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Header images courtesy of Óna
Our regularly updated guide to the newest restaurant openings in 2024 will cut through the noise and help you find the best places to eat and drink in Hong Kong this month.
Looking for a next-level burger that’s more than just beef, tomatoes, onions, and cheese? Flat Iron Burger specialises in crafting quality stacks, featuring bold flavour combinations like the Shinjuku Surf ‘n’ Turf with tempura lobster, miso barbecue sauce, shichimi aioli, and shaved cabbage, and the Pigalle ‘n’ Cheese with bacon and truffle jam, raclette cheese, and crispy onions. You can also keep things simple with the Flatiron Deluxe, with house pickles, onions, Old Bay mayo, and American cheese. Flat Iron’s patties are made from three cuts of Australian Wagyu or Black Angus, sourced from the award-winning Macka’s farm in Queensland. Wash it all down with an Earl’s Old Fashioned.
Flat Iron Burger, G/F, 27 & 29 Elgin Street, Soho
What a comeback! Legendary Hong Kong restaurant Jimmy’s Kitchen has reopened in Pedder Building after four years of closure. A fixture of the local dining scene, the newest incarnation of the iconic eatery is led by Epicurean Group and helmed by executive chef Russell Doctrove; his fond memories of dining at Jimmy’s Kitchen with his family in the 1980s and 1990s drive his passion for continuing its century-long legacy.
Interpreting and enhancing the classic dishes through a contemporary lens, Doctrove brings back a host of beloved recipes, including Jimmy’s chicken Madras and chicken supreme “Kiev” as well as the theatrical baked Alaska and signature strawberry omelette. New to the menu are such dishes as the king crab leg and bluefin tuna. Complementing the food is an extensive wine list and creative East-meets-West cocktails.
Jimmy’s Kitchen, M/F, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central
Pho Bay’s vibrant Vietnamese cuisine makes a splashy entrance in Discovery Bay. Naturally, the phở with sliced US beef or a combination of beef toppings is the main character on the menu here, an aromatic and hearty bowl of soup noodles prepared to veteran chef Chaliang Phaenthong’s exacting standards. Guests can also enjoy mouthwatering grilled beef bánh mì, crispy soft-shell crab green curry, and soft-shell crab mango rice paper rolls.
Pho Bay, Shop G08B, DB Plaza, 1 Discovery Bay Road, Discovery Bay
Enjoy the best of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine at Óna, with views of the beach and the ocean as your backdrop. Located in Discovery Bay Plaza, the restaurant is led by Moroccan chef El Mehdi Zenasni, and his passion for the regional flavours of his home are evident through the diverse menu. Dig into everything from beef tagine and slow-cooked lamb to sumac baby squid, harissa-roasted aubergines, baklava, and more.
Óna, Shop G09, DB Plaza, 1 Discovery Bay Road, Discovery Bay
Kai Tak’s expansive Airside mall continues to grow its F&B offerings, and one of the latest restaurants to open is The Cipollini Pizzeria, serving rustic, fuss-free Mediterranean-inspired fare with a global twist. From thick-crust and thin-crust pizzas sold by the slice to a range of fresh pasta dishes and grilled meats, diners can look forward to novel creations like the Wagyu sirloin pizza and chicken tikka pizza, alongside more traditional items like carbonara pasta with bacon and egg, squid ink linguine, or chicken parmigiana. Don’t miss the indulgent iced frappés or the homemade gelato for finishers.
The Cipollini Pizzeria, Shop G012, G/F, Airside, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak
Curry comes in many different shapes and forms, but if your favourite is the sweet and mildly spicy variety that’s popular in Japan, there’s a new eatery in town to bookmark. Caligari is an award-winning curry specialist hailing from Tokyo, and its recently opened Hong Kong location brings the restaurant’s signature dishes to the forefront. Go for the famous Caligari coconut curry or premium spicy curry, which you can customise with tatsuta chicken breast, pork cutlet, minced Wagyu croquette, or prawn katsu. You can also try the Akiba combo for the best of both worlds with a duo curry sauce.
Caligari, Shop F, 2/F, Entertainment Building, 30 Queen’s Road Central, Central
Comfort-evoking French-Italian home cooking is what awaits you at Bambino, a new addition to the Peel Street slope. Matthieu Maury, who’s also behind Frenchies, the popular bakery and casual takeaway spot on Hollywood Road, combines his French roots with warm Italian hospitality to create a lively space for drinking and dining. Canadian chef Andy Mast, formerly of Shady Acres and Honky Tonks Tavern, prepares the homemade dishes, such as spinach fritters and ricotta and pesto gnocchi, while head bartender Lee Morris curates the wine list and cocktails. Bambino will also host weekly DJ sets.
Bambino, 45 Peel Street, Soho, Central
After unveiling a refreshed wellness and spa concept and a slew of renovated rooms, the Island Shangri-La has finally launched its new Chinese restaurant as part of its greater revamp project. Housed in a vibrant, verdant space designed by Lázaro Rosa-Violán, Ming Pavilion is helmed by head chef Jack Lam Yeung and specialises in Hokkien cuisine; expect authentic dishes and signatures such as deep-fried five-spice pork roll and the classic Fujian-style “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.” In-house tea master Tiffany Chan curates the Chinese tea selection to pair with the food, sourcing 14 varieties from Fujian.
Ming Pavilion, Level 8, Island Shangri-La, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Admiralty
Celebrating the best of Black Wagyu beef from the Oda farm in Kagoshima, Wagyu Kappo Oda presents a unique omakase experience centred around the prized meat. In an intimate environment of just 13 counter seats and a private room that seats up to five, guests can indulge in delicacies such as Oda Wagyu sukiyaki with Kodawari eggs, roasted Wagyu beef carpaccio, Oda Wagyu tartare, Oda Wagyu dashi shabu-shabu, and more.
Wagyu Kappo Oda, Shop 2A, 1/F, Manning Building, 48 Queen’s Road Central, Central
Over at Mondrian Hong Kong—the newest hotel opening in town—Dario Cecchini, one of Italy’s most renowned butchers, brings eight generations of meat-preparation knowledge to Carna, the first Asia location of his nose-to-tail steakhouse concept.
Guests can eat their way through a menu showcasing a wide range of cuts in a Joyce Wang-imagined space, designed to echo the opulence of seventeenth-century Italy and amplify the theatrical nature of the dining experience. Expect dishes such as the bistecca alla Fiorentina, deep-fried beef meatballs, beef tartare, and the signature charcoal-grilled steak. Cecchini believes in promoting respect for animals and ethical meat consumption, as well as eliminating waste and pursuing sustainability, so the cocktails at the bar use ingredients from the kitchen for a “no-waste” approach, including the likes of Carna, a fat-washed bourbon tipple made with salted maple syrup and cumin bitters.
Carna by Dario Cecchini, 39/F, Mondrian Hong Kong, 8A Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui
Head to Mira Place in Tsim Sha Tsui for a brand-new dining experience focused on the gastronomic delights of Thailand—but with an unexpected Chinese twist. Led by Saito Chau, formerly of Chinesology, John Anthony, and Dim Sum Library, Mue Mue’s traditional Thai offerings are elevated through Chinese culinary philosophies, resulting in novel menu items such as the tom yum-roasted crispy chicken, Thai curry lobster with rice cake, red curry with Wagyu beef cheeks, and beetroot-infused deep-fried tofu.
Mue Mue also houses Mue Bar; it specialises in playful cocktail creations, such as the basil paloma with basil-infused Mexican agave, Thai lime, and Chinese pomelo, and the pineapple punch, made with Scotch whisky, Caribbean white rum, and coconut meat and water.
Mue Mue, Shop 302, 3/F, Mira Place, 132 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Marcello Scognamiglio and Félix De Arriaga Balanzat have buddied up to open Trattoria Felino, the latest restaurant to debut on Ship Street. Focusing on Neapolitan flavours and Mediterranean hospitality, Felino’s rustic charm is embodied in the down-to-earth décor and homestyle dishes, such as the carbonara egg, the hamachi carpaccio with a smoked artichoke dressing, the Campanian scialatielli pasta, and the classic tiramisu.
Trattoria Felino, Shop 3 & 4, G/F, Pao Yip Building, Ship Street, Wan Chai
S&S Hospitality’s Argentinian steakhouse has found a new home in Lan Kwai Fong, and although the location has changed, the dining experience carries on the promise of showcasing the best of South American culinary traditions. Helmed by corporate chef Duilio Desimoni and head chef Saruulgerel Eggi Enkh-Amgalan, the restaurant’s focus on Argentinian meats extends from Pampas-raised cattle to pork, poultry, and even sausages.
Aside from the signature dry-aged steak selection, seared to perfection at a high temperature, order the salchicha parrillera minced pork sausage, the humita salteña steamed corn, the empanada in four different flavours, and the almendrado, a dessert of vanilla and honey ice cream, almond praline, and orange chocolate sauce.
Tango, 2/F, Grand Progress Building, 15–16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central
Lubuds Group starts the year off strong with Charcoal Bar, a new grill and open-fire concept led by executive chef Bjoern Alexander, formerly of Octavium. Modern, approachable, and convivial, the experience at Charcoal Bar is centred around the theatrical performance of live fire grilling. Guests can enjoy meat and seafood sourced from around the globe, expertly prepared over different kinds of charcoal and wood that infuse the ingredients with flavour.
Using both a Josper grill and a wood-fire grill, Charcoal Bar presents classic steak cuts such as the sirloin and US Choice Brandt beef, marine delights like the charcoal-grilled eel, and specialities such as the lychee wood whole grilled jumbo tiger prawn and Japanese king crab leg. House-made sauces like the coriander chimichurri and five peppercorn au poivre serve as perfect accompaniments to the main courses. Dessert is grilled too; the charred pineapple offers the perfect finishing note of caramelised sweetness.
Charcoal Bar, Shop OT G62, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
Oenophiles in Hong Kong will be glad to hear that the folks behind Brut! have opened a new wine-centric drinking and dining destination that showcases the best of small-batch producers without breaking the bank. Guests can wet their whistles with a three- or five-glass wine flight before continuing with by-the-glass options from the extensive menu, including red, white, orange, rosé, and bubbly wines, among others. Comfort food dishes such as roast acorn squash with burrata and hazelnut brown butter and scallop risotto with sumac beurre blanc ensure that you can wine and dine in equal measure.
Crushed Wine Bar, Shop A, G/F, 6-8 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun
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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