Some of our favorite Restaurants in Home Kong 😋
In Hong Kong, we are spoiled for choices when it comes to food. We get access to a huge variety of food and experience and Hong Kong residents are spoiled for choice when it comes to a night out for dinner and ambience. Our LocalHood Volunteers took some time to share their favourite dining spot, cuisine and ambience which can cater to everyone, be it solo, couple, family or with friends.
To start, Saravanan recommends Antonio’s. From its delectable cuisine to the enchanting live music performances, this Portuguese restaurant offers a truly immersive dining experience. The close seating tables, small tiny glasses used for water, checked table cloth and not forgetting the capacity really makes one feel like they teleported to a small bistro in Portugal. The menu at Antonio’s showcases an impressive array of Portuguese delicacies, allowing you to savour the authentic flavours of the Mediterranean.
What sets Antonio’s apart from other dining establishments is the captivating live music that accompanies your meal, making the evening even more memorable. The service is impeccable and very casual whilst remaining true to its Portuguese style.
In Pic: Antonio’s Piri-Piri chicken In Pic: Antonio’s in Kennedy town
For the meat lovers among us, Renee, our next volunteer recommends La Pampa located at 32B&C Staunton Street, Central. This authentic Argentinian restaurant dishes out food with incredible value. It is valuable to keep an eye out for its Eatigo deals for early or late dinners which get you 50% off everything! Some of the dishes recommended to try for a full Argentinian blowout are the empanadas and chorizo to start, before moving on to a perfectly grilled steak of your choice, and finishing with a dulce de leche pancake! Don’t forget to accompany your dishes with some of the finely curated vinos they have to offer! Especially the Malbec, which mostly originates from Argentina.
In Pic: La Pampa and one of the juicy steaks they have to offer
Winnie, our next Volunteer, loves to eat out with her family, several times a week. As a family, their favourite place for family dinner is Yakiniku Like in Shun Tak. They have set meals for bbq meat with salad and soup for under $200 each and we can grill our own meat. For those who do not know, Yakiniku Like is a popular hitori yakiniku (one-person barbecue) restaurant from Tokyo. This popular eatery opened its 1st venue on Hong Kong Island at Sheung Wan just this year.
Winnie’s personal favourite place for eating alone is this Cha Chan Teng near Man Mo Temple with Chinese name only 興記咖啡室 (Hing Kee Coffee Shop), address: G/F, 182 Hollywood Road (near Man Mo Temple). They do deep fried pork chop marinated in ginger sauce and tasty soya sauce chicken wings. It’s a guilty pleasure of stressful breakfast mornings. They open at 6 am on weekdays and Saturdays. Website: https://s.openrice.com/QrbS0H4y000~dHqxSfvlS
In Pic: Hing Kee Coffee Shop and its delightful french toast
Pooja our fouth volunteer contributing to this article, recommends Salisterra in The Upper House for a date night with her Hubby. Salisterra is a Mediterranean restaurant and has both great food and the ambience that sets the stage for couples for a date night out. This amazing restaurant is located inside The Upper House Hotel which is located in Pacific Place, Admiralty. Salisterra is on the 49th floor and has amazing views of the water, with this spectacular view to take your breath away, you can enjoy some amazing Mediterranean dishes. Pooja and her husband love to eat there for (very) special occasions. At night the vibes are very different than during the weekdays- chilled and relaxed. Their favourites on the menu are stracciattela de buffalo, the tenders of lambs with Couscous and their homemade Gnocchi which is also vegetarian-friendly.
The only drawback of this restaurant is the bill, which can turn out to be pretty pricey. In short, Salisterra is a special treat for special occasions.
In Pic: The ambience and setting of Salisterra and Lamb Tenders with CousCous
The second place Pooja highly recommends for a family setting would be Pizza Express. When she asks her kids “What should we have for dinner?” the answer will be Pizza Express more often than not. Having had their Sai Ying Pun branch closed (the closest branch for her and the family) Pooja now heads on down to the branch in Causeway Bay. The store is on the 12th floor in Times Square. To start with, Pooja and the family always order the ever-loved dough balls, which they serve with salted butter, a basic item but oh-so-tasty! Why do they love Pizza Express you might ask? Well what is there not to love- the salads are good portions, the pasta is always al dente and the pizzas are well-seasoned. Pasta Carbonara and Pizza Calabrese (With salami and fresh mozzarella) is the family’s favourite. For dessert, the kids and the Dad always go for the Dough Balls with Nutella and as for Pooja, she has a slice of Cheesecake. In short, for her family- It’s a great place to have a fun outing with the kids
In Pic: Pasta Carbonara and the entrance to Pizza Express For Ayse our last contributing volunteer, Turkuaz, a popular Turkish eatery, located in Sai Ying Pun’s 3rd street is her fave’. They offer a range of delightful Turkish dishes and since she is Turkish, this is her go-to place when she misses her Turkish dishes. Her favourite main dishes are Lahmacun, Adana Kebab and Sish Kebab. Lahmacun is a Turkish-style pizza with minced beef and dough. With a thin crispy pizza-like crust topped with minced meat, aromatic spices, and a mix of vegetables, it is an absolute go-to for a crunchy savoury dish. The other dish that is a must-try is Sis Kebab, a skewered delight. It is a dish made out of tender and juicy pieces of marinated meat that can be either lamb or chicken, skewered and grilled to perfection. Served with grilled vegetables and fragrant rice, Sis Kebab is a treat for meat lovers!
Another Turkish favourite of Ayse is Saksuka, a Turkish dish that is made of vegetables cooked in olive oil. The particular vegetables used may vary from region to region, but the most commonly used vegetables that are used for this dish is the juicy eggplant, with a choice of thick garlic tomato sauce. This dish can be served either cold or hot.
In Pic: The delights of turkuqz
In conclusion, there are plenty of hidden gems within our concrete jungle of a city. We in HK are lucky to have plenty of interesting cuisines with great ambience and ever-tasty delicacies. Which one is your favourite?