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One of Hong Kong's busiest areas, Central is particularly crazy at lunchtime, when office workers crowd the streets and eateries. Most restaurants have set lunches—generally good values—with speedy service, so everyone gets in and out within an hour. At night the norm is either a formal dinner or a quick bite followed by many drinks, especially in Central's nightlife center, a warren of cobbled backstreets called Lan Kwai Fong. Mostly known as a drinking hole with mediocre dining options, LKF has stepped up its game in the last few years with some serious restaurants, most of which are tucked away in commercial buildings, away from the hustle and bustle of the street-level bars.
For a wider array of choices, head up to SoHo, but be wary of where you go: a lot of these places are average in terms of food and service quality. NoHo is a bit more bohemian, with some excellent hidden, independent culinary gems, especially along Gough Street.
Admiralty, wedged between Central and Wan Chai, is home to large shopping malls, and much of the food is aimed at meeting the lunch needs of workers and shoppers. It's also home to several large hotels and their respective high-end restaurants.
Once a mainstay of the Hong Kong streets, there are now only a little more than 20 licensed dai pai dongs—that is, open-air food stalls specializing in various types of local dishes. These outdoor eateries are popular for their dirt-cheap prices, minimal service, and—of course—their awesome food. There's usually no English menu, so be prepared to point to the dishes at neighboring tables.
This contemporary French fine-dining stalwart in the Landmark Mandarin Oriental has put a greater focus on sustainability in recent years, earning a Michelin green star for its efforts. Interiors are light and refreshed, while Netherlands-born head chef Richard Ekkebus has introduced an entirely dairy-free menu in an effort to emulate the comparative lightness of Asian cooking that does without cream, butter, and heavily reduced sauces. Dress to impress.
Only prix-fixe menus are served at this ultra-luxe French restaurant in the Four Seasons, a Hong Kong fine-dining institution which has retained either two or three Michelin stars every year since opening in 2008. The dining room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows framing harbor views, is as spectacular as the food, masterminded with passion and precision by executive chef Guillaume Galliot.
Head chef Nurdin Topham has made it his mission to bring what he calls "nourishing gastronomy" to Hong Kong. His food—which is heavily influenced by Scandinavian cooking techniques—places emphasis on taste, nutrition, and sustainable eating. Ingredients are sourced from local farms whenever possible and are used in the restaurant’s two tasting menus. Dishes are tweaked regularly to reflect the season’s freshest produce, but dishes like heirloom tomatoes with king crab or Taiyouran egg with whole grains and shiitake mushrooms have become house favorites.
