5 best restaurants in Hong Kong

1. Aqua

A sanctuary above the Harbour

Perched above the hustle and bustle of modern-day Hong Kong, Aqua is where you go when you need a breather. Sensual and sophisticated, with a zen-like calm, it’s a perfect place to enjoy not-often-combined Italian and Japanese dishes. You’ll certainly want a window-front table but, for that, you’ll need to book! Oh, and it’s not cheap but, then again, luxury, gourmet food and sublime service seldom are.

28th floor, 1 Peking Road Tsim Sha Tsui

Tel: + 852 3428 8342

2. The Chairman

Old world charm, contemporary cooking

Hidden on a side street in Sheung Wan district, you’ll find a modern Cantonese restaurant masquerading as 1940’s Hong Kong. All the nostalgia’s there: from kitch to original. What makes this place different though is its use of sustainable, seasonal and organic ingredients: from fresh ginger, to local pork. It’s a massive hit amongst local foodies. If you eat one thing, make it the steamed fresh flower crab with Shaoxing wine, chicken oil and flat rice noodles.

G/F, 16-18 Kau U Fong West, Noho Tel: +852 2555 2202

3. Ta Pantry

Home from home cooking

Designed around three private dining rooms, each elegantly furnished with its own theme, Ta Pantry resembles an apartment more than a restaurant, giving patrons a true private, home from home experience. Each room boasts open balconies with spectacular views over Victoria Harbour. And though it feels like home, its menu would only feel that way if you were living with a Michelin star chef! So tuck into incredibly creative French cuisine and wash it down with a peerless wine list.

5th floor, Block C, Sea View Estate, No. 8 Watson Road, North Point, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2521 8121

4. Tim Ho Wan

Michelin Star Dim sum - for a song

Maybe it was change that inspired him, but when the head dim sum chef of one of HK’s top Chinese restaurants (with 3 Michelin Stars to his name) broke out on his own, he surprised everybody by opening a casual, inexpensive local dim sum restaurant. Talk about going back to basics! For the rest of us, it’s pure heaven. 3-Michelin star quality dim sum for a fraction of the price! Don’t expect fancy service, just sit at your table, tick your choices and wait to be amazed!

G/F, Phase 2, Tsui Yuen Mansion 2-20 Kwong Wa Street Mong Kok Tel: + 852 2332 2896

5. Yung Kee

Your goose is cooked

But don't worry, that's not the end of it. It just means you've been served Yung Kee's signature dish, a sumptuous plate of Chinese speciality-roasted goose. It began humbly as a market stall by its legendary founder, but in the following 60 years, cooked its way into a Michelin Star! The restaurant now serves over 400 geese per day, with excellent service to match. That hard work and achievement has made this little goose the place to go!

32-40 Wellington Street Central, Hong Kong Tel: + 852 2522 1624