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Header image courtesy of @bistroduvin.hk (via Instagram)
Pining for payday when you can finally hit the town and enjoy some well-deserved drinks? Hong Kong is overflowing with generous venues that welcome the BYOB crowd through their doors with little to no charge. Gather your friends, grab a bottle or three, and hit one of these popular hot spots around town.
Expectedly, there are quite a few French restaurants offering interesting corkage policies in Hong Kong, but you’ll find that plenty of venues serving food from across the globe, or food closer to home, have decided to kick corkage to the curb. Cheers to that!
A noisy canteen may not be the first setting that springs to mind when dreaming of a European dinner, but ABC Kitchen has pulled off this unconventional venue, somehow. Maybe it’s the traditional red-and-white tablecloths. Maybe it’s the infectious hum of friends catching up and pans clanking in the kitchen. Maybe it’s the fact that, before you know it, there are oysters floating around, corks popping, and tender meat dishes arriving for affordable prices. The restaurant, located within the Sheung Wan Cooked Food Centre, has been dubbed a Western dai pai dong. Make sure you call ahead to make a reservation, because if ABC Kitchen was a secret before, it definitely isn’t anymore.
ABC Kitchen, Shop 7, 1/F, Food Market, 38 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan | (+852) 9278 8227
Note: The Sheung Wan Cooked Food Centre and ABC Kitchen are temporarily closed for renovation, and will reopen in August 2024.
For a taste of France without the stereotypical hefty price tag, get down to Bistro du Vin. As a rule of thumb, corkage for one bottle is waived if you buy one from the restaurant, but the corkage fee will only set you back by $200. Make your way through the signature French dishes on the menu, from the classic onion soup to the beef tartare and the côte de boeuf—bon appétit!
Bistro du Vin, 39 Cadogan Street, Kennedy Town | (+852) 2824 3010
Sheung Wan has developed a reputation as Hong Kong’s French quarter for good reason, and Bonheur is happy to play a part in cementing this. The restaurant offers classical French cuisine with international influence, drawing upon flavours from Japan and their European counterparts, among others. Corkage for a wine bottle is $100 only, and $200 for spirits. We recommend tucking into the set menu in a big group, as the restaurant’s atmosphere makes it well-suited to larger parties. Advanced booking is essential to avoid disappointment—and to make sure your bottles are chilled in time!
Bonheur, 6/F, The Pemberton, 22–26 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan | (+852) 2544 6333
Dale Candela, formerly known as Carlos Tapas, boasts an intimate atmosphere, a friendly host, and delicious Spanish food on Lamma Island. Corkage fee is priced at only $180! Bring a bottle of wine, two to three friends, and Dale Candela will fill your table with mouth-watering Spanish dishes such as mushroom and Parmesan tagliatelle, patatas bravas, and Galician-style octopus—yum! When you’ve had your fill of rustic Spanish cuisine, soak up the dusky Lamma atmosphere with a glass of wine in hand, and see where the evening takes you—more often than not, salsa dancing in the street. Although this tapas joint is located further out from the city, it’s an absolute gem and well worth tracking down. Don’t forget to read our island-hopping series if you want to find out what else there is to see and do on Lamma.
Dale Candela, 23 Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island | (+852) 9831 4074
It’s no secret that despite Hong Kong’s reputation as a food haven, the vegan cuisine available is pretty limited. Sow Vegan boasts a creative and versatile menu, surprising the eater at every turn—a refreshing change for vegans who are tired of always eating the same dish from the same place. The menu is also constantly changing, shifting between different themes and a myriad of Western fare, so remember to call in advance to know the kitchen’s menu of the day! The best part? No corkage fee!
Sow Vegan, Room 1102, 11/F, Hung Tat Industrial Building, 43 Hung To Road, Kwun Tong | (+852) 9029 3009
Quelle surprise, it’s another Western restaurant. La Maison is the last one (we promise), but we simply couldn’t forget about this established dining spot which combines dining and live music, and where there is no corkage for white and red wine (for any other beverages, you’ll be asked to add on $50 for corkage). Besides, despite its French name, the restaurant serves both Portuguese and French food, and with its gorgeous Portuguese-themed interior, it feels more Mediterranean than anything. The food is 100 percent authentic, handmade by the Portuguese-Hong Kong family that runs the restaurant. Live music is also performed every Friday and Saturday night, making it the perfect place to unwind and relax after a long week at work.
La Maison, Room B, 1/F, Mountain View Mansion, 2 Swatow Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 2628 3888
After so many Western restaurants, it’s about time for Asian cuisine to shine. Decked out in Japanese-style furniture and decorations, Kitsune transports you from Hong Kong to Japan in the blink of an eye. With a focus on skewers, the restaurant has a varied selection of both Japanese and Hong Kong-inspired food, so there’s sure to be something for all guests to enjoy. With such a cosy atmosphere, Kitsune is perfect for a catch-up session with friends filled with good food, booze, and laughter. As long as you purchase one of Kitsune’s beers, any corkage is free!
Kitsune, Shop West, G/F, Kiu Fung Mansion, 14 Austin Avenue, Jordan | (+852) 5684 6508
Despite its relocation from North Point’s most popular wet food market to Konnect in Wan Chai, Tung Po remains a unique dining experience. Although the building it’s located in looks sleek and professional, once you step into the restaurant, you will be transported back to the familiar setting of a cooked food centre. With loud music playing and dishes so fragrant you can almost taste them in the air, you can sip on whisky or pair your wine with some deep-fried squid for a maximum of $100 corkage per large bottle. If you’re ordering beer from there, ask one of the waiters to show you how to pop the cap Tung Po-style!
Tung Po, 2/F, Konnect, 303 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai | (+852) 2880 5224
If you want to pop open a bottle and enjoy the yum cha experience at the same time, then Sing Kee Seafood is the place to go! At only $100 corkage, and famed for its delectable dim sum, Sing Kee Seafood has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand for eight years in a row, and it’s understandable why. Its crispy fried chicken has the perfect balance of thin skin and succulent meat, while the stir-fry dishes are fragrant and fresh, never oily. Despite its spacious interior, this restaurant is often packed with guests, so make sure to book before you go!
Sing Kee Seafood, 2/F, Lyndhurst Tower, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central | (+852) 29700988
First published on 26 April 2018. Last updated by Punita Chan.
Covering the hottest new eats, the best places to play, offbeat takes on local culture, and so much more, Localiiz is every Hongkonger’s destination for how to live a well-rounded life in our vibrant city. Why the strange spelling? Well, Localiiz is designed to be your “local eyes”—and for that, you need two i’s.
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