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Header images courtesy of Liu’s Chong Qing Hot Pot and Sip & Slide
From Sicilian comfort food and Australian gelato to a Japanese train station dining concept, we travel around the world with the most exciting new restaurants, menus, and culinary pop-ups in Hong Kong this October.
What do you get when you combine an ardent scuba diver with a passion for sustainable dining and an acclaimed chef with almost 30 years of culinary experience? Something that looks little like Percy’s, a new gastronomic destination in Central that’s all about responsibly sourced seafood and laid-back neighbourhood hangout vibes. Named after English poet Percy Shelley—literature-inspired names seem to be all the rage in Hong Kong’s F&B scene these days—Percy’s is the gustatory brainchild of executive chef Braden Reardon (formerly of Black Sheep Restaurants’ Carbone and Buenos Aires Polo Club) and director Aaron Teo, who share a love for good food, environmental awareness, and responsible consumption.
Offering a vivid range of East-meets-West cuisine—which includes charming creations like the lobster bao ($118) with Maine lobster; the scallop egg waffle ($188) drizzled in maitake aioli; and the dry-aged tuna steak ($408)—alongside daring recipes like the swordfish schnitzel ($448), the creative seafood-centric dishes will be paired with a curated list of innovative cocktails, whisky, sake, boutique wines, and beers. Ingredients are supplied by local fisheries and farms whenever possible, with a minimal-waste approach in mind.
Percy’s is now in its soft-opening phase, with an official opening slated for November.
Percy’s, 18–18A Shelley Street, Mid-Levels | (+852) 2898 2699
Four years after its inaugural pop-up at PMQ Taste Kitchen, home-grown chicken wings specialist Wingman is expanding its portfolio of restaurants with a brand-new street food concept: the sliders-focused Sip & Slide. Similar to how Wingman allows its guests to customise their preferred chicken platters, diners have the option to mix and match their own miniature burgers (starting from $98) from over 10 different flavours, featuring wacky creations like the Peking Quack with pulled hoisin duck and quail egg; Triple B with Wagyu, cheese, beetroot jam, bacon, and Parma ham; and the plant-based Fantastic Mr Fungi with pulled BBQ mushroom, pineapple, avocado, spinach, and pickles. Small plates like roasted pepper mozzarella ($78) and rosemary fries ($58) pair perfectly with the moreish mains, while the drinks list spans cocktails, craft brews, reds, whites, rosés, and wine blends.
Sip & Slide, 5/F, Cheung Hing Commercial Building, 37–43 Cochrane Street, Central
Emerging amidst the third-wave coffee shops and hipster boutiques of Sham Shui Po is the intriguing shopfront of Ppalli Ppalli, a brand-new Korean-Italian concept supported by the culinary creations of chef Marco Livoti. Introducing a gastropub affair to the neighbourhood, Ppalli Ppalli (which translates to “Hurry Hurry”) boasts a polished, futuristic metal facade that draws you in, and an affordable fusion menu that gives you reason to stay.
Indulge in the likes of the signature yukhoe toast ($158), a Korean-style beef tartare chopped up with pears, horseradish, cucumber, chilli sauce, and honey; the palate-pleasing Wagyu beef cheek sourdough ($98) with kimchi; and the samsaek perdu ($58), a homemade pain au lait served with seasonal fruits, lemon sauce, and a white chocolate mousse. Bevvies are not an afterthought here, with a selection of Korean craft brews, makgeolli, soju cocktails, as well as mocktails featuring prominently on the drinks programme.
Ppalli Ppalli, 230 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po | (+852) 2982 8219
From the hospitality group behind fast-casual Nepalese dumpling shop Momoz and Italian-American joint Americano comes Sicilian, a comfort-food-focused destination on Hollywood Road. Inspired by the humble and welcoming atmosphere they experienced first-hand while vacationing in Sicily and reinforced by the strong familial bond of their own North Indian heritage, the Khemka brothers found a kinship between the two culinary cultures and sought to introduce a new Italian gastronomic venture where food and family are at the heart of what they do.
Expect a “home away from home” where guests are treated like family at all hours of the day and plied with dishes made with fresh Sicilian produce, an interactive pasta station, a sophisticated beverage menu, and much more. With a kitchen team headed up by executive chef Marco Furlan, Sicilian’s menu is heavily dependent on seasonal ingredients to ensure the highest quality, and items such as sauces, breads, and pasta are always made on the day.
Settle in and take inspiration from the rustic-chic touch of the artistically arranged kitchenware-turned-décor, and delight in dishes like the spinosini al granchio ($148), a Sicilian staple of handmade pasta with crab meat, cherry tomatoes, and pine nuts; the maccheroni alla Norma ($158), an eggless pasta with aubergines, tomatoes, ricotta cheese, and olives; and the cannolo Siciliano ($98), a homemade pastry stuffed with decadent ricotta cheese.
Sicilian, Shama Place, 30 Hollywood Road, Central | (+852) 9627 9486
Bringing Japan’s iconic train station dining culture to Hong Kong, Metro Tonkotsu Base specialises in—you guessed it—serving up comforting tonkotsu ramen in a fast and convenient setting. Catering to the ravenous lunch crowd in the office-friendly neighbourhood of Kowloon Bay, Metro Tonkotsu Base is the sister establishment to the popular Tokyo Tonkotsu Base, which operates out of a number of bustling JR stations in Japan and is co-managed by ramen giant Ippudo. Its Hong Kong opening also marks the restaurant’s first overseas venture. Expect a riff on soul-warming Hakata-style ramen, streamlined interiors akin to modern train station ramen shops, and an innovative self-ordering machine that will take you back to that last trip to Japan!
Metro Tonkotsu Base, Shop G101A, Telford Plaza 1, Kowloon Bay
Summer might be “officially” coming to an end, but Hongkongers know that the sweltering heat will remain for another good few weeks. Helping us ease into what will no doubt be a brief autumn is Messina, a charming gelateria like the ones you might find in the quaint coastal villages or mountain hamlets of Lo Stivale, except that it’s a brand from… Australia? Identity crises aside, Messina is an established institution that has helped modernise the sweet treat and elevate it beyond the usual suspects of vanilla, chocolate, and stracciatella, and its contemporary flavours are available for the first time in Hong Kong courtesy of a collaborative effort with Black Sheep Restaurants.
Made from scratch with premium ingredients, the gelato is always freshly churned and toppings are made in-house. Enter into its retro diner-inspired shop—its first overseas location after 22 stores across Oz—and delight at the 40 different flavours of sorbet and gelato on offer, made with milk from Messina’s own herd of Jersey cows. Aside from its popular classics, such as the Hokey Pokey with chocolate-covered honeycomb, Messina is also scooping up a few Hong Kong exclusives, like the egg tart, Hong Kong milk tea, and Jack of all Fruit. Five weekly rotating specials will also be available, following what’s released in their Australia shops. Mamma mia, è delizioso!
Messina, 37–43 Pottinger Street, Central
On the topic of colder weather on the horizon, wintertime equals comfort foods and bubbling hot pot meals to be shared with friends and family, and the arrival of Liu’s Chong Qing Hot Pot is emblematic of this seasonal tradition. A renowned brand that has made a name for itself for over two decades, Liu’s Chong Qing Hot Pot opens its first Hong Kong location at Festival Walk this month under the management of Gaia Group, enticing foodies with its signature numbing mala soup base and an array of fresh ingredients to dunk into your hot pot. (Personally, our favourite aspect of this new opening is that, while hot pot is acknowledged as a group activity, Liu’s Chong Qing Hot Pot offers one-person noodle pot sets for when the thought of dining with others is just too exhausting to bear.)
Step into a modern space decked out in deep reds, vibrant Chinese opera masks, and sweeping wood structures, inspired by Chongqing’s riverside street Hongyadong and its historical stilt houses. Aside from the signature Liu’s mala spicy soup (starting from $98) made with Chongqing chillies and over a dozen Chinese herbs and spices, diners can also choose from an assortment of other soup bases, such as the fragrant coconut chicken soup (starting from $118), century egg & fresh coriander soup (starting from $78), and the satay soup (starting from $78). Popular dishes to go with your hot pot include the Liu’s trio beef platter ($638) and the signature intestines platter ($158). Cool down with shaved ice desserts and an extensive beverage menu, which features bubble teas, fruit sodas, herbal teas, fruit teas, shaved ice, and much more.
Liu’s Chong Qing Hot Pot, Shop UG-37 & 38, Level UG, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong | (+852) 2628 9891
We already love Don Don Donki for its unbeatable prices, seemingly endless selections, and rage-inducing-but-somehow-endearing jingle, but one thing that keeps us coming back is its hot foods counter, where one can pick up anything from okonomiyaki and karaage to onigiri and gyudon for a quick and easy meal. Now, taking its food offering one step further, the group behind Don Don Donki will launch Sen Sen Sushi in late October.
A kaitenzushi (回転寿司; conveyor belt sushi) restaurant located in the Japanese superstore’s Tsuen Wan outlet, Sen Sen Sushi will serve over 90 kinds of sushi depending on seasonal availability. Quality produce will be sourced from all over the world to go with the carefully selected sushi rice—Nanatsuboshi from Hokkaido—and vinegar blend. Adding in an entertainment factor—the concept of Don Don Donki thrives on gimmick, after all—Sen Sen Sushi will also host fish cutting displays and roasting performances for guests who like their meals with a show.
Sen Sen Sushi, Shop 2001, 2/F, OP Mall, 100 Tai Ho Road, Tsuen Wan
Echoing the beloved communal dining cultures of Southeast Asia, 70s Food Dining by Vintage House is a diverse new food hall that has opened in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. Bringing together half a dozen stalls each featuring a different cuisine, as well as an upscale Italian-Japanese restaurant, the two-storey gastronomic destination covers a breadth of local and international flavours, such as Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai, Cantonese, and Sichuanese.
Whether you are in the mood for Wenchang chicken, pad thai and skewers, a casual bowl of cart noodles, or burgers and onion rings, 70s Food Dining has it all under one roof. Head upstairs to Earth for a sit-down experience and an indulgent degustation menu that highlights traditional Italian cuisine prepared with premium Japanese ingredients. Read more about 70s Food Dining and what to expect from this new food hall here.
70s Food Dining, G/F & 1/F, 46 Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2866 0111
Upscale food ball Basehall is refreshing its food and drinks offerings once again this autumn with the introduction of three new vendors: Mamma’s, Nüte, and Crew. Continuing the comfort food concept made popular by its original Soho location, Mamma’s is centred around all things unpretentious and delicious, with a special focus on Italian-inspired starters and belly-warming pasta dishes. Nüte, on the other hand, goes the light and bright route with their nutrient-dense smoothie bowls, smoothies, tartines, and Japanese grain bowls. Finally, Crew rounds off the trio of newcomers with its speciality coffees brewed with Brazilian, Colombian, and Ethiopian beans, and a range of signature cocktails and alcoholic bevvies for when night falls.
Basehall, LG9 Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central | (+852) 3643 0865
A beloved alfresco dining and drinking favourite has returned—The Continental at Pacific Place is back with a stunning new look and a brand-new menu. Now under the management of The Upper House, the popular all-day dining restaurant has been dressed in new interiors courtesy of Natasha Usher of Nude Design, a contemporary approach that combines a colour palette of rust red and dark browns with cool greys and blues, along with chic banquette seating and white marble and brass accents.
Executive chef Graham Long has curated a seasonal-driven menu that proves suitable for all occasions, from business lunches to happy hour drinks and romantic dinners, all while retaining the sophisticated yet approachable appeal that keeps diners coming back. Delight in meals that ooze elegance without breaking the bank, with set lunches ($298) that feature fresh burrata, herb-crusted sole, and passion fruit cheesecake; an à la carte menu that covers the gamut of raw Japanese hamachi ($198) and truffle-stuffed roast chicken breast ($288) to “pecan pie” crème caramel ($108); and a three-course weekend brunch ($348) that’s sure to please. Don’t forget the drinks—signature cocktails, a robust wine list, and non-alcoholic bevvies are all represented.
The Continental, Unit 406, Level 4, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty | (+852) 2704 5211
Born in Hong Kong, raised in Germany, and educated in the US, Jen is an award-winning creative with a background in illustration, communication design, art direction, and content creation. When she’s not getting lost in a good book, you’ll find her doing crosswords, eating dim sum, covering all sides of a “Hamilton” number, and taking naps.
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