Keeping up with new restaurants in Hong Kong, let alone new chefs and new menus, can be tricky. Our restaurant news round-up will keep you in the loop about the city’s ever-evolving dining scene. From the latest eatery to open its doors to celebrity chefs to Hong Kong brunches and cool new bars, it’s all here!
A taste of South America
Inspired by Argentina’s polo culture, Black Sheep Restaurants have launched new à la carte, weekend club brunch (from $598) and weekday lunch (from $488) menus. Each mouth-watering bite from the Buenos Aires Polo Club transports you to South American elite’s opulent dining from a bygone era. Highlighting Argentina’s dynamic cuisine with a custom-built parrilla grill, expect new dishes featuring Boston lobster, oysters, Argentine prawns and premium meats such as prime general pico black Angus and wagyu beef tongue. For brunch, pair your grill-centric feast with infinite servings of the club martini and Sommelier’s wine selection.
7/F, 33 Wyndham St, Central.
Rewriting the rules with a Neapolitan perspective
Rewriting the rules of Italian cuisine is Jia group’s restaurant Estro as they unveil a new seasonal menu. Chef Antimo promises to deliver an audacious perspective on Neapolitan cuisine. So ensure you arrive ready for a feast with three to five courses on offer over lunch priced from $680. The highlights include marinated scallops from Hokkaido with caramelised cauliflower puree, spaghetti cooked in roasted pumpkin consommé and layered fruity persimmon dessert. The six- to eight-course tasting menu (from $1,580) is just as mouth-watering. Try the newly added wild amberjack marinated in Mediterranean herbs, Spanish slow-roasted lamb and brined wild roe deer from the UK. A specially curated wine pairing is also available from $1,180.
L/2, 1 Duddell Street, Central.
A marriage of Italian and Japanese flavours
Not to be missed by adventurous foodies, experience East-West serendipity at Trattoria Kagawa by Mihara. The Italian-Japanese restaurant is celebrating its opening on Ship Street, Wan Chai’s gourmet hotspot. Master chef Terufumi Mihara combines the art of teppanyaki with Italy’s culinary traditions across the new menu. For à la carte, sample seafood teppanyaki, pasta and risotto, meat mains and desserts – with some dishes cooked at the teppanyaki counter. On weekends, the made-to-order brunch buffet captures the fresh flavours of southwestern Japan. Choose from eight delectable mains such as cheesy Bacon Carbonara, famously rich Wagyu or Iberico Pork Chop smoked over Japanese sakura wood. The cosy yet vibrant interiors also feature a lively outdoor area and a cheeky “Cin Cin” cocktail bar cart.
G/F, 18 Ship Street, Wanchai.
5394 3690 | trattoriakagawa@ponghk.com
Secret Sake at Yatchabar
Wagyumafia’s first sake-centric bar debuts in Hong Kong offering a sake experience like no other. Enjoy Yatchabar’s intimate setting as you browse over 30 labels of Japanese sake and perfectly paired izakaya. Limited edition sakes hard to find in Hong Kong are on offer, bringing the local Japanese market to the metropolitan city. The bar’s selection is all about small production and high quality. With the menu arranged into five elements, discover flavours native to Kyoto, an assortment of meats and seafood originating from Osaka, Iburi Gakko cheese, and iconic Japanese grilling and wagyu dishes. Watch as this bar becomes Hong Kong’s best-kept sake secret.
Shop 2B, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai.
Cantonese cuisine arrives in time for your next trip
Set to tantalise travellers looking for Cantonese comfort food, Michelin-starred restaurant Duddell’s has reopened at Hong Kong’s International Airport. Located at the food court, within the airport’s restricted area in the departure hall, the eatery’s breakfast and lunch menus satiate your appetite for one last taste of Hong Kong. Expect dumplings and glutinous rice for breakfast, sweet and sour chicken set menus for two, classic noodles, soup and wok-fried dishes. Plus a selection of dim sum and BBQ pork, chicken and goose to choose from.
L/7, Departure East Hall, Terminal 1, Hong Kong International Airport.
Sustainability heroes take centre stage
If you’re looking to try some sustainable restaurants, find inspiration from the Food Made Good Hong Kong 2022 winners. Sponsored by property developer and green pioneer Henderson Land group, the ceremony at The Mira Hong Kong recognised the F&B and retail sectors for their dedication to sustainability. Selected by local and international industry professionals, this year’s winners were awarded for their overall sustainability rating, innovation, adaptability through the pandemic and of course for creating the tastiest plates of planet-friendly food.
For more details about categories and a full list of 2022 winners go to the Food Made Good website.
A Sequel for BaseHall!
BaseHall 2, the sister venue of the original BaseHall, is set to open in Jardine House in mid-December. Arriving just in time for the festive season, it will bring together some great F&B experiences under one roof – whether you’re looking for a quick bite, a leisurely lunch or a nightcap after a long day. The multi-concept venue will feature an event space, an 18-Seat Chef’s Counter and a hidden Speakeasy Concept (launching early 2023). BaseHall 2 will also host a variety of events, such as parties, live music performances, cooking classes, film screenings and DJ nights. Stay tuned on social media platforms for more updates and news on the upcoming opening.
Gingerbread for Good
Following the success of last year’s campaign, the Gingerbread for Good pop-up returns to Landmark Atrium for Christmas. In partnership with Landmark, Cookie Smiles has invited 23 celebrity chefs to create their own take on a Mrs Claus cookie, in a campaign that aims to inspire collaboration and encourage community engagement in HK. Running until 2 January, the pop-up is looking to raise $600,000 for Cookie Smiles’ two beneficiaries, Box of Hope and Vocational Training Council’s Shine Skills Centre.
Vietnamese Vibes
Leading hospitality group Lai Sun Dining has opened SEP, an Indochine Vietnamese restaurant at H code (High Block) in the heart of Central. The venue seats up to 90 with four private rooms ideal for groups and an open kitchen with a wood fire – the perfect hangout spot to watch the chefs in action. In addition to wood-fired cuisine, expect Vietnamese dishes with a strong French influence and a modern twist. The restaurant will initially open for dinners only with an eight-course Tasting Menu for two priced at $2,400. Featured dishes include Hoian Old Town Poulet, Highlander Smoked Short Ribs, District 4 Midnight BBQ Pork, and French Quarter Chilean Seabass.
Sushi & Seafood
Gaia Group has launched two brand new flagship concepts at the Food Playground in K11 MUSEA. OOMAKI, which serves up artisanal sushi hand rolls, and G BAR, a trendy seafood, dessert and cocktail bar, will offer guests restaurant-level gastronomic experiences at an affordable price. The two venues join Gaia Group’s portfolio of over 20 unique brands across Chinese, Western, Italian, Japanese and Thai cuisines, among others.
Back in Business
Historic celebrity hotspot Yucca de Lac is back after a two decade-long hiatus! Now located at The Peak Galleria, the restaurant is surrounded by greenery and backdropped by HK’s picturesque slopes, with a sundrenched terrace overlooking Victoria Harbour. Yucca’s menu pays homage to age-old Cantonese gastronomy, and imbues international influences in traditional tea-house classics with a discerning selection of wines.
2/F, Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road, Central.
Whatever Takes Your Fancy
Take a trip to Chinatown through a journey of Chinese-inspired and Pan-Asian cocktails at Sam Fancy. Named after a play on the Cantonese pronunciation of San Francisco, the new venue is divided into three distinct spaces: the fourth floor hosts The Merchant, offering an elevated cocktail experience under a traditional Chinese-style roof paired with sleek minimalist décor, while the third floor is home to Association and Lanai Lounge. If you’re hungry, the venue offers American Chinese staples such as General Tso’s Chicken and Crab Rangoon.
3/F & 4/F, The Plaza, 21 D’Aguilar Street, Central.
IG @thesamfancy
New Kid on the Block
Basin, a new upscale eatery from industry veteran Erik Kirakozov and Spanish-born chef Antoni Bernabeu, has officially opened its doors in Central. Drawing on the hospitality, service and atmosphere you can find in the 20 or more countries dotted around the Mediterranean basin, the new spot has a menu highlighted by Chef Bernabeu’s personal favourites – think zucchini flower with goat cheese, walnuts, truffles and acacia honey; smoked sardines with a traditional ajoblanco sauce; and Mediterranean burnt orange pavlova.
3/F, Foco, 46-48 Cochrane Street, Central.
2362 2699 | basin.hk
Bonjour, Hong Kong!
Fancy an affordable Michelin-starred wine? From total vino novices through to self-confessed enophiles, newly-launched French wine bar Terroirs by LQV ensures that there is a glass or bottle to suit every guest. Lunch is launching in September, too, so you’ll be able to feast on classic French plates such as pissaladière, the famous anchovy and onion tart from Nice, and pâté en croûte, made entirely in-house with Noir de Bigorre pork and Maison Samaran foie gras.
3/F, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central.
2550 0345 | IG @terroirsbylqv
Red Carpet Ride
Along with introducing a new à la carte menu specially curated by Chef Dan Segall, Honjo is this month hosting its inaugural Celebrity Brunch, on 24 September. Come dressed as your favourite celebs and enjoy the red carpet treatment before dining on a menu of contemporary Japanese delights. The brunch includes free-flow sushi, sashimi, oysters and more, plus a choice of mains including pork belly skewers, short ribs in a red wine miso sauce and seared salmon teriyaki – and, of course, a showstopping dessert. You also get three hours of free-flow drinks, too, so you can be sure to have your own Hollywood moment at Honjo!
1/F, 77-91 Queen’s Road West, Sheung Wan.
honjo.hk
Black Sheep Turns 10!
Hospitality team Black Sheep Restaurants has been celebrating its decade milestone with a slew of offerings, including an all-star edition of its annual Summer Festival. The line-up of events, which culminates in September, features culinary experiences crafted to celebrate the group’s anniversary, plus former favourite dishes making a reappearance, from iconic New York-Italian dish Carbone’s Baked Clams to the Yakiniku Beef Udon at Fukuro.
blacksheeprestaurants.com | 10anniversary.com.hk
Sustainable Dining
Want to do your part in eating sustainably? Food Made Good has launched One Planet Plate presented by HSBC, which highlights sustainable offerings on restaurant menus across Hong Kong, helping diners enjoy dishes that taste great and are kind to the planet too. The global campaign, which calls on diners to think about dining more sustainably, currently has over 6,600 participating restaurants – including 31 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Like this? See more Hong Kong restaurants and foodie news in our Wine & Dine section!
