New Restaurants, Pop-Ups & Menus: September 2021

Header image: Quality Goods Club Wagyu bavette with bone marrow and shoestring fries

70’s Food Dining by Vintage House

70’s Food Dining by Vintage House is a brand new food hall concept set in a two-storey house in TST. The new dining concept features seven food stalls serving up delicacies ranging from South East Asian, Cantonese and International fare.

46 Granville Road, TST

Awa Awa’s Awamori Day party (8 September, from 6pm)

New Okinawan gastropub Awa Awa is celebrating the Japanese island’s most famous spirit – awamori – on Wednesday the 8th with a bang. Distilled from rice (not brewed like sake), awamori is the oldest distilled alcoholic drink in Japan. For $388, you’ll get free-flow food and drink, including new Ryukyu 1429 cocktails, and merch – a limited-edition Awa Awa T-shirt designed by HK street artist Bao Ho. Only 99 tickets available!

UG/F, 42–44 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, 2178 1838, book online

Bengal Brothers pop-up at Hatch (4–5 September)

If you’re in SoHo on the 4th or 5th of the month, pop by the Hatch event space for this pop-up showcasing a selection of Bengal Brothers’ awesome Indian street snacks, kati rolls and more. On Saturday the 4th, there will be three seatings for dinner ($338/person) from 6pm, and this is when you can expect some fun surprises. On Sunday the 5th, you can get takeaway snacks and rolls from 12pm at Hatch’s pop-up window.

60 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, book dinner online using this link

Between Coffee pop-up + market at The Upper House (3 September–31 October)

The Upper House has done some fab pop-ups in the past featuring local brands (just before this, it was vegan tea shop Mother Pearl), and next up is home-grown speciality coffee shop Between. Stop by for a taste of Between’s signature coffee blends, coffee cocktails and wellness drinks, plus modern Japanese-style café dishes. Open daily, 10am–6pm.

You can also head to the sixth floor of The Upper House on the weekend of 11 and 12 September (11am–6pm) for the hotel’s House Market ($100/person) featuring local brands and made-to-order BBQ items. Four-legged friends (under 10kg) are welcome! Register online, with the entry price redeemable for food credit.

6/F, The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2918 1838

Black Sheep Restaurants’ PLATED autumn series (20 September–30 November)

Available for dinner on Mondays and Tuesdays, the autumn line-up of the highly anticipated PLATED series has just been announced, with Black Sheep Restaurants offering special off-menu, seasonal dishes at a selection of their eateries. This time around, there’s Toscana ($688/person), a Tuscan feast at Associazione Chianti, Aki ($388/person), presenting izakaya-style dishes at Fukuro, and Middle Eastern eats at Maison Libanaise’s Fête d’Automne ($288/person).

For the full menus and to book, click here

Bombay Dreams

Beloved Indian stalwart Bombay Dreams has just moved to a plush new location not far from its original digs, after nearly 20 years at the top of the HK dining scene (it was the first Indian restaurant here to be awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand back in 2009). The new menu is exciting and varied, featuring regional dishes from throughout India, in addition to the northern Indian signatures of Master Chef Irshad Ahmed Qureshi made utilising two new bespoke tandoori ovens. A new whisky cabinet housing rare whiskies from around the world and new cocktails shaken up with Indian herbs and spices are more reasons to keep us coming back to Bombay Dreams for another two decades (and the iconic weekend brunch buffet, of course!).

1/F, Winning Centre, 46–48 Wyndham Street, Central, 2811 9888, book online

Calioo Retromania Food Market (16–20 September)

Calioo, the app that curates small local F&B vendors, takes us on a trip down memory lane with their latest food market, spotlighting nostalgic eats from around 30 small home-grown brands. Open 16–20 September, 12–9pm (opening from 5pm on Thursday the 16th and closing at 7pm on Sunday the 20th). Free entry, but register online.

Shop G01, G/F, K11 Art Mall, 18 Hanoi Road, TST

Carving

This restaurant for meat lovers eschews steak for USDA Prime roast beef. Carving’s “beef in a box” set lunch is a great deal at $98, to include a thick slice of roast beef and two comforting sides. For dinner, choose between a three-course prime rib or Spanish red prawn set menu for $398. A laid-back spot for a hearty, wallet-friendly meal by Chef Mason Leung, who cut his culinary chops at 22 Ships and Rosewood Hong Kong’s Bayfare Social. Open Monday–Saturday for lunch and dinner sessions.

UG/F, Giada Central, 338 Queen’s Road Central, Sheung Wan, 6553 0938, book online

Cassio’s Shake It EP pop-up series (9 September)

The final installation of Cassio’s summer pop-up series featuring global music styles alongside creative cocktails by guest mixologists is set for Thursday, 9 September. UK house music by Johnny Hiller from The Music Room at Potato Head Hong Kong – think British raves from the late 80s and 90s – is the draw with this one, complemented by British-inspired drinks courtesy of Natalie Lau, the first Asian female bartender to work at the legendary American Bar at London’s Savoy Hotel.

2/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, 3792 0129, reservations@cassio.com.hk

Central Market

For the hottest openings at this reborn and revistalised 80-year-old Grade III historic building, click here. Open daily, 10am–10pm.

93 Queen’s Road Central & 80 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, 3618 8668

Chokohood

This lovely little spot in Tai Hang has a short-but-sweet menu dedicated to single-origin chocolate, from drinks to baked goods. What particularly entices is Chokohood’s Chokoparty menu option, their signature “cacao to chocolate” tasting flight that sounds just perfect for afternoon teatime. It includes cacao tea, panna cotta with cacao fruit syrup, dark chocolate choux and salted caramel ice cream in a chocolate waffle cone. Divine! Open daily, 10:30am–6pm (from 10am at the weekend).

90–96 Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang

Clean

We could write a book about all the café openings in Hong Kong – we just can’t keep up, so we tend to only highlight the really special ones. And Clean is definitely special, a sustainable coffee shop that doubles up as a self-service laundromat. Their coffee is made with Rainforest Alliance–certified or Direct Trade beans, and their house blend is locally roasted over in Peng Chau. Also notable is that their house milk is Oatly oat milk, and you’ll need to pay an extra $2 for dairy in your cuppa joe. When it comes to washing, eco-friendly detergent is used and the machines are cashless, so top up your Octopus card, WeChat Pay or Alipay before you do a load. Open daily, 8am–5pm for coffee and 24/7 for laundry.

100 Queen’s Road West, Sheung Wan

The Continental

Popular Pacific Place restaurant The Continental has undergone a big transformation, reopening on Monday, 6 September with an even more sophisticated interior design, enhanced year-round garden terrace and new menu by Executive Chef Graham Long. The cuisine is labelled as modern French, but it has touches from the chef’s home in England as well as Asian accents. Restaurant open daily for lunch and dinner sessions, with brunch served at the weekend. Bar open daily, 12–11pm, opening at 11am on Saturdays and Sundays.

Shop 406, 4/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2704 5211, book online

CURATOR Creative Café at M+

Lifestyle brand CURATOR has recently opened this café at the 852’s latest architectural marvel, M+, the new museum of visual culture scheduled to open by the end of the year at West Kowloon Cultural District. This super-stylish café situated next to the Art Park’s waterfront promenade offers coffee drinks in partnership with M2Mcoffee, Asian bites influenced by M+’s changing exhibitions and classic local snacks. Their Hokkaido milk soft serve is a work of art on its own! The highlight of the whole experience is CURATOR’s latte-printing machine; guests can either choose from a selection of images to top their cup of joe or dream up their own design. Open Monday–Thursday 10am–6pm, Friday 10am–10pm and weekends and public holidays 10am–8pm.

B1/F, M+, West Kowloon Cultural District, 38 Museum Drive, West Kowloon

The Daily Tot’s The Shift No One Will Forget (29 September, 4–6pm)

As part of The Daily Tot’s month-long initiative to support the Women for Women charity, which is now providing emergency support to the women of Afghanistan, the bar will collab with new Middle Eastern watering hole ZZURA for this one-night-only event on Wednesday, 29 September. Bar manager Princebir Singh from ZZURA and Tell Camellia’s Gagan Gurung with join The Daily Tot’s Bikash Gurung to create a special negroni menu to help these women who are the victims of war, with $10 of each negroni sold donated to the charity. A truly worthy cause…

G/F, Shop E, Felicity Building, 58 Hollywood Road, Central, 2366 6836, book online

Davis Bistro & Cafe

An offshoot of Kennedy Town’s 42nd Davis, this casual, cheerful eatery focuses on pleasing hungry bellies with a global menu running the gamut from Filipino tapsilog (deep-fried pork belly) and suckling pig to spaghetti and meatballs and margherita pizza. All-day breakfast is another comforting option at Davis. Open Monday–Saturday, 10am–10pm (from 9am on Saturday).

168 Wellington Street, Central, 2801 7098

Duckee’s Chilli Set for 4 spicy menu (from 1 September)

Chilli challenge! This fiery banquet for four people ($1,880) at Chinese restaurant Duckee presents a selection of 10 dishes (appetisers, soups, dim sum, sizzling clay pots), each with an increasing level of heat, from a mild starter of chilled cucumber and black fungus with vinegar, to Japanese mustard and wasabi duck tongue, to lobster and seafood in hot-and-sour soup, to Sichuan simmered blood tofu and squid, to – the spiciest of all – xiao long bao with hot chilli, all complemented by a dab of Duckee’s homemade chilli sauce. Add on wine and cocktail pairings (+$388) that include a Sichuan-inspired smoky Bloody Mary and a wasabi-infused martini.

Shop B01–B10, B/F, Lee Garden Three, 1 Sunning Road, Causeway Bay, 3105 1252, book online

Estro

We seem to be on a roll with fine-dining Italian (Radical Chic and Giacomo, to name a few), and Estro is the newcomer to this elite culinary pack. Launched in partnership with JIA Group, this is the first independent restaurant for acclaimed chef Antimo Maria Merone, who most recently helmed Michelin-starred 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Macau for five years. This proud Naples native is sticking to his roots at Estro with a seasonal menu of elevated Neapolitan cuisine inspired by his upbringing, Italy’s history and the humble ingredients of his childhood. The six- and eight-course tasting menus showcase progressive dishes such as Tomato Homage, made with rehydrated ripened tomato skins, salted cod and clarified tomato water created using four different Italian tomato varieties. Open from 9 September, for dinner only, Tuesday–Saturday from 6:30pm, with last orders at 8:30pm.

2/F, 1 Duddell Street, Central, reservations@estro.hk, book online (from 7 September)

Fireside

Open-fire cooking is the USP of refined yet rustic Fireside, where Executive Chef Miguel Gallo, an elBulli protégé, will do his thing using an open-fire grill (a Mibrasa parrilla – the first of its kind in Hong Kong) and tailor-made brick oven, fuelled by special varieties of wood and binchotan charcoal, to execute a bare and raw style of cooking where the ingredients shine. Chef Gallo has taken elements from Japanese, Spanish and Latin American cuisines to create one-of-a-kind signature dishes the likes of sizzling confit duck with fire-cooked rice, perfumed with the fragrance of almond wood, and Hokkaido hokkigai (surf clam) basted in aged Mangalica pork fat. Smoked and cured seafood is another highlight, as is the open-display butcher room where select heritage meats are dry-aged, cured and smoked in-house. Open Monday–Saturday for dinner from 6pm.

5/F, The Steps, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 6610 8689 (WhatsApp)

Gaia Group’s 20th-anniversary tasting menus at VELO

Gaia Group has made it 20 years in HK’s fickle dining scene – now, that’s something to celebrate! A pioneer of Italian dining, three of the group’s chefs (from Gaia, Isola and VELO) have created two Journey of Italy tasting menus ($888 for 4 courses or $1,288 for six courses) that showcase the best of seasonal cuisine throughout Italy. The four-course menu is available daily for dinner throughout the month, while the six-course dinner menu can only be booked on 24, 25 and 31 August and 1, 14 and 15 September at VELO; wine pairings for +$600 can also be added. Click here for the full menus.

Shop 103, 1/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 2117 0983⁠, book online

Green Common (Kwun Tong)

Plant-based grocery chain Green Common has opened its 15th branch, this time at Yue Man Square (YM2) in Kwun Tong with the brand’s first-ever plant-based drinks bar. Recommended bevvies include Green Common’s signature vegan lippy tea collection topped with sugar-free, vegan milk foam, homemade sodas in flavours including calamansi and mint and cranberry, orange and grapefruit and HK-style oat milk tea. Instant plant-based meal packs are also exclusive to the Kwun Tong shop; these are Asian-style ready meals made with plant-based meats like OmniPork and Unlimeat. Open daily, 10:30am–8pm.

Shop 178, 1/F, Yue Man Square, 33 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong, 3855 5100
⁠

Green Gingko Tea (Pacific Place)

This Sheung Wan-based tea bar, well known for its hand-brewed tea drinks and products from Japan, Taiwan and China, is debuting a unique item at its new Pacific Place concept store: sparkling cold-brew tea on tap! Green Gingko Tea’s craft fizzy tap tea is sugar free and made from Phoenix Oolong from 100-year-old trees. For the true tea connoisseur, there’s a tea priced at a cool $890 – the extraordinary Light of Uji Matcha Uji Hikari Polaris from a single-origin Uji tea farm, where the leaves are hand-picked and harvested only once every year in the spring. You can book online for a 30-minute tea-tasting experience known as the Teascovery Journey ($120). Open daily, 8:30am–8pm (from 11am at the weekend).

Shop 110, 1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, info@greenginkgotea.com

Holy Bake pop-up at Harbour City (until 30 November)

Launching on the first of this month, this three-month-long-pop is online bakery Holy Bake’s first-ever standalone shop, and we couldn’t be more excited about the easy access to their signature and seasonal scones, with flavours ranging from original and raisin to ginger and Earl Grey. Scones are not so easy to come by in the 852, especially ones this good. Exclusive to the pop-up is the limited-time lava sesame glutinous rice ball flavour – get ready for the spurt! Open daily, 11am–9pm.

Kiosk K, 3/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST

Holy Cannoli’s birthday block party (18 September, 2–6pm)

This exciting pet-friendly event sees cannoli specialist Holy Cannoli teaming up with Shake Shack, Brooklyn Brewery and The Wild Lot to celebrate the birthday of their furry CEO, Cannoli, with cult pet brands, good food and drink (including dog-friendly cannoli!), good music and good vibes. All proceeds will be donated to the charity Paws United, where Cannoli was adopted (awww).

The Wild Lot, 6–10 Shin Hing Street, Sheung Wan

HUE’s Australia Spring Brunch (18 September–24 October, 11am–3pm)

Celebrating the season of spring Down Under, HUE’s Australia Spring Brunch ($450/person; from +$190 for free-flow) includes sharing-style brunch dishes such as beef tartare, gnocchi with asparagus and wild mushrooms, roast hamachi and Te Mana lamb rump. Available on Saturdays and Sundays (plus Friday, 1 October), 18 September–24 October.

1/F, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, TST, 3500 5888, book online

HYC Bar & Lounge’s Fever-Tree & Friends pop-up (until 17 October)

For the next six weeks, cocktail and shisha bar HYC has been transformed into a playful summer garden, decked out with flowery trellises, swing set and beverage trolley to spotlight Fever-Tree’s premium mixers. For this pop-up, Samuel Kwok, 2017 Diageo WORLD CLASS Hong Kong and Macau Bartender of the Year and Global Top 12 Bartender, has created four special gin and tonic cocktails and four classic G&Ts, featuring gins from Hapusa, Procera, Two Moons Distillery and Greater Than. Pop-up open daily until 17 October, 5pm–late.

22/F, Nathan Hill, 38 Hillwood Road, TST, 2572 6388

J.A.M.’s Taste of Vietnam menu (until 30 September)

If you’re a a fan of Vietnamese cuisine but not of the high prices that often accompany the dishes here in Hong Kong (especially when compared to the rock-bottom prices in Vietnam), you’re in luck! Pan-Asian food hall J.A.M. is offering the incredible Taste of Vietnam menu till the end of the month – seven iconic Vietnamese dishes showcasing fresh produce, aromatic herbs and homemade sauces for just $160 a head! The unbeatable menu includes a snack platter (shredded chicken salad, sugar-cane prawns, netted spring rolls, steamed rice noodle rolls), two mains (braised pork belly and egg with rice and mixed rice vermicelli with grilled chicken) and a choice of two unique flavours of crème caramel for dessert (coffee and pandan). Available daily until 30 September, 11am–7:30pm.

Lobby, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2808 1086

The Joy House

The worlds of Japanese tea and cocktails collide at The Joy House, headlined by 13 signature cocktails blending traditional tea-brewing techniques into modern mixology. My Cup of Tea is a two-course cocktail that took owner and head bartender Chanel Cheung almost a decade to perfect; it’s two separate drinks – one hot and one cold. We’re also intrigued by the king crab martini, made with crab roe and vodka infused with Alaskan king crab. Of note, The Joy House grows it own herbs and cocktail ingredients. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 12pm–midnight.

G/F, Shama Soho, 11 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 9781 6881

Kiyoka

We’ve already seen queues at this French-Japanese patisserie located with CIAK. Kiyoka’s exquisite sweets are created by pastry chef Asuka. The autumnal nutty chestnut tart seems to be a firm fave right off the starting block. Open daily from 11:30am.

Shop 327–333, 3/F, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 6117 0930

Kinship’s Pajama Party Brunch (26 September, 12–4pm)

This one’s for the ladies! The first edition of Kinship’s Pajama Party Brunch featuring HK’s most-loved female-founded brands is set for Sunday the 26th. The three-course brunch menu ($468/person; from +$298 for 2-hour free-flow) includes a mix of naughty and nice sharing dishes – from prawn and octopus salad to French toast with mixed berry compote, whipped cream and vanilla custard. But it’s the extras that really make this brunch – an interactive photo booth, goodie bags worth $600 and spin-the-fortune wheel prizes to be won from the ladies at Naked Lab, Stella Moon Intimates, LUÜNA naturals, Anaphe, Calmed & Co and Chika Magazine. Jammies are optional but highly appreciated!

3/F, LL Tower, 2 Shelley Street, SoHo, Central, 2520 0899, book online

Kushiro

An under-the-radar but exciting opening at The Peninsula Hong Kong, Kushiro is a an elegant contemporary Japanese restaurant specialising in omaksae (it has no affiliation with the hotel itself and simply rents the space). The expert kitchen team includes Chef Yukihito Tomiyama, formerly of Macau’s Michelin-starred Shinji by Kanesaka. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

B1/F, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, TST, 6202 6666

Liu’s Chong Qing Hot Pot

Opened more than 20 years ago as a street-side eatery in Chongqing, Liu’s Chong Qing Hot Pot has expanded with fire around the world, and now we’re lucky to have the first branch here in Hong Kong, located at Festival Walk – the astounding 1,265th global location. The signature spicy “mala” soup base that made Liu’s famous is a mainstay, but there are also one-person noodle pot sets that are exclusive to the HK outlet. Open daily, 11:30am–11pm.

Units UG–37 & 38, UG/F, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, 2628 9891

Marks & Spencer’s flagship store (Cityplaza)

British giant Marks & Spencer has relaunched its 31,000-square-foot concept store at Cityplaza with a bunch of new products – including 270 chilled food lines, the Found range of off-the-beaten-track wines from around the world, a dedicated Percy Pig area, an expanded wellness section and a takeaway coffee counter. The HK debut of gourmet French frozen food brand Picard – featuring 100 items, from starters to desserts – is the biggest highlight. Open daily, 10am–9:30pm.

If you visit this branch from 15–22 September, look out for the M&S picnic van stationed outside Cityplaza 4 and order up a picnic feast!

Shop 130, 1/F, Cityplaza, 18 Taikoo Shing Road, Taikoo Shing, 2921 8721

MOTD’s RSRV champagne-pairing menu (16–18 & 23–25 September)

Private event space MOTD is targeting bubbly lovers with its first champagne-pairing menu, dubbed Under the C. Chef Cam Wong has created an eight-course nautical-themed dinner menu ($1,280/person), from the presence of shellfish in a dish to the slight hint of sea salt in the seasoning mix. Dishes the likes of pumpkin smash with fromage frais, pan-fried Mangalica pork collar and slow-cooked octopus in oolong sauce will be matched with three RSRV champagnes (+$388).

1/F, Union Park Tower, 168 Electric Road, Causeway Bay, 2335 5333, book online

Motorino (SoHo)

When it comes to authentic Neapolitan pizza, NYC import Motorino has been at the forefront of the HK pizza pack for almost a decade, opening this shop in SoHo in 2013. The pizzeria has now been a given a complete makeover by Black Sheep Restaurants, and with the refurbishment comes a new experience led by Italian-born chef Luca Marinelli and his team of pizzaiolos. Available from late September, the Motorino Masterclass ($1,200 for 2) provides an in-depth tutorial on the science behind the making of classic Neapolitan pizza. Open daily from 12pm.

14 Shelley Street, SoHo, Central, 2801 6881

Musubi Hiro’s art takeover by The French Girl (until 30 September)

Cool-cat musubi specialist Musubi Hiro has launched its monthly local artist takeovers, debuting in September with HK-based French urban artist The French Girl (Caroline Tronel). Check out The French Girl’s latest wall murals, installations and art pieces while digging into limited-time French-inspired snack and musubi creations of musubi with foie gras and tempura Camembert. Open daily, 11am–midnight.

37 Cochrane Street, Central, 5597 6911, book online

Negroni Week (13–19 September)

This is the ninth year for Negroni Week, a global charitable initiative that celebrates Italy’s iconic Campari-based negroni cocktail. For one week this month, Campari is collaborating with seven of the world’s top bartenders to create unique negroni twists, and these creative negronis will be served throughout the week, with proceeds donated to a number of charities. For Negroni Week events in Hong Kong, including the HK opening party at Duddell’s on Monday, 13 September and The Diplomat’s “Night of a Thousand Negronis” on Sunday the 19th, click here.

Nuts Donut Shop

Online bakery Nuts Donut Shop now has a brick-and-mortar location in SoHo! This is very good but also very dangerous. We love Nuts’ fresh, daily-made yeast and cake doughnuts with a fiery passion; they’re the closest we’ve found in Hong Kong to ‘Merica’s Krispy Kreme. Open daily, 10am–7pm (or until sold out).

UG/F, 21 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 9065 2873

PPALLI PPALLI

Described as a futuristic Korean–Italian restaurant, PPALLI PPALLI is overseen by Chef Marco Livoti, the former sous-chef at a two-starred London eatery. Signature dishes include ssam bouquet (slow-cooked pork belly served with perilla leaves, lettuce and chilli sauce), yukoe toast (beef tartare with pear, mullet roe, horseradish and cucumber) and samsaek perdu, a riff on French toast. Wash down these fusion plates with a great selection of Korean craft beer and makgeolli rice wine in an eccentric sci-fi space. Oh, and ppalli ppalli means “hurry up” in Korean, and the restaurant is also known as “8282”! Mysterious… Open Wednesday–Monday, 11am–10pm on weekdays and 9am–10pm on weekends and public holidays.

230 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, 2982 8219

The Pawn celebrates the end of an era (until 13 September)

The bad news is that The Pawn, as we know it now, will close its doors on Monday, 13 September. But there’s a silver lining – it will reopen later in the year as a new Cantonese restaurant and bar. To honour the end of an era, The Pawn, which opened in 2008 in the historic Woo Cheong Pawn Shop tenement building in Wanchai, is offering some limited-time menus showcasing the eatery’s most popular modern European dishes. The four-course chef’s tasting menu ($720/person; +$280 for wine pairings) includes burrata with cherry tomatoes and rocket, red prawn linguine, local three-yellow chicken infused with Earl Grey and tiramisu. There’s also a customisable set lunch menu (from $258 for 2 courses) and a secret bar menu, with cocktails offered at a special price. On their last opening weekend (9–12 September), the bar will celebrate with 50% off selected drinks when guests order a bar snack.

62 Johnston Road, Wanchai, 2866 3444, book online

The Peninsula Hong Kong’s Ode to the Moon jazz dinner (21 September)

This Italian jazz dinner at The Peninsula Hong Kong sounds like a lovely Mid-Autumn Festival alternative. Hosted along with the Italian Cultural Institute of Hong Kong at The Lobby, a special four-course Italian dinner ($1,688/person) – akami tuna carpaccio with panzanella salad, smoked eggplant ravioli with burrata, US Prime beef tenderloin Milanese and more – is set to be paired with contemporary Italian jazz performed by seasoned HK-based musicians. This special event on Mid-Autumn Eve, Wednesday, 21 September, will commence at 7pm with drinks and appetisers, with the jazz band performing three 30-minute sets from 7:30pm in between courses.

The Lobby, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, TST, 2696 6772,
diningphk@peninsula.hk

The Pontiac x ecoSPIRITS x TiNDLE x Katsumoto Sando Bar sustainable initiative (28–29 August & 4–5 September, 3–6pm)

This Get Clucked! #forgood pairing ($100), available on the weekends of 28–29 August and 8–9 September at The Pontiac, includes a low-waste, rum-based Plantation Pineapple cocktail courtesy of ecoSPIRITS and a plant-based TiNDLE bite by Katsumoto Sando Bar (TiNDLE “KFT” fried karaage or TiNDLE tsukune slider). Each sustainable pairing will save 3L of water by switching from livestock chicken to TiNDLE’s plant-based chicken, eliminate 150g of carbon emissions through The Pontiac’s use of ecoSPIRITS’ low-waste technology and plant one native tree in the bar’s name in the endangered Sumatran rainforest of Indonesia – incredible!

13 Old Bailey Street, SoHo, Central, 2521 3855

Quality Goods Club

From the team behind Shady Acres and Honky Tonks Tavern comes Quality Goods Club, a fun-loving live music restaurant with full dinner service and late-night entertainment. Live jazz, cracking cocktails and comforting, modern European fare (crab bisque, truffle toastie, Wagyu bavette) for those who are vaxxed – and what’s this about an alpaca? Open Wednesday–Sunday, 6pm till very late.

Basement, On Lok House, 39–43 Hollywood Road, Central, theoffice@qualitygoodsclub.com (walk-ins only)

Quinary x Amaro Santoni pop-up (until 30 September)

This immersive pop-up at Quinary sees the beloved cocktail bar – number 25 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021 and newly crowned Legend of the List – decked out like a Florentine garden in order to celebrate Italian herbal liqueur Amaro Santoni’s first appearance in Hong Kong. Two multisensory Amaro Santoni floral-themed cocktails have been created by Antonio Lai to mark the occasion, limited to 10 orders each day. Guests who order any two of these drinks will get the chance to have a free session in the pop-up’s interactive photo booth. Pop-up open daily till 30 September, 3pm–midnight.

56–58 Hollywood Road, Central, 2851 3223

Red Lobster’s $1 steak (6 September–3 October)

We’ll keep this one short and sweet… Get yourself to Red Lobster on a weekday this month and you can add on a seven-ounce sirloin steak for just a buck when ordering a whole live lobster (and don’t forget the all-you-can-eat Cheddar Bay Biscuits!).

G/F, Fashion Walk, 8 Cleveland Street, Causeway Bay, 2261 2996, book online

Smoke & Barrel’s Bourbon Street Brunch (25 September, 12–4pm)

“Hedonistic” and “unrestrained” are good adjectives to describe Smoke & Barrel’s free-flow Bourbon Brunch ($1,300/person), launching on Saturday, 25 September and continuing on the last Saturday of each month going forwards. This boozy, four-hour affair features live DJs and musicians, drag queens, servers in fancy dress, neon lights and shots aplenty for a down-and-dirty Mardi Gras vibe. On the food and drink front, bottomless champers and decadent sharing platters of New Orleans–style cuisine – think fresh oysters and seafood boil – will leave you gasping. From now until the 17th, two brunch tickets will be up for grabs. To stand a chance, send your craziest brunch or party pic along with an equally cheeky caption to Smoke & Barrel’s Instagram page (brownie points will be given to those who also post on their own IG page with the #smokeandbarrelhk hashtag).

1/F & 2/F, Wyndham Mansion, 32 Wyndham Street, Central, 2866 2120, book online

SPECTACULAR South Africa (weekdays 9–26 September, 12–9pm)

This South African experience store explores the wine, food, art and culture of South Africa. Most importantly, around 130 South African wines will be showcased by theme, with guided tours led by wine experts. For more information, click here.

Shop 2, G/F, Fashion Walk, 2–4 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay

Susano-o

Susano-o is yet another hip izakaya dotting the slopes of SoHo, this one featuring traditional Japanese wooden decor and a menu focusing on kushiyaki and homestyle cooked dishes. Let us know if you visit! Open daily, 4–late.

20 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 3689 1031

Test Kitchen’s Otsumami Brunch: Nihonshu Edition (12–13 September, 12–3pm)

Chef Jimmy and Sake Matters sake sommelier Will Jarvis (and our very own Foodie contributor) will be joining forces for two days this month to head up a brunch with sake pairing event ($880/person) at Test Kitchen. The eight fun and flavourful bites on the brunch menu – all served free flow! – include oysters with dill oil and salmon roe, pulled pork sarnies on homemade brioche, kimchi egg roll, mac ‘n’ cheese, pistachio macarons and brown butter madeleines, and they will all be paired with four sakes chosen expertly by Will.

Shop 3, Kwan Yick Building Phase 3, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, WhatsApp 9032 7268 or email vincentmui@testkitchen.com.hk to book

Thai Basil

Thai Basil has been an important fixture of the dining scene at Pacific Place for the past two decades, and the northern Thai stalwart has recently relocated to the first floor of the shopping mall with an updated look. In addition to the stylish new digs, there are new dishes to explore like grilled eggplant salad, tom yum soup with clams, wok-fried pork knuckle with herbs and roasted whole cauliflower in green curry. Open daily, 11:30am–10pm.

Shop 112, 1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2537 4682

Uma Nota’s Bahia Brunch (4 September–31 October, 11:30am–4:30pm)

The two-month-long, weekend-only Bahia Brunch ($350/person; from +$195 for free-flow) at Uma Nota is a celebration of Bahia, the north-eastern coastal region of Brazil that’s home to the majority of the country’s Afro-Brazilian population, who have their own distinct culture and cuisine. Brunch commences with a spread of sharing Bahian street snacks the likes of lula na brasa (grilled squid, green tomato vinaigrette, cassava farofa) and robalo e caja (lightly cured sea bass, cajá fruit dressing), before moving on to a choice of hearty main – cured and grilled beef tenderloin, grilled octopus or moqueca de peixe e lula, a coconut-based seafood stew and the most famous Bahian dish of all. A great opportunity to try a cuisine that is not really represented in Hong Kong.

38 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, 2889 7576, book online

Uncle Ching from Kuching

Uncle Ching is our friendly kinsman from Kuching, the capital of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, Malaysia. Also known as the “king of laksa”, Uncle Ching’s Sarawak laksa is the big draw at this small, kopitiam-style eatery. Sarawak laksa is a mix of coconut-milk-based laksa and asam laska, which uses tamarind paste and is more sour; the late, great Anthony Bourdain once referred to Sarawak laksa as the “breakfast of the gods”. In Uncle Ching’s light, spicy prawn and chicken broth made with a laksa paste containing 20 different spices and a dash of coconut milk, you’ll find rice vermicelli, shredded chicken, prawns, omelette strips and bean sprouts, garnished with coriander leaves, sambal and calamansi. We also can’t wait to try one of our guilty pleasures here – roti canai! We expect loooong queues. Open Monday–Saturday for lunch and dinner sessions.

21 Amoy Street, Wanchai, 2810 7858

Veggie Kingdom

Modern vegetarian Chinese cuisine is the name of the game at Veggie Kingdom, which places a special emphasis on Cantonese dim sum at lunchtime. Instead of using trendy faux meats, Chef Dicky Yip stays true to his old-school philosophy by using traditional ingredients – mushrooms in particular – in sophisticated ways in order to mimic the taste and texture of meat. One example is his plant-based honey-coated BBQ pork, pictured above, made with wheat gluten that’s been smoked with a blend of oolong and pu’er tea leaves. Thinly sliced oyster mushroom is used in the veggie fish fillets in spicy Sichuan soup, while abalone mushroom is shredded and fried in a crispy batter to imitate the seafood delicacy of abalone. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

7/F, VIP Commercial Centre, 120 Canton Road, TST, 2383 0268, info@veggiekingdom.hk

Wa-En Kappo

Specialising in kappo cuisine, which is similar to omakase, fine-dining Japanese eatery Wa-En Kappo is located way up in the brand-spanking-new Connaught Marina development in Sheung Wan, boasting sweeping harbour views, an open kitchen and 19 seats at a marble platform. During this soft-opening period, the eatery is offering a surprise tasting menu, with the chefs unveiling each dish, course by course. This could mean seasonal sashimi, cooked dishes such as a soup of soy milk, local free-range chicken and crispy bean-curd sheets and a selection of tempura – including Hong Kong’s first fish maw tempura. Open daily for lunch and dinner sessions.

29/F, Connaught Marina, 48 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan, 2117 3735, book online

Yau Cafe

An initiative by the Hong Kong Blind Union, this relaxing, zen-inspired social enterprise café employs visually impaired bakers, baristas and even massage therapists – so you can enjoy your orange latte or espresso tonic before (or after) getting a head, shoulder or neck massage at Yau. Until the end of September, the café is offering a great opening promotion of one-hour massage plus drink for just $250! Open Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–7:30pm.

Shop 1, Artisan House, Sai Yuen Lane, Sai Ying Pun, 3611 9693, info@yaucafe.com

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