Top 8 Hong Kong Restaurants Where You Can Get Your Grub On

Out of 44,000 restaurants, here are the true gems.

It’s true, there are approximately 44,000 restaurants in Hong Kong and that number continues to grow by the year. The best part about eating out in Hong Kong is that you can pretty much find ANY kind of cuisine there is on the planet, and they’re not replicas. They’re the real deal, in taste and in culture. Thanks to its international flair, Hong Kong’s long list of incredible eateries attracts a huge influx of travelers who arrive to this city simply to get their grub on. Here’s where I went, bon app!

Ho Lee Fook

Neighborhood: Central

If you’re looking for authentic Cantonese cuisine, Ho Lee Fook is definitely the place to go. With its cozy interiors and unique décor – including a gigantic fortune cookie that greets you at the entrance – the restaurant offers bold, modern takes on traditional Chinese recipes. The chef, ArChan Chan, is a Hong Kong native who spent her formative years in Melbourne and Singapore, where she developed a deep understanding of gastronomy that now influences her personal culinary creations.

Tim Ho Wan

Multiple locations

This one Michelin-starred restaurant has gained worldwide popularity for offering high-quality Chinese cuisine at affordable prices. Tim Ho Wan, which began as a project at Plaza Singapura in 2013 has since expanded to multiple locations – even in metro stations -drawing hundreds of visitors daily with its winning combination of quality and value.

Queen Sophie 酥妃皇后

Neighborhood: Sheung Wan

You can’t come to Hong Kong and not taste its famous egg tarts. For the best ones, you’ve gotta hit up Queen Sophie. I got the original because I’m not a big fan of fussy desserts. But if you prefer tasting new flavors, Queen Sophie’s egg tarts have creative spins: nuts, cream, fruits…etc.

Madame Fu-Grand Cafe Chinois 

Neighborhood: Tai Kwan

You’ll definitely need to stop by Tai Kwan at some point in Hong Kong. Tai Kwan is a newly renovated cultural art center that was formerly a prison. Now filled with cool bars and restaurants, Tai Kwan also hosts the ultra chic Madame Fu-Grand Cafe Chinois restaurant. The food is traditional Hong Kong/Chinese cuisine, so get Madame Fù’s Iberico Char Siu (aka: BBQ pork), Madame Fù’s Cod with Ginger and Vinegar Glaze, and Black Truffle Chinese Steamed Egg Topped with Spotted Garoupa. Dim sum for lunch here is ideal, and brunch on weekends is perfect!

Kau Kee Food Cafe 九記牛肉湯麵

Neighborhood: Sheung Wan

Okay, so there will be a line. A long one. Tip: either eat during non-meal hours, or get there as soon as it opens at 12:30 p.m. Kau Kee Food Cafe is known for its beef noodle soup. If you know anything about these bad babies, it’s all about the broth. And Kau Kee has mastered the beef noodle arena. The vibe is very casual, very local, you’ll likely be sharing a round table with someone else.

Gradini Ristorante E Bar Italiano

Neighborhood: Central

Opened only in recent years, Gradini Ristorante E Bar Italiano is already a fan favorite recommended by many. Inside the Pottinger Hotel, you’ll find serious Italian business in the kitchen with “grilled Mediterranean octopus with citrus salad on a bed of hand-picked baby spinach leaves,” and “classic tiramisu with layers of savioiardi biscuit flavour with aramotto topped with mascarpone cream and cacao.” The restaurant is modern, the food is old-school, and the meal as a whole is full of charm.

Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula Hotel 半島酒店

Neighborhood: Tsim Sha Tsui

There’s nothing more iconic than having an afternoon tea at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. It’s like having a cocktail at the Hemingway Bar at Paris’ Ritz Hotel, it’s almost a requirement to do afternoon tea at the Peninsula. You’ll need to wait in line, there’s no reservation. It’s an expensive afternoon tea at approximately USD $50/person, but the live orchestra performance and the impeccable service make up for it. In addition, enjoy the history, the ambiance, and the elegance. Nothing bad can ever happen here! It’s a dream.

TA VIE 旅

Neighborhood: Central

TA VIE is Pottinger Hotel’s two Michelin-starred restaurant featuring chef Hideaki Sato. Open for both lunch and dinner, this is one of the world’s 50 best restaurants which embraces Japanese cuisine with local Chinese ingredients. The tasting menu highlights “Deep fried ‘Lung Guang’ chicken wing stuffed with morel rice, Chinese yellow wine sauce, fresh Yunnan morel” and “Kumquats compote with crêpe cream cheese ice cream, osmanthus powder.” The ambiance is fancy, and reservation is highly recommended.