10 new Hong Kong restaurants to try this February 2020

2020 may have gotten off to a rocky start, but that doesn’t mean Hong Kong’s ever-booming food scene is pressing pause. From delicate dim sum to soul-warming hot pot; authentic Thai street food and French-Indian fusion — here are the best new restaurants in town to visit in February.

Samsen

Chef Adam Cliff and partner Bella Kong have brought their traditional street eats and bold Thai flavours to a brand new location of Samsen in Sheung Wan, opening a spacious new eatery to help mitigate the long queues at the perennially popular outpost in Wan Chai. At the second branch, nearly half of the menu is exclusive to the location, with highlights ranging from fragrant smashed prawn & betel leaf curry, to Wagyu beef with chilli, garlic and holy basil, and sensational homemade buttery roti to dip and swish in the aromatic curries and sauces. With no boat noodles served at this location, the star of the show is instead curried beef khao soi, featuring fresh egg noodles from Chiang Mai and premium Australian beef. An open kitchen and extended bar programme help bolster the feel-good vibes of the street eats-inspired eatery designed by Charlie & Rose. Check out our full review here.

Samsen, 23 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, +852 2234 0080

Mr. Ming’s Chinese Dining

Another trendy eatery has popped up in the booming culinary destination of K11 Musea, which is quickly becoming Kowloon’s hottest new gastro-hub. From the team behind Foxglove, Dr. Fern’s and Mrs. Pound, Mr Ming’s is a convivial all-day eatery for dim sum and authentic Cantonese dishes, with the menu proudly boasting no artificial ingredients or preservatives. Executive Head Chef Tony Hung (an alum of Jumbo in Aberdeen) sources quality ingredients in his renditions of classic recipes from Mr Ming’s BBQ Pork with premium Iberico pork, to Roasted Peking Duck and Mandarin Fish in Szechuan Hot Chilli Oil. Dim sum fans will want to pop in for the extensive menu of hand-crafted dim sum treats — think Milk & Pumpkin Buns and BBQ Pork Belly Buns with Pickled Mustard — while vegetarians can find comfort in health-centric offerings including Crispy Tofu Pocket with OmniPork.

Mr. Ming’s Chinese Dining, 113A, 1/F, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 2119 2949

Pondi

Having established himself as one of the city’s leading modern Indian chefs, Taran Chadha — the founder and culinary talent behind the acclaimed BlackSalt — adds to his Sai Ying Pun portfolio this February with a new intimate French-Indian restaurant opened in collaboration with Camille Glass and George Kwok, the duo behind funky wine bar Brut!. Named for Pondicherry, an oceanside town in southern India and former French colony — symbolising Taran and Camille’s dual French-Indian heritage — the casual new eatery showcases a marrying of flavours and unique wine pairings, in particular highlighting the oft-overlooked sherry.

A creative menu shows off the distinctiveness of sherry pairings with French-Indian dishes such as walnuts on the half shell with smoked red capsicum, yoghurt croquettes with candied beets and pickled shallots, butter chicken liver terrine, and air-dried lamb loin with garden peas and black cumin reduction. Seasonal menus combine classic French methods with an Indian twist, while the convival two-storey space with open terrace transports diners straight to the seaside.

Pondi, 14號 Fuk Sau Lane, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Ming Court

Celebrated Cantonese restaurant, Ming Court opens a new location in the heart of Hong Kong this month, bringing Culinary Director Tsang Chiu King and Executive Chef Chan Hon Cheong’s award-winning eats to Wan Chai. The fine dining gem of Cordis, Hong Kong in Mong Kok, Ming Court has been a long-standing member of the upper echelon of Cantonese dining in the city, awarded with multiple Michelin stars for both its Hong Kong and Shanghai locations.

At the new outpost, diners can expect a number of new gastronomic creations that toe the line between progressive modern cooking and traditional Cantonese craftsmanship, the refined dining experience supplemented by gilded Oriental-style decor and a premium sake and wine list along with tea pairings. Ming Court in Wan Chai will also feature a more interactive dining experience, with options to dine at the bar for a casual lunch, or savour pre-dinner drinks and tapas. For the full experience, you’ll want to book in for the multi-sensory Chef’s Table, which seats 8-10 guests nightly in a private dining room overlooking the kitchen.

Ming Court, 2/F, Great Eagle Center, 23 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2878 1212

New Spicy Way Fish Pot

With the weather still nippy, Hong Kong foodies seeking a warming, comforting hot pot meal can scoot over to New Spicy Way Fish pot, a new restaurant jumping onboard the modern hot pot craze. Presenting ‘a new way of enjoying fish’, this seafood-centric hot pot restaurant boasts a century-old secret soup base boiled from high-quality fishes such as monkfish and giant grouper. Sip a few bowls of the restorative broth, then order ingredients from Chiu Chow-style fish balls, to fish rolls and deep-fried fish skins for dipping and dunking. Other must-orders include Pork Toro, cauliflower fungus and fresh Chinese yam noodles, while those seeking a meatier broth can opt instead for oxtail and tomato broth instead. The restaurant accommodates 150 diners over two storeys, with the ground floor serving contemporary Chinese-inspired cocktails.

New Spicy Way Fish Pot, G & 1/F, Ashley Mansion, 14 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 3164  1390

SushiZushi

The latest sushi bar to pop up in Mong Kok is SushiZushi, opened by Lubuds hospitality group, the purveyor of several Japanese sushi chains across the city. Their latest brand sits on the 4th floor of Langham Place, and is notable for being the first Japanese concept to combine premium-quality sushi and sashimi with a unique dine-in express delivery system. Named “Express Guppy”, customers can simply scan the dish QR code at their seat with their phone to directly order to the table.

Pounding in the theme, the food arrives on a colourful guppy-shaped delivery tray, while from the ceiling hangs guppy fish installations, complete with a colourful mural of the guppy fish on one wall. As for the menu, specials capitalise on current Insta-food trends with photogenic treats such as Sushi in Three Cups, each loaded with a bounty of fresh ingredients; and the Signature Sushi, an amalgam of grilled scallop, minced fatty tuna salmon roe, uni and sweet shrimp.

SushiZushi, Shop 6, Level 4, Langham Place, Mong Kok, Hong Kong, +852 2307 9822

Campsite

Themed concept restaurants continue to proliferate across the city, the latest being Campsite, from the restaurant group behind Brick Lane, OM Tapas and Takagi Yakitori. Capitalising on the popular glamping trend, the eatery at K11 Atelier Quarry Bay is inspired by the great outdoors, with a robust selection of campfire-worthy dishes. CEO of Minden Concepts conceptualised the restaurant after his first glamping experience on Mount Fuji, with the idea to create an oasis for Hongkongers to escape their frantic lifestyles. 

With an eco-chic design peppered with elements drawn from the wilderness — think lots of natural wood and greenery — the dining room allows for patrons to spill out onto the streets, while signature dishes embrace notions of seasonality, sustainability and provenance. Don’t miss the Flame Burnt Dungeness Crabmeat, Wagyu Steak with Wagyu bone marrow, Dutch Oven Wild Rice, Campfire Sweet Corn Soup, and Campfire S’mores.

Campsite, Shop 5, G/F, K11 Atelier King’s Road, 728 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, +852 3705 8248

Lobster Shack

From the creators of Flying Pig Bistro comes Hong Kong’s new home for crustaceans: the Lobster Shack, on unfussy eatery on Second Street in Sai Ying Pun. Large, succulent  Canadian lobsters star on the menu here, available in variations such as lobster linguine, grilled lobster tail, lobster sliders, rolls and mac ‘n’ cheese. Other oceanic highlights include seafood chowder, scallops ceviche, grilled halibut, salmon fillet and fish ‘n’ chips. The cosy decor is complemented by a large, colourful fish tank and handcrafted wall designs inviting guests to relax and linger.

Lobster Shack, 6-8 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, +852 2381 8138

Amare Bistro & Wine

Residents of Tseung Kwan O have a new dining destination to look forward to in the form of homestyle Italian spot Amare Bistro & Wine. Opened by Steven Chan, head of Lorence Group, one of the city’s premium importers of Italian truffles — diners can expect the tasty tubers to pop up seasonally on the menu, with signature black truffle dishes available all year round. The cosy Italian bistro prides itself on serving only the finest quality ingredients, paired with an extensive selection of premium Italian wines (Lorence Group is also a leading distributor of the region’s vintages).

Classic recipes showcase traditional Italian gastronomy while zeroing in on the Romagna region of Italy’s northern Adriatic coast. Here you’ll find comforting versions of black truffle carbonara spaghetti sprinkled with Pecorino, black truffle mushroom risotto made creamy with mascarpone, ragout bolognese tgaliatelle and seafood squid ink tonnarelli. The menu rounds out with a range of hand-crafted pizzas and hearty meats such as Barolo-braised beef cheeks.

Amare Bistro & Wine, Shop G02, Monterey Place, 23 Tong Chun Street, Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong, +852 2576 2398

Feather & Bone

Local grocery store and eatery Feather & Bone continues to multiply across the city, opening its biggest store yet just last week. Inside the buzzing OP Mall in Tsuen Wan, the waterfront destination covers a 1,400-sq.-ft. shop, 2,000-sq.-ft. restaurant and 2,900-sq.-ft. waterfront terrace, catering to the families and crowds which pour into the shopping mall on weeknights and weekends. Serving brunch and deli items throughout the day, and large-format steaks and sausages at dinnertime from the butchers counter, Feather & Bone’s casual deli concept has proven to hit the sweet spot for Hongkongers looking for casual, affordable all-day dining with top-quality ingredients. Cooking at home? Stop by the butcher’s counter for steaks and other expertly-carved fresh meat cuts for takeaway.

Feather and Bone, Shop G09, G/F, OP Mall, 100 Tai Ho Road, Tsuen Wan West, Hong Kong