Header photo: chicken karaage at Katsumoto Sando Bar
In light of COVID-19, we encourage diners to take precautions when going out. You can also support your favourite restaurants by getting takeaway and delivery.
Alvy’s & Friends![]()
Popular K-Town pizzeria Alvy’s 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 Degli 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
Black Sheep Restaurants’ Amalfi-themed pop-up![]()
We may not be jetting off to Europe anytime soon, but Black Sheep Restaurants is bringing the sunny Italian coast to us with its Primavera ad Amalfi pop-up at Tai Kwun, running from 2–18 April. We can expect beautifully themed decor to evoke the scenic eateries of the Med along with delicious food and vino at this pop-up, charmingly dubbed Osteria Positano. Just outside the restaurant, there’s a cosy courtyard inspired by Italy’s outdoor markets featuring stalls and carnival games (each diner will receive three tokens to use at the booths). The four-course, family-style menu ($850/person) presents a selection of gorgeous seafood-heavy dishes the likes of homemade pasta with spanner crab and courgette and whole salt-baked sea bream. Open daily, 6–10pm.
G/F, Magistracy, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, 6744 4566, book online
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
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 new 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)
Charbonnel et Walker pop-up (The Murray)![]()
Beloved British chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker can now also be found at five-star hotel The Murray from now until 7 July. For the first time, shoppers can purchase the brand’s loose chocolate truffles for mixing and matching – we’ll start with one English afternoon tea truffle and one dark sea salt caramel truffle, please. Open daily, 10am–8pm.
G/F, The Murray, Hong Kong, 22 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, 3141 8888
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 “brewlab” called GRAIN (the website will be grain.com.hk). They’re partnering 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. GRAIN will also be the only venue in Hong Kong to house a working brewery where food and drink can be consumed on-site. Opening details TBC.
3–5 New Praya, Kennedy Town
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
KitKat Chocolatory pop-up![]()
Find all the deets here! Open daily until 2 May, 11am–9pm.
54 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay
Le Dessert pop-up (Pacific Place)![]()
French pastry shop Le Dessert, well known for its selection of pavlova (including one for Easter) and individual jar desserts, is popping up at Pacific Place from now until 1 May. The brand is debuting a new cake here – The Charlotte, an unsweetened version of the traditional French dessert made with a crunchy base, whipped mousse, sponge cake and fresh pear, all topped with a chocolate nest filled with milk chocolate hazelnut praline Valrhona eggs. Open daily, 10:30am–8:30pm.
Shop 200E, 2/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 5182 7069
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.
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. Stay tuned for opening details!
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)
Zuma x Quinary pop-up![]()
Zuma bar manager Lorenzo Coppola and Quinary founder Antonio Lai are joining forces to host a month of tandem acts across both bars, creating four Japanese circus-inspired cocktails made with Johnnie Walker and Copper Dog whiskies. But there’s another twist! If you order one of these drinks at either Zuma or Quinary, you’ll get a token – bring this token to the other bar and you’ll be gifted with a limited-edition cocktail jigger or shaker along with your drink purchase. Let the games begin!
Quinary: 56–58 Hollywood Road, Central, 2851 3223
Zuma: 6/F, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 3657 6388
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.
RELATED: New Restaurants & Pop-Ups: March 2021
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