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Header image courtesy of The Legacy House
Originally published by Gabrielle Caselis. Last updated by Celia Lee.
Chinese restaurants abroad typically specialise in Cantonese and Sichuanese fare, but luckily for us, living in Hong Kong’s melting pot means that we have access to all kinds of different Chinese cooking. It could take a lifetime to try everything that Chinese cuisine has to offer, from Northern Chinese and Shanghainese to Chiuchow and traditional Hakka cooking, and even Chinese temple food. Here is our round-up of the best Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong that you have to visit—and we are making sure to cover all sorts of different regional cuisines, too.
From French and international delights to Chinese cuisine, The St Regis Hong Kong houses some of the city’s best dining establishments. Rùn is a one-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant helmed by award-winning chef Hung Chi-kwong, who will transport diners on a journey of modern interpretation of Cantonese flavours. At this establishment, the ingredients are the star, with a masterful understanding of what makes a plate remarkable.
Rùn presents excellent culinary craftsmanship that is best showcased with the signature dish—the Wagyu beef puff. A true piece of art, the interwoven puff exterior crumbles perfectly to reveal delicious beef.
Rùn (潤), 2/F, The St Regis Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Drive, Wan Chai | (+852) 2138 6808
Located in the fabulous Four Seasons, three-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Lung King Heen has made its way to the heart of the city and its people. Headed up by chef Chan Yan-tak, this establishment has been commended for its extensive repertoire, executing seafood and dim sum dishes to perfection.
If you are here to try one thing only, let it be the roasted Peking duck, a delicious main course that is so popular that Lung King Heen only serves limited portions on a daily basis. It is recommended to inform the restaurant six hours in advance if you wish to order this in-demand dish. Aside from this delectable signature, other beloved dishes, like the fish maw casserole and wok-fried prawns, are to die for!
Lung King Heen (龍景軒), Four Seasons, 8 Finance Street, Central | (+852) 3196 8332
Man Wah at the Mandarin Oriental is reputably well-known for its impeccable service and beautiful interior design. And did we mention that it is a one-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant with impeccable views? One of the greatest pleasures of dining at Man Wah is being seated at a window-side table with the harbour on one side and plates of culinary excellence on the other. Man Wah seamlessly balances masterfully crafted dishes with culinary creativity and traditional flavours—order the barbecued Iberian pork loin glazed with longan honey and you’ll know what we mean!
Man Wah (文華廳), 25/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road, Central
Lai Ching Heen, the pride and joy of Regent Hong Kong, is easily one of the finest Cantonese restaurants in the world. Inspired by the beauties of a jade jewellery box, the dining space is designed to create anticipation for a premium gastronomical experience, likened to that of opening a special gift. Discover unmatched Cantonese treasures with chef Lau Yiu-fai, whose bright flavours shine through artful dishes.
Lai Ching Heen’s superior dumplings comprise three luxurious morsels of seafood, packaged in translucent wrapping that appeals to colour-conscious eaters—the contrasting black and yellows of the scallop dumpling, the complimentary warm and cool colours of the crab meat dumpling, and the analogous orange and red of the shrimp dumpling are gifts in and of themselves! The restaurant also invites gourmands to celebrate Cantonese flavours with a modern flair with Chef Lau’s prestige menu, bringing familiar tastes to new heights.
Lai Ching Heen, G/F, Regent Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Located in the heart of Central is Chiu Tang, an authentic Chiuchow restaurant. Step through its doors and allow yourself to be transported to old Hong Kong in a curious mix of East meets West that extends from the interior décor to the dishes, featuring hearty bites of dim sum and iconic wok-fried noodles. We recommend the weekend brunch, which offers an extensive selection of traditional dim sum plates, Chiuchow specialities, rice dishes, and noodles. Portions are generous here, so prepare ahead with an empty stomach!
Chiu Tang (潮廳), 2/F, The Galleria, 9 Queen’s Road Central, Central
Sitting within the ultra-luxurious Rosewood Hong Kong, The Legacy House pays homage to the founding patriarch of the hotel by presenting dishes that reflect the Shunde region of Guangdong. Chinese executive chef Li Chi-wai introduces Cantonese cuisine in a new light by interweaving Shunde flavours and colours. Savour the thoughtfully conceptualised bites from the dim sum set menu with Victoria Harbour serving as a stunning backdrop and revel in novel creations like the steamed pork dumpling with sea cucumber and matsutake mushroom.
The Legacy House (彤福軒), 5/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3891 8732
Celebrity-endorsed private kitchen Sun Fook Kee offers one of Hong Kong’s best Fujian experiences. Not only does the establishment pride itself on being one of few Fujianese restaurants in the city, but its labour-intensive and traditional dishes are particularly noteworthy, too. Seasonal dishes are inspired by the availability of local produce, resulting in creations like stuffed fish maw with minced shrimp.
Sun Fook Kee (新福記酒家), 2/F, Merlin Garden, 160 Electric Road, Fortress Hill
Qi—House of Sichuan is a one-Michelin-starred Sichuan restaurant that generously mixes in the “seven flavours of Sichuan”—spicy, aromatic, sweet, bitter, sour, peppery, and salty—into the acclaimed menu. For those with a low spice tolerance, you probably want to steer clear of this entire style of cooking! Notable dishes from the à la carte menu include the double-cooked pork belly, spicy soft-shell crab, and cumin lamb with roasted chilli—all of which are served with a healthy dose of mala spice.
Venture into the basement of the Standard Chartered Building and be dazzled by Mott 32, an award-winning restaurant that raises the standard when it comes to Chinese dining. Sophistication and elegance are the two words that immediately come to mind to describe an experience at Mott 32, and the signature 42-days applewood-smoked Peking duck and barbecue Ibérico pork with yellow mountain honey are delicious proof.
Led by the highly respected executive chef Lee Man-sing, Mott 32 believes that quality ingredients and expert preparation go a long way to create traditional Cantonese dishes executed with Western cooking techniques.
Mott 32, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4–4A Des Voeux Road Central, Central | (+852) 2885 8688
Hutong highlights two of China’s most iconic cuisines in beautiful harmony: the flavours from Shandong on the northern coast, and Sichuan’s inland region. While both cuisines differ in their cooking techniques and choices of proteins, Hutong focuses on how these two can complement and, somehow, complete each other.
Hutong’s signature Sichuan-style lobster wok-tossed with chilli, black beans, and dried garlic is addictively indulgent, as is the Red Lantern—a crispy soft-shell crab dish with Sichuan fried chilli. On the dinner tasting menu, patrons are treated to a diverse range of regional Chinese cuisines.
Hutong, 18/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3428 8342
The Chairman is a Michelin-starred restaurant that is consistently lauded for its superior Cantonese fare. Despite being a humble farm-to-table establishment, the kitchen team does not shy away from bold flavours, which is particularly evident in their soulful iterations of seafood and char siu dishes. Small suppliers contribute to the fresh ingredients used at The Chairman, and there’s even a small local farm used for curing and fermentation.
The Chairman’s signature steamed fresh flower crab with aged Shaoxing wine and flat rice noodles is not to be missed—the crab is portioned out for easy consumption, so diners can enjoy its flavourful meat with minimal effort, while the aged wine elevates the sweetness and umami elements of the crab meat.
The Chairman (大班樓), 3/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central
Restaurants that serve Zhejiang cooking are hard to come by in Hong Kong. However, this celebrated banquet dining destination places the eastern coastal cuisine on a high pedestal, putting a particular focus on the fares of Taizhou. As one of just a handful of restaurants in China to be honoured with three Michelin stars, you can expect the Hong Kong counterpart of Xin Rong Ji to be equally as impressive.
Our recommendation is the baked pomfret fish—the 50-minute wait for the dish is worth it, as the layers of Zhejiang flavours begin with Chinese cured meat, where natural oils are released to cover the walls of the serving pot, and then the rice, where each grain evenly tossed in the flavour of cured meat. Finally, the masterpiece is topped off with a tender and fatty serving of pomfret fish.
Xin Rong Ji (新榮記), G/F–1/F, China Overseas Building, 138 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai | (+852) 3462 3516
At the time of writing, there is no specialised restaurant in Hong Kong that highlights the wonderful braising and stewing techniques of Anhui cuisine. However, a little fragment of this culinary region can be found at LockCha Teahouse. If you have not already been to LockCha Teahouse for Chinese afternoon tea, be sure to add it to your list, as the exclusively distributed Anhui yellow tea blooms with fragrance and flavour. Wild tea leaves from Anhui province are handled by hand in a complicated process to produce a sweet, polished finish.
LockCha Teahouse (樂茶軒), locations across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
When we think of respected establishments in Hong Kong that carry their age with grace, we tend to turn to The Peninsula and its almost-hundred-year history. It boasts several award-winning restaurants with great wine lists in its portfolio, but the hotel also accommodates gourmands looking to indulge in Chinese cuisine.
Spring Moon is The Peninsula Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, known for serving regional favourites in their purest forms—and the homemade XO sauce is especially worth mentioning. Based on a secret recipe designed for versatile use, diners can taste the stellar condiment in the wok-seared lobster and scallop with XO sauce and the signature fried rice with assorted seafood, roasted goose, and XO chilli sauce in a claypot.
Spring Moon (嘉麟樓), 1/F, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2696 6760
A constant on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, this Cantonese gastronomical wonder owes its success to generational training and sticking to natural flavours, highlighting the freshness of its carefully chosen ingredients. Opened by head chef Chui Wai-kwan, who cut his teeth at his father’s celebrated Fook Lam Moon chain, Seventh Son executes his brand of traditional Cantonese cuisine with aplomb. Not to be missed is Seventh Son’s BBQ suckling pig—masterfully done, with tender and juicy meat, and perfectly crisp and crackling skin.
Seventh Son Restaurant, 3/F, Wharney Hotel, 57–73 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai | (+852) 2892 2888
Coming from humble beginnings, Putien actually started as a coffee shop in Singapore back in 2000. 20 years later, and this modest establishment has expanded greatly, boasting over 70 branches across Asia! Michelin-recognised, Putien maintains the culinary integrity of Fujianese cuisine, all the while accommodating wallet-friendly prices. Depending on where you are in the world, Putien offers various seasonal dishes, but one of its specialities is the Duotou clam, which hails from the coastal mudflats of Duo Tou village in Putian.
Strumming a few tunes on the guitar or trying to connect her Spotify playlist to the sound system is what you’ll find Gabrielle doing in most social situations. She is a homebody and the way to her heart is good food and good company. Apart from music, she spends her time watching and reading up on all there is to know about pop culture.
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