From Steamy Dim Sum To Sumptuous Fine Dining: Where To Eat & Drink In Hong Kong Now

In a city of Michelin-starred restaurants and multi-generational street food, tasting your way through Hong Kong’s expansive food scene is a trip, writes Emma Gleason, who spent four days dining at some of the city’s best establishments to tell you where to try in 2025.

When planning a trip to Hong Kong one of the first questions is where and what to eat. With its location in the heart of Asia, history as a trading hub, and the cosmopolitan nature of the city, Hong Kong’s food and drink offering is a treasure trove of cuisines and delicacies.

Longstanding neighbourhood eateries continue “old Hong Kong” traditions like dim sum and dai pai dong, sitting shoulder to shoulder with fine-dining establishments, bistros, bakeries, cafes of every flavour, the snack bars that Chunking Express made famous, and myriad other businesses.

If you can imagine it, you can probably find it in Hong Kong.

Navigating such a dizzying array of eateries benefits from local knowledge: the nuances of dining conventions, advice on what to order and where does it best.

So, with feet on the ground and an appetite to taste the city’s best and brightest, we ate and drank our way around Hong Kong over four days. Here’s what we recommend.

For a cinematic culinary experience: Luk Yu Teahouse

A local institution that’s been in business for 92 years, it doesn’t get more classic than this.

Luk Yu Teahouse has been in the same two-storey Stanley St space for 65 years. Before that it was located on Wing Kut St from 1933, and when the original restaurant was set to be demolished the current shareholders stepped in and relocated the whole establishment in 1976 to where it is now.

Walking through the doors transports you back in time, and the same diners and staff have been under this roof for years.

Two decades is the average tenure for their employees, says manager Mr Ng, who has been there 20 years himself. “It’s culture. It’s tradition, eating dim sum,” he tells us. His favourite is pig liver shu mei, not very common these days.

Waiter Yip Chung Tim loves the beef balls. “They’re the best.”

Its staff are on-site by 6.30am, at 7am doors open to patrons starting their day with hot tea and a bite to eat.

It’s normal to come in alone, particularly in the morning. But Luk Yu is popular with families too, and many young Hong Kongers come with their parents.

For this institution beloved by locals and a destination for tourists, you’ll want to book a couple of days ahead of visiting. About 150 customers pass through in the morning and up to 300 in the afternoon, all for dim sum, while the dinner service of Cantonese-style dishes draws around 70-60 people.

Lawyer Jeffry Wong is there three to four times a week. He works at a firm 10 minutes' walk away and has been coming to Luk Yu for 60 years. “I love the feelings, I love the food,” he tells me. “It’s like coming home to eat.”

Visit Luk Yu Teahouse at G/F-3/F, 24 Stanley St, Central.

For a good flat white or long black: Winston’s Coffee

Popular with locals, with its corner spot and locally roasted beans, this relaxed cafe is a good place to refuel.

A strong coffee is a priority for New Zealanders on their first day in a new city.

Our first destination of the trip delivered: the iced coffee, latte and espresso were great, and the intersection site was a relaxed entrée to the dynamics of the city.

Winston’s Coffee is located in an old neighbourhood, Dai Hain; it’s full of walk-up apartments, longstanding businesses and young creatives, many of whom frequent the business.

Once you’re fully caffeinated, don’t leave without grabbing a bag of their house-blend coffee or some cool merch to take home.

Visit Winston’s Coffee at Shop 4, G/F Rich Court, 213 Queen’s Rd W, Sai Ying Pun. Winstonscoffee.com

For traditional toss noodles: Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle

Try the Hong Kong art form of bamboo noodles at this relaxed eatery, which has been recognised by Michelin’s Bib Gourmand for its quality and price.

This small, simple spot has been dishing up “toss noodles” for 13 years. Their signature dish combines egg noodles, made by hand on a bamboo pole in the traditional style, with dry shrimp roe (which they also sell by the jar) in an array of charmingly named iterations – including the Boss Lady’s Choice which comes with prawn balls, shrimp dumpling and crab roe wontons, and two variants with some exceptional brisket. Al dente noodles, fishy roe and an array of condiments make this a flavourful pit stop if you want a quick, cheap lunch.

Kwan Kee Noodles at G/F, 1E Wing Lung St, Cheung Sha Wan.

For artful Japanese: Udatsu Sushi

A peaceful oasis in a busy metropolis, this acclaimed restaurant delivers precise food and a polished experience.

Located in a historic Tsim Sha Tsui precinct that dates back to the late 1800s, with its hushed elegance and spare modernity Udatsu Sushi channels zen from the moment you walk into the intimate space.

Opened in August 2024, chef Hisashi Udatsu’s new restaurant joins his Michelin-starred original Udatsu Sushi Tokyo, and the Hong Kong outpost has already earned attention from the Michelin Guide and Condé Nast Traveller.

The inventive omakase menu is revised on the first of every month, reflecting seasonal change with its produce and fish, so while they had Spanish mackerel in early November, there may be a different offering by the time you’re reading this story.

Speaking of plates, an array is made from hinoki (Japanese cypress) and the impressive bar top is too. The seasonal herb maki rests on a darling Murano glass dish by Ercole Moretti, while nigiri sits on a hand-painted Hong Kong-style plate.

There’s art on the walls too - seascapes by photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto when we visit – that changes every six months.

Ornate tequila bottles are displayed behind the bar. Agave spirits are a pillar of Udatsu Sushi’s drinks offering, as is Champagne, and sake of course.

With only nine seats, it’s advisable to make reservations a couple of days in advance.

Visit Udatsu Sushi at House 1881, FWD, The Stable, 2A Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui. Udatsu-sushi.com.hk

For street eating: Oi Man Sang

Open-air dai pai dong eateries like Kowloon’s Oi Man Sang are distinctive to Hong Kong. They are found throughout the city but familial licensing restrictions mean there are fewer than 20 left.

Oi Man Sang is one of the famous dai pai dong eateries and serves up street theatre at its finest. The show starts as we saunter down the sidewalk to our destination – woks ablaze and a deft choreography of staff manoeuvring dish after dish across the sidewalk to their many patrons (it’s busy even though it’s only 5.30pm, early by Hong Kong standards).

Manning that flaming station is chef Tang Kwok Keung, who’s been working there for decades.

“I obviously love this job,” he says. “If I didn’t I won’t have worked here for over 20 years.” Cooking on the sidewalk for so long has made him a fixture of the Sham Shui Po’s community. “The neighbourhood is very friendly.”

He and the other cooks dish up specialties like stir-fried beef fillet and potato in black pepper sauce and clams in black bean sauce. Bursting with flavour, they’re among the most popular dishes and with one bite (though we devour them all) it’s easy to understand what keeps people coming back.

Go as early as you can to get a spot - by the time we leave at 7pm a queue of hungry diners has formed down the block. Since this is dai pai dong, the best seats are outside (of course) so you can watch the kitchen, where service unfolds as a carefully timed dance and every player has different steps.

Visit Oi Man Sang at Sham Shui Po Building, 1A-1C Shek Kip Mei St, Sham Shui Po.

For a great G&T: Ping Pong 129

Step through a taxi-red door on a steep side street of Sai Ying Pun and you’ll find a surprisingly cavernous gin bar and a warm welcome.

The space used to house a ping pong club. These days it’s a bar, one steeped in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Patronage is broad - older couples, hip young things, white-collar workers – but the menu is tight.

“We have a really eclectic clientele,” co-owner Juan Martínez Gregorio tells us as he sits at our table in the corner after rustling up our round of gorgeous drinks. They see “a lot of regulars”.

He worked in marketing and events before stepping into hospitality, and this audience savvy translates to Ping Pong 129 throwing art and music nights as well as private events – they’ve even hosted weddings for couples who met at the bar. When we walk in they’re in the midst of a fundraiser for Valencia’s devastating floods.

Juan is from Spain - he moved to Hong Kong in 2008 - which shows in the menu, tapas, and the provenance of many of its gins.

His favourite is the herbaceous Xoriguer Mahon from the Balearic Islands. It’s “a real craft gin” and one of the few in the world with a protected geographic origin.

Another geographic point of pride (for us) on the menu, all the way from New Zealand, is Antipodes water. It’s familiar and refreshing, like the whole establishment.

Visit Ping Pong 129 at 129 Second St L/G Nam Cheong House, Sai Ying Pun. Pingpong129.com

For spice with a side of fabulosity: Grand Majestic Sichuan

Inspired by Hong Kong’s supper clubs of the 1960s, the restaurant’s swanky design and Sichuan cuisine are enough to make you tingle.

With its glossy interior by Sydney-based designer Melissa Collison and suggestion of possibility, Grand Majestic Sichuan is unapologetically glamorous.

There’s even help-yourself Champagne outside the bathrooms – a detail inspired by an old local convention of chatting outside the washroom. “Very old Hong Kong,” says Lancelot Chan, who does communications for Black Sheep Restaurants, the hospitality group that owns the restaurant and a slew of other trendy establishments.

Grand Majestic Sichuan opened in 2022 and the kitchen is helmed by head chef Theign Phan, who joined last year. She developed the current menu in collaboration with Fuchsia Dunlop, an English writer and cook who has championed Sichuan cuisine for three decades. The food skews traditional and the à la carte menu is changed quarterly, aligning with the Sichuan seasons - spring and summer see more cold dishes on offer.

It’s autumn when we visit, and the restaurant’s famous Shui Zhu Yu (Fish Sea of Chillies) is top of our list. An ocean of rich red soup with grouper served in a supersized bowl to share, it’s loaded with Sichuan pepper that, while intense, is so moreish you can’t help but go back for seconds and thirds.

Tempering the heat is a delicate and very lovely potato and lotus root dish. We also devour the zesty tangerine peel beef, dan dan noodles assembled tableside, and an incredible iteration of sweet and sour pork.

Clientele is a mixture of locals and visitors, and its popularity with businesspeople and leisurely lunchers means there are often queues for a table even in the middle of the day.

They come for the vibes, of course, and the food. Signature dishes include flaming mao tai chicken; a tea-smoked duck that comes with steamed buns; and wok-fried whole crab with Sichuan chillies and peppercorns.

The drinks list is extensive and aligned with the Chinese Zodiac.

A sprawling wine selection spans old-world (Loire Valley and Burgundy) and new, with Aotearoa strongly represented thanks to bottles from Greystone, Black Barn, Zephyr, Gillman Vineyard, Mt Difficulty and Pegasus Bay.

Located in the business district of Central, its tables in the outside deck offer views of the soaring, gleaming skyscrapers around you. Very Hong Kong.

Visit Grand Majestic Sichuan at Alexandra House, Shop 301, 3rd Floor, 18 Chater Rd, Central, Hong Kong. Grandmajesticsichuan.com

For artful fusion: Andō

Elevation is everything at this Michelin-starred restaurant that melds Argentinian and Japanese cuisine in the heart of Hong Kong.

Tucked away in an unassuming building, an elevator takes you up to chef Agustin Balbi’s visionary restaurant, where he marries Argentinian food traditions with those of Japan – somewhere he worked for a long time - serving it all up in a sedate, elegant space.

You’ll eat everything from an expansive sashimi medley spanning the five elemental flavours and ingredients like amaebi (sweet shrimp) and Japanese sea bream, to the sumptuously rich “Sin Lola”.

That’s the restaurant’s signature dish, inspired by the traditional Spanish arroz caldoso (brothy rice) that Agustin’s grandmother would make.

Nearly everyone who comes to Andō orders it and we’re no exception. During our springtime visit it’s a marriage of three stocks – chicken, crab and lobster – each cooked for a full day before being combined with Spanish prawn and Hong Kong rice.

Ingredients like this are integral to Andō’s approach – it earned three stars in recent sustainability awards – whether locally sourced produce or imported protein.

The beef is Argentinian Angus (it’s beautiful) and is served with mushrooms from Yunnan. A sparkling cacao-husk drink is brewed locally from coffee beans.

This goes very well with dessert, an innovative creation by patisserie chef Stella that magics together cognac jelly, smoked chocolate mousse, buttermilk icing and Chantilly cream in a textural extravaganza.

Set menus include three-, four- or five-course options across lunch and dinner seatings, and with the acclaimed establishment’s compact footprint – there are up to 10 tables in the main space and a private dining room that seats eight – restaurant manager Umair recommends booking a week in advance.

Visit Andō at 1F Somptueux Central 52, Wellington St, Central. Andohk.com

For an inventive cocktail: The Aubrey

With an ornate, eclectic interior, a drinks list to match and sweeping views of Victoria Harbour, you’ll experience a vision of a modern, international city garnished with history.

This ritzy bar and restaurant can be found on the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, slinging conceptual drinks and specialty spirits that have earned it the number 10 spot on this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards.

Billed as “an eccentric Japanese izakaya experience”, when we visit they’re offering a special menu dedicated to Kagoshima, a prefecture in the south of Japan famous for its Shochu, a distinctive distilled spirit traditionally made from the likes of rice or sweet potato.

The Aubrey is so committed to the liquor that beverage manager Devender Sehgal has been made an official ambassador for Kagoshima Shochu, recently honoured with a visit by the prefecture’s governor.

Devender loves Japanese spirits and it shows in what’s on offer, with the Signature Cocktail Menu - the most popular is the negroni-inspired Nobleman - and Seasonal Cocktails. If a classic cocktail is more your thing, The Aubrey’s staff can also whip up off-menu drinks.

Enjoy them all in the bar’s many booths, nooks and intimate spaces; there’s also the omakase-focused Ukiyo Dining room for private parties.

Make sure to try the bar snacks while you’re there – head chef Arlan Rivera’s sandos are quite something.

With an ornate interior , it’s a sumptuous spot to while away the evening. Things get very lively on Friday nights when the bar hosts The Aubrey After Dark from 10pm until the wee hours, and for those really looking to celebrate there are Festive, Christmas and New Year menus on offer until January 5.

Level 25, Mandarin Oriental, Connaught Rd, Central

For a century of dim sum knowledge: Luk On Kui

This high-energy restaurant serves thousands of people every day.

Another Hong Kong institution, the Luk On Kui brand has been around for more than 100 years, and it’s been in the current Des Voeux Rd West location for over 20.

Stepping out of the elevator on level two, the high-traffic trolley room, deposits you into a sensory (and literal) feast. Steaming carts are shuttled between tables packed with patrons young and old - manager Mr Chow tells us they serve over 1000 people a day.

Tea simmers and voices chatter as Hong Kongers and tourists tuck into the restaurant’s very traditional, very famous dim sum, all of it made in-house (including their excellent chilli oil).

It’s an expansive offering, with more options available the earlier in the day you visit, and you never know what’s going to be in the next cart.

Lift a basket lid and you might find pillowy bae clouds or morsels of shu mei. If you spot sha yung (sugar-coated egg puffs that taste like choux-pastry doughnuts) get some; they proved so revelatory that we ordered three rounds.

For grander fare, there’s some amazing goose, its rich meat and crispy skin tempered by plum sauce, or the succulent crispy pork. Wash it all down with a pot of dark, strong pu’er tea for a real Hong Kong experience.

Communal tables are common here, and we shared ours with Mrs Chang and her husband, who visit every couple of weeks. She loves the pig liver and the taro cake, but the pork buns are her favourite. “That’s how you can tell if a place is good or not.”

40-50 Des Voeux Rd W, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

For a feast: Mott 32

Marking 10 years in business, this high-end Cantonese restaurant has won legions of fans for its flair and finesse.

Friday night at glamorous Mott 32 sees the underground eatery – it’s located in the elegant bowels of the Standard Chartered Bank building - packed to the gills (you should book at least four days ahead to secure a table) and many diners are there for its specialty, Peking duck, roasted over apple wood.

Working our way through the tasting menu, there’s quail egg siu mai to start and some barbecued Iberico pork that’s so good it could be the main event.

There’s crispy abalone, a visually arresting but surprisingly subtle Leopard Coral grouper steamed with ginger, and South Australian lobster wok-fried with mushroom, leek and garlic for a symphony of texture that begs for seconds.

The Kobe beef (A5+ grade) is so tender that our party runs out of superlatives - rare for journalists - and, of course, that famous Peking duck.

Ours is brought to the table to be admired, before being expertly carved by barbecue chef Matt. “You have to be very precise,” he explains, cutting through the crispy skin to the tender meat below. “And do it with your heart, that’s very important.”

It’s served with the familiar accoutrements, but also brown sugar – very old-school apparently – for sprinkling on the skin and balancing out that fat.

Visit Mott 32 in the basement of the Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4a Des Voeux Rd, Central, Hong Kong. Mott32.com

For fun vibes and an award-winning drink: Bar Leone

You could say Bar Leone brings a sense of La Dolce Vita to Hong Kong but it’s far cooler than that old cliché. This is an establishment that has draped its second-place award in this year’s The World’s 50 Best Bars over an arcade game in its bathroom antechamber.

Patrons spill out on the sidewalk, while others queue up to get in - the stylish milieu suggesting its north star of “cocktail popolari” (cocktails for the people) proves true.

They’re there for the drinks – all recipes the bar gives out willingly in the spirit of democracy – including the delectable olive oil sour (a signature drink), three iterations of negroni, and an alcohol-free gin and tonic that’s as good as the real thing.

Food is suitably aperitivo-adjacent and part of Bar Leone’s success. The mortadella focaccia and smoked olives are best sellers, owner and bartender Lorenzo Antinori explains, and the menu’s brevity shows an innate confidence.

He’s cultivated a neighbourhood vibe to the place – embodying it, really, as he weaves through the packed bar, joking with clientele and making first-timers feel welcome faster than you can order an Italian pilsner.

Football shirts are on the wall and worn by Lorenzo, other staff are clad in Leone’s spin on the 7-Eleven logo. The whole place is steeped in pop culture; cinematic with its Venetian blinds and movie posters, with an irresistible soundtrack – think David Bowie and Abba – and the joy is contagious.

While it all feels effortless and authentic, all this fun and relaxed character rests on a foundation of care.

From the thick coasters to the elegant wooden bar, a lot of thought and work was poured into this design and interior, and it shows in the details.

You can take a slice of it home: T-shirts are available, and so are those “world’s best” olives, smoked in-house and ordered by pretty much everyone who visits.

Visit Bar Leone at 11-15 Bridges St, Central. Barleonehk.com

For decadent, Michelin-starred dim sum: Man Wah

Watch the ferries crisscross Victoria Harbour while you ooh and ah over elegant dim sum at Mandarin Oriental’s glamorous, Michelin-starred restaurant.

With arguably one of the prettiest interiors in the city, it’s hard to know where to look: at Man Wah’s dashing blue-lacquered walls inlaid with gilded brass, the luminous tablecloths and handwoven carpets, or the bottle of Perrier-Jouët that’s waiting for us?

Attention is diverted again with each course of our Michelin-starred meal, from the visual feast on the plate – the award-winning steamed egg dish is a surreal tableau of “goldfish” in a pond – to the flavour inside.

Man Wah has held its Michelin star for 11 years. The restaurant was renovated in 2019, transformed from a traditional-style fit-out to a more contemporary, though sumptuous interior designed by Silverfox Studios .It’s a jewel in the offering at Mandarin Oriental, and popular with guests and Hong Kong locals alike - it can seat 92 in the main room and 32 in the private dining area.

“At the weekend we’re more family. Nighttime is quite different,” explains assistant manager and Man Wah sommelier Marco.

Whether family get-togethers or business travellers enjoying a working lunch, most diners order the restaurant’s signature dishes.

The barbecued Iberian pork loin is one. It’s a dish Hong Kongers use to gauge the quality of a restaurant. Man Wah’s is glazed in organic honey from Longyan and, so tender it falls apart in your chopsticks, you’d be smart to order two.

And of course, there’s the Peking duck, which at Man Wah needn’t be ordered in advance. Unless you’re a night owl that is. Diners coming after 8.30pm should order the duck and pork well ahead of time to ensure no regrets – because you really shouldn’t leave the hotel or Hong Kong without trying them.

Visit Man Wah at level 25 of the Mandarin Oriental hotel. Connaught Rd, Central. Mandarinoriental.com

For one last thing before you go: Café Match Box

You can’t leave without trying a cup of yuenyeung. It doesn’t get more “old Hong Kong” than this, a beverage that combines coffee and tea with evaporated milk. A cousin of Hong Kong-style milk tea, it’s a brilliant pick-me-up after a long day exploring the city, and a morning ritual for many locals. It’s available at Café Match Box, a characterful café and eatery tucked away in a side street by Causeway Bay and Fashion Walk that specialises in cha chaan teng (diner-style fast food, a local classic). It’s strong, rich and ideal before heading to the airport for our Cathay Pacific flight home.

Visit Café Match Box at 57 Paterson St, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

DINING DO‘S & DON’TS

Hero Image / Ziying Zhao from Quest Models wears Kate Sylvester jacket and top, Gucci pearl choker. Photographer / Babiche Martens. Fashion Director / Dan Ahwa. Hair and make-up / Krystina Te Kanawa.

The Viva team travelled to Hong Kong courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board. Cathay Pacific flies daily from Auckland to Hong Kong.

Emma Gleason is the Herald’s deputy editor of lifestyle and entertainment (audience), and has worked on Viva for more than four years, contributing stories on culture, fashion and what’s going on in Auckland and abroad – she canvassed the sights and sounds of Singapore last year, from great food and drink spots to fascinating locals.

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