With towering skyscrapers the norm here, many restaurants are a reasonable way up in five star hotels with outdoor bars on balconies to soak up the glittering evening city lights. Back down on the ground, there are still plenty of places to fill up. High end shopping malls have food courts to match the designer clothes and street food is still as popular as ever.
Cantonese food is the most popular in Hong Kong. It is fast cooking at very high temperatures with lots of tiny chopped vegetables and of course seafood. The well-known dim sum snack is a steamed dough dumpling looking snack filled with meat or vegetables. Perhaps the best delicacy and one of the most expensive, is shark’s fin soup. Try a specialty dish of roast goose dipped in the rich plum sauce.Hong Kong Island
In the compact and busy area of Hong Kong Island, there are an overwhelming amount of places to eat at, from local foods to world cuisine. Fai Seafood Hotpot serves Hong Kong style food, hot pots and Chinese with signature dishes being steamed crabs and hot and spicy Szechuan Broth. The beef is also highly recommended here. Adventurous and creative food is best found at Amber, a French restaurant in Central with elegant décor to match its two Michelin stars.
• Fai Seafood Hotpot, 313-323 Jaffe Road, Hong Kong. Kowloon
The former industrial neighborhood doubles up as an area of international cuisines, but specializing in Asian foods such as Indian and Cantonese. Eateries are mainly inexpensive and run by welcoming families. Similar to Hong Kong Island in terms of shopping, Kowloon still upholds its own identity and is home to 5 of the 18 Hong Kong districts. Bombay Dreams is an authentic curry house near SoHo serving southern and northern Indian dishes. Cantonese is huge here, the floating restaurant of Jumbo Kingdom, specialises in fish – seeing as it’s a boat- such as shark fin and lobster soup.
• Bombay Dreams, 77 Wyndham Street, Hong Kong. New Territories
Out in the islands of the New Territories where international cuisine is not as wide spread, restaurants tend to stick to what they know, making it a perfect place to eat the local and traditional delicacies often in charming wooden shacks. Tai Wing Wah dishes up real traditional recipes which count for its popularity. Typical dishes are dim sum and steamed shredded taro with pork. Shanghaiese food is best served at Shanghai Min where crispy pork soup buns are their signature dish.
• Tai Wing Wah, 2-6 On Ning Road, 2/F Koon Wong Mansions. Lantau Island
One of the largest islands in Hong Kong, Lantau offers beaches and city life. Kiraku Tei is a great place for a casual bite such as sushi and tempura, even better when washed down with Japanese sake and beer. Hang out at The Stoep which is right on the beach for Mediterranean food, a family friendly atmosphere with mixed grills, ostrich steak and great views.
• Kiraki Tei, G05, D Deck, Discovery Bay, Lantau. Victoria Harbour
Spectacularly lit up at night by the symphony of light show, Victoria Harbour is a great place to dine with amazing views over the natural harbor. The area is known for its upmarket hotels and restaurants that are inside them. The Peninsular Hotel does a fantastic afternoon tea in the Lobby in a colonial style with quaint sandwiches and pretty cakes accompanies by music. A cheaper option, but with still great views, is the Lobby at the nearby Intercontinental Hotel on the promenade, it’s even rumoured to have better tea!
• The Peninsular Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Kowloon.
