. There will be a grand finale after 12 rounds of a 12-month Musubi Hiro Games cycle!

37 Cochrane Street, Central, 5597 6911, book online

Percy’s

Inspired by radical English poet Percy Shelley (doubly cool when you check out the eatery’s street address), neighbourhood hang-out Percy’s places the focus on responsibly sourced seasonal seafood dishes paired with punchy drinks. The menu by Executive Chef Braden Reardon, formerly of Buenos Aires Polo Club and Carbone, features hot and cold small plates, large plates and selections from the raw bar, where unique dry-ageing and charcuterie techniques are employed. Open Tuesday–Sunday for dinner from 5pm.

G/F, & 1/F, 18–18A Shelley Street, SoHo, Central, 2898 2699, book online

Perrier-Jouët’s multisensory dining experience (27 November & 18 December

Dubbed “The Art of Revealing Nature” by top champagne house Perrier-Jouët, this very special multisensory dining experience is a collaboration between Chef Jaakko Sorsa, photographer Justin Hui and harpist Elam Lai on the theme of awakening the senses. The six-course champagne-pairing menu ($2,200/person), held at Ocean Table private kitchen in Ap Lei Chau, pays homage to natural landscapes, showcasing a notable Perrier-Jouët cuvée with each dish.

Ocean Table by Tasting Kitchen, Unit 601, 6/F, Oceanic Industrial Centre, 2 Lee Lok Street, Ap Lei Chau, book online for 27 November, book online for 18 December

Pici x kapok 15th anniversary tasting menu (until 30 November)

Lifestyle shop kapok celebrates 15 years of style with a special collaborative tasting menu at Pici. Until the end of November, guests can indulge in a mouth-watering tasting menu ($290/person) featuring some of Pici’s crowd-pleasers such as tuna tartare, homemade meatballs, orecchiette ‘nduja, truffle tagliolini, ravioli carbonara, tiramisu and panna cotta. Shop at the Sun Street kapok store from now until 30 November and get $30 off the tasting menu and a complimentary welcome glass of Prosecco at Pici. The favour also gets returned, with guests who dine at Pici Wanchai receiving a 10% discount on purchases at kapok. Now, that’s symbiotic support amongst neighbourhood venues!

kapok: 8 Sun Street, Wanchai, 2549 9254

Pici: 16 St Francis Yard, Wanchai, 2755 5523

The Porter’s Ethereal pop-up (until 30 November)

In anticipation of the debut of The Porter later this month, described as a lifestyle/coffee concierge, at Taikoo Place, this celestial-themed pop-up will offer premium coffee, speciality drinks, a “cloud” cookie by Cookie DPT and vegan sweet treats by Moono. Open daily, 11am–5pm.

G/F, One Island East, Taikoo Place, 18 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, 2844 6300

Preface Coffee & Wine (Causeway Bay)

Preface unites four of our passions – coffee, wine, food and technology – at its newest (and flagship) shop in Causeway Bay, spanning 5,500 square feet over six floors. The minimalistic concept features a multi-functional space, including grab and go on the ground floor and the futuristically designed Metaverse on the first floor for dine-in. Preface is the only place in Hong Kong to serve up fair-trade black honey-processed coffee from Indonesia, and the café’s dishes showcase local and sustainable ingredients. Come evening, Metaverse transforms into a wine bar, focusing on natural, biodynamic bottles and globally inspired light bites. This flagship will hold various workshops taught by programming instructors with MIT certification on popular technologies such as AI, NFT and more. Open daily from Sunday, 7 November, 8am–6pm on Sundays and Mondays and until 9:30pm from Tuesday–Saturday. Note that alcoholic beverages will be served from December 2021.

G–5/F, 11 Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay

Sake Central’s Matsuri 50 Sake Party (6 November)

There’s the chance to drink over 50 kinds of sake from around Japan at Sake Central’s latest sake party on Saturday the 6th. Each ticket ($208 early bird or $298 regular) also entitles you to your own special-edition one cup and passed snacks including nori crisps and sweet potato chips. Or order up some heartier bites – uni toast, oysters and more – from Sake Central’s special snack menu on the day. Three time slots: 6–8pm, 8–10pm and 10pm–late.

S109–113, 1/F, Block A, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, 2656 6552, book online

SAKImoto Bakery (ifc mall)

This Osaka import, beloved for its Japanese-style milk bread known as shokupan, has opened it third shop in the 852 at ifc mall in Central. In addition to its signature natural shokupan, milk-butter shokupan and handcrafted “jewel” jam collection, this new outlet is showcasing two exclusive maritozzo (Hokkaido cream bun) flavours – yuzu and hazelnut-chocolate – as well as daily special shokupan varieties, from choco to cheese. This branch of SAKImoto Bakery also offers sandos and salads to go. Open daily, 10am–8pm.

Shop 1062, 1/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 2656 2187

The Salted Pig (MegaBox)

This is the fifth branch of quirky pork-centric restaurant The Salted Pig, a member of Shore Hospitality. In addition to the brand’s comforting signature dishes such as pulled pork nachos, crispy pork knuckle and bacon mac ‘n’ cheese, this shop offers an exclusive new grill menu, as well as veggie-friendly options made with plant-based OmniPork and Impossible Meat. Open daily, 12–10pm.

Shop 12, 11/F, MegaBox, 38 Wan Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay, 2770 2702,
megabox@thesaltedpig.com.hk

SAVVY

An interesting, contemporary three-part F&B destination – bar, lounge and restaurant – at Harbour City’s Prince Hotel (there’s direct access via the shopping mall), SAVVY’s culinary team is led by Chef de Cuisine Derek Ng, offering a smorgasbord of Asian and Western flavours covering lunch, tea and dinner. Signature dishes at the restaurant include lobster tom yum kung rice noodles, coconut beef rendang and grilled Australian Wagyu steak, while the bar acts as a noodle bar by day (Penang assam laksa or Sichuan dan dan noodles, anyone?) and a space for creative cocktails come sundown. Afternoon tea and sweet treats can be enjoyed in the bright, airy lounge. Open daily from 12 November, 12pm–12am.

Shop GW3209A, 3/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 2113 6188, book online

Shake Shack x HYPEBAE pop-up (5–7 November)

Shake Shack has come up with a snazzy shake dubbed Supernova (hint: it has a refreshing, tropical twist) for this three-day pop-up with HYPEBAE, a female-driven fashion, beauty and lifestyle platform that will be showcasing a limited-edition capsule collection – bucket hat, shades and Alpha Industries bomber jacket – in honour of the brand’s fifth anniversary. Open 5–7 November, 12–8pm.

1/F (opposite lululemon), Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty

Shangri-La’s A Festival of Wine (22–27 November)

Attention, oenophiles! A total of 14 different wine events over six days are set to take place at the three Shangri-La hotels in Hong Kong – Island Shangri-La, Kowloon Shangri-La and Kerry Hotel. These include wine dinners and lunches, tasting experiences and sabrage activities, all curated by Master Sommelier Yohann Jousselin and his team. Click here for the full list of activities and to book.

Sip & Slide

Has anyone ever experienced the childhood joy of a Slip ‘N Slide? We’re going off tangent, but we love the wordplay used in Sip & Slide’s name. S&S is brought to us by the folks behind Wingman, which can be found just one floor above in the same building, but this time the focus isn’t on wings but creative sliders, offering an extensive array of mini burger options catering to meat eaters, pescatarians, vegetarians and vegans alike. The comforting starters, sides and sweets also come highly recommended, as do the cocktails, which have been curated by JW Marriott’s bar manager. Open daily, 12–11pm.

5/F, Cheung Hing Commercial Building , 37–43 Cochrane Street, Central, 5171 6796, book online

SpiceBox Organics (TKO)

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, SpiceBox Organics has opened its third market and café, this time in the trendy ‘hood of Tseung Kwan O, offering freshly made gluten-free, vegan and organic selections in a 1,300-square-foot indoor-outdoor space. Some exclusive features to the TKO shop include freshly brewed kombucha on tap by home-grown brand Taboocha, eco-friendly and ethically sourced Sea Change wines by the glass and bottle, an extensive variety of bulk zero-waste products and self-service sparkling and flat filtered water by carbon-neutral company Belu. As at all SpiceBox Organics cafés, the menu includes salads, soups, hot main dishes, snacks, smoothies, coffees and teas. Customer faves include the tempeh burger, cauliflower or tofu-mushroom roti rolls and CBD organic ladoos (energy balls made with organic chickpea flour, cashews and almonds with CBD oil). Open daily, 8am–8pm.

Shop G10, G/F, Capri Place, 33 Tong Yin Street, TKO, 3485 8393

Sushi Hisayoshi

Chef Hisayoshi Iwa, sushi master and owner of Michelin-starred sushi restaurant Ginza Iwa in Tokyo, is bringing his elevated Edomae-style omakase experience to Harbour City this mid-November, with the premium seafood sourced from the chef’s most trusted sources throughout Japan. Four omakase menus overseen by Chef Iwa’s protégé, Tsukasa Kaneko, are available at Sushi Hisayoshi, featuring eight signature dishes of the celebrated chef. One masterpiece is the fermented otoro, pictured above, while the shirako tempura in white sauce and soft-braised octopus are further must-tries. Open from Friday the 12th for lunch and dinner sessions.

Shop GW111, G/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 2383 3366

Sushi Kumogaku

Rebranded from Sushi Mori, upscale sushi spot Sushi Kumogaku is overseen by Mori’s sous-chef and apprentince, Chef Kin. There’s a 12-seat sushi counter here, as well as a private room seating six. The sushiya’s decor is notable, decorated with antique Japanese furniture, handmade traditional incense burners and flower arrangements by a professional ikebana artist. There’s a single omakase menu for lunch and dinner, coming in at $880 and $2,500 a head respectively. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

8/F, The Steps, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 6596 9170 (WhatsApp), book online

Test Kitchen’s Seafood & Sake pop-up (25–27 November)

This pop up at Test Kitchen is a nod to Chef Peter Lee’s love for both seafood and Chinese cuisine, with his innovative multi-course tasting menu ($1,280/person) featuring the likes of clams with tosa vinegar, cucumber and shiso, abalone with chicken pot, hoisin sauce and lettuce and sea urchin with shrimp-roe noodles and chicken fat. Optional sake pairings (+$480) can be added to perfectly complement the flavours of the seafood-centric dishes, curated by sake shop For Your Own Sake. The menu is available for dinner on 25–27 November (6:30pm reception, 7pm meal start time).

Shop 3, Kwan Yick Building Phase 3, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, WhatsApp 9032 7268 or email vincentmui@testkitchen.com.hk to book

ThinkWine’s restaurant takeovers (11 & 18 November and 2 & 15 December, from 6pm)

ThinkWine’s restaurant takeovers are back, where, for just one night each time, chefs from acclaimed HK restaurants showcase 4–6 takeover-exclusive snacks to pair with the elegant bar’s newly updated and expanded wine collection. Up first this month on Thursday the 11th is Chef Jim Löfdahl from Frantzen’s Kitchen, followed by Chef Narisara Somboon from Chachawan on Thursday the 18th. In December, Chef Chetan Kohl of Musubi Hiro will stop by on Thursday the 2nd, ending the series on Wednesday the 15th with Chef Antonio Oviedo of 22 Ships.

2/F, LL Tower, 2–4 Shelley Street, SoHo, Central, 2886 3121,
drink@thinkwinehk.com

Tong Chong Street Market’s Coffee Festival (weekdays until 24 December)

Tong Chong Street Market’s Coffee Festival is a go-to for java lovers and those who champion sustainability. Featured coffee vendors include tech-enabled Flash Coffee from Singapore, Aussie-style café Fineprint and independent local roastery roastwork. In terms of food, vibrant Indonesian flavours from Potato Head Hong Kong and Texas-style BBQ from Brisket Brothers are on the cards in November. Market-goers can enjoy a $5 discount at selected food trucks if they bring their own coffee cups, and they’re encouraged to bring their own food containers or rent utensils at the market. On-site washing basins for cleaning and recycling bins are also available. Open weekdays (except public holidays), 8am–3pm.

G/F, One Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay

ToriHachi

We have another modern izakaya in our midst with ToriHachi, where creative yakitori and premium drinks take centre stage in a cool space designed in shades of grey with light wood accents. Chicken-skin lollipops ad tsukune Benedict – yum! The Quarry Bay izakaya is the sibling to T8 Japanese Cuisine, which opened last year to much acclaim in Lan Kwai Fong. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

Shop G03, G/F, K11 ATELIER, 728 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, 3563 8532, 6019 5878 (WhatsApp)

TQM’s monthly music quiz (17 November & 16 December, from 7pm)

You better known your Britney from your Beyonce at Te Quiero Mucho’s cool new monthly music quiz, Sounds Familiar from the UK. Book a table for $800 and you’ll also get a round of beers, pitcher of margarita or bottle of wine + chips and salsa to share. The prizes are pretty great too.

2/F, The Sheung Wan, 286 Queen’s Road Central, Sheung Wan, 3423 3290, November booking link, December booking link

Unbothered

Stopping traffic (literally) with a spectacular opening ceremony recently is Unbothered, slotting in where The Coffee Academïcs used to be in Lan Kwai Fong. Founder Connie Lee is a certified CBD adviser, and the bar will offer a CBD-infused food and drink menu, including hangover tea, coffee and pastries, as well as a range of new CBD skincare products. There is ample space upstairs to hang out, and we look forward to a brunch menu with free flow coming soon. Open daily, 12pm–late.

UG/F & LG/F, 1 Lan Kwai Fong, LKF, Central, 9656 2563

Uoharu (Pacific Place)

Seafood-focused izakaya Uoharu from Tokyo has opened its second HK outlet at Pacific Place. New exclusive items include nigiri sushi, made using the freshest catches from Tokyo’s famous Toyosu Market, and plant-based items such as crispy OmniPork sando and spicy OmniPork gyoza. Open daily, 11:30am–10pm (closing between 3:30–5pm on weekdays).

Shop 001, LG1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2803 7808, book online

October 2021

70s Food Dining by Vintage House

We’re big fans of the convenience and accessibility of food halls, and the latest, located Kowloon-side, is a doozy. 70s Food Dining offers six stalls on the ground floor showcasing both local and global flavours, as well as a full-service sit-down Japanese-Italian restaurant on the first floor, Earth. The six stalls include 亞洲香味屋 (Malaysian-Singaporean hawker-style eats), Thai Grill, 凱之味 (vegan cart noodles), Ma Spicy Cuisine (Sichuan dishes), Treasures Burger and a bar serving up classic local bevvies and smoothies. Open 24/7!

G/F & 1/F, 46 Granville Road, TST, 2866 0111

Above & Beyond’s 10th anniversary set dinner menu (until 30 November)

Hotel ICON is celebrating a decade of service this year, and as part of the festivities, the hotel’s lauded Cantonese restaurant, Above & Beyond, is offering a stellar 10th anniversary six-course set dinner ($980/person) crafted by Executive Chinese Chef Wong Chi Ki. The chosen dishes are the restaurant’s most popular over the past decade, from the Chinese speciality platter (crispy five-spice sliced Angus beef brisket, deep-fried red king crab claw with wasabi sauce, cordyceps flowers with white fungus in Sichuan chilli sauce) to start to the ending of baked chestnut pudding with chestnut purée and Chinese petits fours. Available daily until 30 November, 6–10pm.

28/F, Hotel ICON, 17 Science Museum Road, TST East, 3400 1318, book online

Asaya Kitchen’s morning yoga + weekend breakfast

If you’re planning on livin’ it up in on Friday night, make up for it on Saturday (or Sunday) morning at Asaya Kitchen at Rosewood Hong Kong. Morning flow yoga classes ($350/person) will be on from 8–8:45am, followed by the eatery’s new weekend set breakfast ($350/person), which highlights seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers, fisheries and food artisans. The menu includes one dish choice each from the bakery, organic eggs, garden, sea and cultured menu sections, along with a freshly made juice.

6/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3891 8732, book online

Awa Awa Airline Lounge pop-up at The Upper House (6 October–31 December)

Next up in The Upper House’s home-grown pop-up series is AAA Lounge, a partnership with Okinawan restaurant Awa Awa and Chef Chris Tang of MYYZ Concepts, taking over the sixth floor of the five-star hotel. We might not miss in-flight meals, but we do miss the iconic bites of airline lounges around the world, especially in Japan. At this pop-up, you can dig into dishes like spicy noodles, curries, mini taco rice and – a fave at Tokyo airports – French toast, all matched with Awa Awa’s sake, awamori highballs and Okinawan-inspired cocktails (while reminiscing about when airplane travel was actually a thing). Open 6 October–31 December, Wednesday–Sunday, 7pm–late.

6/F, The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2918 1838

Bacaba

Another great addition to the Tseung Kwan O waterfront, Bacaba is a breezy, laid-back all-day affair offering everything from Turkish doner kebabs, to fajitas, to nasi goreng, to pizza. Will it give nearby Café Bohème a run for its money? Open daily, 10:30am–12:30am (from 9am at the weekend).

Shop 9, G/F, Alto Residences, 29 Tong Yin Street, TKO, 2868 0311

BaseHall – 3 new concepts

Food hall extraordinaire BaseHall has a trio of new tenants to add to its impressive F&B line-up. First up, Meraki Hospitality Group has launched MAMMA’s, offering comforting pastas, aperitivo cheeseboards and Italian house wines (we miss Meraki’s Mamma Always Said on Peel Street, so it’s great to see this comeback). When it comes to nutritious eats, there’s nüte with its two signature offerings – smoothie bowls and icebar smoothies, which are grab-and-go energy bars. Finally, check out home-grown brand Crew for a flat white, sparkling black, cold brew or hand drip paired with locally made mochi, macarons and more. In the evening, Crew presents boozy Crew-tails, wine, bubbly and premium Scotch. Open Monday–Saturday from 11am.

Shop 9A–9C, LG/F, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central, 3643 0865

Butter Cake Shop (SoHo)

When we’re craving American-style cake or pie, we make a beeline for the Butter pop-up at LANDMARK for baked wonders such as this limited-time American celebration classic, confetti cake. But now we can also head to Butter’s standalone shop in SoHo. Here, Chef Karys Logue and team are whipping up whole cakes and pies each day, plus rotating weekend specials from 22 October – and if you head to Butter on Friday the 22nd between 4:30–7:30pm, you’ll be gifted with a sweet surprise from Chef Logue. Stay tuned to Butter’s IG for the special takeaway treats being baked up on Saturdays and Sundays. Open daily, 10am–7pm.

34B Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 2810 0660

Candour

We’ve been waiting for Common Abode to launch Candour, a bar and lounge offering a distinct combo of hip-hop culture, cocktails and a “bold yet familiar” food menu taking its cues from Asian ingredients and dishes. The drink list takes the form of a playlist, with each tipple drawing upon popular hip-hop references. There’s Möet champagne cocktail Bad and Boujee, a toast to Migos, The Chronic, a chartreuse Código margarita that’s inspired by Dr Dre, and more rap-influenced signatures. Wash these down with a selection of creative small plates by Executive Chef Karisa Cheque, from octopus hot dog, to mapo tofu tater tots, to pineapple bun chicken burger. Open Wednesday–Saturday, 5pm–2am, and on Sunday for all-day brunch, 12–6pm.

65 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, 2362 8100, book online

CHUAN

We’re Sichuan fanatics, so we made a visit to CHUAN pronto for a taste of the chilli-fuelled creations by two culinary masters – Chef Lee Chi Kwong and Chef Leung Yip Yuen, each with more than 40 years of expertise in Sichuan cuisine at esteemed HK restaurants Golden Valley and San Xi Lou. The duo’s signature dishes include sautéed diced chicken with red chilli and steamed Macau sole with Sichuan pepper, pictured just above, which features a fiery trio of red chili, green chilli and Sichuan peppercorn. Sichuan-style hotpot and dim sum – like spicy crispy bun stuffed with roasted goose and steamed rice rolls with beef and meat floss in spicy sauce – are additional mouth-numbing menu highlights. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions. Read about our visit here.

Shop 1102, 11/F, Food Forum, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, 2838 8313, chuancwb11@lubuds.com

Dab-Pa Artisan

A member of the Taste Gourmet Group family, Dab-Pa Artisan is already gaining IG fame for its chic cave-themed design, with private corner nooks that are perfect for some cheeky photography. The regional Chinese dishes, influenced by the cuisines of both Beijing and Sichuan, are experimental in both taste and presentation. Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

Shop B111, B1/F, Victoria Dockside, K11 MUSEA, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 2327 2218

Dark Leaf Cafe & Lounge

This unique spot specialises in both tea-infused cocktails and shisha – hence its name. Dark Leaf blends the flavours of its home-brewed teas into liquors to create its six signature cocktails, and there are 80 flavours of shisha, sourced from Germany, Russia and the USA, on offer. If you’re hungry while you’re there, the lounge’s signature dish is this decadent-looking lobster mentaiko spaghetti, made with lobster from the USA and Fukuoka mentaiko. Open daily 4pm–2am, with happy hour from 4–7pm every day.

8/F, 726 Nathan Road, Mongkok, 9016 0223

DarkSide’s sustainable cocktail masterclasses

Over at Rosewood Hong Kong, cool-cat cocktail bar DarkSide has worked with the hotel’s health-conscious Asaya Kitchen to create a series of ecoCOCKTAILS crafted with ecoSPIRITS’ low-waste technology and locally sourced ingredients. We love that each ecoCOCKTAILS menu is printed on sustainable and compostable paper that’s embedded with tree seeds – just plant the paper in soil when you get home!

To learn how to make one of these eco-friendly cocktails yourself (along with two of DarkSide’s classic tipples), the bar is now hosting 90-minute sustainable cocktail masterclasses ($1,388/person) on Thursday–Sunday. A DarkSide apron and cheese and charcuterie board for noshing during the class are part of the deal, plus one native tree will be planted in the Rosewood Hong Kong forest in Sumatra, Indonesia, in each guest’s name.

2/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3891 8732, book online

DON’T MISS! Oktoberfest in Hong Kong 2021

Decree by T

Boasting a team with experience at high-end sushi spots Sushi Shion and Sushiyoshi, Decree by T is a sushiya with a focus on sashimi and nigiri, as well as IG-worthy small plates. There are three omakase menus available (14, 17 or 21 dishes). We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to all the top Japanese on offer in Hong Kong these days! Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

7–9 Minden Avenue, TST, 6821 6212 (WhatsApp), book online

Duddell’s Laughter Lounge (20 October, 7:30–11pm)

MCed by Foodie’s own Jason Strickland, this inaugural stand-up comedy event on Wednesday the 20th at Duddell’s features established comics Garron Chiu, Chris Musni and Ha Chu. Also on the cards is a happy-hour menu all night long, and the acclaimed Cantonese restaurant’s à-la-carte food menu will be available before and after the show. Each ticket ($250) includes one drink.

3/F, Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell Street, Central, 2525 9191, book online

El Cerdo (SoHo)

This popular Spanish spot in Tseun Wan has made a big move with its newest location on SoHo’s Elgin Street (the Wanchai branch has now closed). Go for traditional tapas – tortilla, ham croquettes, sizzling prawns with garlic and chilli, Iberian ham platter and even tapas-sized paella – by Chef Simon Lynch, who took over El Cerdo in 2016. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 11:30am–11:30pm.

38 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 2832 9222, 9857 3986 (WhatsApp)

Flash Coffee

Flash Coffee is a tech-enabled coffee chain, with more than 100 locations across Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan and, now, Hong Kong. The HK branch in Sheung Wan is a grab-and-go spot; to order, customers can do so by the brand’s app and then collect in-store or have their drink delivered (also via app). Flash uses 100% Arabica, lighter-roasted beans, and the head HK barista is Timmy Lam, a finalist at the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship 2019. Great value, starting from just $25 a cup, the menu includes coffee drinks with flavours that are unique to the 852 – the peanut butter condensed milk latte and red bean iced latte are calling our name! Shops in Causeway Bay, Mongkok and Wanchai to follow soon. Open weekdays, 7am–8pm, and weekends, 8am–6pm.

Shop 5, G/F, Golden Centre, 188 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan

Freida Club

Freida Club was started by two Mexican amigos in Hong Kong, along with Permaclub in Clearwater Bay. Their goal is to establish a community that reflects the kindheartedness of Mexicans, and at the newly opened location in Sai Ying Pun, you’ll find artisanal produce and goodies from Mexico and Hong Kong, as well as friendly faces – mi casa es tu casa. On our visit, we couldn’t resist picking up the range of handmade sauces and salsas from Salseria, but you will also find soaps, agave, local beers, kombucha and more.

1 Leung I Fong, Sai Ying Pun, 9137 7747

Gaddi’s Gastronomic Memories dinner (7 October)

Michelin-starred Gaddi’s is a icon of French fine dining at The Peninsula Hong Kong, opened in 1953 and then hailed as “the best restaurant east of the Suez”. This institution is going back in time on Thursday, 7 October, taking diners on a journey to the restaurant’s heyday in the 1970s, to include a a presentation highlighting six key aspects of Gaddi’s history. Chef de Cuisine Albin Gobil has a designed a six-course menu showcasing his modern interpretations of classic French dishes from the 1970s alongside fine wine pairings from that decade by sommelier Felix Law. To really channel the spirit of the 70s, dine to the tune of live jazz, featuring songs from the album Live at Gaddi’s played at the restaurant by The Keymen in the 1960s and 70s. Also included are two parting gifts: a copy of the limited-edition book The Story of Gaddi’s and a framed portrait by the photographer and instructor of Leica Akademie. This extraordinary, one-night-only Gastronomic Memories dinner is priced at – wait for it – $10,888 a head.

1/F, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, TST, 2696 6763, diningphk@peninsula.com

Gelato Messina

Black Sheep Restaurants does gelato! This gelateria is a collab with Messina, a gelato icon in Australia, first opened Down Under nearly two decades ago. The HK outlet is its first overseas partnership. Messina is dedicated to making everything from scratch – this means they run their own dairy, strawberry and hazelnut farms, and all their add-ins (think cookies, brownies and coulis) are whipped up in-house. There are 40 flavours of Messina’s luscious freshly churned gelato available each day, including several HK-exclusive flavours like milk tea and egg tart. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 3–10pm (till 11pm Friday–Sunday).

37–43 Pottinger Street, Central

Green Common flagship (Central)

This plant-based pioneer is opening a two-storey flagship on Wednesday, 6 October, a one-stop shop with a retail area, coffee and smoothie bar (oat milk is the default!), grab-and-go selection and Asian fusion restaurant with its own vegan wine collection. Lolli-OmniPork (savoury lollipops), crispy wontons filled with OmniPork Luncheon, pickled veg and fungus, smoked Wellington (OmniPork Luncheon, mushroom and truffle sauce), chazuke (a classic Japanese dish made with OmniCrab mixed with tororo kombu) and HK-style pork chop with baked Omnipork chop rice are the stars of Green Common’s à-la-carte menu, and there’s a regularly changing four-course tasting menu available for dinner too. Open daily, 7:30am–10pm on weekdays and 10:30am–10pm on weekends and public holidays (ground floor) and 11am–10pm (first floor).

Shop G01 & 101, G/F & 1/F, Nexxus Building, 77 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, 2727 6682

Hanagai

A contemporary izakaya joining the ranks of Causeway Bay’s CUBUS, Hanagai presents a seasonal kaiseki menu by Chef Takeshi Suzuki. Private tatami rooms are a bonus. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions + late-night drinks.

6/F, CUBUS, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay, 3188 3350, 9866 7089 (WhatsApp)

HUE x Michter’s Distillery (Thurdays & Fridays until 29 October)

As the weather (slightly) starts to cool down, we think this seasonal supper ($550/person) at HUE sounds like just the autumnal ticket. On Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30pm until 29 October, diners can indulge in a selection of both sweet and savoury bites paired with four Michter’s whiskies and cocktails prepared tableside – think of it as the evening equivalent of a boozy afternoon tea! The supper experience also includes a brief presentation by a Michter’s rep on the history of the American rye whisky brand.

1/F, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, TST, 3500 5888, book online (advance booking is required)

Ikigai Concepts

Opening on Friday, 1 October at Nina Mall in Tsuen Wan, Ikigai Concepts is a space for lovers of Japanese cuisine and lifestyle featuring five distinct zones: a cosy kushiyaki area for skewers grilled over binchotan charcoal, a teppanyaki bar, a washoku kitchen offering tempura and donburi and a seasonal omakase sashimi and sushi experience. The sake bar is at the heart of Ikigai Concepts, presenting around 30 sake labels and – this is fun – Sake Z, a dispensary matching each individual with the sake that best suits their taste using QR code technology. Open daily, 12–11pm.

Shop 211, 2/F, Nina Mall 2, 8 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, 2618 2812

Impossible Pork bento box giveaway at Tong Chong Street Market (4–8 October)

From 11am–3pm on 4–8 October, there will be 100 bento boxes given away at Tong Chong Street Market to celebrate the launch of Impossible Pork. There will be a different theme each day: Monday (dim sum), Tuesday (classic Chinese), Wednesday (Southeast Asian), Thursday (Japanese and Taiwanese) and Friday (East meets West), with restaurants such as Tim Ho Wan, Quiero Más and Cô Thành participating. Following the launch week, Impossible Pork will continue to be served at Tong Chong Street Market until the end of October at a variety of vendors.

G/F, One Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay

K11 MUSEA’s MUSE ROOMS (until 14 November)

The immersive MUSE ROOMS pop-up at shopping Mecca K11 MUSEA showcases cross-disciplinary collaborations with six celebrated artists – a’strict, Jon Burgerman, Nelson Chow, Tony Oursler, Hajime Sorayama and Joyce Wang – with several of these “dreamlands” having an F&B slant.

Joyce Wang’s "Dockside Dairy” (Promenade, G/F; 11:30am–10pm until 14 November) is a partnership with Cookie DPT, featuring a retro ice-cream kiosk made of terrazzo. Here, Cookie DPT’s beloved ice-cream sandwiches in nostalgic flavours – think Milo, taro and milk tea cookies and coconut, sesame and White Rabbit candy ice cream – can be savoured.

At Nelson Chow’s “Dreamscape” (Bohemian Garden , 7/F; 10am–10pm until 14 November), Elephant Grounds will be offering their new rose lemonade and pineapple-rosemary iced tea to complement the artist’s space-shuttle-inspired installation.

Artist-inspired coffees by CURATOR Art & Café are offered in collab with Tony Oursler’s “LOCK 2,4,6” (Garage, B2/F; 11am–9pm until 28 November), a multisensory maze of synchronised projections and superimposed graphics on shaped flat panels.

Then there’s Jon Burgerman’s “Candyland” (MUSE EDITION, G/F; 11am–9pm until 14 November), showcasing pick-‘n’-mix stalls and the artist’s colourful candy characters brought to life.

Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3892 3890

KIOSK/NIGHT KIOSK pop-up by Cafe Life & Sake Central at HAUS (4 October–30 November)

HAUS continues its coffee-themed pop-up series with this partnership between Japanese patisserie and café CAFE LIFE and Sake Central, a day-to-night experience of coffee, cocktails and light bites. By day, KIOSK has a full barista programme featuring locally roasted beans and INARI tea, plus exclusive savoury pies (from beef to Japanese curry), salads and desserts. From sundown, NIGHT KIOSK showcases a selection of highballs, sake cocktails and more boozy tipples alongside soba noodles for snacking. Pop-up open Tuesday–Sunday (except public holidays) from 4 October–30 November, 10am–8pm Monday–Wednesday and 10am–10pm Thursday–Saturday.

Shop 38 & 40, G/F, Manning House, 38-48 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2598 7080

Lify Wellness pop-up in Central (from 19 October)

For the next three months, stop by this pop-up for a taste of wellness technology start-up Lify Wellness’ new sparkling tea tonics – all-natural, sugar-free drinks that incorporate daily does of collagen and vitamin C. These ready-to-drink carbonated bevvies are made with Asian herbs and plants, such as the Recover tonic, flavoured with oolong tea and goji berries. Lify speciality drinks will also be available, featuring probiotic boosts and fruit tea mixes, alongside healthy set menus. Pop-up open daily from Tuesday, 19 October, 11am–9pm.

98 Wellington Street, Central

Little BEDU

We’ve been big fans of Middle Eastern hotspot BEDU since its launch three years ago, and now in addition to the brand’s soon-to-debut revamped menus, they’re expanding with takeaway-only concept Little BEDU, just down the block. Little BEDU will offer fresh salads and rice bowls topped with BEDU’s signature dips and spiced proteins – either for pick-up or delivery via Deliveroo. We’re most keen to dig into the Jordan (pulled lamb shoulder, raisins, tomato, labneh) and Tel Aviv (fried fish, soft-boiled egg, hummus). Both BEDU and Little BEDU will continue to focus on sustainable sourcing, liaising with advisers like Peggy Chan and Zero Foodprint Asia to help to fund regenerative farming projects here, working with local farmers and exploring better waste management. Open daily from Wednesday, 27 October, 11am–10pm.

49–51A Gough Street, Central, 2320 4450

The Mandarin Cake Shop pop-up at LANDMARK (until 31 December)

We have another great spot in Central to pick up some of The Mandarin Cake Shop’s signature sweet treats by Mandarin Oriental Executive Pastry Chef Christophe Sapy, along with slow-drip coffee, bottled coffee cocktails and a range of six exclusive trifles in glass jars inspired by the traditional British dessert. Trifle flavours range from butterscotch banoffee to matcha and yuzu. In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, a special pink trifle – Very Berry!!! – is available, with part of the proceeds donated to the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation. This pretty berry-flavoured number is made with layers of strawberry cream, berry compote and vanilla streusel. Come November, a bottled coffee negroni will be offered to support The Movember Foundation, which raises awareness for men’s health. The limited-edition trifles will be available from 4 October–15 November, and then in mid-November, an array of festive treats and hampers are set to be launched. Pop-up open daily, 10am–7pm.

3/F, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2825 4008

Metro Tonkotsu Base

If you’ve ever travelled to Japan, you’ll know that the meals sold at train stations around the country could compete with some of the finest restaurants elsewhere. This unique railway dining culture debuts mid-month with Metro Tonkotsu Base at Telford Plaza, located just next to exit C of Kowloon Bay MTR station. This is the first overseas branch of Tokyo Tonkotsu Base, a popular ramen chain at Japanese railway stations throughout the country – with a record of selling over 100 bowls of ramen an hour! Tonkotsu Base is a partnership with IPPUDO, another beloved Japanese chain that’s also well known for its signature rich, Hakata-style pork-bone broth. And, just like in Japan, at the HK outlet, diners will be able to order via the self-service machine outside the restaurant! Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

Shop G101A, G/F, Telford Plaza 1, 33 Wai Yip Street, Kowloon Bay, 2769 6318

Musubi Hiro’s chef takeover series (from 25 October)

Each month going forwards, Musubi Hiro will host a guest chef to present a limited-time musubi and snack. From Monday, 25 October for two weeks, the chef of the hour is Chef Agustin Balbi of Michelin-starred Andō, offering up tuna tartare musubi and Hokkaido scallop crudo. On Tuesday, 2 November, it’s Chef Satoru Mukogawa of Sushi Kuu, bringing along Japanese-inspired shrimp tempura musubi and sweet potato chips. The last guest chef in 2021 will be Alex Fargas of La Paloma, with Spanish-style offerings of crispy squid and paella musubi and Ibérico ham croquettes on 6–7 December.

37 Cochrane Street, Central, 5597 6911, book online

The Peninsula Hong Kong’s The Great Gatsby immersive dining experience at Felix (21 October–27 November)

Transport yourself to the golden age of the 1920s via a series of lavish dinner parties hosted by Jay Gatsby and his high-society pals at The Peninsula Hong Kong’s Felix, now transformed into a NYC speakeasy. Chef de Cuisine Juan Gomez’s creative four-course menu – Gatsby fried chicken, lobster toast with black truffle, pineapple upside-down cake and more dishes inspired by the roaring ‘20s – is matched by an immersive performance by Secret Theatre. Don your glam 1920s gladrags, with the best look judged by Jay Gatsby winning at staycation at The Pen. Tickets are priced at $4,400 for two ($5,550 for VIP tickets) and are available for booking on Thursday–Saturding from 21 October–27 November. For the VIPs, an NFT (non-fungible token), top-secret meeting with Jay Gatsby himself and bottle of champagne per couple are included in this special soirée.

28/F, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, TST, 2696 6778, book online

Percy’s

Inspired by radical English poet Percy Shelly (doubly cool when you check out the eatery’s street address), neighbourhood hang-out Percy’s places the focus on responsibly sourced seasonal seafood dishes paired with punchy drinks. The menu by Executive Chef Braden Reardon, formerly of Buenos Aires Polo Club and Carbone, features hot and cold small plates, large plates and selections from the raw bar, where unique dry-ageing and charcuterie techniques are employed. Open Tuesday–Sunday for dinner from 5pm.

18–18A Shelley Street, SoHo, Central, 2898 2699, book online

Ramen House Hototogisu

Ramen House is an offshoot of Tokyo’s Michelin-starred Konjiki Hototogisu, famous for its noodles made with clams and pork broth. At the new Ramen House, oysters take centre stage in dishes such as the signature ramen made with oysters, oyster sushi and oyster tempura. Open daily, 11am–10pm.

Shop A, G/F, Fashion Walk, 57 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, 2802 9278

Roganic & Friends of Sustainability series

Roganic has always been at the forefront of sustainability, and the Michelin-starred restaurant, which is also a Green Star recipient, has launched Roganic & Friends of Sustainability, a series of sustainability events and collabs throughout the month of October. These include the Climate Action Luncheon by Roganic x Whey x Andō x Grassroots Initiative ($1,880/person) on Sunday the 3rd, with all the fruits, vegetables and seafood utilised on the menu sourced within 160 kilometers of Hong Kong and all proceeds after food-cost deductions donated to Zero Foodprint Asia, which addresses greenhouse-gas emissions through investments in carbon farming.

On Thursday the 21st, Roganic will partner with Rosewood Hong to host a zero-waste cocktail dinner ($1,580/person), featuring three drinks made with ecoSPIRITS’ closed-loop technology paired with seasonal dishes that highlight local produce.

Finally, on Thursday the 28th, Roganic puts its local heroes in the spotlight by showcasing a dinner menu ($1,380/person) made up of the eatery’s favourite ingredients and produce by trusted HK suppliers, from New Age Organic Farm, to Peter’s Seafood, to Yi O Rice Farm.

UG/F, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, 2817 8383, book online

Root Vegan

Already pulling in rave reviews, Root Vegan is a plant-based eatery offering a melting pot of delicious East-meets-West fusion dishes. They also do a sideline in bagels, mostly in Asian flavours, with vegan cream cheese. The red curry tempeh with konjac noodles is a must-order! Open daily, 12–9pm.

Shop 102–103, 1/F, Sunwise Building, 112–114 Wellington Street, Central, 9850 9558

SAKEH

We don’t know many details yet about SAKEH, the new yakitori bar for sake lovers, but what we do know is that their IG feed is bomb and grilled skewers + sake is a pretty unbeatable combo. Open daily from 6pm.

G/F & 1/F, The Bauhinia Hotel, 5–9 Observatory Court, TST, 3709 9251, book online

SEN SEN SUSHI

Japanese superstore DON DON DONKI will launch its first restaurant in Hong Kong – SEN SEN SUSHI – at OP Mall in Tsuen Wan on Friday, 29 October at 11am. This is a lively kaitenzushi (conveyor-belt sushi) eatery that spotlights over 100 menu items, priced from just $12 a pop. SEN SEN SUSHI seems like a fun place to nosh on sushi, with daily entertainment at 6pm, such as fish-cutting displays and roasting shows, and sound and light displays all part of the package (and it will hopefully tune out the dreadful DONKI theme song that’s played on repeat). Open daily, 10am–11pm.

Shop 2001, 2/F, OP Mall, 100 Tai Ho Road, Tsuen Wan, 2652 2611

Seoul Recipe flagship (Lee Gardens)

With dedicated counters at several high-end supermarkets around town, we’re happy to report that Seoul Recipe now has another brick-and-mortar shop at Lee Gardens in Causeway Bay, joining its SoHo sibling. The gourmet Korean flagship features frozen Korean delicacies – from premium meats for KBBQ to mandu (dumplings) and tteokbokki (rice cakes) – plus a deli counter where you can buy the likes of freshly made banchan, salads and even soy-sauce-marinated blue crab to go. Open daily, 11am–8pm.

Shop LG09–10, LG/F, Lee Garden Two, 28 Yung Ping Road, Causeway Bay, 2535 5336

Sicilian

New restaurant group Cygnus Concepts, which opened Momoz earlier this year (definitely the best momos in town!), has turned its attention to the cuisine of southern Italy with the launch of charming eatery Sicilian on Hollywood Road. The kitchen is led by by Executive Chef Marco Furlan, formerly of Spasso, and the food highlight is the live pasta station. Creative cocktails are another focus, especially post-dinner. Open Tuesday–Sunday, from 7:30am on weekdays and 11am at the weekend.

G/F, Shama Place, 30 Hollywood Road, Central, 2682 3178, book online

Sick! Burger

Ma On Shan has a new homemade burger shop with some pedigree. A protégé of Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens and sous-chef at The Hong Kong Club, Chef Chunwan Lai now runs Sick! Burger, and his burgers look out of this world. The Sick! Chicken contains a fried boneless buttermilk chicken leg with sansho pepper, shiso leaves, masala curry, cumin, coleslaw and red onion relish. There are limited fresh buns every day, and they often sell out. Worth a trip!

Special offer for Foodie readers: from 4–8 October, if you order any burger, you’ll get a small order of chicken wings on the house!

Shop G04, G/F, MOSTown, 18 On Luk Street, Ma On Shan, 9549 0903

The Sixteenth

As of Wednesday, 13 October, reservations are open for Pirata Group’s dining destination in Quarry Bay, The Sixteenth. There are four fab spots to choose from: La Favorita (flamboyant trattoria serving up nostalgic Italian eats), Honjokko (sushi and modern Japanese cuisine with a large wine and sake selection), TMK Funk & Rolls (funk-inspired branch of the popular handroll specialist) and Tempo Tempo (outdoor terrace bar with a focus on champagne cocktails and spritzes). Click on each of the links for menus and booking details and click here for more information from Foodie. The Sixteenth opens on Tuesday the 26th.

2/F, Oxford House, 979 King’s Road, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay

Sooshi Gold

Sooshi Gold is an offshoot of popular Sushi Sooshi in Tsim Sha Tsui, and as its playful moniker implies, this new sushiya is swankier than its sibling – there’s no standing here. The 18-course omakase menu is priced at $998, which is a lot more palatable than most omakase spots around town (there’s also a 15-course option for $798). One of the signature dishes is called Sooshi Gold by Sushi Sooshi, a decadent roll of Wagyu, caviar and sea urchin, pictured above. Open daily, weekdays for lunch and dinner sessions and 12–11pm on weekends and public holidays.

148 Wellington Street, Central, 2666 9169, 9552 3778 (WhatsApp)

Sushi Kei

It’s hard to keep up with all the sushi joints popping up hither and yon, but Sushi Kei stands out from the pack. It’s helmed by a chef who apprenticed at Hokkaido’s two-Michelin-starred Sushizen. The high-quality omakase sushi at prices that won’t break the bank is already drawing crowds. Open Monday–Saturday for lunch and dinner sessions

151–161 Jaffe Road, Wanchai, 5440 4556

Venchi (ifc mall)

Italian chocolatier and gelato specialist Venchi has launched an exclusive treat at this luxurious new outlet at ifc mall – the Triple Pistachio gourmet come – made with the best pistachios in the world from Bronte, a small town situated on the slopes of active volcano Mount Etna in Italy. On the other side of the spectrum, this shop has also debuted the health-conscious –70% sugars collection made up of nine pieces of low-sugar and low-carb chocolate. Open daily, 11am–9pm.

Shop1055, 1/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 2818 3108

Yamame

Yamame is another Japanese opening at CUBUS in Causeway Bay (see Hanagai above). This elegant eatery has something for everyone, with individual rooms devoted to robatayaki, sushi and teppanyaki. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

3/F, CUBUS, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay, 2887 8208 or 2887 8981

Zuma x Asahi Yokocho Terrace pop-up (21 October–31 December)

This pop-up sees Zuma joining forces with Japan’s number-one beer brand, Asahi, to create a nighttime al-fresco yokocho experience; yochoko refers to the many hidden alleyways found in Japan’s cities, and these alleys are packed with izakayas and bars that form a big part of Japanese night culture. Running from Thursday, 21 October until the end of the year, this authentic Japanese yokocho experience will land on Zuma’s terrace. The Yokocho Terrace menu includes sake and Asahi beer pairings and robatayaki skewers. Pop-up open daily, from 6pm till late.

6/F, LANDMARK, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, 3657 6388

September 2021

Awa Awa’s Awamori Day party (8 September, from 6pm)

New Okinawan gastropub Awa Awa is celebrating the Japanese island’s most famous spirit – awamori – on Wednesday the 8th with a bang. Distilled from rice (not brewed like sake), awamori is the oldest distilled alcoholic drink in Japan. For $388, you’ll get free-flow food and drink, including new Ryukyu 1429 cocktails, and merch – a limited-edition Awa Awa T-shirt designed by HK street artist Bao Ho. Only 99 tickets available!

UG/F, 42–44 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, 2178 1838, book online

Black Sheep Restaurants’ PLATED autumn series (20 September–30 November)

Available for dinner on Mondays and Tuesdays, the autumn line-up of the highly anticipated PLATED series has just been announced, with Black Sheep Restaurants offering special off-menu, seasonal dishes at a selection of their eateries. This time around, there’s Toscana ($688/person), a Tuscan feast at Associazione Chianti, Aki ($388/person), presenting izakaya-style dishes at Fukuro, and Middle Eastern eats at Maison Libanaise’s Fête d’Automne ($288/person).

For the full menus and to book, click here

Bombay Dreams

Beloved Indian stalwart Bombay Dreams has just moved to a plush new location not far from its original digs, after nearly 20 years at the top of the HK dining scene (it was the first Indian restaurant here to be awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand back in 2009). The new menu is exciting and varied, featuring regional dishes from throughout India, in addition to the northern Indian signatures of Master Chef Irshad Ahmed Qureshi made utilising two new bespoke tandoori ovens. A new whisky cabinet housing rare whiskies from around the world and new cocktails shaken up with Indian herbs and spices are more reasons to keep us coming back to Bombay Dreams for another two decades (and the iconic weekend brunch buffet, of course!).

1/F, Winning Centre, 46–48 Wyndham Street, Central, 2811 9888, book online

RELATED: Rediscover Bombay Dreams in 2021

Calioo Retromania Food Market (16–20 September)

Calioo, the app that curates small local F&B vendors, takes us on a trip down memory lane with their latest food market, spotlighting nostalgic eats from around 30 small home-grown brands. Open 16–20 September, 12–9pm (opening from 5pm on Thursday the 16th and closing at 7pm on Sunday the 20th). Free entry, but register online.

Shop G01, G/F, K11 Art Mall, 18 Hanoi Road, TST

Carving

This restaurant for meat lovers eschews steak for USDA Prime roast beef. Carving’s “beef in a box” set lunch is a great deal at $98, to include a thick slice of roast beef and two comforting sides. For dinner, choose between a three-course prime rib or Spanish red prawn set menu for $398. A laid-back spot for a hearty, wallet-friendly meal by Chef Mason Leung, who cut his culinary chops at 22 Ships and Rosewood Hong Kong’s Bayfare Social. Open Monday–Saturday for lunch and dinner sessions.

UG/F, Giada Central, 338 Queen’s Road Central, Sheung Wan, 6553 0938, book online

The Continental

Popular Pacific Place restaurant The Continental has undergone a big transformation, reopening on Monday, 6 September with an even more sophisticated interior design, enhanced year-round garden terrace and new menu by Executive Chef Graham Long. The cuisine is labelled as modern French, but it has touches from the chef’s home in England as well as Asian accents. Restaurant open daily for lunch and dinner sessions, with brunch served at the weekend. Bar open daily, 12–11pm, opening at 11am on Saturdays and Sundays.

Shop 406, 4/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2704 5211, book online

CURATOR Creative Café at M+

Lifestyle brand CURATOR has recently opened this café at the 852’s latest architectural marvel, M+, the new museum of visual culture scheduled to open by the end of the year at West Kowloon Cultural District. This super-stylish café situated next to the Art Park’s waterfront promenade offers coffee drinks in partnership with M2Mcoffee, Asian bites influenced by M+’s changing exhibitions and classic local snacks. Their Hokkaido milk soft serve is a work of art on its own! The highlight of the whole experience is CURATOR’s latte-printing machine; guests can either choose from a selection of images to top their cup of joe or dream up their own design. Open Monday–Thursday 10am–6pm, Friday 10am–10pm and weekends and public holidays 10am–8pm.

B1/F, M+, West Kowloon Cultural District, 38 Museum Drive, West Kowloon

The Daily Tot’s The Shift No One Will Forget (29 September, 4–6pm)

As part of The Daily Tot’s month-long initiative to support the Women for Women charity, which is now providing emergency support to the women of Afghanistan, the bar will collab with new Middle Eastern watering hole ZZURA for this one-night-only event on Wednesday, 29 September. Bar manager Princebir Singh from ZZURA and Tell Camellia’s Gagan Gurung with join The Daily Tot’s Bikash Gurung to create a special negroni menu to help these women who are the victims of war, with $10 of each negroni sold donated to the charity. A truly worthy cause...

G/F, Shop E, Felicity Building, 58 Hollywood Road, Central, 2366 6836, book online

Estro

We seem to be on a roll with fine-dining Italian (Radical Chic and Giacomo, to name a few), and Estro is the newcomer to this elite culinary pack. Launched in partnership with JIA Group, this is the first independent restaurant for acclaimed chef Antimo Maria Merone, who most recently helmed Michelin-starred 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Macau for five years. This proud Naples native is sticking to his roots at Estro with a seasonal menu of elevated Neapolitan cuisine inspired by his upbringing, Italy’s history and the humble ingredients of his childhood. The six- and eight-course tasting menus showcase progressive dishes such as Tomato Homage, made with rehydrated ripened tomato skins, salted cod and clarified tomato water created using four different Italian tomato varieties. Open from 9 September, for dinner only, Tuesday–Saturday from 6:30pm, with last orders at 8:30pm.

2/F, 1 Duddell Street, Central, reservations@estro.hk, book online (from 7 September)

Fireside

Open-fire cooking is the USP of refined yet rustic Fireside, where Executive Chef Miguel Gallo, an elBulli protégé, will do his thing using an open-fire grill (a Mibrasa parilla – the first of its kind in Hong Kong) and tailor-made brick oven, fuelled by special varieties of wood and binchotan charcoal, to execute a bare and raw style of cooking where the ingredients shine. Chef Gallo has taken elements from Japanese, Spanish and Latin American cuisines to create one-of-a-kind signature dishes the likes of sizzling confit duck with fire-cooked rice, perfumed with the fragrance of almond wood, and Hokkaido hokkigai (surf clam) basted in aged Mangalica pork fat. Smoked and cured seafood is another highlight, as is the open-display butcher room where select heritage meats are dry-aged, cured and smoked in-house. Open daily, 12–10pm.

5/F, The Steps, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 6610 8689, reservations@fireside.hk

Gaia Group’s 20th-anniversary tasting menus at VELO

Gaia Group has made it 20 years in HK’s fickle dining scene – now, that’s something to celebrate! A pioneer of Italian dining, three of the group’s chefs (from Gaia, Isola and VELO) have created two Journey of Italy tasting menus ($888 for 4 courses or $1,288 for six courses) that showcase the best of seasonal cuisine throughout Italy. The four-course menu is available daily for dinner throughout the month, while the six-course dinner menu can only be booked on 24, 25 and 31 August and 1, 14 and 15 September at VELO; wine pairings for +$600 can also be added. Click here for the full menus.

Shop 103, 1/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 2117 0983⁠, book online

Green Common (Kwun Tong)

Plant-based grocery chain Green Common has opened its 15th branch, this time at Yue Man Square (YM2) in Kwun Tong with the brand’s first-ever plant-based drinks bar. Recommended bevvies include Green Common’s signature vegan lippy tea collection topped with sugar-free, vegan milk foam, homemade sodas in flavours including calamansi and mint and cranberry, orange and grapefruit and HK-style oat milk tea. Instant plant-based meal packs are also exclusive to the Kwun Tong shop; these are Asian-style ready meals made with plant-based meats like OmniPork and Unlimeat. Open daily, 10:30am–8pm.

Shop 178, 1/F, Yue Man Square, 33 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong, 3855 5100
⁠

Green Gingko Tea (Pacific Place)

This Sheung Wan-based tea bar, well known for its hand-brewed tea drinks and products from Japan, Taiwan and China, is debuting a unique item at its new Pacific Place concept store: sparkling cold-brew tea on tap! Green Gingko Tea’s craft fizzy tap tea is sugar free and made from Phoenix Oolong from 100-year-old trees. For the true tea connoisseur, there’s a tea priced at a cool $890 – the extraordinary Light of Uji Matcha Uji Hikari Polaris from a single-origin Uji tea farm, where the leaves are hand-picked and harvested only once every year in the spring. You can book online for a 30-minute tea-tasting experience known as the Teascovery Journey ($120). Open daily, 8:30am–8pm (from 11am at the weekend).

Shop 110, 1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, info@greenginkgotea.com

Holy Bake pop-up at Harbour City (until 30 November)

Launching on the first of this month, this three-month-long-pop is online bakery Holy Bake’s first-ever standalone shop, and we couldn’t be more excited about the easy access to their signature and seasonal scones, with flavours ranging from original and raisin to ginger and Earl Grey. Scones are not so easy to come by in the 852, especially ones this good. Exclusive to the pop-up is the limited-time lava sesame glutinous rice ball flavour – get ready for the spurt! Open daily, 11am–9pm.

Kiosk K, 3/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST

Holy Cannoli’s birthday block party (18 September, 2–6pm)

This exciting pet-friendly event sees cannoli specialist Holy Cannoli teaming up with Shake Shack, Brooklyn Brewery and The Wild Lot to celebrate the birthday of their furry CEO, Cannoli, with cult pet brands, good food and drink (including dog-friendly cannoli!), good music and good vibes. All proceeds will be donated to the charity Paws United, where Cannoli was adopted (awww).

The Wild Lot, 6–10 Shin Hing Street, Sheung Wan

HUE’s Australia Spring Brunch (18 September–24 October, 11am–3pm)

Celebrating the season of spring Down Under, HUE’s Australia Spring Brunch ($450/person; from +$190 for free-flow) includes sharing-style brunch dishes such as beef tartare, gnocchi with asparagus and wild mushrooms, roast hamachi and Te Mana lamb rump. Available on Saturdays and Sundays (plus Friday, 1 October), 18 September–24 October.

1/F, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, TST, 3500 5888, book online

J.A.M.’s Taste of Vietnam menu (until 30 September)

If you’re a a fan of Vietnamese cuisine but not of the high prices that often accompany the dishes here in Hong Kong (especially when compared to the rock-bottom prices in Vietnam), you’re in luck! Pan-Asian food hall J.A.M. is offering the incredible Taste of Vietnam menu till the end of the month – seven iconic Vietnamese dishes showcasing fresh produce, aromatic herbs and homemade sauces for just $160 a head! The unbeatable menu includes a snack platter (shredded chicken salad, sugar-cane prawns, netted spring rolls, steamed rice noodle rolls), two mains (braised pork belly and egg with rice and mixed rice vermicelli with grilled chicken) and a choice of two unique flavours of crème caramel for dessert (coffee and pandan). Available daily until 30 September, 11am–7:30pm.

Lobby, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2808 1086

The Joy House

The worlds of Japanese tea and cocktails collide at The Joy House, headlined by 13 signature cocktails blending traditional tea-brewing techniques into modern mixology. My Cup of Tea is a two-course cocktail that took owner and head bartender Chanel Cheung almost a decade to perfect; it’s two separate drinks – one hot and one cold. We’re also intrigued by the king crab martini, made with crab roe and vodka infused with Alaskan king crab. Of note, The Joy House grows it own herbs and cocktail ingredients. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 12pm–midnight.

G/F, Shama Soho, 11 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 9781 6881

Kinship’s Pajama Party Brunch (26 September, 12–4pm)

This one’s for the ladies! The first edition of Kinship’s Pajama Party Brunch featuring HK’s most-loved female-founded brands is set for Sunday the 26th. The three-course brunch menu ($468/person; from +$298 for 2-hour free-flow) includes a mix of naughty and nice sharing dishes – from prawn and octopus salad to French toast with mixed berry compote, whipped cream and vanilla custard. But it’s the extras that really make this brunch – an interactive photo booth, goodie bags worth $600 and spin-the-fortune wheel prizes to be won from the ladies at Naked Lab, Stella Moon Intimates, LUÜNA naturals, Anaphe, Calmed & Co and Chika Magazine. Jammies are optional but highly appreciated!

3/F, LL Tower, 2 Shelley Street, SoHo, Central, 2520 0899, book online

RELATED: Hong Kong beer news and events September 2021

MOTD’s RSRV champagne-pairing menu (16–18 & 23–25 September)

Private event space MOTD is targeting bubbly lovers with its first champagne-pairing menu, dubbed Under the C. Chef Cam Wong has created an eight-course nautical-themed dinner menu ($1,280/person), from the presence of shellfish in a dish to the slight hint of sea salt in the seasoning mix. Dishes the likes of pumpkin smash with fromage frais, pan-fried Mangalica pork collar and slow-cooked octopus in oolong sauce will be matched with three RSRV champagnes (+$388).

1/F, Union Park Tower, 168 Electric Road, Causeway Bay, 2335 5333, book online

Motorino (SoHo)

When it comes to authentic Neapolitan pizza, NYC import Motorino has been at the forefront of the HK pizza pack for almost a decade, opening a shop in SoHo in 2013. The pizzeria has now been a given a complete makeover by Black Sheep Restaurants, and with the refurbishment comes a new experience led by Italian-born chef Luca Marinelli and his team of pizzaiolos. Available from late September, the Motorino Masterclass ($1,200 for 2) provides an in-depth tutorial on the science behind the making of classic Neapolitan pizza. Currently open daily for dinner from 6pm (opening soon all day for walk-ins, 11am–11pm).

14 Shelley Street, SoHo, Central, 2801 6881

Musubi Hiro’s art takeover by The French Girl (until 30 September)

Cool-cat musubi specialist Musubi Hiro has launched its monthly local artist takeovers, debuting in September with HK-based French urban artist The French Girl (Caroline Tronel). Check out The French Girl’s latest wall murals, installations and art pieces while digging into limited-time French-inspired snack and musubi creations of musubi with foie gras and tempura Camembert. Open daily, 11am–midnight.

37 Cochrane Street, Central, 5597 6911, book online

Negroni Week (13–19 September)

This is the ninth year for Negroni Week, a global charitable initiative that celebrates Italy’s iconic Campari-based negroni cocktail. For one week this month, Campari is collaborating with seven of the world’s top bartenders to create unique negroni twists, and these creative negronis will be served throughout the week, with proceeds donated to a number of charities. For Negroni Week events in Hong Kong, including the HK opening party at Duddell’s on Monday, 13 September, click here.

RELATED: HK beer events and news September 2021

Nuts Donut Shop

Online bakery Nuts Donut Shop now has a brick-and-mortar location in SoHo! This is very good but also very dangerous. We love Nuts’ fresh, daily-made yeast and cake doughnuts with a fiery passion; they’re the closest we’ve found in Hong Kong to ‘Merica’s Krispy Kreme. Open daily during soft opening, 10am–7pm.

UG/F, 21 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 9065 2873

The Pawn celebrates the end of an era (until 13 September)

The bad news is that The Pawn, as we know it now, will close its doors on Monday, 13 September. But there’s a silver lining – it will reopen later in the year as a new Cantonese restaurant and bar. To honour the end of an era, The Pawn, which opened in 2008 in the historic Woo Cheong Pawn Shop tenement building in Wanchai, is offering some limited-time menus showcasing the eatery’s most popular modern European dishes. The four-course chef’s tasting menu ($720/person; +$280 for wine pairings) includes burrata with cherry tomatoes and rocket, red prawn linguine, local three-yellow chicken infused with Earl Grey and tiramisu. There’s also a customisable set lunch menu (from $258 for 2 courses) and a secret bar menu, with cocktails offered at a special price. On their last opening weekend (9–12 September), the bar will celebrate with 50% off selected drinks when guests order a bar snack.

62 Johnston Road, Wanchai, 2866 3444, book online

The Pontiac x ecoSPIRITS x TiNDLE x Katsumoto Sando Bar sustainable initiative (28–29 August & 4–5 September, 3–6pm)

This Get Clucked! #forgood pairing ($100), available on the weekends of 28–29 August and 8–9 September at The Pontiac, includes a low-waste, rum-based Plantation Pineapple cocktail courtesy of ecoSPIRITS and a plant-based TiNDLE bite by Katsumoto Sando Bar (TiNDLE “KFT” fried karaage or TiNDLE tsukune slider). Each sustainable pairing will save 3L of water by switching from livestock chicken to TiNDLE’s plant-based chicken, eliminate 150g of carbon emissions through The Pontiac’s use of ecoSPIRITS’ low-waste technology and plant one native tree in the bar’s name in the endangered Sumatran rainforest of Indonesia – incredible!

13 Old Bailey Street, SoHo, Central, 2521 3855

Quality Goods Club

From the team behind Shady Acres and Honky Tonks Tavern comes Quality Goods Club, a fun-loving live music restaurant with full dinner service and late-night entertainment. Live jazz, cracking cocktails and comforting, modern European fare (crab bisque, truffle toastie, Wagyu bavette) for those who are vaxxed, plus a mysterious alpaca... Open Wednesday–Sunday, 6pm till very late.

Basement, On Lok House, 39–43 Hollywood Road, Central, theoffice@qualitygoodsclub.com (walk-ins only)

Red Lobster’s $1 steak (6 September–3 October)

We’ll keep this one short and sweet... Get yourself to Red Lobster on a weekday this month and you can add on a seven-ounce sirloin steak for just a buck when ordering a whole live lobster (and don’t forget the all-you-can-eat Cheddar Bay Biscuits!).

G/F, Fashion Walk, 8 Cleveland Street, Causeway Bay, 2261 2996, book online

Smoke & Barrel’s Bourbon Street Brunch (25 September, 12–4pm)

“Hedonistic” and “unrestrained” are good adjectives to describe Smoke & Barrel’s free-flow Bourbon Brunch ($1,300/person), launching on Saturday, 25 September and continuing on the last Saturday of each month going forwards. This boozy, four-hour affair features live DJs and musicians, drag queens, servers in fancy dress, neon lights and shots aplenty for a down-and-dirty Mardi Gras vibe. On the food and drink front, bottomless champers and decadent sharing platters of New Orleans–style cuisine – think oysters and seafood boil – will leave you gasping. From now until the 17th, two brunch tickets will be up for grabs. To stand a chance, send your craziest brunch or party pic along with an equally cheeky caption to Smoke & Barrel’s Instagram page (brownie points will be given to those who also post on their own IG page with the #smokeandbarrelhk hashtag).

1/F & 2/F, Wyndham Mansion, 32 Wyndham Street, Central, 2866 2120, book online

SPECTACULAR South Africa (weekdays 9–26 September, 12–9pm)

This South African experience store explores the wine, food, art and culture of South Africa. Most importantly, around 130 South African wines will be showcased by theme, with guided tours led by wine experts. For more information, click here.

Shop 2, G/F, Fashion Walk, 2–4 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay

Susano-o

Susano-o is yet another hip izakaya dotting the slopes of SoHo, this one featuring traditional Japanese wooden decor and a menu focusing on kushiyaki and soothing cooked dishes. Let us know if you visit! Open daily, 4–11pm.

20 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 3689 1031

Test Kitchen’s Otsumami Brunch: Nihonshu Edition (12–13 September, 12–3pm)

Chef Jimmy and Sake Matters sake sommelier Will Jarvis (and our very own Foodie contributor) will be joining forces for two days this month to head up a brunch with sake pairing event ($880/person) at Test Kitchen. The eight fun and flavourful bites on the brunch menu – all served free flow! – include oysters with dill oil and salmon roe, pulled pork sarnies on homemade brioche, kimchi egg roll, mac ‘n’ cheese, pistachio macarons and brown butter madeleines, and they will all be paired with four sakes chosen expertly by Will.

Shop 3, Kwan Yick Building Phase 3, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, WhatsApp 9032 7268 or email vincentmui@testkitchen.com.hk to book

Thai Basil

Thai Basil has been an important fixture of the dining scene at Pacific Place for the past two decades, and the northern Thai stalwart has recently relocated to the first floor of the shopping mall with an updated look. In addition to the stylish new digs, there are new dishes to explore like grilled eggplant salad, tom yum soup with clams, wok-fried pork knuckle with herbs and roasted whole cauliflower in green curry. Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

Shop 112, 1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2537 4682

Uma Nota’s Bahia Brunch (4 September–31 October, 11:30am–4:30pm)

The two-month-long, weekend-only Bahia Brunch ($350/person; from +$195 for free-flow) at Uma Nota is a celebration of Bahia, the north-eastern coastal region of Brazil that’s home to the majority of the country’s Afro-Brazilian population, who have their own distinct culture and cuisine. Brunch commences with a spread of sharing Bahian street snacks the likes of lula na brasa (grilled squid, green tomato vinaigrette, cassava farofa) and robalo e caja (lightly cured sea bass, cajá fruit dressing), before moving on to a choice of hearty main – cured and grilled beef tenderloin, grilled octopus or moqueca de peixe e lula, a coconut-based seafood stew and the most famous Bahian dish of all. A great opportunity to try a cuisine that is not really represented in Hong Kong.

38 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, 2889 7576, book online

Uncle Ching from Kuching

Uncle Ching is our friendly kinsman from Kuching, the capital of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, Malaysia. Also known as the “king of laksa”, Uncle Ching’s Sarawak laksa is the big draw at this small, kopitiam-style eatery. Sarawak laksa is a mix of coconut-milk-based laksa and asam laska, which uses tamarind paste and is more sour; the late, great Anthony Bourdain once referred to Sarawak laksa as the “breakfast of the gods”. In Uncle Ching’s light, spicy prawn and chicken broth made with a laksa paste containing 20 different spices and a dash of coconut milk, you’ll find rice vermicelli, shredded chicken, prawns, omelette strips and bean sprouts, garnished with coriander leaves, sambal and calamansi. We also can’t wait to try one of our guilty pleasures here – roti canai! We expect loooong queues. Open daily from Friday, 3 September for lunch and dinner sessions.

21 Amoy Street, Wanchai, 2810 7858

Veggie Kingdom

Modern vegetarian Chinese cuisine is the name of the game at Veggie Kingdom, which places a special emphasis on Cantonese dim sum at lunchtime. Instead of using trendy faux meats, Chef Dicky Yip stays true to his old-school philosophy by using traditional ingredients – mushrooms in particular – in sophisticated ways in order to mimic the taste and texture of meat. One example is his plant-based honey-coated BBQ pork, pictured above, made with wheat gluten that’s been smoked with a blend of oolong and pu’er tea leaves. Thinly sliced oyster mushroom is used in the veggie fish fillets in spicy Sichuan soup, while abalone mushroom is shredded and fried in a crispy batter to imitate the seafood delicacy of abalone. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

7/F, VIP Commercial Centre, 120 Canton Road, TST, 2383 0268, info@veggiekingdom.hk

Wa-En Kappo

Specialising in kappo cuisine, which is similar to omakase, fine-dining Japanese eatery Wa-En Kappo is located way up in the brand-spanking-new Connaught Marina development in Sheung Wan, boasting sweeping harbour views, an open kitchen and 19 seats at a marble platform. During this soft-opening period, the eatery is offering a surprise tasting menu, with the chefs unveiling each dish, course by course. This could mean seasonal sashimi, cooked dishes such as a soup of soy milk, local free-range chicken and crispy bean-curd sheets and a selection of tempura – including Hong Kong’s first fish maw tempura. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

29/F, Connaught Marina, 48 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan, 2117 3735, book online

Yau Cafe

An initiative by the Hong Kong Blind Union, this relaxing, zen-inspired social enterprise café employs visually impaired bakers, baristas and even massage therapists – so you enjoy your orange latte or espresso tonic before or after getting a head, shoulder or neck massage at Yau. Until the end of September, the café is offering a great opening promotion of one-hour massage plus drink for just $250! Open Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–7:30pm.

Shop 1, Artisan House, Sai Yuen Lane, Sai Ying Pun, 3611 9693, info@yaucafe.com

August 2021

1908bc

We’ve become so used to using the abbreviation BC to refer to “before COVID” these days, but this restaurant’s name has no such sinister connection. It refers to “British Chinese”, a unique fusion cuisine born in the UK back in 1908, when the first Chinese restaurant opened in London. Popular British-Chinese dishes at elegant 1908bc include the likes of crispy aromatic shredded duck (the rough-and-tough sibling of traditional Peking duck), “chip shop” curry served with a carb overload of both egg fried rice and fries and even a “big plate” of fish and chips with a side of mushy peas – a mishmash of Eastern and Western flavours that are very nostalgic for some. Open daily, 12pm–midnight on weekdays, 12pm–2am on Saturdays and 11am–10pm on Sundays.

5/F, The Pemberton, 22–26 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2116 4668, book online

The Aubrey’s Champagne and Sake Bar

Glam izakaya The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental has added another feather to its cap with the debut of its third bar, the Champagne and Sake Bar. Seating four guests, the bar showcases more than 50 champagne labels and a selection of 25 sakes, including three sparkling sakes. A new Japanese sake brewery will be featured every two months. To celebrate the bar’s launch, you can book a champagne masterclass ($888/person) on Saturdays at 3pm, available from 14 August. Each masterclass includes five glasses of bubbly and a light snack, with regularly changing topics such as Blanc de Blancs and vintage vs non-vintage. Open daily, 12–11pm (until midnight on Thursday–Sunday).

25/F, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2825 4001

B CUBE

Cool-cat, industrial-style fusion eatery B CUBE is headed by Justin Chan, who worked previously for Chef Vicky Cheng at VEA and also leads Mirror Burger in Sai Ying Pun. Instagrammable faves include Ibérico pork belly burger with kimchi, lobster bisque pasta and fresh sodas made with mango, passion fruit and yuzu. Open daily, 11am–10pm.

29 Aberdeen Street, Central, 6689 8660

Black Sheep Restaurants’ Summer Festival

Black Sheep Restaurants wraps up is summer-exclusive F&B experiences with martini masterclasses ($888/person) at 7pm on 7 and 21 August at Buenos Aires Polo Club, Le Festival de Saigon ($698/person) at Le Garçon Saigon at 6pm on Thursday, 12 August, Greek Wine Orgy ($588/person) at 12pm on Saturday, 15 August at Artemis & Apollo and Club Genesis (from $2,488/person) at 12pm on Saturday, 21 August at Crown Super Deluxe.

For more information on the experiences and to book, click here

Butahage

Popular butadon – pork rice bowl – specialist Butahage from Hokkaido has landed in Hong Kong, offering donburi made with premium Kamikomi pork loin, belly and tendon flavoured with a house sauce developed over 80 years ago. We’re also excited to try the grilled eel gozen (set meal with miso soup, pickles, chawanmushi, sashimi and dessert) and Obihiro pork bun. Queues expected! Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

Shop G54A2, G/F, Phase 1, Telford Plaza, 33 Wai Yip Street, Kowloon Bay, 2717 0988

Calioo Greenhouse | Oasis in the City (29 July–1 August)

Online platform Calioo, which supports small local businesses that sell handcrafted food items for pick-up and delivery, will be featuring plant-based, vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free products – from baked goods to craft beer – at its latest food market in Central, partnering with Belgian plant-based drinks company Alpro. There will also be collaborative workshops offered, including fruit jam making, Bloody Mary making and basic planting for kids. Open 29 July–1 August, 11am–9pm (till 6pm on the 1st). Free entry, but register on Eventbrite to get a gift at the door.

36 Cochrane Street, Central

CHAAT’s curry exploration lunch series (6 and 13 August)

Kicking off on 6 August, Chef de Cuisine Manav Tuli will host a series of curry-centric lunches ($1,098/person) on the first and second Fridays of each month at wildly popular Indian eatery CHAAT, taking diners on an educational (and mouth-watering) tour of various regional Indian curries. On the inaugural menu this month, where lamb is the featured ingredient, are delectable lamb curries including rogan josh, Champaran mutton, kosha mangsho, laal maas, Malabar lamb korma and salli boti. This very special lunch experience will also include Indian rice, naan, raita, onion salad and handmade Indian sweets to take away.

5/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3891 8732, book online

Cinnabon (Causeway Bay)

The first HK Island-side shop of Cinnabon is set to debut at 3pm on Saturday, 31 July, where the US chain’s ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls will remain the well-deserved stars of the show. Tempting new menu items include crunchy, bite-sized Stix Nuggets, a tropical-flavoured MiniBon and new frozen bevvy offerings in the Chillatta series. These buns don’t lie! Open daily, 11am–9pm.

14 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, 2646 1168

CRUST Sciuscia

Newly opened southern Italian restaurant and pasticceria CRUST has now launched its all-day takeaway counter, Sciuscia. Head here to pick up traditional Neapolitan street food the likes of pizza frita (fried pizza), zeppole (fried dough) and olive oil cake to go. And in case you’re wondering (we were), Sciuscia is pronounced “shoo-sha”, a term for Neapolitan street food, named for the shoeshine service that street kids in Naples would offer to American GIs during World War II. Open daily, 10am–8pm.

60A–66 Johnston Road, Wanchai, 2191 0278

Franks’ pre-reno bash (31 July)

Before returning on Friday, 3 September with an expanded offering of Italian-American dining and drinks to complement the refurbished space, Bar Director Alex Chatte and Culinary Director Vinny Lauria are hosting a pre-renovation party on Saturday, 31 July at Franks. Drinks, prizes and even the electric boogaloo are set to herald the end of Franks 1.0 in style.

G/F & 1/F, Harilela House, 79 Wyndham Street, Central, 2320 0858, book online

Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle 2021 (29 August)

This annual worldwide gastronomy event returns to the 852 following a hiatus owing to COVID, curated by Chef May Chow working alongside six other top chefs from around town, including Agustin Balbi of Andō, Ricardo Chaneton of MONO and Aurelie Altemaire of soon-to-open Odyssée at ICC. These culinary visionaries will collaborate to create an incredible surprise menu ($2,888/person) featuring eight off-menu dishes, complete with beverage pairings, performances by local artists and plenty of interaction between chefs and diners. The HK edition of the Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle is presented by Perrier-Jouët and will take place from 6pm on Thursday, 29 August. Only 50 tickets are up for grabs, so be quick!

Book online from 12pm on 29 July

Hansik Goo moves to The Wellington

The first restaurant by acclaimed chef Mingoo Kang outside his native Korea, Hansik Goo opened on Lyndhurst Terrace last year, showcasing refined Korean flavours. This month, the modern Korean eatery is moving to a larger, updated space at The Wellington with an expanded menu, joining the ranks of heavy-hitting Asian newcomers Whey and WING. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 6–10pm.

1/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, 2798 8768, info@hansikgoo.hk

Maek Jeok

Offering a modern Korean BBQ experience with a difference, self-described Korean steakhouse Maek Jeok’s USP is dry-aged beef, with the 28-day dry-aged striploin and rib-eye the signatures. It’s by the team behind Seolhamyeok at Harbour City, where we’ve always had good dining experiences, so we can expect delicious things. Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

Shop 104, 104A, 105A & 106–108, 1/F, Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbour Road, Wanchai, 2609 0599

Major and Minor Cafe & Bar

Major and Minor presents a symphony of fusion flavours in its relaxing new space, featuring an electric piano for tickling the ivories. East-meets-West dishes include mac ‘n’ cheese mapo tofu and sweet-and-sour pork with scrambled egg and sourdough, plus plenty of coffee and sweets options. Open daily, 11am–9:30pm.

G/F, Kew Green Hotel Wanchai Hong Kong, 41–49 Hennessy Road, Wanchai

Mandarin Grill + Bar’s Artistry Moments (2–29 August)

A multisensory experience at Michelin-starred Mandarin Grill + Bar combining art, music and fine dining, Artistry Moments is a partnership with local gallery Tang Contemporary Art this month to showcase notable works by key local and mainland contemporary artists, along with a creative four-course menu ($1,688/person) designed by Chef de Cuisine Simon Guthridge inspired by works of art and paired with a selection of Ruinart champagne (+$988). To make the experience even more immersive, Musicstyling audio consultancy has curated a playlist to accompany each work and dish.

1/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2825 4004, mohkg-grill@mohg.com

Ministry of Mussels

As you can reckon by the name, the showstopper of Ministry of Mussels is its “Around the World Mussels” menu section, presenting a range of different broths for the eatery’s signature blue mussels, served with either fries, baguette or deep-fried mantou (Chinese steamed bun) to mop up all the deliciousness (we’re particularly keen to try the Singapore chilli crab and laksa versions). American-style bistro classics, from lobster roll to baby-back ribs, bar snacks (jalapeño poppers all the way!) and a kids’ menu complete the food offerings at this hybrid sports bar, where major sporting events are live-streamed on the venue’s 11 HD 4K TV screens. The 4,000-square-foot, family-friendly space also boasts a semi-covered al-fresco balcony and a padded play area for the little ones. Open daily, 11am–midnight.

3/F, California Tower, 30–32 D’Aguilar Street, LKF, Central, 2838 4588, book online

RELATED: Beer pong and great food at the Ministry of Mussels

Moxie

Part of The Arcane Collective, Michelin-starred Australian chef Shane Osborn’s socially and environmentally aware mini restaurant empire that includes Arcane and Cornerstone, Moxie at Alexandra House is described as presenting “a fresh approach to conscious dining”. Led by Arcane veteran Michael Smith, the mindful, ingredient-driven menu is vegetable-centric, with sustainable seafood also featured and local farms and regional suppliers playing big roles. Open daily in early August, with coffee and pastries served from 8am, breakfast at 9–10:30am and all-day dining from 11:30am–10pm.

Shop 203, 2/F, Alexandra House, 18 Chater Road, Central

RELATED: First Look at Moxie

Quiero Más

From newly formed Silver OAK Group comes modern Mediterranean bar and restaurant Quiero Más, placing a stylish spotlight on the cuisines and eateries of southern Europe, from Spain’s tapas bars, to Italy’s trattorias, to Greece’e tavernas. The food menu has been designed by Spanish chef Alex Fargas of La Paloma (and formerly FoFo by el Willy) to offer a beautiful blend of Mod-Med flavours and textures in dishes the likes of lobster à la Louie (Boston lobster in vichyssoise), king scallop escabeche, slow-roasted suckling pig and the very unique Mod-Mad-Mary (aged lamb shoulder glazed in chocolate). The liquor line-up seems just as impressive, headlined by handcrafted gins and gin cocktails. More details here.

20/F, M88, Wellington Place, 2–8 Wellington Street, Central, 2383 0268, book online

Radical Chic

From the team behind Foodie fave Castellana, winner of the Foodie Forks 2020 Editors’ Choice Best New Restaurant, comes another Italian fine-dining stunner, this time located way up on the 101st floor of the International Commerce Centre, where creative Italian cuisine by Executive Chef Andrea Tarini meets strikingly minimalistic art-gallery-inspired interior design. Prior to joining Radical Chic (which we think could do with a new name that reflects the cuisine), Chef Tarini led the kitchen at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, working alongside three-starred chefs Mauro Uliassi at Uliassi in Italy and Heinz Beck at Taste of Italy by Heinz Beck in Dubai. Open Tuesday–Sunday for lunch and dinner sessions.

Shop B1, 101/F, ICC, 1 Austin Road West, TST, 3618 7880, book online

Related: First Look at Radical Chic

Sunday’s Sessions: Little Bao at Cô Thành (7–8 August)

Chef May Chow of Little Bao will be taking over the Cô Thành kitchen on the weekend of 7–8 August from 3pm till late, swapping Vietnamese for creative Cantonese eats (think Scotch egg made with prawn mince and crab bao) complemented by a selection of summery Sunday’s drinks and boozy ice-cream floats.

2–4 Kau U Fong, Central

Sushi Mamoru

We have another high-end omakase restaurant in our midst with the opening of Sushi Mamoru by Leading Nation F&B group. Chef Hirofumi Chiba, formerly of Sushi Iwa Tsukiji and Zorokuzushi in Toyko and Sushi Kohaku here in Hong Kong, is the third-generation sushi master behind the minimalistic counter, presenting a traditional, Edomae-style, seasonal and sustainability-focused omakase menu of over 20 courses in the evening (there’s also a shorter menu available in the daytime). Open for lunch Tuesday–Saturday and dinner Monday–Saturday.

32 Oi Kwan Road, Wanchai, 2133 5700, info@sushimamoru.com

Tong Chong Street Market’s Hot & Cold Summer (until 27 August)

A range of both spicy eats and cold flavours is in store at Tong Chong Street Market this month. Open on weekdays (except public holidays) from 8am–3pm, we can sample Sichuan-style cold noodles from Crazy Noodles, a spicy plant-based Miami Heat burger by Big Dill, HYPEBEANS’ cold-brew lemonade and charcoal sesame latte and lots more.

One Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay

Yokai

We don’t know quite what to make of Yokai, the first restaurant in the word themed after iconic Japanese manga artist Shigeru Mizuki’s The Book of Yokai, which depicts 764 spirits and 112 deities across the centuries. Creepy or cool? The highlight of the food menu is the yakitori by renowned chef Okuma Hirofumi from Kyushu, using both choshu chicken from Yamaguchi Prefecture and local three-yellow birds, as well as sashimi rice bowls made with prime fatty tuna belly sourced from Japan’s top tuna merchant, Yamayuki. Diners can also expect a range of premium and rare Daiginjo sake.

23/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2368 8331

ZZURA

ZZURA might be the first Middle Eastern speakeasy we’ve heard of, inspired by Zerzura, a legendary oasis in the Sahara Desert. It’s been opened by some of the founders of nearby bar The Daily Tot, along with cocktail expert Gagan Gurung, with the drinks designed by both Gurung and Princebir Singh, the former head bartender at Zuma. The sexy decor, featuring Middle-Eastern-inspired arches, water fountains and silhouettes, is complemented by a menu of heady spice- and ingredient-focused cocktails, highlightiny Middle Eastern staples such as saffron, sumac, date and honey. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 4pm–midnight.

2/F, Amber Lodge, 23 Hollywood Road, Central, 2639 9155

July 2021

11 Westside’s 4th of July Mexican BBQ

If you’re celebrating American Independence Day this year, we recommend 11 Westside’s fiesta on the 4th, with beers and margaritas aplenty. Each ticket ($300) includes a roast hog with tortillas and homemade salsas, salt-baked spuds, esquites (corn salad), chicken enchiladas, chips and salsa and kale salad – plus your choice of two drinks, either sin or con alcohol ($80 or $150). Seatings at 2pm and 4pm. Book online.

1/F, The Hudson, 11 Davis Street, Kennedy Town, no phone

Related: The Best European Pork Dishes in HK 2021

ANAORI kakugama menu at Louise (6–18 July)

Japanese brand ANAORI is a leading manufacturer of carbon graphite products, and the brand has recently unveiled its flagship product – ANAORI kakugama – which combines natural materials, Japanese culture and history and modern technology in one unique minimalistic cube design. This cooking tool has superior heat retention that rivals even charcoal and is compatible with all heating sources including induction, gas and oven. ANAORI kakugama is versatile too, allowing chefs to grill, simmer, poach, fry and steam to their hearts’ content.

To showcase the potential of ANAORI kakugama, the brand has embarked on a six-month Naturality Tour this year, featuring 24 global chefs. Here in Hong Kong, ANAORI is partnering with Executive Chef Franckelie Laloum of Louise to present special dishes created by ANAORI kakugama. The ANAORI menu ($1,588/person) will be available at Louise from 6–18 July.

PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, 2866 0300, book online

The Aubrey Omakase Cocktail Bar

Maximal Concepts’ breathtaking upscale izakaya The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental has another feather in its cap with the launch of its super-exclusive (only four seats!) Omakase Cocktail Bar. Here, Hotel Beverage Manager Devender Sehgal takes guests on a journey of premium Japanese spirits via a series of original cocktails – the first time we’ve seen the term “omakase” applied to drinks rather than food. Lesser-known liquors, including shochu, awamori and umeshu, and sparkling sake are put in the spotlight. The bespoke omakase cocktail menu ($1,580/person) is inclusive of light snacks. Open Thursday–Saturday evenings.

25/F, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2825 4001, book online (bookings for the Omakase Cocktail Bar are released on the 15th of each month at 4pm for the following month)

Bengal Brothers

We see a new trend in the making: kati rolls! A few places around town are beginning to offer these Indian street-food wraps, and Bengal Brothers is the latest player in the kati world. House-made paratha flatbreads are filled with chargrilled meat or veggies, salad and Bengal Brothers’ signature chutneys and spice blend, then rolled – making for perfect on-the-go bites with tons of flavour. Friends and co-owners Tanvir Bhasin and Vidur Yadav know a thing or two about Indian cuisine, with Vidur previously the operations manager at Indian hotspots New Punjab Club and Rajasthan Rifles. What else is on the menu? Something called “first-class bowls”. We assume these are carb-free versions of the rolls with just the fillings (like taco bowls), but we’ll update you as soon as we know for sure. Open daily, 11am–9pm, take a closer look!

6 Johnston Road, Wanchai, firstclass@bengal-brothers.com

Candour & Hjem

These two spots have joined Burmese restaurant Club Rangoon as part of newly launched hospitality group Common Abode’s growing portfolio. Common Abode’s founders, Nelson Htoo and Elin Fu, are determined “to craft exceptional experiences with a forward-thinking philosophy to deliver bold and creative outlets, bringing cool and unique concepts to Hong Kong’s crowds”.

Up first, on Monday, 12 July, Nordic-style café Hjem, which means “home” in Norwegian, will showcase dishes designed by renowned Finnish chef Jaakko Sorsa (we can’t wait to try the smørrebrød, or open-faced sandwiches, and giant cinnamon and cardamom rolls). Chef Sorsa is best known for his prolonged stint at Nordic fine-dining restaurant FINDS at The Luxe Manor in Tsim Sha Tsui, but he was also named Foodie Forks Chef of the Year way back in 2015. On the bevvy front, the café’s signature coffee-based drinks are made with local ingredients with flavour profiles that stem from Nordic cuisine, and there are “clean” cocktails with lower ABV percentages. Opening hours TBC.

Candour sits in the iconic space on Peel Street that formerly housed Ho Lang Jeng. This uber-cool bar-lounge will offer an “urban” beverage programme, dishes inspired by local flavours and – this is the really unique bit – hip-hop culture. Opening details TBC.

Candour: 65 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, 2362 8100

Hjem: 161 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, 2362 9183

Carbs

It’s been hard to stop drooling over all the insane pictures of Carbs that keep popping up. The brainchild of Wil Fang of Cookie DPT fame, Carbs is about, well, carbs in all their gut-busting glory. This translates to big, square slices of deep-dish, Detroit-style pizza (with choices like the cheekily named The Notorious P.I.G., topped with bacon, ham, chilli-infused honey and tomato sauce), tater tots, mac ‘n’ cheese, milkshakes and more carbalicious goodies. Open daily, 12–3pm and 5–9pm, during the soft-opening period.

Shop 3, G/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 2886 2801

CENSU

Congrats to Fukuro and Ho Lee Fook alum Chef Shun Sato for the opening of his first independent venture, intimate Japanese restaurant CENSU, on 15 July. We’re intrigued by Chef Sato’s experimental menu, which is inspired by both the chef’s father’s traditional izakaya cooking and his own experiences working in renowned kitchens around the world. One such dish, pictured above, is squid with white kimuchi. Kimuchi is Japanese-style kimchi, and the chef presents his white kimchi, fermented with green apple and daikon, alongside sliced squid sashimi prepared in ika somen style, to resemble very thin somen noodles. The rotating menu of specials is what we’re most eager to try, based on seasonality and the whimsy of Chef Sato. Natural wines, highballs and sake make for great drink-pairing options at CENSU. Open daily, 6pm–midnight (last call for food at 10pm).

Read about Celia's preview visit here.

28–30 Gough Street, Central, 2997 7009

Cornerstone’s 2nd-anniversary menu (until 10 July)

Fans of Shane Osborn’s charming Australian all-day bistro Cornerstone from the get-go, we’ll be sure to check out Head Chef Neal Ledesma’s very limited-run tasting menu celebrating the eatery’s two years in Hong Kong, where the dining scene is notoriously difficult to survive in, even during the best of times. Highlights from the three-course anniversary menu ($698/person), which presents past hits and signatures from the Cornerstone menu since 2019, include white asparagus with beurre blanc, cured egg yolk, chive and black truffle, red prawn tartare with coconut nage, papaya, pickled chilli and coriander oil and pan-fried stone bass with Tua Tua clams, girolles and courgette-basil purée. All vegetarian dishes can be made vegan upon request. Available for dinner Monday–Saturday, 30 June–10 July.

49 Hollywood Road, Central, 6809 9771 (WhatsApp), book online

DON DON DONKI (TMT Plaza)

At more than a whopping 28,000 square feet, this Tuen Mun Town Plaza location of Japanese discount superstore DON DON DONKI will have the largest sales floor area of any DONKI shop in Hong Kong when it opens at 10am on Tuesday, 20 July. This branch is set to showcase a dedicated Japanese yatai section, street-style booths inspired by the famous Dotonbori tourist area of Osaka, where Japanese street food can be purchased. Open daily, 8am–1am.

Shop UG001–UG023, UG/F, Tuen Mun Town Plaza, Phase 1, 1 Tuen Shun Street, Tuen Mun

Funky Monkey (Tung Chung)

Tung Chung is the newest locale for bar and restaurant Funky Monkey, opened by Nepalese bartender Gurung Dammarsing. This groovy, tiki-style spot joins its siblings in Jordan and Tsim Sha Tsui, offering exotic cocktails and modern Nepalese eats like this gorgeous momo platter featuring steamed, deep-fried, pan-fried and chilli momos all in one. The Tung Chug shop has an intriguing signature dish called chatamari pizza. Chatamari is a popular street food in Nepal made with mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce and minced beef with herbs, topped with a fried egg. Regular Bollywood and reggae nights and soon-to-debut live music add to the fun, playful vibe. Open 11am–10pm, with a buy-one-get-one-free happy hour on from 3–8pm.

Shop 101, 1/F, T Bay, 9 Yi Tung Road, Tung Chung, Lantau Island, 2427 1111, book online

The Great Rajasthan Rifles Cricket Championship (25 July)

In the spirit of friendly competition, Anglo-Indian restaurant Rajasthan Rifles is set to host The Great Rajasthan Rifles Cricket Championship on Sunday, 25 July (7:30am–3:30pm) at Easy Organic Farming in Shui Tau Tsuen. To enter, six-player cricket teams ($6,000/team) must provide their own equipment and cricket whites in order to vie for the grand Rajasthan Rifles trophy. Spectators ($600/person) are entitled to plenty of awesome food and drink, to include a light breakfast, hearty lunch and free-flow Pimm’s, G&Ts and non-alcoholic bevvies. Return transport by private bus from Central will be provided.

Book online

HOW to live well

Part of the HOW to live well concept store, featuring Japanese furniture and lifestyle products, this café serves up beautifully presented fusion eats in a stylish, relaxing space. Highlights include the signature Wagyu burger and scallop spaghetti. Open daily, 12–10pm.

Shop 201, 2/F, K11 Art Mall, 18 Hanoi Road, TST, 3705 3709, 5640 0455 (WhatsApp)

Hungry Dino

Currently ranked as OpenRice’s most-bookmarked restaurant, Hungry Dino began its life as a takeaway-only shop in Causeway Bay. It’s wildly popular for its wallet-friendly inari sushi, made using a sweet bean-curd wrapper that’s stuffed to the brim with colourful, creative fillings, plus rice bowls and bentos. The new two-storey space is edgy and filled with lots of greenery – an Instagrammer’s dream. Open daily, 12–2:45pm for lunch and 5:45–8pm for dinner, with pick-up also available (be sure to double-check the hours on IG before heading over).

UG/F & 1/F, LL Tower, 2–4 Shelley Street, SoHo, Central, 9232 7623 (WhatsApp at least 1 day in advance)

Kerry Hotel’s Finnish Midsummer festivities (until 24 July)

Kerry Hotel’s cocktail bar Red Sugar goes Nordic this month. Head here for a celebration of Finland’s Midsummer (Juhannus) festival, with Head Bartender Simon Kong shaking up a selection of special cocktails made with Finnish distillates and liqueurs, complemented by Nordic-inspired bar snacks and themed decorations. Every Saturday and Sunday until 24 July, from 3–7pm, guests who order any item from the promotional menu can enjoy a complimentary beginner’s workshop of mölkky, a Finnish lawn-bowling game, at the bar’s outdoor terrace, coached by the Hong Kong Mölkky Association (yes, this actually exists). Open Wednesday–Friday, 4–10pm, and Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 2–10pm, until 24 July.

7/F, Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong, 38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon, 2252 5281, redsugar.khhk@thekerryhotels.com

La Rotisserie (Causeway Bay)

Marking its second launch this year and sixth outlet in the 852, French rotisserie chicken and duck specialist La Rotisserie has landed at Lee Garden One in Causeway Bay. This is the brand’s most spacious shop yet, featuring spit grills in the open kitchen, a sub counter dubbed La Sandwicherie and an extended salad bar. La Rotisserie CWB is also the first to include breakfast offerings until 11:30am, highlighting freshly baked croissants, danishes and more French-style pastries. Open daily, 8:30am–9pm.

Shop G12, G/F, Lee Garden One, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, 9791 9043

La Vache! (Pacific Place)

We now have a third branch of Black Sheep Restaurants’ La Vache! to pop over to when a steak-frites craving strikes. Located a Pacific Place just below the cinema (where Plat du Jour used to stand), the Parisian steakhouse’s classic set menu remains – this means an organic green salad with walnuts and mustard vinaigrette, followed by USDA Prime rib-eye paired with free-flow fries that are as addictive as, well, you know (we suspect they’re dusted with chicken salt). Open Tuesday–Sunday, 12–2:30pm and 6–8:30pm.

Shop 007, LG1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2801 6122

Mama Mia Pizza & Pasta

Well known for its laid-back eateries with menus catering to one and all (think Jaspas, Mr Wolf and Wagyu Lounge), Castelo Concepts’ Mama Mia is the restaurant group’s first venue in Sheung Wan. The cheerful all-day diner runs the global gamut; there’s breakfast bruschetta and corn fritters in the morn, weekday three-course lunch sets and an à-la-carte menu featuring salads, pizzas, pastas and hearty mains. Open daily, 7am–11pm.

22 Possession Street, Sheung Wan, 2636 4555

Musubi Hiro

We’ve always wondered why musubi, Hawaii’s take on Japanese rice balls, has played second fiddle to onigiri, so we’re happy to report on a cool new eatery, Musubi Hiro, opening this month that specialises in a variety of made-to-order musubi, creative Japanese snacks and lots of sake and ice-cold beer. Spam musubi is the OG here, but we’re also looking forward to trying this Japanese gastropub’s deep-fried musubi and those inspired by Hong Kong’s own local flavours. There’s an entire menu of special sauces and toppings for customising our musubi too. Opening date TBC, with daily opening hours of 11am–midnight.

37 Cochrane Street, Central, 5597 6911, book online

Nami

“Izakaya” seems to be the word of the day! Nami by Gaia Group presents skewers, tempura, sashimi, sushi and more Japanese food faves, with a special focus on seafood. The decor is described as cosy and inviting through the use of dark wood and an Edo-inspired design. Open daily, 11am–3pm and 6–10pm (all-day dining at the weekend from 11am onwards).

1/F, Soundwill Plaza II Midtown, 1–29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, 2383 4038, hello@nami-izakaya.com

Nespresso Gourmet Weeks (12 July–8 August)

Making it first appearance in HK, eight top chefs around town will participate in Nespresso Gourmet Weeks from 12 July–8 August through a selection of special menus that use coffee as a key ingredient. These chefs includes Nespresso’s Chef Ambassador, Vicky Cheng of VEA, along with Olivier Elzer of L’Envol, Eric Räty of Arbor, Paul Lau of Tin Lung Heen, Hideaki Sato of Ta Vie, Agustin Balbi of Andō, Manav Tuli of CHAAT and Ricardo Chaneton of MONO. Championing sustainability, Chef Cheng will also spotlight vegetables like aubergine and bitter gourd grown on the Nespresso Farm right here in the 852, using recycled Nespresso coffee grounds as a fertiliser. Other participating restaurants will be recycling all their coffee capsules.

Follow Nespresso HK on Facebook and Instagram for more information on the menus and booking details

Okra’s sushi omakase farewell celebration (5–31 July)

After six years at the forefront of our city’s fickle dining scene, innovative Sai Yin Pun izakya Okra is shutting shop – but not before Chef Max Levy puts on a sensational series of sushi omakase farewell dinners ($2,500/person) from 5–31 July. From 3 July, Okra’s downstairs kitchen will close in order to offer these exclusive omakase dinners at its upstairs omakase counter. On the menu will be an ingredient-driven selection of omakase delicacies from land and sea as well as Chef Levy’s signature faves. To wet your whistle, we recommend Okra’s very own sake, brewed in collaboration with boutique partners in Japan.

G/F & 1/F, 110 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun, 2806 1038 (WhatsApp),
info@okra.bar

Pane e Latte

Stanley is the lucky location of Pirata Group newborn Pane e Latte, and we’re sure they’re onto a winner with this seafront all-day Italian bakery and café. In anticipation of the opening, diners will get a preview of Pane e Latte’s artisanal baked goods during brunch and dunch on 26 and 27 June at selected Pirata Group venues. On Wednesday, 30 June, a special giveaway is set to take place at all three Pirata Group restaurants at Starstreet Precinct – Pici, The Pizza Project and TMK Rap & Rolls – with dine-in guests getting the chance to sample a Pane e Latte bomboloni (see above). Trust us – these pillowy Italian doughnuts filled with pastry cream are simply irresistible! Opening details TBC.

G/F, U-C Court, 25 Stanley Market Road, Stanley, 2337 7221

Pazzi Isshokenmei

We’ve seen plenty of Japanese-French collaborative menus, but Japanese-Italian fare is still somewhat of a novelty in Hong Kong. Enter Pazzi Isshokenmei, the newest addition to H Queen’s delicious line-up of restaurants. The eatery is a mix of izakaya vibes and vibrant Italian flavours, with dishes the likes of Tokyo burrata, a pairing of Japanese peach and tomato with the creamy Italian cheese, and miso crab tagliolini, a hearty pasta dish of soybean paste and sweet crab. A “treasure chest” on wheels is presented tableside for freshly pressed handrolls catering to diners’ bespoke ingredient combinations. There’s also an invite-only cocktail bar, to be unveiled in early August. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

2/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2555 0666

RŌNIN’s farewell dinner to Chef Jowett Yu of Ho Lee Fook (30 June)

We love the spirit of community and friendship with this one! Chef Jowett Yu will soon be departing funky Chinese restaurant Ho Lee Fook (the eatery will return in the autumn with a new chef and a new look courtesy of designer Sean Dix), but before he does, nearby modern izakaya RŌNIN plans to send off the chef in style. For one night only, on Wednesday, 30 June, Chef Jow will transform RŌNIN into a “chizakaya”, bringing his own modern Chinese riffs on classic Japanese izakaya dishes to the table. Seating is very limited for this farewell menu ($1,500/person), so book online now!

8 On Wo Lane, Central, 6795 5615 (WhatsApp)

Soulgood Bakery pop-up at K11 MUSEA (until December)

From Instagram to K11 MUSEA! Soulgood Bakery came to life last year when baker Anjaylia started giving her homemade burnt Basque cheesecakes to friends and family who were feeling down during the pandemic, and the rest is history. At this six-month-long pop-up, these stunning cheesecakes come in a variety of flavours, in either four-, six- or eight-inch versions, and the six- and eight-inchers also boast oozing lava centres. Open daily, 10am–10pm, until December 2021.

Kiosk LA601, 6/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST

Sushi Mamoru

We don’t have images of Sushi Mamoru just yet, but it sounds like a doozy. This 10-seaster sushi bar is helmed by Chef Chiba Hirofumi, previously of high-end sushi joint Kohaku in Central, in collaboration with the team behind the Wagyumafia empire. We can expect refined a seasonal omakase menu showcasing the traditions of Edomae sushi. Open Monday–Saturday, 12–3pm and 6pm–midnight.

Shop 2, G/F, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wanchai, 2133 5700, info@sushimamoru.com

TamJai SamGor (Central flagship)

This fast-casual local restaurant chain opened here in 2008, taking the city by storm, and it even expanded to Singapore last year. TamJai SamGor is beloved for its mixian rice noodles with customisable hot-and-sour soup base and bespoke toppings, from pork belly and fish balls to pickled cabbage and bean-curd sheets. This new HK flagship, opening on Friday, 9 July, is taking the spot on Wellington Street where Tsui Wah once stood, showcasing a giant TJSG neon sign that can’t be missed. The brand will debut an alcohol menu here in the coming months as well as pairing snacks. Open daily, 7:45am–10 pm.

B/F & G/F, Hong Kong House, 17–19 Wellington Street, Central

Related: Brews News - TamJai SamGor X Young Master

Twist & Buckle (Jordan)

Churro emporium Twist & Buckle has opened its second location at Eaton Food Hall in Jordan, just under a year after debuting its first branch in nearby Tsim Sha Tsui. This Instagram-famous churrería has launched a limited-edition ube churro at this shop – just check out that striking magenta-hued beauty! A churro filled with dulce de leche is another decadent newcomer we can’t wait to try, but we’re also partial to T&B’s cinnamon-dusted El Churro Original, glazed churros and churro sundaes. Open daily, 12–10pm.

Shop 2, Eaton Food Hall, LG/F, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Jordan, 2782 1818

Uma Nota’s Umakase dinner (19 July)

Uma Nota’s Brazilian-Japanese Umakase dining experience is back with a bang on Monday, 19 July. Six- and- eight course menus ($490 or $590/person) are on the cards, with the dishes whipped up by Chef Gustavo Vargas honouring the art of grilling. Fusion highlights include scallops in yuzu butter, pork shoulder and leek skewers, M5 Wagyu Sirloin with feijão tropeiro (beans, bacon and cassava) and a fitting ending of caipirinha sorbet. Sake- and wine-pairing packages can be added.

38 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, 2889 7576, book online

Yakiniku Like (Metroplaza)

This popular yakiniku brand from Tokyo featuring individual grills and contactless ordering – perfect for our COVID times – has opened its second HK outlet at Metroplaza in Kwai Fong. In a first for the brand, this Yakiniku Like shop offers a 100% vegan menu option, joining forces with Japan-based food-tech venture Next Meats to give diners a plant-based meat set (pictured above) that includes karubi and harami. Yakiniku has usually been off-limits to those eating plant-based diets, so we say Yakiniku Like for the win! Discounts on selected sets apply until Wednesday, 7 July. Open daily, 11:30am–9pm.

Shop 112, 1/F, Metroplaza, 223 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Fong, 2471 1322

Yakitori25

This yakitori joint by the team behind Birdie in Central looks sleek yet chilled. It’s located in Circle Tower, the well-known building in Causeway Bay housing many Japanese eateries. Yakitori25 is notable for its use of binchotan charcoal, sure to please those seeking authenticity. Open daily, 6–10pm.

25/F, Circle Tower, 28 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, 9808 7581

June 2021

Americano

Those pining for the flavours of Italian-American cuisine can head to Americano from 1 June for flatbread pizzas, fresh pastas and a dessert trolley to beat them all (cannoli is the word!). The bar side of the venue is also noteworthy, with an extensive list of wine and cocktails (award-winning mixologist Massimo Petovello, formerly of ICHU and Buenos Aires Polo Club is the drink consultant) and a daily extended happy hour from 12–7pm. The two-storey, high-ceilinged space is decked out with an eye-catching Big Apple theme featuring supersized cinematic-style murals. Opening hours TBC.

33 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 2628 6186, info@americanohk.com

Awa Awa

A new project by the team behind Sake Central, Okinawan restaurant Awa Awa is set to open mid-month, bringing us a cheeky, kitschy taste of Japan’s southernmost island prefecture. First and foremost, the name of the eatery is a tribute to the first character in Awamori, a reference to the distinctive foam that occurs during the fermentation process of Awamori – the alcoholic bevvy synonymous with Okinawa (there’s also another meaning to the monikor attributed to Japan’s “soapland” culture, but we’ll let you do your own research on that one). With this in mind, Awa Awa will feature an extensive collection of Awamori, eventually offering at least one type from each of Okinawa’s 47 distilleries, along with dishes that showcase the complexities of Okinawan cuisine through its nuances of Chinese, Hawaiian, Mexican, American and Taiwanese cultural influences. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 6–10pm.

42 & 44 Peel Street, SoHo, Central

Baked Indulgence pop-up at Harbour City

Baked Indulgence’s awesome cookies will be popping up for a limited time at Harbour City alongside new treats created in partnership with HK-born actress Grace Chan. These goodies include Neapolitan cookies and cake, lemon bars and molten blackout brownies (shout-out to the Biscoff flavour!). Open daily (tentatively for the next seven months), 11:30am–7pm.

Kiosk K, 3/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST

Barcode

This one-to-watch café offers premium java drinks, sweet bites (molten mocha tiramisu, anyone?) and sandwiches in neat to-go packaging – such as this one of slow-cooked quail with over-easy egg and caramelised onion in a sherry brown butter sauce. Stay tuned for news about the launch of Barcode’s “hidden”, invite-only bar concept come sundown (the classic and dessert-focused drinks are said to be whipped up by Gagan Gurung of Tell Camellia). Open daily, 8am–6pm.

1 Glenealy, Central

BaseHall openings & events

Two of the city’s fiercest drag queens, Madame Mincemeat and XXXotica, with be the hostesses with the mostest at the launch of BaseHall’s Drag Brunch series on Saturday, 12 June from 12–3pm. Each ticket ($1,000/person) is inclusive of a slap-up snack platter featuring all the food hall’s vendors – including FRANCIS, BaseHall’s newest addition (see below) – and three hours of free-flow booze. This will be the first time that HK customers are able to sample two new premium alcohol brands: local brand ONLY’s zero-sugar canned vodka soda and Bruno Mars’ rum brand SelvaRey. As the press release states: “No tea, no shade – it will be an afternoon of games, kiki-ing and lip-syncing galore.”

Two more events are on the cards for BaseHall this month. On 18 June, BaseHall will host a “rap classics” event, and on the 25th, it’s Global Beatles Day with DJ Shang.

In other news, Pub 1842 by Young Master is expanding to include food pop-up Grub 1842 from 7 June. The pop-up will host rotational food concepts, starting with a super-cool mac ‘n’ cheese bar. Find a classic panko-crusted mac, a squid-ink mac, a mushroom and burrata mac and more. There will also be a custom Grub 1842 cannoli from Holy Cannoli, only at BaseHall, and an enlarged drink menu, to include a selection of natural wines from La Cabane.

FRANCIS has also joined the gang at BaseHall with a focus on Middle Eastern rotisserie meats such as beef short rib shawarma, but there are plenty of meat-free options too. For plant-based diners, the outlet serves up a sabich as a signature item. This sandwich is a favourite Israeli street snack; at FRANCIS, it comes as a Jerusalem-style sesame bagel with fried aubergine, potato, hard-boiled egg and harissa.

Finally, newly launched WineHouse by BaseHall Bar offers a curated collection of wines from around the world, priced from just $35 a glass. Sparkling sake and a creative cocktail menu complete WineHouse’s offerings.

Shop 9A–9C, LG/F, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central, book Drag Brunch online

BEDU’s Dinner with Corey: Ethical Seafood (16 June)

Next up in BEDU’s Dinner with Corey series are two seafood-forward menus ($650/person for 5 courses or $850/person for 7 courses) on Wednesday, 16 June, focusing on sustainable under-the-sea eats. Expect Middle Eastern-inspired dishes from Chef Corey Riches including roasted wild scallop, abalone tagine and kingfish basturma.

40 Gough Street, Central, book online ($150/person deposit)

Bentori

Laid-back yakitori emporium (hey, that nearly rhymes) Bentori is located on one of Central’s narrow lanes. It’s a bit of a hidden gem and offers bento boxes showcasing chicken (and other) skewers. Open Monday–Saturday, 12–10pm.

10 Tit Hong Lane, Central, 2838 8865

Black Sheep Restaurants’ PLATED summer series (Mondays and Tuesdays)

Black Sheep Restaurants’ seemingly never-ending creativity when it comes to new menus and projects is making itself known with its summertime series called PLATED, featuring seasonal, value-for-dollar menus at select Black Sheep eateries on Mondays and Tuesdays. Kicking off the series on 21 June, we have Un Été Saïgonais at Le Garçon Saigon ($288/person), Fiesta de Verano at Taqueria Super Macho ($188/person) and Summer in Amalfi at Osteria Marzia ($488/person).

Click here for menus and to book online

Boticario

Boticario was originally slated to open last autumn, but COVID put a stop to that. Now, the cocktail bar inspired by 1920s Buenos Aires is finally up and running. Boticaro’s eating and drinking spaces are many and varied and include both a spacious patio and a balcony. With a nod to the the herbal healing traditions of South America’s pharmacies, the cocktail menu is built around the concept of “cures for the modern age”, and there’s a brilliant two-for-one “healing hour” on weekdays from 3–7pm. The visually striking cocktails are laced with homemade sodas, phosphates, tonics, tinctures, house infusions and craft spirits and are all served in Insta-perfect ceramic and glass vessels. On the food front, guests can expect bites with a South American slant like the popular street snack choripán – grilled chorizo on a crusty roll with red onion relish. Open daily, 12pm–12am (from 11am at the weekend). Read more here.

Shop G5 & UG15, G/F & 1/F, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, 66 Mody Road, TST East, 2765 0800, book online

Bretzel

We rate the cool branding of this up-and-coming Alsatian bistro in Sheung Wan. Bretzel is masterminded by two chefs who know a thing or two around a French kitchen – Johan Ducroquet and Greg Alexandre of another nearby French hotspot, Bouillon. Besides pretzels, the winner here is the Alsatian tarte flambée, a thin flatbread that is traditionally topped with tangy fromage blanc or crème fraiche, sliced onion and bacon lardons. Tarte flambée vs pizza – which will triumph?

Location in Sheung Wan TBC

Café Bohème (TKO)

Following hot on the heels of its success at West Kowloon Art Park, this trendy, bohemian spot located just off both the cycle and pedestrian paths of Tseung Kwan O is sure to be another hit with those looking for a laid-back spot for some homemade thin-crust pizzas, classic pastas and hearty salads. The indoor-outdoor seating options at Café Bohème add to the chilled vibe.

Shop 8, G/F, Alto Residences, 29 Tong Yin Street, TKO, 2661 2238, book online

Calioo Carnival (27–30 May)

We’ve recently chanced upon the Calioo app, a platform for discovering food items made by small shops and local vendors, and it’s already a big hit. So we’ll definitely be heading to the Calioo Carnival, where over 50 of their vendors will be showcased alongside immersive game booths. Featured vendors include Explicit Spices with their three signature chilli oils made with sakura shrimp, burnt lava cheesecakes by Soulgood Bakery and Twinkie Cookies, offering innovative mochi cookies and matcha terrine. Open 27–30 May, 11am–9pm (from 5–9pm on the 27th and 11am–6pm on the 30th). Free entry to the food market, but please register online before visiting.

108–120 Percival Street, Causeway Bay (opposite Lee Theatre)

ChaTraMue (Central)

Thailand’s number-one tea brand ChaTraMue was founded in 1945 and made its way to Hong Kong in 2019. They have now opened a fifth branch in the 852, this one located conveniently next to the escalator entrance on Queen’s Road Central. We’re big fans of the OG Thai milk tea, but the Thai lemon tea is a super thirst quencher on days when the mercury is soaring. They also sell divine milk tea soft-serve! Open daily, 11am–8pm.

Shop A, G/F, 100 Queen’s Road Central, Central

Club Rangoon’s Drink for Justice fundraising event (19 June)

Partnering with Italian wine, craft beer and liqueur supplier Salotto Lounge, Burmese eatery Club Rangoon will be hosting its Drink for Justice fundraising event on Saturday, 19 June at 7pm, part of the restaurant’s ongoing series that aims to support just causes in Hong Kong, including the only refugee-led charity here, Refugee Union. For one night only, three specially created Burmese-Italian cocktails will be shaken and stirred behind the bar, where $10 of each drink will be donated to Refugee Union in honour of World Refugee Day on 20 June.

33 Aberdeen Street, Central, 2503 3077, book online

Coffee & Nata

Known as the king of Portuguese pastries, the pastel de nata, or custard tart, is akin to Hong Kong’s iconic egg tart, but these beauties are made with puff pastry instead of shortcrust and are usually a bit sweeter, fronting a caramelised and puffed-up appearance. They’re also hugely popular in Macau. Lisbon import Coffee & Nata offers these Portuguese tarts online for delivery or pick-up at various locations around town including Discovery Bay Plaza, Mira Place One in Tsim Sha Tsui and Lab Concept at Queensway Plaza in Admiralty. We love the original flavour, but we’re also keen to try the chocolate and salted caramel versions.

Order online

Cook for India charity dinner at CHAAT (7 June)

The COVID crisis in India is beyond devastating, but most of us wonder how we can help being so far away. Well, this event is one very delicious way to do so! Rosewood Hong Kong is set to host the Cook for India charity dinner ($2,788/person) on 7 June at its acclaimed Indian restaurant CHAAT, with 100% of the proceeds going towards COVID relief efforts in India via UNICEF. For one night only, CHAAT Chef de Cuisine Manav Tuli will be cooking alongside seven top Indian chefs from around Hong Kong in an incredible 16-hands collaboration dinner. The multi-course menu is astounding and wide-ranging, with each chef contributing one or two dishes, from Caprice Chef Suveg Kavatkar’s amuse-bouche of roasted blue lobster and morel mushroom with vin jaune and Madras curry powder, to Gaylord Chef Yogesh Yadav’s chicken makhanwala main course, to petits fours courtesy of Pondi Chef Taran Chadhai.

5/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3891 8732, book online

CRUST Italian

News of CRUST’s impending opening on 10 June has got us all hot under the collar. Opening at street level of the iconic Woo Cheong Pawn Shop in Wanchai, CRUST is billed as an authentic Neapolitan pasticceria, or pastry and coffee shop, as well as a restaurant presenting elevated Napoli cuisine and a takeaway counter serving up traditional street eats from Naples, the likes of which we have never had the pleasure of tasting in Hong Kong. See above for a look at the beautiful frittatine di pasta – pasta topped with béchamel sauce, ham and peas that’s then battered, breaded and fried with a double-coated golden casing. There’s also some pizza fritta, or deep-fried pizza resembling a calzone-doughnut hybrid, we’re jonesing for. Mamma mia! Open daily for breakfast, lunch, aperitivo and dinner, 8am–10:30pm.

60A–66 Johnston Road, Wanchai, 2191 0278, book online

Dang Wen Li by Dominique Ansel (Central)

Get ready, pastry lovers – Dang Wen Li’s 3,000-square-flat flagship store (60 covers) in Central will open on 7 June, baking up the HK capsule collection treats we have come to know and love, from the Lemon Juice Box to the HK Milk Tea Cookie Shot. Chef Dominique Ansel will debut a HK-exclusive treat at this boutique – croissant toast – in both sweet (maple) and savoury (sea salt) flavours. There will also be a lot more savoury items – like the Hong Kong Satay Beef Peanut, a peanut-shaped waffle filled with satay beef and peanut sauce – and new sweet treats galore on the menu. We can’t wait to try the limited-time Frozen S’Mores: homemade vanilla ice cream surrounded by chocolate feuilletine and honey marshmallow, toasted to order on a smoked willow-wood branch. Open weekdays, 8am–8:30pm, and weekends and public holidays, 9am–8pm.

Shop 2, G/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 3482 7735

Date by Tate x Koffee Mameya collab at K11 MUSEA

Two-Michelin-starred chef Vicky Lau’s Date by Tate will join forces with Koffee Mameya, the sibling to cult Japanese coffee brand Omotesando Koffee, for a refined coffee- and pastry-pairing experience at the K11 MUSEA Koffee Mameya shop from 1 June onwards. For this collaboration, Chef Lau and Chef Graf Kwok from Date by Tate have prepared a selection of three exclusive “kube” pastries (chestnut cake, curry & dry fruits financier and chocolate & black truffle pound cake) to pair with Koffee Mameya’s signature light and dark roasts. Open weekdays, 11am–6pm, and weekends and public holidays, 12–7pm.

Shop B217, B2/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 2131 6790

Dinner for a Cause charity event at Casa Lisboa (28 June)

Nepal also needs our help in fighting COVID-19! We can do this by booking Casa Lisboa’s Dinner for a Cause charity dinner ($1,500/person) from 7pm on 28 June, with all proceeds donated to the National Innovation Centre in Nepal. The ticket price is inclusive of free-flow signature cocktails, cava and Portuguese wines and innovative eats by Executive Chef Jesus Pascual and three Nepali F&B superstars: Chef Makhim Arun (formerly of Caprice and Zuma), Sachin Gurung from The Diplomat and Gagun Gurung from Tell Camellia.

2/F, Parekh House, 63 Wyndham Street, Central, phone/WhatsApp 6071 5047 to book

DiVino Patio’s The Artist Kitchen

To raise a metaphorical glass to Italian National Day on 2 June, DiVino Patio’s private dining room with be turned into a mini art gallery throughout the month, showcasing Sai Kung–based Italian contemporary artist Roberta Boffo’s work, which will also be available for purchase. Working with the artist, Chef Omar Agostini will present his interpretations of dishes inspired by Boffo’s monchromatic black-and-white artworks. The chef’s four-course set menu ($618/person) includes salmon tartare, homemade tagliatelle with baby lamb ragu and aubergine, roasted French pigeon breast and a dessert known simply as Black & White – Cicco finger cake with coconut ice cream.

Shop 11, 1/F, Brim 28, 28 Harbour Road, Wanchai, 2877 3552, book online

Faye

This new bar by Buzz Concepts has taken over the rooftop space once graced by CÉ LA VI. We don’t know much about Faye so far, except that it’s outer space themed with stunning views... so stay tuned! Open daily, 4pm–2am (3pm–12am on Sunday).

25–26/F, California Tower, 30–32 D’Aguilar Street, LKF, Central

Feather & Bone (Lee Garden)

Pioneering butcher, grocer and restaurateur Feather & Bone has opened its incredible 11th branch, this time in the heart of Causeway Bay. The huge, two-level space (over 2,000-square-foot shop and nearly 3,500-square-foot restaurant) is the first of the brand to offer both an in-house bakery and a seafood counter. To celebrate the opening, there are special offers on at this location throughout June. Customers spending $500 on retail items will receive a complimentary bottle of house wine, a 10% discount is offered on prime cuts of dry-aged beef upon purchase of a full slab and a complimentary freshly baked pastry comes with every coffee or tea purchased between 7–10am on weekdays. Open daily, 7am–10pm.

Shop LG11–22, LG/F, Lee Garden Two, 28 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay, 3529 1228

Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong: ARGO & Gallery

The Four Seasons has just completed the first phase of its refurbishment programme, unveiling a set of completely redesigned guest rooms and suites. The hotel is also set to launch two new F&B concepts this month. First up is glam cocktail bar ARGO, which is described as “breaking new ground with pioneering programming, collaborations and cocktails inspired from exciting new sources and spirits”. Then there’s chic all-day café Gallery in the lobby, offering Asian-inspired comfort food and a bespoke coffee and tea progamme. Get a closer look here.

8 Finance Street, Central, 3196 8888

Graham St Food Hall

We adore food halls – we can pick and choose our faves or have ‘em all. Graham St Food Hall (GSFH) is the new food hall on the block, featuring global dishes from five different vendors and a variety of drinks, available for both takeaway and delivery and with indoor and outdoor seating, as well as special daily offers, pop-ups and weekly events such as trivia nights, flea markets and pet adoption days. The five home-grown food vendors include Hambāgā (Japanese-style hamburger steak donburi), Smoke & Barrels (BBQ platters, plates + sarnies – check out our review), Motown Pizza (Detroit-style pizza + chicken wings), La Viña (Basque cheesecake + baked goods) and Casa Cacao (El Celler de Can Roca Chef Jordi Roca’s artisanal bean-to-bar chocolates from Girona, Spain). Open daily, 10am–10pm.

Shop 3, 23 Graham Street, Central, 9612 0988

Hazukido (Causeway Bay)

Croissant alert! Hazukido is a popular Taiwanese bakery that only uses ingredients from Japan to bake up their unique croissants, which are known for their crispy, glazed exterior and unique flavours the likes of salted egg yolk, Earl Grey milk tea and brown sugar mochi. The brand has launched its 12th outlet in Hong Kong, but this is only the second shop on HK Island. Open daily, 11am–9pm.

Shop G03A, G/F, Causeway Bay Plaza 1, 489 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, 2510 8828

The Holy Block (5 June)

Get ready for the mother of all block parties from 12pm on 5 June when Holy Cannoli joins forces with COA (Asia’s top bar!), BEDU, La Cabane and Fernet Hunter at The Wild Lot. Your stamp ticket gets you cannoli, cocktails, wine and a feed by BEDU, plus good vibes and live music by the DJs in the house.

6–10 Shin Hing Street, Sheung Wan, book online ($340 in advance or $400 at the door)

Hong Kong Helps India charity dinner at Chaiwala (30 May)

India’s fight against COVID needs all the help it can get, so we’re thrilled to report on another charity event organised to do just that. On 30 May, Chaiwala will host a fundraising dinner for India, with all proceeds going to the Indian Red Cross Society. The four-course menu ($400/person) will feature Chef Prabir Banerjee’s classic Indian signatures. At adjoining bar Hugger Mugger, organised by bar industry duo Tom Egerton (Proof & Company) and Holly Graham (DRiNK; Asia’s 50 Best Bars), five award-winning bartenders representing the Indian community in the 852 will shake up cocktails (cash only) to raise funds for the same charity, some with a unique Indian twist. Drinks will be available for takeaway too. Throughout the night at both spots, there will be raffle draws, with prizes including staycations, premium spirits, brunches, dinners and more.

Basement, 43–55 Wyndham Street, Central, book online

Hoo Pocha

This is an uber-cool addition to Tsim Sha Tsui’s Little Korea. Dining at Hoo Pocha is (almost) like being in Seoul. Think concrete floors, folding tables, plastic stools and lots of neon. The food – fried chicken, kimchi pancakes, fish-cake stew and the like – is served on metal plates, with stews and soups bubbling over gas stoves. The bento boxes are big hits too; they’re styled after fave childhood lunch boxes in Korea, cheese tteokbokki included. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 12–4pm and 6–10pm.

22/F, Lamma Tower, 12–12A Hau Fook Street, TST, 9229 5812, (WhatsApp) book online

Hotal Colombo’s Crab Club at the Beach (24 June)

Chef Gizzy Alesbrook of Hotel Colombo will be bringing the tradition of Sri Lankan crab feasts to the 852 with this very immersive dining experience dubbed Crab Club at the Beach ($698/person) – literally, at Shek O Beach – on Thursday, 24 June from 6–10pm. The star crustacean comes in two finger-licking varieties – coconut lime curry and garlic and chilli – accompanied by an array of house sambols, pickles, salads and sides, plus plenty of cold beer to wash it all down.

Book online (4-person minimum)

La Paloma’s Hot Wednesdays (9 & 23 June)

Chef Alex Fargas of La Paloma is teaming up with some of HK’s leading chefs to launch a sizzling fortnightly series known as Hot Wednesdays ($398/person) where giant fusion paellas and tapas dishes will be on the menu. Kicking things off from 6pm on 9 June, Chef Jamie Draper of Mr Wolf will be bringing a very British sensibility to the Spanish hotspot, followed by Chef Satoru Mukogawa from Sushi Kuu with a Japanese twist on 23 June. Click here for all upcoming Hot Wednesdays events.

1/F, 189 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun, 2291 6161, book online

The Lawn Club

Created by the team behind The Grounds at AIA Vitality Park, The Lawn Club provides a modern version of the garden party. Each ticket is inclusive of a four-person pod, playing court access (on a first come, first served basis) and in-pod games. The classic lawn games showcased include boules, bocce and croquet. Live screenings of international summer sporting events are also part of the draw, as are nightly DJs and live performances. On the food and drink front, Shake Shack will be delivering burgers and fries to the pods alongside a wide selection of drink options – all available via contactless ordering. We may not be able to travel this summer, but we can still make the most of it here in the Kong.

Hong Kong Observation Wheel and AIA Vitality Park, 33 Man Kwong Street, Central, book online

MARGO and Kyle & Bain

Scheduled to open in late June at Central’s Queen’s Galleria, MARGO is a modern European brasserie helmed by Mario Paecke (former Chef de Cuisine at SOMM and Sous-Chef at Amber), showcasing both local and German influences owing to the chef’s native origin (we’re looking forward to his spin on Berlin’s classic currywurst!).

Kyle & Bain is hidden away on the mezzanine level of the same building – a chic martini bar by John Nugent, the man behind award-winning The Diplomat, which ranks at number 20 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021. With a nod to the past, this bar is named after William Kyle and John Bain, who patented the first ice machine, bringing ice to 1800s Hong Kong (and The Galleria also happens to be located right next to Ice House Street). Opening details for both venues TBC.

Shop 6 & Shop 9, The Galleria, 9 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2130 7731 (MARGO), 2222 2345 (Kyle & Bain)

Momoz

We love us some momos, and Momoz, the brainchild of new local restaurant group Cygnus Concepts, will be bringing these beloved Nepalese dumplings to both Central and Tsim Sha Tsui on 21 June. There are classic momos and more modern creations on the menu, from chicken katsu curry fried momos to super-spicy “fire in the hole" (eek!) momos in lamb and chicken varieties. In addition to momos, Nepali-style rolls are a speciality, and like the momos, they come in both classic and creative fillings folded into roti paratha. To go along with the stylish fast-casual concept, MOMOZ will feature a collection of in-house canned cocktails and mocktails that have been designed to pair with the flavours of their dishes. Both branches open daily from 11am till late (2am at the weekend!). Read all about it here!

Central: 6 Lan Kwai Fong, LKF, Central, 2898 3129

TST: Shop 3, G/F, Lee Wai Commercial Building, 1 & 3 Hart Avenue, TST, 3752 2670

MOTD

MOTD is a new venue in Tin Hau focusing on both private dining and events (MOTD stands for “menu of the day”, “music of the day” and “mood of the day”, depending on what’s scheduled on any given day). On the private dining side, a new resident chef will be up for a minimum of six nights of culinary showcase each month. In June, you can book The Palate Recital by Chef Kenny ($1,180/person), nine nights of a six-course, reservation-only French-Japanese menu (see above) highlighted by prized Japanese ingredients including Yamoto pork. The Palate Recital is available for booking from 17–19 and 21–26 June.

1/F, Union Park Tower, 168 Electric Road, 2335 5333, Tin Hau, 6778 9807 (WhatsApp), book online

Mott 32’s Sommelier Sessions

A great way to kick off the workweek, Mott 32 has debuted its Sommelier Sessions this summer, giving diners a 50% discount on a selection of bottles from the restaurant’s wine list every Monday and Tuesday evening (all bottles up to $2,000). The restaurant’s three sommeliers – Marie-Paule Herman, Ben Mok and Rin Mohamad – have curated a wine list that enhances Chef Lee Man-Sing’s regional Chinese dishes – no easy feat when it comes to pairing wine with Chinese cuisine. Sommelier Sessions will also be an opportunity for Mott 32’s sommeliers to put the spotlight on different producers and grape varietals. For the month of June, the eatery will be participating in Wines of Germany’s Riesling Weeks, with four Rieslings on offer by the glass and bottle.

Basement, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4–4A Des Voeux Road Central, Central, 2885 8688, reservations@mott32.com

Nina Patisserie (Tsuen Wan West)

Nina Patisserie now has a brick-and-mortar location at Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West, having launched an online shop a few months back. All the sweet treats we’ve seen look gorgeous, but we’re particularly tempted by the napoleon collection (another term for millefeuille) and the palmiers in assorted flavours. There’s bright, café-style seating for breakfast, lunch and teatime. Open weekdays, 8am–8pm, and weekends and public holidays, 9am–9pm.

G/F, Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West, 8 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, 5330 5315

RELATED: Staycation at the Nina Hotel

ODDS

We’ve be oohing and ahhing over all the gorgeous pics that newcomer ODDS has recently posted on Instagram. It looks like a luxr mishmash of teppanyaki, sushi, yakitori, bar and café, all under one roof. Check out the presentation of the fatty tuna and Wagyu tartare with caviar! Open daily, 12–10pm. Celia is one of the first to try it.

Shop G2, G/F, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4–4A Des Voeux Road Central, Central, 2891 3988, book online

Related: Read the ODDS review by Celia

PABLO

Quirky artist Pablo Picasso is the inspiration behind this modern Mexican restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui East – so modern, in fact, that there are Southeast Asian influences throughout the menu. PABLO’s take on tacos al pastor uses marinated pork neck, a popular SE Asian ingredient, along with the Thai staples of mint, basil and lime leaf, while the yellow ceviche with hamachi has been reinvented with the use of mango, ginger, turmeric and lemongrass. Vegetarian dishes are a big focus at PABLO; in the red ceviche, for instance, compressed watermelon is used to mimic seafood. Open daily, 12–11pm, for lunch, happy hour and dinner, with late-night bar bites available until midnight.

Shop G80–85, G/F, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, 66 Mody Road, TST East, 3741 2990

Pazzi Isshokenmai

H Queen’s in Central now has a Japanese-Italian tenant with the opening of Pazzi Isshokenmai, which has taken over from upscale Greek eatery Estiatorio Keia with equally elegant decor. Fusion highlights include burrata with Japanese peach, a trolley of sea urchin for uni sushi prepared tableside and cremia ice cream with Yubari King cantaloupe for dessert. Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

2/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2555 0666

The Peninsula Boutique & Café

The Peninsula Boutique & Arcade is a brand-new addition to The Peninsula Arcade, presenting a sleek space for both browsing the luxury hotel’s extensive collection of gifts and also enjoying coffee, tea, pastries, ice-cream sundaes and light bites from The Peninsula’s famed culinary team. Afternoon Indulgence tea sets ($575/2) are already drawing queues and include scones, macarons, 3-D ganache-filled chocolate and Hokkaido milk soft-serve ice cream, in addition to a choice of four savoury and four sweet treats. Open daily from 28 May, 10am–7pm.

The Peninsula Arcade, Salisbury Road, TST, 2696 6969, enquiry.pml@peninsula.com

Pici Pasta Run (26 June)

Work off all those delicious carbs at Pici’s first-ever Pasta Run on 26 June, when teams of four participants in fancy dress will race around to check in at the pasta eatery’s three HK Island-side outlets (Cental, newly opened Kennedy Town and the OG Wanchai) – with great Pici eats offered to runners at each location, from morning pasta to a protein pick-me-up. The registration fee ($200/person) goes toward supporting mental health via local charity Mind HK. Start times of 9:30am, 10:30am and 11:30am. Prizes for the best-dressed teams!

Register online

REX Wine & Grill and Venédia

These two new Italian concepts have quite a pedigree, backed by Octavo Management Group. Both are located at One Chinachem Central. At street level, there’s Venédia, described as an authentic Italian gran caffè with Old World charm. The food menu, from pastries to pastas, will be directed by Octavium’s dynamic duo of chefs Roland Schuller and Bjoern Alexander, while coffee, classic Italian cocktails and gelato take supporting roles. Luxurious REX Wine & Grill is located one floor below Venédia, with the kitchen of this underground Italian chophouse helmed by Chef Nathan Green, who has now bid farewell to wildly successful Henry at Rosewood Hong Kong. The beef selections are the stars, spotlighted by breeds like Italian scottona and rare Japanese olive-fed cattle. The wine programme is another core concept, and wine collectors can store their own bottles in the members’ cellar. Opening details TBC.

B/F & G/F, One Chinachem Central, 22 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, 2857 7157 (REX), 2851 2303 (Venédia), bonappetit.octavo@gmail.com

Rise by Classified (TST East)

Rise made its debut in Central late last year, and it’s proven to be so popular that the Classified folk have opened a second location across the harbour. The focus at Rise is on freshly baked pastries – the new croissant-waffle croffle is the cover star – and coffee-based beverages. Open Monday–Saturday, 8am–8pm, and Sunday and public holidays, 9am–6pm.

Shop 05, G/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, TST East, 2631 3454

Roganic x Yardley Brothers beer-pairing dinner (25 June)

Michelin-starred Roganic is Hong Kong’s only restaurant to hold the prestigious Michelin “Green Star” accolade in recognition of its focus on sustainability, and Chef Ash Salmon has been given access to the best small-batch brews from local craft brewer Yardley Brothers in order to create an amazing beer-pairing menu ($1,480/person). For one night only, on Friday, 25 June, experience the special six-course event and be the first to celebrate the release of two new barrel-aged beers – a Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc barrel-aged sour and a Frederiksdal French oak barrel-aged cherry sour – paired perfectly.

UG/F, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, 2817 8383, book online

Related: We talked to Chef Ash about this beer pairing

Stazione Novella’s Summer of Spritz (Mondays)

There’s nothing like a smashable Aperol spritz on a sultry HK summer eve, so we know where we’ll be heading when the craving strikes on a Monday – Stazione Novella. The Florentine wine bar’s Summer of Spritz is back, offering a generous spread of aperitivo bites every Monday from 5–8pm to accompany your on-tap spritz, priced at just $48 on the day. We also have our eyes on the Garibaldi slushie, a very grown-up slushie mixed with Campari and OJ.

52–56 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 2559 0559

Swedish Midsummer party (28 May)

Make yourself a flower crown, do some maypole dancing and gorge on cinnamon buns at the Consulate General of Sweden’s Swedish Midsummer party at PMQ on 28 May from 3–9pm. Free entry. Glad Midsommar!

PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central

Tchin Tchin

Billed as a fusion Asian-Mediterranean wine bar, Tchin Tchin’s tapas-style food menu runs the gamut, from Taiwanese bottarga (cured mullet roe soaked in Kaoliang, a high-proof fermented sorghum wine), to BBQ pulled pork bao, to 90-day dry-aged Spanish Rubia T-Bone, which must be pre-ordered. Tchin Tchin first opened at the end of January, and we’re finally hearing good things about it now – tchin tchin to that! Open Monday–Saturday, 3–10pm.

41 Hollywood Road, Central, tchintchinhk@outlook.com

Tokyo Chikara Meshi

Photo credit: @anakjajan

Opened in Tokyo in 1975 (a lifetime away in F&B terms), Tokyo Chikara Meshi is renowned for its signature Japanese beef bowls, or gyudon, which are grilled to order. This popular Japanese fast-food chain is landing in Mongkok this month, and we can’t wait to sink our teeth into the affordable grilled beef (and pork) bowls (some with cheese!), fried chicken, gyoza and more Japanese foodie faves. Opening date TBC.

Shop G8, G/F, The FOREST, 17 Nelson Street, Mongkok

Tong Chong Street Market’s Street Food Carnival

Street food is the bi-monthly theme at Tong Chong Street Market this month, continuing until 2 July. Open on weekdays (except public holidays) from 8am–3pm, we can sample global street-food flavours like Isaan Thai bites from Chachawan, Fish & Chick’s classic British beer-battered fish and chips and coffee courtesy of Blue Bottle.

One Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay

Vinothek Berlin

Part of the month-long Riesling Weeks Hong Kong annual celebration each June, Vinothek Berlin is the first German wine experience pop-up to land here, featuring wine tastings, German food items, lifestyle products and more. Open daily from 18–27 June, 12–9pm. Click here to learn more.

Shop 16B, G/F, 24–47 Paterson Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay

The Wild 80’s Pride Festival

Casa of Love is a storytelling platform celebrating love in all forms, and each June – LGBTQ+ Pride Month – a limited-edition capsule collection of lifestyle goods will be available for sale, both online and offline. The collection will be making its debut on Saturday, 26 June from 12–7pm at The Wild Lot’s themed 80s Pride Festival. The event will begin with a panel discussion on the current climate for the LGBTQ+ community in Hong Kong, along with a featured exhibition celebrating LGBTQ+ culture with local artists. Special drag queen aerobics sessions hosted by Madame Mincemeat and a dance party by DJ Zahra are also on the cards. On the F&B front, there’s a great selection from Baofanji, Taboocha, Dougheyes and more that’s included in the ticket price ($250 until 6pm on 11 June, $300 from 6pm on 11 June or $350 on the day).

6–10 Shin Hing Street, Sheung Wan, book online

May 2021

375 Chicken ‘n Fries

Firm fans of both fried chicken and fries, we’re so chuffed about the opening of 375 in the 852. An import from New York City’s Lower East Side, 375 was opened in 2017 by classically trained French chef Stephane Lemagnen, who wanted to bring high-quality, feel-good fast food to the city. With all items cooked to order and made with fresh ingredients, including all-natural, hormone-free and antibiotic-free chicken, the brand uses a unique process of cooking their chicken and fries at precisely 375°F for optimal crispness without the need for preservatives. HK menu highlights include a range of fried chicken sandwiches, such as buffalo-honey, triple truffle and BBQ ranch, popcorn chicken and loaded fries. The made-from-scratch sauces – there are seven! – are a bonus. Open daily, 11am–10pm.

G/F, Man Hing Commercial Building, 79–83 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 3751 5181

Alvy’s & Friends (5 May)

K-Town pizzeria Alvy’s will be welcoming 11 Westside for a Cinco de Mayo evening fiesta on Wednesday, 5 May. Chef Samin Dewan will be serving up various Mexican specialities and a piquant michelada – a drink made with beer, lime, spices, tomato juice and chilli peppers, served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass – along with Young Master Brewery’s Al Pastor lager.

8 Holland Street, Kennedy Town, 2312 2996, book online

Aqua Kyoto pop-up at Statement

Last year, London’s hip Spanish restaurant Aqua Nueva made quite a statement (!) at Statement, and now it’s Japanese sibling Aqua Kyoto’s turn. For a limited time, you can dig into a selection of the London eatery’s signature creative dishes, to include salmon, beetroot and sea buckthorn maki, cured red snapper with truffle, Wagyu beef gyoza and slow-cooked pork belly with eel. On weekends from 1 May, check out the Kanpai brunch, which includes yakitori, tempura and Japanese sandos, or if you head there on a weekday, the “light” brunch features a selection of favourites for less than $300 per person.

1/F, Block 1, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, 2848 3000, book online

the Arca

Yulan Group has opened a new boutique hotel in Wong Chuk Hang, dubbed the Arca. In addition to its rooftop infinity pool, one of the main draws of the hotel (also on the rooftop) is Arca Society, a laid-back East-meets-West all-day diner with a lush outdoor terrace. Its neighbour, Arca Sky, offers craft cocktails with a view.

43 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 3701 6000

Artisan Brewer

Soft-opening on 3 May, this prime spot in SoHo will be a bar and restaurant called Artisan Brewer, brought to us by Artisan Butcher in Sai Ying Pun. If the butcher’s beer selection is anything to go by, we think the Hollywood Road location will have a really interesting beer selection, and they will start with a selection of IPAs from around the world. They currently have a set lunch menu, whilst their dinner and bar snacks menus start at 6pm. Beer pairing will be a focus, which we are quite excited about.

We have also heard they will be hosting a tap takeover in late June with HK Craft Beer Co., who are bringing in sour and wild beer from Italian brand Ca’ del Brado. EDIT: They have their liquor license now (Aug 2021) and we recommend trying the bone marrow risotto.

28 Hollywood Road, Central, 9848 2863

RELATED: Hong Kong’s latest craft beer news

BaseHall’s Cinco de Mayo fiesta

BaseHall will honour all things Mexican on Cinco de Mayo (5 May) by offering a Mexican-inspired dish at each of its vendors, from Westside Taqueria’s tacos, to Roti Tori’s pollo rostizado (Sinaloan-style roasted chicken), to MOYOSIK’s Cinco de Moyo kimchi carnitas fries. On the drinks front, Pub 1842 will be serving La Paloma Oaxaca cocktails and Al Pastor lager, while BaseHall Bar will have Mexican Libres and margaritas on the menu. This is all to the tune of Mexican folk music by Mariachi Fiesta and Latin soul courtesy of DJ Gia Fu. The dishes will be available all day on the 5th, but the real party starts at 6pm.

This is also a good spot to note that Roti Tori will bid farewell to BaseHall on 7 May.

Shop 9A–9C, LG/F, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central, 3643 0865

The Big Things Kitchen

This playful takeaway spot offers colourful bento boxes filled with “reimagined comfort foods” in five compartments – be it the Badass bento with seared, slow-cooked Australian Wagyu layered on top of sushi rice and sprinkled with salmon roe, edamame and dashi tamago, the Glamsquad bento with roasted Norwegian salmon served with gomoku rice or many more fun bento options. The Big Things Kitchen also provides delivery service in Central and Wong Chuk Hang. Open daily except Sunday, 11:30am–8pm.

Shop 7, LG/F, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central

Café Lantau’s farm-to-table pop-up + organic honesty box

At all-day-dining and buffet restaurant Café Lantau at newly opened Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung from 10 May–30 June, the menu will include tapas-style small plates of international dishes created from locally grown fresh produce, with weekly mealtime highlights the likes of carrot juice using carrots harvested from nearby Long Ping Farm at breakfast, local sea caviar salad at lunchtime and poached Emperor chicken with minced ginger for dinner. During lunch and dinner, the fresh noodle station will feature homemade beetroot noodles as well as a fresh-from-the-farm salad bar. At the weekend, the farmers who produce all this food will make appearances – taking “farm to table” to a whole other level.

The star of this promotion is the organic produce honesty box. Each day, a limited selection of fresh organic produce will be displayed at the eatery, and guests are invited to take away what they like after paying whatever they think it is worth. Proceeds from the honesty box will be donated to local charities Hong Kong Council of Early Childhood Education and Services and Hong Kong Organic Association.

1/F, Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung, 9 Yi Tung Road, Tung Chung, 2535 0021, book online

CaN LaH

We don’t have many details about CaN LaH, the new Singaporean restaurant at ifc mall, but we take it it’s inspired by the food of the land of Crazy Rich Asians, and we think the name is a hoot. We did some digging, and it turns out the chef behind the eatery, Francis Chong Wui Choong, has quite a fine pedigree – he’s the former Executive Chinese Chef at Marina Mandarin Singapore (now PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay), with a slew of culinary awards to his name. OK with you lah? Open daily, 11:30am–10:30pm.

Shop 3075, 3/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 2802 9788, book online

Casa Pasta

Larger-than-life Italian chef Ermanno Lelli of private kitchen Segreto is now serving up his pasta dishes in Sheung Wan, with the grand opening of Casa Pasta set for 8 May (there’s another branch of the eatery in Bali). Chef Lelli’s home town of Torre Annunziata, near Naples, was the capital of pasta production in the 19th century, so pasta is in his bones, whether it be classic carbonara or his grandmother’s Neapolitan-style mac ‘n’ cheese. On the side, we’ll be digging into the eggplant Parmigiana and meatballs Napoletana. Open daily except Sunday, 11am–10pm.

Shop D, G/F, Po Hing Mansion, 2–8 Po Hing Fong, Sheung Wan, 6821 0095

CUT Sando Sound Bar

Katsumoto Sando Bar might have some competition on its hands with the opening of CUT, billed as a cosy sando and sound bar with a side in natural wines. It’s the brainchild of Twins Kitchen, the pair behind hotspots Common Ground and Interval. Sando options include beef brisket, tamago and bacon and mapo tofu (this one’s on the secret menu – shh!) alongside deep-fried delights such as okonomiyaki fries and headcheese fritters. Open daily, 5–10pm.

8–10 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central

DarkSide x Mr Black takeover (until 1 May)

Australian coffee liqueur brand Mr Black and local roastery Hushush Coffee Division are set to take over Rosewood’s sultry cocktail bar DarkSide from 29 April–1 May, uniting the worlds of craft coffee and cocktails. Guest mixologist Arlene Wong from Mr Black will whip up a series of cocktails and mocktails that incorporate a tailor-made coffee blend by Hushush. We’re most keen to try The Dark Side of Coffee, made with Mr Black coffee amaro, DarkSide Grande Champagne cognac and Mr Black amaro chocolate praline. Open from 5pm.

2/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3891 8732, hongkong.restaurants@rosewoodhotels.com

Eat Fuh

Yes, it’s pronounced “fuh”! Pho lovers, get ready for Eat Fuh, one of Sydney’s most popular pho specialists. It’s making its mark for the first time in Hong Kong in the cool Sai Ying Pun ‘hood with its Vietnamese beef noodle soup made with beef-bone broth and oven-roasted spices. There are also chicken and vegetarian pho options here alongside Vietnamese bites the likes of lemongrass grilled chicken and deep-fried prawn cakes. Fuh-nomenal! Open daily, 11am–9pm.

345A Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun, eatfuh.hk@gmail.com

GRAIN

Local craft brewery Gweilo has taken over the former Little Creatures space in Kennedy Town as a R&D “brewlab” called GRAIN. They’ve partnered with Woolly Pig HK for the restaurant, and guests at GRAIN can expect comforting flavours from a menu of delectable dishes driven by seasonal ingredients, many of which are used in the brewing process (we love the sound of the GFC – Gweilo IPA and buttermilk-marinated fried chicken thigh with spicy mayo). Roman-style pinsa pizza is another speciality. GRAIN also features a workshop and beer-tasting space that caters to up to 20 guests and a series of tap-served cocktails made with Gweilo gin. Open daily from 12pm, with brunch and a cracking-sounding Sunday roast menu served from 10am at the weekend. Read more here.

3–5 New Praya, Kennedy Town, 3500 5870, book online

House of Orient

It looks like we have another top choice for dim sum in Central with the opening of elegant, colonial-style House of Orient in Entertainment Building, where premium Chinese tea joins East-meets-West dim sum handcrafted by veteran chef Wong Chi-sang, who boasts more than 40 years of experience at some of the best Chinese restaurants in town, Michelin-starred Fook Lam Moon for one. We can’t wait to try the afternoon tea service, which includes nine sweet and savoury dim sum bites paired with charming mini versions of the restaurant’s porcelain tea sets. House of Orient’s dim sum teahouse is first to launch, with the full restaurant up and running in June. Open daily, 11am–8pm.

2/F, Entertainment Building, 30 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2123 9263

Il Bel Paese (TST East)

Celebrating its amazing 20th anniversary this year, Italian deli chain Il Bel Paese has opened its first – and biggest yet – branch in Kowloon, offering premium products imported weekly from throughout Italy. The deli’s highlights include pastas, oils, vinegars, wines, fruit and veg, cold cuts and cheeses, many of which aren’t available elsewhere in the 852. Takeaway items of Il Bel Paese’s signature restaurant dishes can also be purchased here. Open daily, 9am–9pm.

Shop 47–51, G/F, Wing On Plaza, 62 Mody Road, TST East, 2997 3003

La Rotisserie (Central)

The fifth outlet around town for La Rotisserie – the masters of French-style rotisserie chicken – has hit SoHo, this time with 15 bistro seats and outdoor seating to its name. Exclusively at the SoHo shop, diners can dig into this gorgeous roast duck breast too. For the first week of opening (until 2 May), you can get 20% off classic menu items including the OG classic chicken set. Open daily, 11:30am–9:30pm.

4 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 5628 4370

La Vache! (Pacific Place)

We now have a third branch of Black Sheep Restaurants’ La Vache! to head to when a steak-frites craving strikes. Located a Pacific Place just below the cinema (where Plat du Jour used to stand), the Parisian steakhouse’s classic set menu will remain when it opens later this month – this means an organic green salad with walnuts and French mustard vinaigrette, followed by USDA Prime rib-eye paired with free-flow fries. Opening hours to come.

Shop 007, LG/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, phone number TBC

Matchali (K11 MUSEA)

Home-grown matcha brand Matchali has crossed the harbour for the first time to open this lovely branch at K11 MUSEA. The menu of matcha drinks has been expanded here, offering K11 exclusives including iced red bean matcha latte (pictured above) and matcha colada, where the pina colada’s tropical coconut and pineapple flavours are matched with the intensity of a matcha shot. You can also try the new Ice Age! vegan ice-cream flavour matcha cookies ‘n’ cream here, produced in collaboration with Cookie DPT. Open weekdays, 12–9pm, and weekends, 11am–8pm.

Shop LA 106, 1/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 9880 7873

MIÁN

Housed in a specially commissioned two-storey pavillion next to The Murray hotel’s entrance, MIÁN is a refined Chinese restaurant showcasing the eight great regional cuisines of China (we’ve heard it through the grapevine that the Sichuan specialities are particular knockouts). Open daily, 12–10pm (from 11am at the weekend).

UG/F, The Pavilion, The Murray, Hong Kong, 22 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, 3563 6405, book online

Moon Lok Chiu Chow (Mira Place)

Joining its siblings at Citygate and Xiqu Centre, Buick Management’s 60-year heritage as a pioneer of Chiu Chow cuisine comes to the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. Moon Lok Chiu Chow is a contemporary 6,000-square-foot eatery offering authentic Chiu Chow cuisine. To celebrate the opening, three new eight-course set menus for lunch and dinner are available from 1 May until 30 June, featuring classic Chiu Chow dishes such as double-boiled bird’s nest in papaya and deep-fried pigeon (see above). Open daily, 11am–10pm (from 10am on weekends and public holidays).

Shop 405, 4/F, FoodLoft, Mira Place One, 132 Nathan Road, TST, 2157 9949

Pici (Kennedy Town)

Pici’s handmade pasta empire has now expanded westward, with Kennedy Town its sixth location to date. The tagliolini with truffle and lasagne are always firm faves for us, along with the homemade meatballs and heavenly tiramisu. In a nod to its location by the sea, the K-Town branch serves up a few exclusive dishes including ravioli codfish and tagliatelle with black mussels. Open for dinner from 6pm on 14 May, with full lunch service launched from 11:30am on the 18th.

55 Cadogan Street, Kennedy Town, 2699 1033 (no bookings)

Roji

If its location is anything to go by – in the hidden alleyway where Brickhouse once stood – modern izakaya Roji is destined to be a hit. Roji has a traditional Japanese focus (notably, almost all the ingredients are sourced from Japan aside from a handful of veggies that are locally grown in New Territories) in both the food and cocktails. The main dining room consists of small tables, a long countertop for larger parties, a bar and semi-outdoor benches that are inspired by Japan’s street-side dining culture. The buzz is here with this one! Open daily except Sunday from 5pm for drinks (dinner service starts at 6pm).

20A D’Aguilar Street, LKF, Central, 6335 9294 (no bookings)

Seoul Recipe

Launched in 2017 by Korean native Jennifer Kim to provide an authentic and affordable Korean food experience, either via online home delivery or takeaway at various supermarkets around town (Great Food Hall, Food le Parc Cheung Kong Centre and Westlands Centre and Taste Festival Walk), Seoul Recipe now has a brick-and-mortar location in SoHo. Signatures include their kimchi, marinated galbi, fried chicken and gimbap, as well as lunch boxes and party set offerings. If you prefer to be pampered at home, Seoul Recipe offers multi-course tasting menus prepared by private chef. Open daily, 11am–10pm.

LG/F, 7 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 9383 6989

Studio City by Cali–Mex

Studio City is an elevated sibling to taco chain Cali-Mex. Retaining a distinctly laid-back Cali vibe (with a pet-friendly al-fresco dining area), Studio City presents a high-end selection of Mexican grilled dishes and street food, plus a full-on tequila (George Clooney’s Casamigos is the house pour) and mezcal cocktail bar. The street tacos look delectable, from the cochinita pibil (marinated pulled pork shoulder, pickled onion, habanero chilli, cotija cheese) to the nopales, or grilled cactus. This is where to head if you want your guacamole made tableside with some queso fundido on the side. Open daily, 10am–11pm.

Shop C, G/F, Food Street, 50–56 Paterson Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay, 2889 1689

Sunday’s Sessions at Posto Pubblico (2 May)

Yardbird and RŌNIN’s online convenience store, Sunday’s Grocery, is hosting its latest Sunday’s Sessions at Posto Pubblico on 2 May (2 seatings: 2pm and 4:30pm). Each ticket ($480/person) entitles the guest to an Italian-Japanese set menu (yuba pizza, fried mozzarella balls with tomato tonkatsu, ume shiso sausage) by Chef Matt Abergel and the Posto team, free-flow Sunday’s and Fernet Hunter cocktails, Brooklyn Lager and Proscecco, plus tunes by DJ John L.

28 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, buy tickets online

Sushiro (Sheung Wan)

Woohoo! Japan’s beloved kaiten (read: conveyor belt) sushi chain Sushiro has made its first appearance on Hong Kong Island (there are nine other branches in Kowloon and New Territories that are wildly popular). Well known for its good-quality sushi at affordable prices (and never-ending queues outside its shops), Sushiro is a very welcome addition to the thriving Sheung Wan food scene. Open daily, 10:30am–10:30pm.

Shop 201, 2/F, Infinitus Plaza, 199 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan, 2621 3908 (no bookings)

Sushi Yonjugo

With just nine counter seats, contemporary omakase restaurant Sushi Yonjugo presents fine Edomae-style sushi to discerning diners. We’re told the ingredients are delivered daily (within 12 hours) from hand-picked fish markets all over Japan (Kagoshima, Kyushu, Tokyo, Hokkaido and Okinawa), with Chef Milton Lau – an apprentice to one of HK’s most renowned sushi chefs, Kenjo Shunji – whipping up sushi masterpieces before guests’ eyes. In addition to a carefully curated list of sake to complement the seasonal menus, “VVIPs” stand the chance to be allotted a personalised jar of umeshu from Sushi Yonjugo’s umeshu library. Open daily except Sunday for lunch and dinner.

35 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 3689 1045, book online (reservations open on the 1st of the month for each month)

Tong Chong Street Market’s Street Food Carnival

Street food is the bi-monthly theme at Tong Chong Street Market this May and June. Open on weekdays (except public holidays) from 8am–3pm, for the next two months we can sample global street-food flavours like Isaan Thai bites from Chachawan, Fish & Chick’s classic British beer-battered fish and chips and coffee courtesy of Blue Bottle.

One Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay

The Veggie Club

The new plant-based delivery-only arm of burger specialist The Butchers Club, The Veggie Club serves up a nicely curated collections of meat-free burgers and sides. The burgers are all made with Impossible patties – like the Mad Max, which is topped off with beetroot, egg, onion, lettuce and Green Goddess sauce.

Order online

Whey

We were saddened when Chef Barry Quek’s chic bistro Beet shut shop last year, but the good news now is that the chef is back, this time returning to his Singaporean roots, with the opening of Whey this month in partnership with ZS Hospitality Group. Chef Quek’s refined menu is built on the bones of fresh local seafood, meat and veg, with local, seasonal fruits used in the eatery’s cocktails designed by Raphael Holzer, co-founder of Fernet Hunter. Southeast Asian flavours are elevated in dishes such as Whey’s bread and butter, showcasing brioche made with buah keluak, a native SE Asian nut, and sourdough made with locally grown leaven, seared scallop with jackfruit emulsion and homemade prawn floss and an innovative riff on laksa using rice instead of noodles, featuring fresh flower crab and konjac coated with curry laksa sauce (Whey’s flower crab konjac rice is pictured above).

UG/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, 2693 3198, info@whey.hk (bookings open on 14 May for seatings from the 25th)

WING

Michelin-starred chef Vicky Cheng of VEA has soft-opened fine-dining Chinese restaurant WING in the same building (also where Whey is located – see above). It’s named after the chef’s Chinese name, representing his mother’s high hopes for him. Uniquely for a Chinese eatery, WING presents seasonal tasting menus, featuring the chef’s creative interpretations of Chinese classics using local, indigenous ingredients and – possibly for the first time in a Chinese kitchen – in-house dry-aged poultry the likes of pigeon, poussin and quail. Open daily except Sunday, 6–10pm.

29/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, 2711 0063, book online (reservations from June onwards open 28 days prior to the booking date)

April 2021

Alvy’s & Friends

Popular K-Town pizzeria Alvy’s by Young Master is launching a series of collabs with industry friends this month, featuring a limited run of unique pizzas and drinks created by a special guest. Kicking things off on Thursday, 15 April from 4pm till closing is new Korean gastropub OBP, with Chef Junwoo Choi serving up bo ssam pizza and bulgogi poutine, washed down with elevated soju bombs, makgeolli and OBP’s signature gimlet.

8 Holland Street, Kennedy Town, 2312 2996, book online

Amalfitana (Central)

Celebrating nearly five years of success pumping out authentic brick-oven pizzas at The Pulse in Repulse Bay, Amalfitana is bringing its sun-kissed Amalfi Coast vibes to Central’s buzzy Wyndham Street at the end of the month. The Central branch of this chic pizzeria is set to host resident DJ Noel on Friday eves, and there’s a new bar snacks menu by Chef Michel Delgi Agosti too. Open daily except Sunday, 12–10pm.

43–55 Wyndham Street, Central, 2688 2001, central@amalfitana.hk

BELON

After closing the doors on its inaugural home earlier this year, Michelin-starred French restaurant BELON – currently ranked at number 25 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list – has reopened in its elegant new home just down the block on Elgin Street, with Chef Matthew Kirkley now running the show. Notably, Chef Kirkley led Chicago’s L2O and San Francisco's COI to two and three Michelin stars respectively. Keeping it in the family, the chef’s wife, Lauren, who has worked at revered restaurants including Thomas Keller’s three-starred The French Laundry, will oversee the front of house. Open from 25 March, Wednesday–Sunday, 6–10pm.

1/F, 1–5 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 2152 2872, book online

Big Birdy (Wanchai)

The second branch of this shop specialising in flame-grilled peri-peri chicken has spread its love to Wanchai. We dig all the comfort-food-style eats at this laid-back, no-fuss spot, from the wicked wings to the buttermilk fried chicken sarnie known as The Heisenberg. Big Birdy also puts on a great extended happy hour every day from 3–8pm, with beer, wine and cocktails priced from $40 a pop. Open daily, 11:30am–11pm.

9B Ship Street, Wanchai, 3401 1022

Bostonian Seafood & Grill’s Tales of Hong Kong brunch

Every Saturday from now until 29 May, Bostonian Seafood & Grill at The Langham is bringing us the Tales of Hong Kong brunch ($988/person). It features pass-around specialities (treats that aren’t normally featured in the buffet but that can be ordered at the hotel’s other restaurants), a main course of your choice and starter/dessert buffet stations. For the next five weeks, they are also featuring their favourite bartenders, who will bring along their favourite cocktails. The price is inclusive of free-flow cocktails, Perrier-Jouët and softies, but you can enjoy 15% off if you pre-pay online.

Lower Lobby, The Langham, Hong Kong, 8 Peking Road, TST, 2375 1133, book online

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Calioo’s pop-up food market

Heard of Calioo? It’s a great new app that we recommend downloading. It offers a wide selection of handcrafted foods made by small shops and local vendors for pick-up or delivery, supporting home-grown culinary talent. On 23–26 April (11am–9pm, closing at 5pm on the 26th), Calioo will host its first pop-up in Central, showcasing more than 30 merchants spotlighting their goodies. Star sellers include Cookie DPT, cheesecake specialist Sbakery and Holy Bake, which bakes up scones in an assortment of flavours. Free entry, with a free limited-edition tote bag available to the first 150 registrants.

G–3/F, 36 Cochrane Street, Central, register online

Casa Cucina

This homey, welcoming three-story dining space in Sai Ying Pun invites guests to experience a holiday-esque vibe and a market-fresh, cicchetti-inspired menu (cicchetti are small snacks originating in Venice – Italy’s version of tapas). Casa Cucina’s kitchen is led by Chef Anthony Cheung, who graduated from the International Culinary Center (formerly the French Culinary Institute) in the Big Apple and worked here in Hong Kong for four years at two-Michelin-starred Amber. Open daily except Monday, 6–10pm.

Shop 8 & 9, Kwan Yick Building Phase 3, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, 2887 9666, 9570 1068 (WhatsApp), reservations@casacucina.hk

Catch (Quarry Bar)

The Aussie-style cuisine at owner Alex Malouf’s Catch in Kennedy Town has long been a neighbourhood fave, and now folks in the Taikoo Place area can dig into a newly launched seafood-focused menu alongside affordable wines and a Melbourne vibe (we love the booths). Open daily, 12–10pm (from 9am at the weekend for Catch’s epic brunch, pictured).

21 Hoi Wan Street, Quarry Bay, 2568 3299, book online (no bookings for lunch or brunch)

Club Rangoon’s Community Service series launch

Burmese restaurant Club Rangoon partners with charity Feeding Hong Kong to launch Community Service on Saturday, 24 April, an ongoing series that focuses on educating the public by highlighting the amount of waste that bars and restaurants produce on a regular basis and developing sustainable upcycling solutions. This event will feature four cocktails created by award-winning mixologist Amir Javaid, with each tipple using unwanted ingredients provided by Club Rangoon. For example, Scrub Up represents one of the F&B industry’s biggest issues: coffee. The coffee-infused Kina vermouth in this cocktail is created using a sous-vide method using discarded coffee grounds that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

33 Aberdeen Street, Central, 2503 3077, book online

DIO

DIO is a fitting name for this new modern wine bar slash coffee shop, named after Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. This sleek black-and-white spot serves up artisan cups of coffee during the day by a team of baristas from North Point’s acclaimed Coffee Obsession and curated wine and cocktails after dusk, with the cocktail list created by Nick Tse of Bar Buonasera. We’re told the back-vintage wines ranging from the 1960s to the 1990s are popular amongst oenophiles for their mint condition and exceptionally low price point. Open daily from 8:30am.

8 Aberdeen Street, Central, 9199 3956

Feather & Bone (Central)

Premium deli and butcher Feather & Bone is expanding its empire with this shop on Hollywood Road straddling SoHo, returning nearby to where it all began years ago on Gage Street. Now’s the time to finally check out their butchery and sausage-making workshops. Open daily, 7am–10pm.

20 Hollywood Road, Central, 2325 8570

Four Bites

Casual eatery Four Bites at ifc mall takes a light and healthy approach to dining, serving up seasonal menus, local craft beer and hand-drip coffee using single-origin beans from a small micro-roastery in Peng Chau. There’s also a health-conscious afternoon tea on offer, and Four Bites will regularly host lifestyle, design, art and culture pop-ups. Open daily, 11:30am–9:30pm.

Shop 2012, 2/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 2881 5118

Ginsanity

The team behind HK’s first gin festival have now launched the city’s first speciality gin store, Ginsanity, stocking more than 220 different craft gins from over 100 different worldwide distilleries and a large range of mixers and tonics to suit all your imbibing needs. In the future, we can look forward to tasting sessions and evenings led by local gin experts and distillers. Ginsanity also offers curated gin subscription boxes. Open daily, 11am–8pm.

Shop 310A, 3/F, Lee Garden One, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, 6110 4974

Grain

At the end of the month, local craft brewery Gweilo will be taking over the former Little Creatures space in Kennedy Town as a R&D brew lab called Grain (the website will be grain.com.hk). They’re partnering with Woolly Pig Hong Kong for the restaurant, and guests at Grain can expect comforting flavours from a menu of delectable dishes driven by seasonal ingredients, many of which are used in the brewing process. Grain will also be the only venue in Hong Kong to house a working brewery where food and drink can be consumed on-site. It's open now! Review coming soon.

5A New Praya, Kennedy Town

Related: Hong Kong Brews News

Hungry Pal

This SoHo gastropub has been opened by “three of the Hong Kong F&B industry’s most seasoned members”: Bikal Ghale, Ashok Lama and Ganga Gurung. Hungry Pal offers a chilled vibe, plenty of beer on tap, an Old World–focused wine list and classic cocktails. On the food side, the menu runs the global gamut, from elevated pub grub such as chicken and mushroom pie to elegant creative plates like caprese salad of burrata, heirloom tomatoes and yuzu pearls. Sure, Pal, we’ll bite! Open daily, 12–10pm.

11 Lower Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 2635 4555

Katsumoto Sando Bar

Branching out from its popular digs in Sai Ying Pun, hip Japanese restaurant Katsumoto by Bistro Concept Group has found another eye-catching home near SoHo, this time specialising in Japanese sandos made with fluffy Hokkaido milk bread. Its signature M5 Wagyu katsu sando headlines the bunch alongside sarnie stunners such as Chilean sea bass sando, egg salad sando (oh how we love Japanese-style egg salad!) and OmniPork sando. Wash them down with some smashable Japanese-inspired cocktails. We hear tell there’s an in-house DJ booth too. Open daily, 12–10pm.

Basement, 67 Hollywood Road, Central, 2511 6860, book online

Le Fromage by MA

An offshoot of fine-dining vegan eatery MA and the Seeds of Life – whose cheese course has won rave reviews – Le Fromage by MA is HK’s very first vegan cheese shop, with more than 20 handcrafted non-dairy cheeses on offer alongside other high-quality vegan products such as keto bread, chutneys, organic olive oils, gluten-free crackers and signature dishes from MA (make sure to try the “faux gras” pâté made with porcini mushrooms and cashews). Open daily, 11am–10pm.

Unit 21 of B201, B2/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 6019 5889

Little Draft Land pop-up at Little Bao

What a cool partnership! Antonio Lai’s Taiwan import Draft Land, HK’s first bar offering cocktails on tap, will be based at Chef May Chow’s ever-popular Little Bao in Causeway Bay from now till the end of June – with the two temporarily known as Little Draft Land. The three-month residency is the first collaboration in the #TravelwithLittleBao series, inspired by the chef’s favourite restaurants from around the world. This time, it’s Taiwanese- and Korean-inspired plates (think fried chicken lettuce wraps, Taiwanese “lu rou” Scotch eggs and LB’s iconic ice-cream bao made with malted milk ice cream, oolong tea caramel and sea salt) paired with eight cocktails on tap, both Korean concoctions and Draft Land’s signature tipples with an Asian twist. Open daily, 12–10pm.

Shop H1, 9 Kingston Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay, 2555 0600, book online

LMO Freshly Baked by Richard Ekkebus pop-up

We couldn’t get enough of Chef Richard Ekkebus’ pastries at the first edition of the LMO Freshly Baked pop-up at the LANDMARK Christmas market last year. The pastry whizz (and Amber’s two-Michelin-starred chef) is back again with another three-month-long pop-up, on until June. Baked every hour, sweet signatures such as canelés, buckwheat madeleines and brookies (brownie meets cookie) will be yours for the eating, as will newcomers including chocolate moelleux (aka lava cake), vanilla chouquette (aka cream puff) and Parisian-style flan with bourbon vanilla. There’s also an intriguing drink on the menu – iced chocolate – that transforms into an alcoholic version post-5pm. Open daily from 10am.

Shop 350, 3/F, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central

Lung Fu Pao

Billed as the 852’s first ”raunchy-themed sushi and skewers restaurant”, Lung Fu Pao has soft-opened from 30 March for two weeks with a bookings-only tasting menu ($498/person) looking to showcase their best dishes. With such a risqué marketing plan, we are expecting the unexpected. Read all about it!

47B Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 3460 4609, eatme@lungfupaohk.com

Moon Palace (Festival Walk)

Branching out from its Sheung Wan roots, upscale Chinese restaurant Moon Palace has opened at Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong. Not your typical modern Chinese restaurant, Moon Palace is helmed by Executive Chef Lee Chi Kong, who worked previously at several well-loved Chinese restaurants around town including San Xi Lou and Golden Valley. Reflecting the chef’s varied experiences, the menu presents both Cantonese and Sichuan specialities, as well as set menus and an extensive dim sum selection. Open weekdays from 11am and weekends from 10am.

Shop 25, G/F, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, 2337 8213, moonpalace@lubuds.com

Natura

This one is definitely made for the ’gram. Helmed by the folk behind Origami Florist, pretty new café Natura is kitted out with dried flower installations that change seasonally (it’s all about sakura season now). Boasting a mostly plant-based, health-focused menu, fresh local and Japanese ingredients are utilised to create beautiful brunchy dishes and artistically plated desserts. We‘re most keen to try the cloud egg bagel with house-made yuzu Hokkaido cream cheese and fluffy soufflé egg and the Lady Hojicha dessert (pictured above). Open daily, 8am–8pm.

Shop 1–2, G/F, Tai Tung Building, 8 Fleming Road, Wanchai, 2816 1601 or 2816 1603

Nina Patisserie

Launched by Nina Hospitality, Nina Patisserie showcases the fabulous pastries and desserts by Chef Louie Ma. They all look scrumptious, but we’re particularly drooling over the Earl Grey tea mousse cake and strawberry napoleon.

Order online (pick up at Nina Hotel Causeway Bay, Kowloon East or Tsuen Wan West)

OmniFoods x Ser Wong Fun x Wendy’s Wok World

Dubbed Omni Wok the World, the six-course special tasting menu ($1,920 for 4) on 25–26 April will see the trio of plant-based pioneer OmniFoods, Sam Lui of private kitchen Wendy’s Wok World (located in Kwun Tong on her family’s soy sauce farm) and Gigi Paulina Ng, the owner of 126-year-old snake soup veteran Ser Wong Fun, joining forces to create vegetarian versions of classic Chinese dishes. These include Ser Wong Fun’s iconic soup made with plant-based ingredients including OmniPork, plant-based beef Unlimeat, plant-based chicken Heura, dried tangerine peel, shiitake mushroom and black fungus and a veggie riff of mapo tofu made with OmniPork.

30 Cochrane Street, Central, 2543 1032, book online (advance booking required)

Salisterra

When Café Gray Deluxe at The Upper House bade farewell this past December after over a decade of service, we wondered what the hotel had in store to fill the space. We’ve just received the exciting news that, mid-month, Salisterra, a Mediterranean restaurant by London-based Michelin-starred chef Jun Tanaka, will open in the space on the top floor. Designed by superstar architect André Fu, Salisterra promises the vibrant flavours of the coastal cuisines of France and Italy, a creative drink programme and a bold design with stunning views. Read all about it here!

49/F, The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2918 1838

Tong Chong Street Market

Tong Chong Street Market returned with a bang last month, bringing along special themes every other month. Now open only on weekdays (except public holidays) from 8am–3pm, the Tea Festival theme continues in April, featuring the city’s premier teahouses and tea-flavoured treats. We’re looking forward to trying Tealosophy’s TCSM-exclusive cold-brewed teas, Doubleshot by Cupping Room’s two special tea drinks (Doubleshot Dirty and Doubleshot Double Dirty), minty jasmine tea and Gardenia Dancong ice cream by BASAO and lots more. This month, TCSM will also feature a carefully selected range of sustainable products for sale.

One Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay

The Upper Deck Bar & Grill

Things are really looking up in Tung Chung! A glam American-style steakhouse, The Upper Deck is the sibling restaurant to Cabana Breeze, with both eateries overseen by Executive Chef Faycal El Moujahid. The stars of the menu are the dry-aged USDA Prime beef cuts, but we’re also drawn to the carb-tastic sides (truffle mac ‘n’ cheese, Cajun fries, jacket potato with bacon and sour cream) and stand-alone cocktail bar complete with pool table (be sure to check out the daily weekday happy hour from 3–8pm). Open daily, 12–10pm.

Shop 101, 1/F, T Bay, 9 Yi Tung Road, Tung Chung, 2757 8889, theupperdeckhk@gmail.com

Wagyu Yakiniku Ichiro

Yakinku restaurants are opening thick and fast in Hong Kong, with the latest and greatest being playful Wagyu Yakiniku Ichiro in Jordan. Debuting in early April, this 7,000-square-foot restaurant with sake bar is headlined by six “Wagyu Unlimited” set menus featuring two-hour free-flow salad, drink and dessert bars (notably, there are more than 40 ice creams and desserts). The highlight of the menu is the Odagyu A4 Wagyu from the famed Oda Chikusan ranch on Kyushu island, prized for its extreme marbling and umami-rich flavour. We’re keen to check out the eatery’s contactless table service by Shinkansen-inspired railway!

3/F, Pak Shing Building, 31–37 Jordan Road, Jordan, 2736 8218, yakinikuichiro01@gmail.com

WHISK’s Juyondai x Domaine Chanson omakase dinner

A one-night-only experience on Friday, 16 April at WHISK that’s not to be missed! This decadent French-Japanese sake- and wine-pairing omakase dinner is set to spotlight a selection of exclusive Juyondai sake – the most coveted and difficult-to-obtain sake in all of Japan. Now in the 15th generation of continuous sake brewing by the same family, cult-favourite Juyondai sake is crafted by Takagi Brewery in Yamagata, which was first established in 1615. The eight-course menu ($2,480/person), with sublime dishes such as Ozaki Wagyu beef, foie gras with abalone and signature crystal sushi by Chef Oliver Li, will be paired with three labels of Juyondai sake and three Burgundy wines from prestigious Domaine Chanson.

5/F, The Mira Hong Kong, 118–130 Nathan Road, TST, 2315 5999, whisk@themirahotel.com, book online (advance booking is required)

And once we can head to Macau...

Shake Shack is set to launch its first Macau branch in mid-2021, located at the brand-spanking-new The Londoner hotel. We love the look of this shop, which incorporates Portuguese tiles and street signs alongside the Shack’s famous design elements, and we can’t wait to find out about the Macau-exclusive items on offer.

March 2021

The Aubrey

Despite it only being March, this could be THE opening for 2021. Maximal Concepts has taken over the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental to launch eccentric izakaya The Aubrey. The design and decor are simply stunning, showcasing three distinctive bar experiences – The Main Bar, offering highballs, seasonal Japanese cocktails and signature tipples inspired by the game of chess, an intimate four-person omakase cocktail bar and a champagne and sake bar, where oysters also make an appearance – as well as a food menu of elevated bentos, Edomae sushi, binchotan robata and tempura. Leading the team are world-renowned mixologist Devender Sehgal, most recently the bar manager at 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, and Chef Yukihito Tomiyama, formerly at Michelin-starred Shinji by Kanesaka in Macau. Notably, The Aubrey champions the zero-waste cause, with a goal to remove single-use plastics from all operations. Open daily from 12pm for lunch, dinner and cocktails. Read The Aubrey review here.

25/F, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2825 4001, mohkg-aubrey@mohg.com

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BaseHall’s Drag Bingo

BaseHall is not only a top-notch food hall – it’s also a spot for dynamic events. Kicking off the event calendar this year is the Drag Bingo extravaganza ($800/person) on Friday, 26 March from 7pm. Hosted by Madame Mincemeat, XXOTICA and friends, the night will feature several raucous rounds of bingo, lip sync performances and entertainment from the queens, with prizes aplenty. The ticket price includes two-hour free-flow drinkies, plus a set meal from one BaseHall vendor (guests can choose) and a sweet treat from Cookie DPT.

Shop 9A–9C, LG/F, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central, 3643 0865, book online

BEDU’s Earth Hour dinner

BEDU’s 2021 Dinner with Corey series begins with a Earth Hour dinner. Corey Riches, our Foodie Forks 2020 Editors’ Choice Chef of the Year, is teaming up with plant-based pioneer Peggy Chan on Wednesday, 17 March for a multi-course menu featuring six sustainable dishes ($680/person), starting with Zero Waste Tonic and ending with Tropical Forest Restoration, a marriage of local pink guava ice cream with cacao husk tea. With two dinner seatings at 6 and 8:15pm, the dynamic duo will introduce the courses and their clean-energy efforts to diners. Each guest will walk away with a gift bag of sustainable preserves handmade by the chefs along with info packs on how to live sustainably in Hong Kong.

40 Gough Street, Central, 2320 4450, book online (48-hour advance booking required, with $150/person deposit)

Between (Wanchai)

Hot on the heels of its debut just four months ago at Tai Kwun, cool-cat Japanese-inspired café Between by JIA Group is expanding to Wanchai, offering a speciality coffee programme and some exclusive dishes curated by Chef Agustin Balbi of Andō. We’ll take the new udon noodles with fish tofu, followed by the matcha ice cream monaka with red bean, please! Open daily, 8am–6pm.

Shop G03–04, G/F, Sunlight Tower, 248 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, 2877 8711

Cookie Vission

Cookie Vission’s ooey-gooey filled cookies are now up for grabs at the brand’s first brick-and-mortar shop in Tai Hang. But we’re also excited about CV’s brand-new baked good – the pookie (a cookie wrapped with caramelised puff pastry) – and OTT “big boy” milkshakes. Open daily from 9am till stocks last!

6 Wun Sha Street, Tai Hang, 9155 5185

Cultivate

Described as redefining the HK F&B scene in a fun and interactive way, Cultivate is the first venture by Chef Leonard Cheung, a veteran of Michelin-starred restaurants including Eleven Madison Park in New York and Bo Innovation and 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana here in Hong Kong. Over the past few years, Chef Cheung honed his skills at the Culinary Institute of America while hosting elaborate dinners for private clients. Located in SoHo, the 22-seat casual fine-dining restaurant will showcase a constantly evolving, seasonal eight-course tasting menu, with a third of the menu changing every three weeks and a new theme and cuisine style introduced each quarter. The first “volume” will focus on spring, and later volumes will feature courses dominated by single colours and recipes inspired by culinary trends from different decades. Wine (with a half-American, half-Italian list that spotlights often overlooked regions) plays a big role at Cultivate too, and a six-glass wine-pairing option will be offered alongside a non-alcoholic elixir-pairing selection. Open for dinner bookings (Monday–Saturday) from 24 March.

27–29 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 5303 1230, info@cultivate.hk, book online (online bookings only from 45 days in advance)

District 8 (TKO)

Parisian-style steak-frites spot District 8 has opened its second location in Tseung Kwan O, following the success of the first eatery in Tsim Sha Tsui, which launched at ELEMENTS last summer. This branch boasts an inviting al-fresco patio and pastry and ice-cream counters (plus a cute outdoor ice-cream trolley), making it perfect for those with kidlets in tow. For grown-ups, check out the stand-alone cocktail bar where modern cocktails are shaken up and the walk-in wine cellar holding more than 60 labels in its collection, with an emphasis on boutique and hard-to-source wines. Open daily, 10am–late, for all-day dining, with brunch served from 10am–3pm on weekends and public holidays.

Shop 10, G/F, Greenwich Village, Alto Residences, 29 Tong Yin Street, TKO, 3500 5860, book online

Interval (Cyberport and TKO)

Launched in 2018 in Central by Joshua and Caleb Ng of Twins Kitchen (who also created popular community café Common Ground and HK’s first restaurant incubator, PMQ’s Taste Kitchen), all-day diner Interval is expanding to both Cyberport and Tseung Kwan O, presenting Italian fare with a local, seasonal twist, together with speciality coffees and carefully curated wines from around the world. The TKO branch, set in LOHAS Park, was the first to open last month, offering a patio and a retail corner where guests can purchase a range of coffee beans and wines. Over at Cyberport, the custom-built wood-fire oven from Naples will take centre stage when Interval opens there. The Cyberport eatery is also set to feature an urban farm within the restaurant, a collaboration with Farmacy HK.

Cyberport: Shop 207, 1/F, Arcade, Cyberport, 100 Cyberport Road

TKO: Shop 417, 4/F, The LOHAS, LOHAS Park, 1 LOHAS Park Road, 2638 8904

Matt's Lemak pop-up at To Be Frank

Every weekend in March you can drop by To Be Frank in K-Town to get yourself some Nasi Lemak ($50), Siew Poh's Chicken Curry ($90), Lay's Beef Rendang ($120) or Malaysian Fried Chicken ($90) thanks to Matt’s Lemak. Fridays they are open from 4pm, Saturday and Sunday they are open from 12pm-10pm for the pop up, however last weekend they sold out by 7pm so get in early! They hope to be a permanent fixture on the To Be Frank menu, and we hope so too.

G/F, 56 Forbes St, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong (no bookings)

Masa

The newest addition to the Lai Sun Dining portfolio of eateries is Japanese restaurant Masa, which presents refined sushi omakase menus by Chef Masataka “Masa” Fujisawa of Wanchai’s Sushi Masataka. The chef applies a unique dry-ageing process to the premium seasonal fish he serves (purchased mainly from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market), enhancing the umami flavour and improving the texture. Masa is also the first sushi bar in Hong Kong that is equipped with a full sake cellar. Open Monday–Saturday for lunch and dinner sessions.

5/F, CCB Tower, 3 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2131 1303, 9018 2585 (WhatsApp booking)

Tong Chong Street Market

Tong Chong, everyone’s fave street-food market, returns on Monday, 8 March, bringing special themes every other month. Now open only on weekdays (except public holidays) from 8am–3pm, the theme for March and April is Tea Festival, showcasing the city’s premier teahouses. These include matcha specialist Matchali, with their special yuza lemonade matcha and pink coconut matcha debuting at TCSM, and vegan boba purveyor Mother Pearl. Tea-infused snacks, such as tea-flavoured panna cotta by LockCha and Le Cha’s hojicha roll cake, will also make an appearance.

One Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay

Toriten

Rustic and cosy Japanese restaurant Toriten at Festival Walk sounds like a good all-rounder, offering ramen, skewers, donburi, sushi, sashimi and omakase. Varied highlights include flamed Wagyu beef donburi, skewers such as chicken with plum and perilla sauce and Saga Wagyu beef short rib and two ramen inventions, prawn in miso soup ramen and white pepper ramen made with slow-cooked Japanese pork. The three omakase options start at a very affordable $380 for six kinds of sushi alongside appetiser, bowl of Himi udon in fish soup and dessert. Open daily, 11:30am–10:30pm. Read more here.

Shop G25, G/F, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, 2337 8223, toriten@lubuds.com

Yakiniku JIKON

Hong Kongers love Japan, and since we can’t travel there at the moment, we’ve decided to open a slew of Japanese eateries to satisfy our wanderlust. One of the newest is K11 MUSEA’s Yakiniku JIKON, an offshoot of Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant Tominokoji Yamagishi from Kyoto (also at K11 MUSEA). JIKON centres on top-of-the-range A5 Wagyu from Kagoshima that has the “golden ratio” of fat, meat and umami. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

Shop 603, 6/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 2868 0929, book online

February 2021

Aussie Grill by Outback (Central)

Aussie Grill, the fun, fast-casual offshoot of the popular Outback Steakhouse chain, has opened its flagship HK branch in the heart of Central. Good-value burgers are the draws of the food menu, and the bacon bomb burger, pictured above, is the star of the show. We had a taste, and it’s great for those who love sweeter flavours, with both the onion jam and bun imparting a definite sweetness to the oversized patty (note that the jalapeño topper is devoid of any real spice). You can also get your Aussie petals here – a new-and-improved version of Outback’s infamous deep-fried blooming onion. On the ground floor, there are takeaway kiosks that are open from breakfast time. The coffee here is already pulling in the punters; it’s served in edible natural-grain vegan cups that last for up to 14 hours. Open daily, 8am–9pm.

G–1/F, Entertainment Building, 30 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2399 0309

Bar De Luxe

Bar De Luxe has fittingly moved from Wyndham Street to H Code with its bevy of Japanese F&B establishments. A partnership with legendary mixologist Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five in Tokyp, Ueno’s protégé Ivin Hui now takes the lead crafting exquisite Ginza-style cocktails in a sleek space. Currently open daily except Monday, 12–6pm.

7/F, Low Block, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 3706 5716, book online

Blue Bottle Coffee (ifc mall)

Cali-cool coffee roaster and café chain Blue Bottle has opened a second HK location in Central following its smash opening last year on Lyndhurst Terrace. This time, they’re taking the lovely open space where ifc mall’s Panino Giusto once stood. Head here for two exclusive items – a Blue Bottle coffee grinder and canned cold-brew coffee – and check out their collabs with local food brands such as Grandma’s Scones. Open daily, 10am–7pm (until 9pm on weekends and public holidays).

Shop 3077C, 3/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central

Chief’s Blend

A partnership between Biltong Chief and Blend & Grind (cool portmanteau), Chief’s Blend is a South African-inspired upmarket deli and café featuring HK’s first biltong bar – where premium grass-fed South African beef biltong meets speciality coffee and smoothies. Read all about it here.

17–21 Burrows Street, Wanchai, hello@chiefsblend.com.hk

Da Filippo Trattoria

Pasta and pizza, both traditional and creative, are the name of game at Da Filippo, opened by Michelin-starred chef Andrea Alimenti, who hails from Florence. The pizzas are crafted with a house-made sourdough starter and stone-ground flour imported from Italy that’s fermented for up to 48 hours. Top-quality Italian flour is also used to make the daily fresh pasta dishes, from classic carbonara to lobster tagliatelle. There’s a grab-and-go counter at Da Filippo’s entrance offering sweet and savoury bites to take away including pastries, sarnies and pizzas. Open daily from 8am (from 11am at the weekend). Read the Da Filippo Trattoria review here.

Shop 3203–3204A, 3/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 2117 1984

DON DON DONKI (Siu Sai Wan)

Another DONKI!!! We’re pretty sure that, in a few years’ time, DONKI will boast a branch in every neighbourhood in Hong Kong. This shop at Island Resort Mall in Siu Sai Wan is the Japanese discount brand’s sixth in the 852. In particular, Hong Kongers can’t seem to get enough of DONKI’s seasonal fruits, fresh fish, hand-rolled sushi and sashimi and meat and deli items. Exclusive to this branch is a “store-in-a-store” showcasing katsudon (fried pork cutlet rice bowl) and gyudon (beef rice bowl). Open daily from Thursday, 4 February, 9am–1am.

Shop 102 &103, 1/F, Island Resort Mall, 28 Siu Sai Wan Road, Siu Sai Wan

FRITES (Central)

FRITES’ Central branch is moving on in early February to a super-convenient location on Queen’s Road. Get your Belgian steamed mussels and beer here! Open daily from 11:45am.

G/F, Queen’s Road Centre, 152 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2217 6671, 9282 1369 (WhatsApp), book online

Gochi

Bright and airy (love the ceiling fans!) Gochi serves up Japanese-Italian cuisine with an emphasis on freshly made pizza and pasta. Their Wagyu bolognese sounds like just the fusion ticket! Open daily, 11am–6pm.

G/F, Lok Fu Place, 198 Junction Road, Lok Fu, 2662 2969

Grain of Salt

Launched by registered dietician Tiffany Shek, community-driven café Grain of Salt gives us good vibes just thinking about it. This is a one-stop shop for nutritious yet indulgent food and drink on the ground floor alongside nutrition counselling services on the floor above. Healthy eats include avocado toast, made with wholewheat sourdough, shallot and mustard sauce and tamari-roasted almonds, the GOS yoghurt bowl, containing chia seeds, fresh fruit, house-made granola, goji purée and yoghurt made with fermented house-made almond milk, and soup-er veggie dumplings, filled with shiitake mushrooms and tofu and served with a consommé that’s slow-cooked with mushrooms, kombu and cordycep flowers. There’s also a selection of nutrient-dense smoothies and low-caffeine drinks to wet your whistle. Open daily, 8:30am–6pm.

47 Gough Street, Central, 2968 1083

Izakaya by K

Sibling to Teppanyaki Mihara (see below), Izakaya by K has an adorable fox theme inspired by Japan’s Inari shrines, with the fox revered as the messenger of the god Inari himself. In this spirit, inari sushi is a signature here, along with classic-with-a-twist izakaya fare such as Wagyu beef rice, fatty tuna tartare with avocado paste and marinated egg yolk and sliced pork roll-up with soft-boiled egg. Notably, the restaurant manager is also the sake sommelier, working with the chefs on food pairings and introducing diners to hidden gems from Japan’s extensive sake world. Open daily from mid-February from 12pm.

Shop G07, G/F, The Parkside, 18 Tong Chun Street, Tseung Kwan O, 3618 8211, izakayabyk@ponghk.com

Kuki Izakaya

Another izakaya with a "K’’, Kuki has opened in Causeway Bay with a unique focus on MSG-free kushiage, or deep-fried meat, seafood and veg on a stick. It’s named after the Kuki samurai family of yore, and battle-inspired graffiti-style artwork leads the aethestic. We can’t wait to tuck into the koji chicken, pictured above, which is marinated in koji, or fermented rice. Open daily except Sunday from 12pm.

Shop 7, G/F, Workingview Commercial Building, 21 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, 9851 2327, info@kukiizakaya.com

Lady Nara Hong Kong

Lady Nara, the younger, cooler sister of Nara Thai Cuisine in Thailand, is the Bangkok restaurant’s first branch in Hong Kong. The lush eatery, decked out with flowers, plants and even a rattan swing, offers something different from standard green curry and pad thai – Western-style Thai comfort food. This translates to tom yum lobster bisque with garlic toast, roast three-yellow chicken that’s marinated overnight with palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, lemongrass and 18 different spices and – the ulimate – Lady Nara nachos, which feature the likes of Thai soy sauce, Thai basil, Thai-style pulled pork, pineapple salsa and beetroot-infused sour cream. Lady Nara’s fusion desserts are particularly tempting (and Instagrammable!), with special shout-outs going to the Thai rose tea lava cake and Thai tea tiramisu. Open daily from 11:30am.

Shop 3303, 3/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 2153 3730

Park Aura

We just got wind of the mysteriously named Park Aura, a new skyscraper in Tin Hau dedicated to food that opened last year, and we couldn’t be more excited. On the ground and first floors, the rock-and-roll Food Loft, pictured above, features 14 F&B outlets that specialise in takeaway food from around the world. A highlight is the Arirang Hot Dog vendor with its “fried evil whisked cheese hot dog”, which has taken the South Korean street-food scene by storm. On the second flooor, Feast Market hosts sales and exhibition events for F&B retailers and distributors. Right now, there’s also a collection of Chinese New Year food items and gift boxes on sale there. And then way up on the 22nd floor with its sweeping harbour views and top-of-the-range kitchen and culinary equipment is Chef Republic, which can be booked for private cooking workshops and events. Open daily from 9am.

54 Electric Road, Tin Hau

Saori Pancake

Love pancakes but gluten is a no-no for you? Saori Pancake’s got you covered with its gluten-free Kyoto-style eggy pancakes that are topped with a mountain of stringy chestnut that resembles spaghetti. Saori is quite elegant looking for a pancake shop too. Open daily from 11:30am (from 10:30am Friday–Sunday).

G/F, Haywood Mansion, 57 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, 2348 8889

Say Hi to Wanchai

We somehow missed the Central debut of this eatery last year, but Say Hi is now serving in Wanchai too. This industrial-chic caff specialises in coffee, cocktails and global flavours, presenting comfort-food dishes such as Hokkaido pork with mashed potato and risotto with cauliflower and porcini mushrooms. Well, hello there! Open daily from 12pm.

24 Tai Wong Street East, Wanchai, 3619 1229, 9224 2194 (WhatsApp)

The Soulroom

Originating from the alternative and holistic health service of the same name, The Soulroom is a peaceful café founded by an astrologer and tarot reader that offers locally roasted coffee drinks, herbal teas and a short-but-sweet food menu – including these delectable-looking bagels. Open daily, 11am–6pm (from 10am at the weekend).

102 Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po

Tankyu Distillery

Home-grown gin brand Perfume Trees is set to open its first concept café-bar, Tankyu Distillery, at The Mills in Tsuen Wan. Head here for a taste of creative cocktails by Kit Cheung, co-founder of Perfume Trees. Open Wednesday–Sunday from 12pm.
Shop 301, 3/F, The Mills, 45 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan, 3460 2339

Teppanyaki Mihara

The kitchen of glam yet affordable Teppanyaki Mihara is led by Chef Terufumi Mihara, who once cooked for the Japanese Consulate in Chicago as well as at high-end Sanka Teppanyaki here in Central, hence the restaurant’s moniker. Modern Japanase omakase menus and six-course lunch sets will be the way to go once the restaurant opens mid-month, featuring premium ingredients from Japan such as Miyazaki A4 Wagyu beef, Hokkaido pork and scallops and tuna from Daisen, one for Japan’s oldest tuna suppliers. Don’t leave without sampling the chef’s fusion desserts, such as coffee tiramisu and panna cotta with strawberry soup, with their distinct Italian flair. Open daily from 12pm.

Shop G06, G/F, The Parkside, 18 Tong Chun Street, Tseung Kwan O, 3618 8212, teppanyakimihara@ponghk.com

TMK: Rap & Rolls

Debuting on Wednesday, 10 February, TMK’s edgy vibe and signature hand rolls will hit Starstreet Precinct, this time along with some new nori bowls – from fried pork cutlet, to marinated salmon, to tofu – that sound like the perfect lunchtime eats. The “rap” in the name refers to the eatery’s hip-hop theme, with artwork depicting rap icons and a massive wall of sound made of vintage boom boxes. Open daily except Mondays, 11:30am–6pm.

RELATED: The Sixteenth to debut four more Pirata restaurants

17A Moon Street, Wanchai

Vie-Won-Won

Vie-Won-Won is quite an interesting little spot. It means “spiritual needs”in Canto slang, and it’s also a gift shop selling the likes of Chinese red packets and incense sticks. If the above pic from their IG is anything to go by, the fusion food is beautifully plated and as mysterious as Vie-Won-Won’s name. Open daily except Monday, 12–6pm.

1/F, Lok Sing Centre, 8 Sugar Street, Causeway Bay, 9687 9684

January 2021

616 (Shek Tong Tsui)

This popular hotpot chain has 17 branches in Hong Kong, now that this spacious new shop has opened in the Shek Tong Tsui ‘hood, just down the block from HKU MTR station. 616 specialises in beef from around the world, offering just about every part of the cow for hotpot dipping. Open daily, 12–10pm.

384–386 Queen’s Road West, Shek Tong Tsui, 9034 9794

THE ALP Coffee & Kitchen

An offshoot of Lounge Hakuba, a cocktail bar inspired by Japan’s après-ski culture, THE ALP is a cosy wooden lodge-like space serving up artisanal coffee and creative Japanese-Western dishes. Signatures include beef mountain donburi, crispy buttermilk drumsticks and avocado sourdough, with izakaya-style snacks such as yuzu honey-glazed chicken wings and yakitori skewers also up for grabs. We love the wooden look! Open daily, 9am–8pm (from 10:30am on weekends and public holidays).

Read our review here.

Shop 302, 3/F, TOWER 535, 535 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, 2111 1707

Brewed

Brewed has hit Sheung Wan’s café scene with a bang, presenting some quirky food and drink options that have piqued our interest, from the strawberry slush crafted with homemade strawberry syrup, to the French toast with marshmallow, to the baked sweet potato with arrabbiata meat sauce. Open daily, 8am–6pm (from 9am on weekends).

27 Hillier Street, Sheung Wan, 6135 8882

Charbonnel et Walker

We got a very welcome taste of British chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker at the LANDMARK Christmas market last month, so we’re thrilled that they now have a brick-and-mortar location, taking shape as a traditional Covent Garden flower cart. Charbonnel et Walker is a coveted holder of a Royal Warrant to Her Majesty The Queen, who must love the chocolatier’s signature pink Marc de Champagne truffles as much as we commoners do! Open daily, 11am–8pm.

Adjacent to Shops 137–138, 1/F, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, 9303 6782

Chickpea (Wanchai)

Judging by the crowds at Chickpea’s recently opened Central branch, this latest-and-greatest takeaway-only shop in Wanchai will be just as popular. We can’t get enough of Chickpeas’s hummus bowls, pitta pockets and Middle Eastern salads.

101 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, order online

The Coffee Academïcs (Harbour City)

Founded nearly a decade ago, speciality coffee shop The Coffee Academïcs has taken Hong Kong by storm. This 1,200-square-foot branch at Harbour City complete with outdoor terrace is the first to feature an in-shop micro-roastery experience, where customers can choose their custom coffee blends, roast them and taste them in a single seating. In addition to the café and restaurant where The Coffee Academïcs’ elevated brunch-inspired signature dishes are offered, the chain has opened its first retail store, selling drip bags, capsules, coffee beans and more. Open weekdays, 8am–8pm, and weekends and public holidays, 10am–9pm.

Check out the new menu here

Shop 4201K–4202K, 4/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 3620 3028

Cupping Room Coffee Roasters (Harbour City)

Competing with The Coffee Academïcs (see above), popular coffee chain Cupping Room – boasting a branch even in Singapore – has moved across the harbour for the second time. The more (good) coffee options available at the shopping behemoth that is Harbour City, the better! They also make a darn good Basque cheesecake to go with your cup of joe. Open daily from 11am.

Bonus: launching on Sunday, 31 January, this branch of Cupping Room will host a pop-up by luxury Spanish chocolatier Casa Cacao! Owned by three-Michelin-starred restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Girona and run by Pastry Chef Jordi Roca (who was named World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2014), this pop-up will offer a range of to-die-for chocolates including bombones (bonbons), available in boxes of 32 assorted pieces, some of which have been crafted to resemble miniature cacao pods, three different bean-to-bar chocolate collections, available in boxes of six and featuring a variety of artisanal 80g bars made from milk or dark chocolate, individual chocolates with varying countries of origin and cacao percentages and – the cherry on top for us – Casa Cacao’s signature oh-so-rich hot chocolate.

Shop OC309, 3/F, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 9446 8699

DEAD&

Hot on the heels of the opening of closed-loop cocktail bar PENICILLIN late last year, HK bar legends Agung Prabowo and Roman Ghale (also founders of The Old Man, Asia’s Best Bar 2019) have opened modern dive bar DEAD& (read: Dead End), offering cheap and cheerful food and drink and a laid-back, urban vibe. Signature cocktails are priced at just $50 a pop, with pitchers from $200 and down-and-dirty snacks like the signature Dead Dog (grilled hot dog on a buttered bun, topped with minced beef chilli sauce, Cheddar cheese and onion) priced at $68. All food items are available in takeaway combo meal deals including drinks starting at $98, and bottled cocktails are also available to enjoy at home for $150 each. Open Monday–Saturday, 1–10pm.

18 Wo On Lane, LKF, Central, 9886 5711 (WhatsApp)

DPD Deluxe

Upscale dai pai dong DPD in Mongkok, headed up by former Ming Court Michelin-starred executive chef Jacky Tse Chi-wai, has expanded to North Point in style with DPD Deluxe. This all-day diner presents a range of Eastern and Western hits including Southeast Asian specialities like laksa and nasi goreng, dim sum, all-day breakfast, sandwiches, pasta and noodle dishes and beautifully crafted Western-style desserts – a good all-rounder. Open daily, 8am–6pm.

Shop 10B–13, G/F, AIA Tower, 183 Electric Road, North Point, 2827 8328

Giovanni Pina

Italian bakery (and master baker) Giovanni Pina – founded in Bergamo in 1920 – is now baking up a pastry storm at K11 MUSEA in TST and Citywalk and Nina Mall in Tsuen Wan. Its to-die-for pastries include cannoncini crema (puff pastry meringue cream rolls with a whopping 144 layers), St Honoré (a cake featuring cream, chocolate custard and orange wine), Sacher all’italiana (a classic Sacher cake made with less sugar and butter and rare white rum as opposed to black) and – everyone’s favourite – tiramisu. At the K11 MUSEA branch, there’s a special VIP room with handmade Italian 18K gold chandeliers worth more than $200,000!

K11 MUSEA: Shop 217, 2/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 2755 1123

Citywalk: Shop G76A & G75B, G/F, Citywalk, Vision City, 1 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, 2755 1230

Nina Mall: Shop 109–111, 1/F, Nina Mall, 8 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, 2755 1161

GRAM The Gourmet

Given its “undeground” location in LKF, we expect GRAM to be popular after hours when restrictions ease, but for now, head here for elegant East-meets-West cuisine with a Mediterranean slant, showcasing dishes such as cuttlefish bolognese and squid-ink tagliolini, Mayura Wagyu bavette with sweet-and-sour radicchio and, pictured above, cold angel hair with kombu and Osietra caviar. Open daily for lunch.

Shop 1, LG/F, LKF Tower, 55 D’Aguilar Street, LKF, Central, 2338 2020, gramhk.com@gmail.com

Gustaci

We’ve seen several top pizzerias open in the 852 over the past year or so, but will Gustaci surpass the rest? Italian for “taste”, Gustaci sets its sights on authentic Neapolitan pizza using dough that is naturally leavened for 24–36 hours and a Neapolis electric deck oven by Moretti Forni, which is said to rival a traditional wood-fired pizza oven. The restaurant will offer 10 types of made-to-order individual pizzas, including its signature, the classic pizza margherita. We’re keen to check out this upscale, industrial-chic pizzeria, which also plans to launch brunch, afternoon tea and pizza-making classes for kids and adults in the coming months, and we hope it will bring back some life to PMQ’s F&B scene. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 12–6pm.

Shop HG01–05, G/F, Block B, PMQ, 35 Aberdeeen Street, Central, 2981 1418

KollaBo

This opening by Epicurean Group really intrigues us. KollaBo is a contemporary collaboration concept between 15 different Korean cuisine brands from Japan, uniting under the banner of one restaurant in Japan – now opening here in the 852. Every dish served is a fan favourite from the different brands. Highlights include SoBackJa Ganjanggejang’s raw crab marinated in soy sauce, Myongmul Dakgalbi’s spicy fried chicken with cheese and Korean BBQ courtesy of Japan’s Wagyu Yakiniku. Open daily, 11:30am–6pm, with a 10% discount offered after 2:30pm.

Shop G1014–1015, G/F, Yiu Sing Mansion, Stage 10, Taikoo Shing, Quarry Bay, 2529 8813, hall.ktk@kollabo.hk

The Madhouse CWB

Sibling to its taproom in Mongkok, carnival-themed The Madhouse has brought its awesome craft beer selection to Causeway Bay. The Madhouse team started working with Oslo’s Amundsen Brewery three years ago and has since introduced more than 50 Amundsen beers. This time around, Amundsen's famous “Dessert in a Can” series is now available at The Madhouse CWB, with Rocky Road Ice Cream, Blueberry Pancake and Neapolitan Ice Cream all on tap and others flavours available in a can. There’s also an intriguing series of bourbon-aged whisky in barrel dark beer. The Mad chefs have created a cheeky menu to pair with these brews, from lobster Madnedict (pictured above), to Dongbo pork and waffle, to roasted craft beer chicken. Open daily from 11am.

29 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, 2891 1948

RELATED: The Complete List of HK Craft Breweries

NOC Papillons & Bakery

The much-loved NOC Coffee Co. café brand has opened this gorgeously minimalist and very spacious Papillons & Bakery in Tseung Kwan O. New additions to this NOC outlet include a vending machine stocked with NOC’s seasonal coffee in individual bags and specially curated teabags as well as a zero-waste corner featuring package-free coffee beans. Open daily, 10am–6pm.

Shop G1A, G/F, Papillons Square, 21 Tong Chun Street, Tseung Kwan O, 2569 6069

OBP

This hidden gastropub by the team behind 11 Westside and Westside Taqueria pays homage to the popular alcohol houses called sool-jip found throughout South Korea. At OBP, this translates to drinks by Korean-American beverage director Daniel Eun, who worked at PDT in the Big Apple, alongside a hearty food menu by Chef Junwoo Choi, formerly of our very own Jinjuu (we can’t wait to try the chef’s spicy braised pork rib, topped with raclette that’s made tableside). Korean spirits such as soju, makgeolli and many more little-known varieties play starring roles in the cocktails. Currently open daily, 12–6pm.

In the alley behind LG/F, 3–5 Old Bailey Street, SoHo, Central

Rollin

Rollin is another Korean offering, this time by Francesco Lee of Italian-Korean restaurant MOYO in SoHo. Located in the basement of LANDMARK’s new urban-wear retail space BELOWGROUND, this dual concept offers both food in the form of savoury rice rolls in Asian and Western varieties and sweet roll-style cakes presented in trendy trainer boxes and a range of fashion products including T-shirts, caps and hoodies. Open daily, 11am–8pm.

Basement, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central

Seolhamyeok

Harbour City has a new high-end Korean BBQ restaurant with the opening of Seolhamyeok, where premium beef takes centre stage – in fact, the Korean name translates literally to "great meat”. Open daily, 12–10:30pm.

OTG47, G47A & G48, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 2303 0038

Smoke & Barrel’s pit house cooking class

Launching on Saturday, 30 January (10am–1pm), Smoke & Barrel new pit house cooking class ($800/person; +$198 for 2-hour free-flow) can be booked going forward on the first and last Saturdays of each month. This is meat smoking 101 by S&B’s BBQ masters, chefs Chris Tuthill and Chris Grate, with the fun, hands-on part involving cutting and breaking down the chosen meats, before slathering and seasoning them. The workshop includes a tasting of a variety of smoked meats as well as light lunch (and you can come back later on to pick up your very own smoked meats for at-home feasting).

1–2/F, Wyndham Mansion, 32 Wyndham Street, Central, 2866 2120, hello@smokeandbarrelhk.com

Twelve Flavors (LKF)

Twelve Flavors’ Sichuan dry hotpot is truly addictive, and we’re frequent visitors of the restaurant’s Kennedy Town branch. So another branch (there are now 13 in total) is always welcome. When it comes to the dry hopot, even the mildest spice level leaves our tongues tingling, and you can build your own flavour combinations using an extensive checklist of ingredients. The other Sichuan dishes on the menu are legit too (try the mapo tofu). Open daily from 11:30am.

21 D’Aguilar Street, LKF, Central, 6366 0242

Yakiniku Ishidaya

Although travel feels like a distant memory by now, diners can still get an authentic taste of Japan with Central's newest grilled meat restaurant, Yakiniku Ishidaya. The first overseas venture by Kobe Ishidaya Co. Ltd, the restaurant features premium Wagyu from the Hyogo Prefecture, stamped with the coveted purple chrysanthemum mark for superior quality. The founder, Kiyonori Ishida, hand picks the various cuts of beef for both the Hong Kong and Japan branches, and proudly displays the beautifully marbled cuts at the shopfront. Over 15 cuts of A4 and A5-grade Wagyu are on offer, along premium selections of pork, chicken and seafood.

3/F, Century Square, 1-13 D'Aguilar Street, Central, 2983 6838

Zuma’s Kyoyu Sundays

In support of their friends the HK bar industry, Zuma’s bar will be hosting a series of pop-ups this month on Sunday afternoons. On 17, 24 and 31 January from 1–6pm, Zuma will welcome mixologists and their teams from three award-winning local watering holes. In order of appearance, the guys and gals shaking things up behind the bar will be Nikita Matveev of The Old Man, Nick Tse and Ayako Miyake of Bar Buonasera and Beckaly Franks of The Pontiac.

6/F, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 3657 6388, book online (advance booking strongly encouraged)

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