There’s been an influx of exciting food halls opening across Hong Kong in recent times. Here are our thoughts on four whose tasty wares we’ve sampled recently – Granville Food Square, Graham St Food Hall, Dockyard and Basehall.
Granville Food Square
Granville Food Square opened last year and offers a retro-feel hawker food court in the heart of TST. There are eight vendors; you can browse the menus at the entrance, order and then grab a seat while your meals are being prepared. The focus is on Southeast Asian cuisine, but on our recent visit we tried the newest opening, The Chippy.
This very welcome addition to the Hong Kong food scene boasts a quintessential UK menu including much loved Pukka Pies, pickled eggs and onions. Paying homage to The Chippy’s family fishing heritage, the sustainably caught cod is imported from Iceland. There’s no hot food display counter here with pre-cooked food wilting under hot lights. Everything is cooked fresh to order, ensuring the crispiest batter and the finest quality.
We ordered the signature cod and chips ($188), well worth the 10-minute wait. This is a generous portion – ideal for hungry appetites or to share. Perfectly crisp golden batter, moist succulent cod – in short, this is fish-and-chips paradise! Add curry sauce, mushy peas or gravy ($20 for a small portion) to complete the experience; you won’t be disappointed. Hubby’s fave, the Battered Sausage ($38), transported him right back to Blighty and hit the spot.
Without doubt, these are the best fish and chips we’ve eaten in Hong Kong. The only thing missing for me was a slice or two of good white bread and butter – those chips are crying out ‘chip butty’!
Granville Food Square, 46-48 Granville Road, Tsim Tsa Tsui
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Graham St Food Hall
Located right in the heart of SOHO, Graham St Food Hall (GSFH) only has five outlets, but each one packs a huge punch! Smoke & Barrels, for example, offers good old American barbecue – think brisket sandwiches and smokehouse platters. On our last visit, we eagerly tucked into a half rack of Espresso Duroc Baby Ribs ($158). The ribs are smothered in a tasty sauce and perfectly tender. Don’t miss the sides, too – they’re well priced at $38 each, and include a moreish mac-and-cheese and a fresh crunchy Asian slaw.
Pizza lovers should look no further, too. At GSFH, Motown Pizza specialises in Detroit-style deep-dish square pizzas with those famous crispy edges. And, keeping to the Motown theme, each pizza is named after a car. The Mustang ($98), for example, has pepperoni and punchy jalapenos, rounded off with a touch of honey to balance the flavours perfectly. Equally delicious, the Hummer ($118) is savoury and salty, featuring pepperoni, house sausage and house-cured bacon. Vegetarians are well catered for too – we love the look of the Fiat 500 for our next visit!
A real highlight of the food hall for us was the Basque Burnt Cheesecake ($48) from La Viña – what a treat! It’s creamy, rich and lip-lickingly delicious; be warned, though – one slice isn’t enough! La Viña’s range of baked goods look equally tempting. Next time we go, we also want to try the set meal from Hambaga ($128), which looks really appealing, and I’ve got my eye on a box of chocolates from Casa Cacao ($238).
GSFH is a great spot for casual all-day dining and drinks, with indoor and alfresco seating. Worth mentioning is the unlimited free Wi-Fi (and chargers!); it’s also pet-friendly. Once restrictions lift, expect to see the return of DJ nights and pop-up chef events.
Shop 3, 23 Graham Street, Central
9612 0988 | grahamstfoodhall.hk
Dockyard
With stunning harbour views, alfresco dining and a vast interior, Dockyard offers a great family dining experience. There are nine kiosks with a tantalising array of cuisines – even the pickiest of eaters will be happy here. Ordering is easy via the Dockyard app; then, you simply wait while your food is prepared and delivered to your table. This is an open and airy space with an industrial feel that pays homage to the Hung Hom area.
LAB is Dockyard’s pop-up kitchen with ever-changing menus. Currently, the chefs are serving up some delicious and innovative burgers – each one themed and named after a famous international footballer. We tried The Hungry Kane ($98), a British pork and apple burger topped with a meaty rib – delicious! Meanwhile, the CR7 Hatrick ($88), in keeping with Ronaldo’s Portuguese heritage, is a spicy piri piri chicken burger, which I loved. Don’t forget to order a portion of truffle and cheese fries ($68); you won’t be disappointed!
We all love Indian food, so we simply had to try some dishes from NAAN. The dal tadka curry ($58) was warming and gently spiced. Succulent and tasty chicken tikka ($78) also hit the mark. However, the surprising standout dish was the tomato and cheese naan pizza ($88). Here, the chef skilfully combines both Indian and Italian techniques and flavours to create a delectable bite – we will be back for more!
Elsewhere, you’ll find Bamboo Sticks, serving up some great Thai food – try the Bak Kut Teh Satay ($78), served with pickles, rice cubes and peanut sauce. And, if you’re craving Japanese, Sen Japan has all your favourites including udon, ramen, bento boxes and plenty of sets, all well priced and good value. A stand-out dish is Sakura Gyudon, super tender Japanese beef served with poached egg rice.
For drinks, there’s a full bar (called “The Bar”!) serving beer, wine, cocktails, mocktails and plenty of non-alcoholic options too. And worth a final mention are the tempting takeaway options; you can curate your perfect box by choosing three appetisers, four mains, two sides and dessert for just $498.
Level 1, 38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon
2252 5228 | dockyardhk.com
BaseHall
BaseHall had big shoes to fill taking the much-loved Grappas spot in Jardine House. Nearly two years on, it has done so and more. Stylish and spacious, this is a welcome addition to the Central dining scene. Key to its success has been the carefully curated selection of 10 vendors with an emphasis on local Hong Kong culinary talent. Great food and value for money in Central? Yes, please!
I have a major soft spot for restaurant Francis and I was curious to see how the experience would translate at BaseHall. On a recent visit, I chose the All Day Set ($150). The main was a generous portion of chicken schnitzel, lightly sautéed to perfection and served on a bed of lentil rice. The set comes with one mezze – in my case, a fresh and zingy avocado salad, the perfect accompaniment. We also love the hummus at Francis ($80), served with freshly baked warm and fluffy Jerusalem sesame bagel. And no visit would be complete without a serve of the Spiced Beef Cigars (four for $100).
A big welcome to Bengal Brothers who have recently joined the BaseHall family. Their fresh and super tasty food fits perfectly with the venue’s culinary ethos. My husband was new to Bengal Brothers and he devoured their Famous Kati Railway Lamb Roll ($128) – succulently tender lamb roasted in amomatic spices with just the right amount of pickles. Our teen was equally enamoured with the First Class Chicken Tikka Bowl ($118). This was a generous portion of tender chicken in makhani sauce served with a cucumber and peanut salad and homemade pickles sitting on a bed of fragrant rice. Don’t forget to take a look at the street snacks too; the Kerala Fried Chicken ($78) is a winner.
Moyosik is serving up some delicious Korean dishes; we tried two – Sam-Gyupsal BBQ Pork ($128) and Healthy Chicken Cauliflower Bibimbap Rice ($118) both served with sides and a drink, so great value. And bánh mì lovers should check out Co Thanh; the Lemongrass Roast Chicken Baguette ($98) is highly recommended.
When restrictions lift, we’re looking forward to sitting at the bar for a few after-work drinks and DJ evenings (with that incredible ceiling lighting system). In the meantime, BaseHall is now on Deliveroo and you can order from all vendors on just a single order to enjoy at home.
LG9 Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central
basehall.hk
We hope you enjoyed our feature on food halls in Hong Kong. For more foodie inspiration head to our Wine & Dine section.
This article first appeared in the Spring 2022 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
