Related: New Restaurants: July 2020
BaseHall
Taking over the historic spot that once was Grappa’s Cellar in Central, BaseHall is set to be HK’s hottest new dining destination. This exciting food hall will feature 10 artisanal vendors, with spots from Yardbird, Honbo and TREEHOUSE as headliners. As Basehall’s Instagram dictates, we’re hungry, excited and ready! The grand (soft) opening is scheduled for Monday, 8 June.
LG/F, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central
Big Dill
What started out as rollicking vegan block parties last summer now has a permanent home in Sai Ying Pun at Big Dill, HK’s newest vegan eatery, with their plant-based burgers and gyros the stars of this meat-free show. Open Tuesday–Sunday from 5pm.
123–125 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun, 5270 6777
ChaTraMue (TST and TKO)
Debuting in the 852 in Causeway Bay last April, ChaTraMue, founded in Thailand 75 years ago, will now also be serving up its authentic Thai milk tea in Tsim Sha Tsui and Tseung Kwan O (TKO opening on 16 June). We love us some bubble tea and cheese tea, and this sounds like another teatastic trend in the making.
TST: 35A Carnarvon Road
TKO: Shop 125, 1/F, East Point City, 8 Chung Wa Road
Related: Want More? All of 2020's Best New Restaurants
Crown Super Deluxe
Named after the pristine Toyota Crown Deluxe taxis in Japan, Crown Super Deluxe is the latest and greatest from the unstoppable Black Sheep Restaurants. This upscale teppanyaki restaurant melds the authentic experience from Japan with popular teppanyaki joints in the US (yes, we’re looking at you, Benihana). The design by Sean Dix eludes to Tokyo in the swinging 60s, and the lead man at the teppan is Chef Toru Takano, a teppanyaki expert from Niigata, alongside his wife, Chef Ami Hamasaki. With a focus on top beef from around the world, there are three prix-fixe menus, each ending with the eatery’s signature lobster miso soup and Wagyu and garlic fried rice. To finish in style, diners can head to the dessert and whisky lounge, where retro French sweets like croquembouche and coconut tart shell meet elegant Japanese whiskies and American bourbons. Dinner bookings from Friday, 12 June. Closed on Mondays.
M/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, 2111 8434 , email reservations@crownsuperdeluxe.com or book online
Five Guys (North Point)
Five Guys’ fourth Hong Kong branch opens this month, bringing the US chain’s signature burgers with unlimited toppings, hand-cut fries, milkshakes and all-you-can-eat complimentary peanuts to hungry North Pointers – and this one is two floors! Open daily, 11am–10pm.
Shop 8, G/F and 1/F, Harbour East, 218 Electric Road, North Point
District 8
Brought to us by Woolly Pig HK (who operate Big Sur, HUE and INK, amongst other popular eateries), District 8 can be at found at ELEMENTS’ Civic Square al-fresco dining area. This laid-back French bistro is led by Chef Anthony Hammel, also of HUE. The signature order here is steak frites, with the beef cuts all hailing from Australia, the chef’s home country. In addition, there are classic French starters, freshly shucked oysters, homemade cakes and tarts, cheese plates and more. Open daily from 8am, offering brunch at the weekend.
Shop R0009, Rooftop, Civic Square, ELEMENTS, Kowloon Station, 1 Austin Road West, West Kowloon, 2537 7555, book online
Hansik Goo
Acclaimed Korean chef Mingoo Kang of Seoul’s two-Michelin-starred Mingles has soft-opened Hansik Goo in Central. In collaboration with ZS Hospitality, Chef Kang’s first venture outside Korea seeks to introduce Hong Kong diners to authentic Korean cuisine with contemporary twists. Served sharing style in a space said to celebrate contemporary Korean design and nature, Hansik Goo offers diners an enticing eight-course tasting menu that showcases the chef’s unique style.
2/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2798 8768
J.CO Donuts & Coffee (Central)
Now you can get your J.CO doughnuts at HK’s fourth branch in Central – we love all the crazy-cool flavours with their cheeky names, from the Al Capone featuring almonds and white chocolate, to the avo-and-choco fusion Avocado DiCaprio, to the Berry Spears, which is all about strawberry and cream cheese. These doughnuts are actually lighter and less sweet than they appear. At this branch, you can also get J.POPS (baby doughnuts), J.CRONUTS, coffee drinks, sandwiches and more.
Shop B, G/F, Haleson Building, 1 Jubilee Street, Central, 2506 3668
J.S. FOODIES (Harbour City)
Joining its HK sibling at Kowloon Tong’s Festival Walk, Tokyo import J.S. FOODIES – an offshoot of Japanese fashion label JOURNAL STANDARD – is akin to a fusion Japanese-American diner, delighting us with a range of American-style pancakes, Japaneses-style soufflé pancakes and burgers in a modern, industrial space. Open daily from 9:30am.
Shop 2608–2609, 2/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 2265 8019
Mamma Always Said
We may have recently (and very sadly) lost Meraki Hospitality Group’s Malaysian street-food eatery JALAN, but the group is back in good form with the opening of Mamma Always Said this month in the same location, with Corey Riches from Meraki’s popular Middle Eastern restaurant BEDU acting as executive chef here too. This all-day-dining and drinking spot celebrates casual restaurants around the world – cafés, brasseries, tapas bars, trattorias – with a global menu that includes baked goods, coffee, cocktails, salads, sandwiches, pastas and larger sharing plates. The space also features a retail area designed like a farmers’ market where guests can purchase local veg and other home-grown products, Mamma’s wines and secret pasta sauce and more. Sign up for the Mamma Always Said soft launch by emailing hey@mammashk.com and get 20% off your bill. Open daily from 11:30am.
42 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, 2386 2216
MANA! (SoHo)
Plant-based and zero-waste pioneer MANA! is now in SoHo, with founder Bobsy Gaia having shut the OG Wellington Street location in April this year owing to demolition work. The largest shop to date, MANA! SoHo is described as a “fast-social” spot that includes a social space referred to as Zen Den, where film screenings, concerts, “Hippie Hour” happenings and morning mindfulness and meditation events will be offered. Also new to this branch is the 852’s first vegan cheese bar, vegan wine and beer and house-made kombucha. We’re keen to try the new flatzza – pizza fused with MANA’s signature flats. Open daily 10am–9pm.
8 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 5501 7583
Mizutani
Located on the rooftop of the new ALVA HOTEL BY ROYAL in Sha Tin, Mizutani is a contemporary Japanese restaurant specialising in sushi and robatoyaki, with three omakase menus up for ordering prepared by experienced Japanese chefs. Sushi with mountain views – we’re in! Open daily for lunch and dinner.
28/F, ALVA HOTEL BY ROYAL, 1 Yuen Hong Street, Sha Tin, 3653 1115, book online
Moonkok
We dig Moonkok’s portmanteau, which is a mix of local craft brewery Moozen and its Mongkok locale. The taproom’s design, beer and bar bites all take inspiration from Chinese culture. It’s important for us to support home-grown success stories, especially during these trying times.
88 Shatung Street, Mongkok, 2869 8099
Pantry Centrale
With a prime location in Sai Ying Pun and an enticing turquoise shopfront, Pantry Centrale is the brainchild of a trio (three locals and one Italian) with more than 20 years of experience in the F&B industry. Open daily
from 8am, the à-la-carte menu is a tribute to simple, honest European cooking, from flatbread topped with prosciutto, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, to Greek salad, to Sardinian fregola with crabmeat and saffron, to roasted French spring chicken. There’s also a separate grab ‘n’ go menu, a bakery section for takeaway (helmed by partner Sam, who ran his own bakery for decades) and an online shop. What a great addition to the SYP hood!
LG/F, Wealth Building, 53–65 High Street (entrance on Centre Street), Sai Ying Pun, 2363 6966
Spun Candy
Based in London with outposts around the world, Spun Candy is a well-known purveyor of personalised, handmade, naturally flavoured sweets that are both vegan and free of gelatin. The new flagship Asia branch features the brand’s first-ever Lollipod – a kiosk for lolly personalisation. There’s also a bar where you can learn the tricks of candy personalisation, and next year, Spun aims to open a kitchen where masterclasses for adults, kids and families will be held. We’ll be on the lookout for Spun’s soon-to-debut Asian-inspired sweet treats.
3/F, LCX, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST
The Tea Room by Tell Camellia
Tell Camellia is a delightfully zen, tea-focused cocktail bar that opened last year to rave reviews and is now a front runner for Foodie Forks 2020 Best New Bar. The Tea Room concept has been launched by the bar for daytime drinks that have a heavy slant towards the finest teas from around the world – from India’s masala chai, to Turkey’s Rize tea, to Japan’s Uji matcha – alongside zero-proof and low-alcohol tipples. We like the sounds of the T&Tonics, herbal and tisane teas that are redistilled with non-alcoholic gins and flavoured with the likes of mango and strawberry, Italian almond and truffle and Kyoho grape and sakura.
LG/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 9821 5501
Yakinikumafia
From the team who brought us Wagyumafia’s crazy-good (and crazy-expensive) Wagyu chateaubriand cutlet sandwich comes Yakinikumafia, where it’s all about Wagyu BBQ in a too-cool-for-school airport-themed space. We’re impressed that both Wagyumafia and Yakinikumafia practise sustainable butchering, importing hand-selected whole carcasses straight from auction houses in Japan and using all parts of the animals. The bevvy menu is pretty neat too – small-batch sake, highballs on tap, Shari cocktails, own-brand yuzu IPA. If you want a taste of this premium Japanese grilled beef – including single-breed Ozaki Wagyu from Miyazaki – you’d better be quick off the mark, with only 250 lunch and dinner bookings taken each month. Register here to get your personalised reservation link and see what the hype is all about – bookings open on the 15th of every month for the following month.
Shop 202, 2/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, 3105 1250
Yaki Oni
Another yakiniku specialist has hit HK – this time in Causeway Bay – and it comes with a unique twist: it’s all you can eat for less than $300 per person! Inspired by traditional Japanese folklore, Japanese grill Yaki Oni has weaved supernatural elements throughout its decor, design and food, showcasing around 10 different cuts of A4 Wagyu beef from Kagoshima and Miyazaki as well as premium US beef and a large selection of grilled pork, chicken, seafood and veg. Diners can also knock back a series of colourful cocktails that represent the five cardinal sins in Buddhism. Open daily for dinner from 5:30pm in three two-hour, unlimited-eating sessions.
9/F, the L. square, 459–461 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, 2856 0226
yè shanghai (K11 MUSEA)
The newest member of the yè shanghai family, launched more than 20 years ago with outlets in HK, China and Taiwan, has arrived at TST’s newest mall. Chef Sze Man Sui, who has led the yè shanghai kitchen team since 1998, has debuted an extensive dim sum menu and new Shanghainese à-la-carte dishes such as Shanghai rice cake with eight treasures, steamed minced pork with cod and sauteéd shredded mandarin fish. This two-storey eatery boasts great views plus a large outdoor terrace.
Shop 601, 6/F, and Shop 702, 7/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 2376 3322
Related: New Restaurants: May 2020
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