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 bars, it’s all here!
Best spots for a sip
The list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars has been announced for another year and the 2020 instalment sees a shuffle around for Hong Kong, including a few new entries. So, who made the cut? The Old Man has dropped from the best bar in the region to number two, closely followed by agave den Coa, which came in at number three. Sprinkled through the rest of the line-up were Quinary (16), The Wise King (18), 8½ Otte e Mezzo Bambana (28), Caprice Bar (34), the Pontiac (35) and Lobster Bar&Grill (44). Congrats to all!
Listen to Mamma!
Grab the gang and check out this newbie on the Soho foodie scene. Restaurant and bar Mamma Always Said lands on Peel Street this summer with an all-day menu and loads of sharing options. Expect happy hours and comfort food galore – we’ll be ordering a FOMO (Fruit of Mamma’s Orchard) Daiquiri and some homemade XO fried chicken wings. Yum.
Drinks at EATO!
TGIF is fun and all, but why wait until Friday? With Landmark EATO’s ‘Thank God It’s Tuesday’ promo, you don’t have to! EATO is Landmark’s new culinary destination that brings together a whopping 70 F&B outlets under one roof – you’ve got a huge range of options, from lounging in a café over an Italian coffee to three-Michelin-starred fine dining. Plus, from now until 4 August 2020, EATO is offering a HK$69 drink deal on special beverages at a whole host of participating restaurants and bars. Whether you fancy a glass of pinot noir at Classified, or an Italian Samurai cocktail at ZUMA, there’s something for every taste in tipples. facebook.com/Landmark.hk | Instagram @landmarkhk
Love a dram?
If you’re a whisky fan or aficionado, this will be welcome news: whisky brokerage Rare Finds Worldwide has officially partnered with Stockton Hong Kong to bring a new deluxe experience to Scotch whisky drinkers, investors and collectors. The collaboration will include whisky tastings, seminars and meetings about investing, at a time when rare whisky is joining the list of the most sought-after luxury assets, alongside art, cars and fine wines. Since Stockton has more than 150 different whiskies on offer, the partnership makes plenty of sense! Collectors will also be able to use lockers to store bottles for consumption, with benefits and exclusive deals. stockton.com.hk | rarefindsworldwide.com
Food experiences for summer
Black Sheep Restaurants continues its Summer Festival series of culinary experiences through July and August, after a June that saw everything from oyster shucking to a cellar stroll. Keep an eye out for ‘Crab Club at the Beach’, featuring Sri Lankan-style crab dishes at Hotal Colombo (Saturday 4 July), plus ‘Buenos Aires Tango Night’ with dancing, wine and snacks (Saturday 18 July), and also ‘A Hike and a Braai’ (Saturday 25 July), including an iconic HK trail walk and a traditional South African braai. sheeprestaurants.com/events/summer-festival
BaseHall hits it out of the park
Exciting developments in Central! Now open in Jardine House is BaseHall, a multi-concept food hall featuring eight eating spots and two bars. Highlights include: Roti Tori, a Japanese-style rotisserie chicken joint; Pub 1842 from Young Master; tacos by Esdras Ochoa at Westside Taqueria; and contemporary nasi lemak at Return of Lemak. You’ll also find gourmet burgers, Korean delights and authentic Vietnamese dishes; plus, plant-based fans can grab a wrap or salad at Treehouse. Oh, and if you just want to go for a cocktail or two, there’ll be live DJs setting the scene. basehall.hk
Make a beeline for the MO
Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is kicking off a six-month reno of its dining outlets starting August 2020, with a bunch of food events and special menus between now and them. At Pierre, which will close after a 14-year tenure, there’s a dinner menu (5, 7 or 9 courses: $1,688, $1,988, $2,388) available from 8 June until 30 July, plus a “Wine Not?” tasting menu every Saturday lunch (3 or 5 courses paired with wines: $888, $1,288). “The Grand Finale” on 31 July will feature a 9-course menu, a glass of Krug champagne and a book by Chef Pierre himself as a keepsake ($4,988). Special lunch and dinner menus are also available at Man Wah, which will also have a sign-off event on 31 July before reopening after the renovations. Keep reading for details of the new-look F&B facilities too. +852 2825 4000 | mohkg-restaurants@mohg.com.
Aloha! Where to find island vibes
When will we ever be able to travel again?! We’re not sure, but we do know where you can get some holiday vibes right here in Hong Kong. Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Bar delivers Polynesian vibes and all the best holiday-inspired rum cocktails you can think of. Happy hour goes from 4pm to 7pm every day, when drinks are only $50. Plus, they’ve got a cool retro Pacman game happening at the moment. Find them at 52 Wellington Street, Central. honihonibar.com
Southern indulgence
Henry, the American grill on Level Five of Rosewood Hong Kong, is now offering a Southern-inspired Sunday Lunch menu. Chef de Cuisine Nathan Green is at the helm of the new experience and the line up sounds suitably indulgent: fried chicken, brisket hash, classic cheese and bacon burger, and a barbecue sandwich among other morsels. henrygrill.hk
New Nespresso Pods
Good news from Nespresso. The coffee brand has announced three single-origin coffees that have been brought back to life with the restoration of rural communities where coffee is under threat. The new coffees are $67 per sleeve (there are 10 capsules in a sleeve): “Tamuka mu Zimbabwe”, “Esperanza de Colombia” and “Amaha and Uganda” are available now in store, or on the website, nespresso.com/hk.
Baileys afternoon tea
Here’s a throwback we’re onboard with! Hotel ICON has teamed up with Baileys and Häagen-Dazs to create a special afternoon tea. Yum! There’s everything from ice cream to an artisanal serving board filled with exclusive desserts created by Executive Pastry Chef Danny Ho. hotel-icon.com
The W is back with “Ready. Set. Picnic!”
Get ready for a staycation in style at W Hong Kong. WET, the highest swimming pool in Hong Kong, is open and the hotel is ready to dish out lavish W Grab-n-Go baskets. They’re filled with lots of mouth-watering bites for you to munch on while you’re pool-side. It’s all part of the latest staycation promo that includes daily breakfast, a W Grab-n-Go basket for two, cash vouchers at the spa and a whole lot more. W Hong Kong
Chinese and childhood memories
Expat brats with fond memories of old-school Cantonese meals will love gathering old mates and heading to Yung’s Bistro at K11 MUSEA. It’s a modern take on the 77-year-old brand, Yung Kee, and there’s nods to the olden days in both the décor and the menu at this 2020 incarnation. The menu features four different types of dishes: classics with a modern twist, family-style, dishes that are hard to find these days, and recipes that tap into childhood memories. facebook.com/YungsBistro
80’s dim sum? Rad!
Transport back to Hong Kong’s vibrant and iconic 80s era at one-Michelin-starred Duddell’s each Wednesday to Friday night from 6pm. From just $268 you’ll be entitled to an unlimited feast of over 30 varieties of nostalgic dim sum, street snacks and desserts. And it gets better: there’s a new daily happy hour from 3pm till close. Welcome back, Hong Kong! duddells.co
Latest brunch options…
#1 Ying Jee Club free-flow brunch
Head to two Michelin star Cantonese restaurant Ying Jee Club between 11.30am and 3pm every Saturday and Sunday for a weekend brunch with free-flow. Pair your favourite Cantonese dishes with two hours of free-flow Delamotte Brut Champagne, white or red wine (sommelier’s choice) and soft drinks. This free-flow package is $388 per head. yingjeeclub.hk
#2 AQUA
Summer vibes are starting to creep into restaurants and bars already. And this means the Rosé will start to flow. Aqua is offering a new brunch for the long weekend with free-flow Rosé and champagne, oysters, sushi and sashimi platters. Prices start from $688. aqua.com.hk
#3 Écriture
This two-Michelin-starred Hong Kong restaurant has refreshed its weekend lunch menu with a more casual vibe from April. It’s now offering a six-course lunch that stars French seasonal produce. This new lunch is HK$780 with an optional wine pairing for an additional HK$280. ecriture.hk
#4 The Pizza Project
The Pizza Project on Peel Street has launched a new brunch menu. It’s offered on weekends and during public holidays from 12 to 4pm. The menu is priced at HK$158 per person and includes antipasti, Pizza Al Metro and a dessert. For the Pizza Al Metro (pizza served by the metre), guests will be able to choose three toppings from a list including Carbonara, Truffle, Pesto and more. thepizzaproject.hk
Happy hour inspo…
#1 Duck & Waffle
Tucked just around the corner from Sephora in IFC is Duck & Waffle. Every Monday to Friday, from 5 to 7pm, this British favourite is now offering a happy hour. Grab a drink and three delicious bites for only HK$88. duckandwaffle.com.hk
#2 Cornerstone
Head to Shane Osborn’s second Hong Kong restaurant, Cornerstone, for happy hour this month. Cornerstone has been awarded a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020. Now, you can indulge in Cornerstone’s new happy hour offering – a Negroni or Peroni plus a cheese on toast with tomato relish and pickled jalapeño for just HK$68. Available daily from 2.30pm to 6.30pm. facebook.com/cornerstonerestauranthk
#3 Rubia
Bring your thirst to Rubia on Hollywood Road in Central from 3 to 7pm for a two-for-one happy hour on selected drinks. Plus, if you’re having a good time and decide to stay for dinner between 6 and 7pm, you’ll get 50% off selected wine bottles. rubia.hk
#4 Emmer Pizzeria & Cafe
The team that brought us Beef & Liberty have opened Emmer Pizzeria & Café on Level 4 of Pacific Place in Admiralty. Pizza lovers will delight at the rotating steel pizza oven. For a lighter touch, there’s a deli counter with freshly-made salads, paninis and pastries. Best of all, happy hour goesfrom 4 to 7pm with HK$38 draft beers, wines by the glass and house cocktails. emmerpizza.com
Hong Kong restaurant’s Michelin stars
The Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020 has delivered its verdict and Hong Kong’s food scene has a lot to celebrate. For starters, we now have seven three-star establishments! If fine dining isn’t your vibe, or your budget, don’t stress – the Guide also awards street food and more wallet-friendly options. See our wrap-up of which Hong Kong restaurants received an accolade in this dedicated story: Hong Kong’s Michelin Stars.
See more in our Wine & Dine section:
Hong Kong’s best rooftop bars
Best brunch spots in the city
