Packed with places to eat and an abundance of lines trailing such places during lunch hour, you’ve got to know where you’re eating in Central – otherwise you will likely find yourself queuing for quite some time.
To save you the embarrassment and prepare you for dining midday, we’ve prepared a list of the best restaurants for lunch in Central, compiling the top picks of Cantonese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Western bites.
The best restaurants for lunch in Central
1. Pichanas’
Where Latin American flavours are concerned in Hong Kong, Pichanas’ is where the region roars with toothsome Argentinian meats and fare. For those dining in the upper echelons of Central, their lunch set (HKD158) is all about value for money featuring a salad, main, churros, and a drink. The meaty mains consist of a pick between their 200 days grain fed Black Angus Picanha with chimichurri, duck fat chips, and malbec aioli, pan-seared salmon with fingerling potatoes, broccoli, roast garlic, fresh parsley, and chimichurri, or any of their four burgers (+HKD20). Their churros come with a luscious dark chocolate sauce, with all to be washed down with either agua de limon Argentinian lemon soda, té helado iced lemon tea, café frio cold brew, or soft drinks. For diners heading to Pichanas’ Monday to Friday 12PM to 3PM, this is where you need to visit for the real flavours of Argentina.
If you want to enjoy the same great steaks found at Pichanas’, Steak King brings you restaurant-quality food able to be purchased online and deliver straight to your kitchen!
Pichanas’, G/F, 27 – 29 Elgin Street, Central, 5348 0985, book here
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2. Wang Fu
Wang Fu is a homely Beijing-style restaurant specialising in boiled and fried dumplings paired with simple broths and noodles and classic stir-fried dishes. Within the wide selection of dumpling varieties, we recommend ordering the green onion & mutton (HKD78), pork & chive (HKD60), vegetarian (HKD60), and tomato & egg (HKD60), which is served only after 2PM. Be sure to dunk your dumplings in their spicy sauce and vinegar.
Wang Fu, G/F, 168 Wellington Street, Central, 2121 8006
3. Crazy Noodles
Who said you can’t sweat over spicy food during lunch? Crazy Noodles is unseen to many lunch eaters floating around the escalator area, hidden on the first floor of an office building. They specialise in fiery and devilishly tasty Chongqing noodles. The dan dan noodles (HKD87), noodles with beef shank (HKD87), and potato noodles with spicy and sour soup (HKD87) are all perfect bowls for lunch.
Crazy Noodles, 1/F, Kai Tak Commercial Building, 66–72 Stanley Street, Central, 2311 3905
4. Big JJ Seafood Hotpot
Hard to book for a hotpot dinner but easier to get in during lunch hour, you still need to be prepared to wait awhile in Big JJ’s long lunch queue. It’s all worth it (even if you have to dash off quickly, with more people trailing in) to try their salty and spicy rice plates. The tomato minced beef stew (HKD55), fried fish fillet corn cream (HKD65), and lamb rib curry (HKD85) all cure lunchtime hunger pangs.
Big JJ Seafood Hotpot, G/F, Wo On Building, 9 Wo On Lane, Central, 2388 6982, WhatsApp 9725 9926, book here
5. Soho Bánh Mì
Soho Bánh Mì is all about clean and healthy Vietnamese food. Operating a kitchen and a handful of seats at The Center, they craft flavourful bánh mì (HKD78) with lemongrass chicken, signature pork, turmeric and dill fish, and vegetarian avocado fillings. Try their bún salad with spring rolls (HKD98) if you prefer more refreshing flavours.
Soho Bánh Mì, Shop 2D, 1/F, The Center, 99 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 5498 4236
6. TREEHOUSE
The original location of Hong Kong’s vegetarian fast-food chain TREEHOUSE still endures a continual love with the Central community. Amongst their sourdough flatbreads (HKD78/HKD108) and salad bowls (HKD88/HKD138), we typically go for the Orchid, Snowdrop, and Banyan options. The vegan margherita pizza (HKD118), large in size, suits a lunch split with a friend.
TREEHOUSE, Shop 1, G/F, The Steps, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 3791 2277
7. BÊP Vietnamese Kitchen
BÊP aces the Central lunch game with a great selection on their set lunch menu. Except for the long line, BEP is a suitable Vietnamese spot to fill you up within 30 minutes if you’re in a rush. The phở combo (HKD128), bún chà platter (HKD108), cóm bò lúc lắc filet mignon cubes with rice (HKD138), and càri chay roasted aubergine and okra curry (HKD118) score high on our list.
BÊP Vietnamese Kitchen, G/F, 88–90 Wellington Street, Central, 2581 9992
8. Shake Shack
Shake Shack never fails to impress, especially at lunchtime. Their soft, buttery buns pair magically with their seasoned beef patties and crunchy chicken. For the full American experience, order the ShackBurger (HKD60/HKD85) or SmokeShack (HKD71/HKD96), cheese fries (HKD37), and a classic vanilla shake (HKD32/HKD47). Be aware, however, that you might fall asleep at your desk following this mega-meal.
Shake Shack, Shop 4018, 4/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 2522 5611
9. Green Waffle Diner
A Canadian diner experience that won’t break the bank, Green Waffle Diner scores with its loaded North American recipes made familiar on screen. For lunch, their Cajun chicken mini skillet (HKD108), smoked salmon creamy linguine (HKD98), and BBQ ribs with French fries (HKD138) are best to order if you’re looking to fill up. The lunch sets come with daily salad or soup, dessert, and a drink.
Green Waffle Diner, G/F, 43 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2887 9991, book here
10. Maru De Sankaku
Maru De Sankaku remains a top choice for a bowl of soothing ramen in Central, deviating from the porky and chicken-strong broths familiar in Hong Kong and going full strength with madai, or snapper. The madai broth ramen (HKD138) is simmered over eight hours with snapper and other shellfish that finishes with a cappuccino-like foamy topping. The madai clear broth ramen (HKD138) is topped with oyster oil for a great umami punch.
Maru De Sankaku, G/F, 13 Aberdeen Street, Central, 2346 3889
11. Beyrouth Bistro
Standing for as long as any Central drinker or lunch-goer can remember, Beyrouth Bistro excels in crafting supremely tasty kebabs. Top picks for lunch hour include the falafel (HKD90), shish tawouk (HKD95), chicken shawarma (HKD95), and shish kebab (HKD98). Prepare to eat and shoot off as seats are limited and many are eager for their Beyrouth fix.
Beyrouth Bistro, G/F, 39 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, order here
12. Swiss Cafe
Crawl down the dark western Central strand of the famous lanes and you’ll find the bright Swiss Cafe, a decades-old cha chaan teng that delivers the classics. Expect to find Hong Kong-style French toast (HKD29), satay beef and macaroni soup (HKD34), ham and eggs on bread (HKD24), and corned beef and egg sandwich (HKD22) on the menu.
Swiss Cafe, G/F, 12 Li Yuen Street West, Central, 2111 0841/2111 0849
13. Servo
Newly opened Australian-themed all-day-dining spot Servo delights with healthy dishes and affordable prices perfect for the diner who can only take 45 minutes for lunch. With nutrition and flavour in mind, their yellowfin tuna melt toastie (HKD88) is a quality bite with rich fishy flavours, the teriyaki glazed beef & potato salad (HKD128) offers a top savouring of beef, whilst the cuppa soup with toasted focaccia (HKD68) is made for hearty bites.
Servo, G/F, Kowloon Dairy Building, 17-19 On Lan Street, Central
14. Uoya ZEN
A newbie to the Central lunch game, Uoya ZEN is a Japanese fresh fish wholesaler operating in Hong Kong that sells sushi, sashimi, and rice bentos in their stand-up restaurant space. Their set lunch includes options of sushi (HKD128), premium sushi (HKD198), sashimi (HKD108), and minced fatty tuna and scallion bowl (HKD88), with accompanying appetisers and miso soup.
Uoya ZEN, G/F, 108 Wellington Street, Central, 2423 2008
15. Guzzle
Sandwich specialists Guzzle operate a hole-in-a-wall store in Central and wow lunchgoers with gooey, salty, and packed sandos. On the menu, we recommend their savoury scallion, corned beef, and cheesy egg (HKD36), satay beef & egg (HKD37), and the truffle flavoured angus beef and egg (HKD49) sandwiches. They each come with fluffy eggs and juicy beef.
Guzzle, Shop A2, G/F, Khuan Ying Commercial Building, 85-89 Wellington Street, Central, 9065 4597
16. Lookout Noodle
Moving away from the heights of SoHo and into the Central lanes, Lookout Noodle still retains its ever-loyal fanbase eager for their Hong Kong style of chicken ramen. Their main menu only carries five dishes, but many customers go for their brothy and soul-soothing chicken noodle soup (HKD90) with sous-vide chicken breast, or the spicy chicken noodle soup (HKD98).
Lookout Noodle, G/F, 26 Lee Yuen Street West, Central, 6169 9480
17. Five Guys
Now, after launching their HKD99 little hamburger, fries, and drinks set, Five Guys has instantly become affordable for lunch-goers seeking a bit of salt and fat in their diet and bringing joy to their day. We recommend ordering their normal fries, dousing them in vinegar, and asking for barbeque sauce to get a hit of sweet and sour flavours. You can add cheese to your hamburger for just HKD6 more, making this deal an instant winner.
Five Guys, B/F, Manning House, 38-48 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 3618 9122
