Celia Lee

Tired of dining at your usual haunts? Thankfully, Hong Kong is never short of new restaurants – that’s why we’ve scoured the city to find you the hottest dining spots to try. This month, grab a table at the first overseas outpost of Kumamoto's famous tsukemen ramen, chef Vicky Lau's casual Yunnanese eatery, and more. Bookmark this page to discover Hong Kong’s best new restaurants!Think we missed a new great dining place in Hong Kong? Shoot us an email at [email protected] so we can check it out!RECOMMENDED:  🍴 Hong Kong’s oldest restaurants you need to visit⭐️ The 50 best restaurants in Hong Kong

Christmas is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get all your gift shopping done! Luckily, there’s still a bit of time left to hunt down the perfect treat for the women in your life. If you’re running short on ideas, let our Christmas gift guide for her help you find a thoughtful and meaningful present that the ladies will love. RECOMMENDED: Start planning for the holiday season with our ultimate guide to celebrating Christmas in Hong Kong.

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, it’s time to start planning your gathering with friends and family before the festive rush hits. If you, like us, have been craving a hearty turkey roast, cinnamon-y pies, and warming hot cocoas with the recent drop in temperature, we’ve got you covered. Check out some of Hong Kong’s best thanksgiving menus for 2025, and pass that cranberry sauce! RECOMMENDED: Book a table at one of these new restaurants in town or enjoy a meal from one of these restaurants with an epic view. Best for large gatherings: Buenos Aires Polo ClubBest for a unique meal: Quiero MásBest for roast lovers: Feather & BoneBest for families: Fini’sBest for Friends-giving: La Paloma

There are many ways to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, such as admiring the full moon, spending time with family and friends, or solving lantern riddles. If you ask us, our favourite way to get into the festive spirit is to stuff our faces with mooncakes. From timeless fillings like lotus seed paste with salted egg yolks to creative flavours like chocolate, tea custard, or cured ham, there are plenty of mooncakes to try. In preparation for the autumnal festival falling on October 6, we’ve gathered some of the best mooncakes you can get your hands on this year.RECOMMENDED: Mark your Mid-Autumn Festival with an indulgent family meal at Hong Kong's best restaurants.

Fishballs are synonymous with Hong Kong street food. Although simple in principle, this affordable delicacy holds an important spot in the city’s classic food scene. Now, there is a chance to savour fishballs beyond hawker stands and snack shops. Contemporary German restaurant Heimat by Peter Find is partnering up with local heritage brand Ha Ming Kee for a unique German-Cantonese fusion menu where the humble fishball takes centre stage.  Best known for its handmade Chiuchow fishball products, Ha Ming Kee is a storied Hong Kong brand with over 50 years of history. From its humble beginnings in a home kitchen within the old Kowloon Walled City to its multi-branch operation across Hong Kong today, Ha Ming Kee remains insistent on handcrafting everything from cuttlefish balls to fish cakes and dumplings according to their centuries-old family recipes daily. It is this commitment to freshness and artisanship that brings crowds to its Kowloon and Hong Kong Island branches every day.  Photograph: Courtesy Heimat by Peter Find Heimat’s unique German-Cantonese menu is borne out of chef Find’s love of local cuisine and knack for innovation. Each dish in this six-course affair incorporates Ha Ming Kee’s fishball products into Heimat’s contemporary German cuisine. The menu kicks off with an appetiser that pairs the beloved cuttlefish ball and crispy fish skin with potato foam and caviar and moves onto a simple poached course that highlights the flavours and textures of the sliced pan-

While Hong Kong has enjoyed a mild Christmas and New Year, the weather will finally be cooling down to appreciably wintery temperatures in the coming week. If you have yet to dust off your downjacket this season, now is the time! The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has forecasted significant drops in temperature in the city for around three days from mid to late next week, when certain districts could even experience sub-10 degrees weather.  According to the HKO, a dry northeastern monsoon will sweep through the Guangdong region starting next Tuesday, January 20. At the time of publishing, the weather over the coming weekend will remain relatively warm and fair, ranging from 17 to 23 degrees Celsius throughout the day with scattered clouds accompanying bouts of sunshine.  Similar conditions will remain until January 20, then temperatures are forecasted to fall sharply during the three-day cold spell, ranging between 12 to 17 degrees throughout the day. Temperatures in certain areas of the New Territories are expected to drop as low as six degrees between January 20 and 23. Interestingly, this intense cold spell coincides with the ‘major cold’ period on the Chinese lunar calendar, which has traditionally always indicated the lowest temperatures of the year.  Coincidence or not, this coming cold spell will be the first extreme temperatures Hong Kong experiences since the start of this winter. Citizens are urged to layer up and stay warm during this cool burst. For the most recent w

Hong Kong is seeing a rise of mega events that blends a jovial festival atmosphere with a diverse range of offerings, whether it be edge-of-your-seat matches, live performances, indulgent food and drinks, or locally produced goods. One such event that we’ve got on our social radar this season is Liv Golf Hong Kong. What makes this year’s edition of the international golf tournament-turned-well-rounded festival even better is that Liv Golf is bringing Australian DJ Dom Dolla to Hong Kong this March!  Returning for another year to the landscaped fields of Hong Kong Golf Club, the annual Liv Golf Hong Kong is bringing a wave of excitement to the city over four days. Visitors can expect a festival of live music performances from top local and international DJs, delicious street eats, and family-friendly activities, all centred around a global golf tournament. A highlight of each year’s event is the Saturday night concert, where Liv Golf invites world-class musicians to set the stage for the tournament from the first swing through the final putt. In 2026, fans can look forward to a high-energy Hong Kong debut performance by Dom Dolla.  Photograph: Facebook / Dom Dolla After an electrifying year in his career that included sold-out shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden and London’s Alexandra Palace, as well as a headline gig at Lollapalooza, Dom Dolla has risen to fame as one of the hottest names in music. Riding on this high, the artist has recently released smash hits such

We have unfortunate news: quiet bookish types who just want a pleasant place to curl up with a good read will soon have one less hang out. Popular local bookstore Eslite has announced the closure of its Tsim Sha Tsui store after a decade of operation on the harbourfront. While this is sad tidings for fellow book lovers in Hong Kong, the silver lining is that this should only be a temporary hiatus, as the brand has hinted at relocating to another spot in the same neighbourhood.  Eslite opened its two-storey shop at Star House in 2015, offering local bibliophiles a tranquil and spacious spot to shop, browse, and dive deep into a newfound read. A highlight of this waterfront location is, of course, the cosy reading nook that comes with sweeping harbour views. In true Eslite fashion, the space also features local lifestyle brands alongside quaint cafés, transforming the bookish venue with a touch of inspiring creativity. Complete with minimalist wooden interiors, Eslite TST has been praised as one of the most diverse and aesthetically pleasing bookstores in Hong Kong, and one of the most beloved hang out spots for local youths and bookworms on the Kowloon side.  The Eslite Spectrum Tsim Sha Tsui store will close in the second quarter of 2026, hopefully with the relocation and opening of the new shop to follow in the same quarter. Before it packs things up for good, fellow bibliophiles should snatch up deals on books and lifestyle goods at their closing sale! From now until Februa

As one of the most sought after winter events in Hong Kong, the AIA Carnival is an unmissable celebration of the festive season. This year, the organisers have brought over 50 attractions to the Central Harbourfront, including thrilling rides, carnival games with attractive prizes up for grabs, immersive installations, as well as Gandeys Circus’ special winter display. From now until February 13, students and seniors aged 60 or above can enjoy discounts and even free entry to the annual event.  Students with a valid student ID can enjoy free admission to AIA Carnival on all weekdays, apart from January 9 and 16. Simply bring along your ID in physical or digital form and present it at the ticketing office to redeem your free entry! This will be valid for a day, so spend your time at the carnival wisely by hitching a ride on one of the adrenaline-pumping coasters, trying your luck at game booths, and digging into delectable treats at various food stalls onsite.  Meanwhile, both students and senior citizens aged 60 or above can enjoy a buy-one-get-one-free ticket promotion for ‘The Winter World Circus’ on weekdays. This 60-minute spectacle features a series of captivating performances and jaw-dropping acts against a winter wonderland backdrop. To cash in on this offer, use the code CIRCUSSTUDENT or CIRCUSSENIORS when purchasing your tickets online at aiacarnival.com/circus-tickets. Don’t forget to bring a valid student ID or proof of age upon entry!  Stay in the loop: sign up f

Various rituals and traditions following the dawn of a new year. In France, the Epiphany brings forth a time-honoured tradition that puts an iconic pastry at its fore. Every January, families and friends gather to share a galette des roi, or the King’s Cake, an indulgent, flaky pastry cake with a special filling. In case you haven’t heard of this tradition, nestled in a layer of custard within the galette des roi is a fève – literally translating to a bean, because traditionally a fava bean would be used – and the person who discovers it first in the lucky slice will be crowned royalty for the day. Bringing this tradition to life in Hong Kong, La Vache! is now offering its interpretation of this classic French pastry across its branches for dine-in and takeaway plus an enticing lucky draw.  From now until January 31, La Vache! is offering galette des roi for dine-in and takeaway, with a special ‘golden ticket’ — in the form of an almond — hidden within as a fève. Guests enjoying a meal of steak frites at the restaurant can round things off with a King’s Cake (you don’t need to stick the youngest child under the table, unless you want to), and the diner that finds the fève in their slice will be crowned royalty. The coronation will even be toasted with a complimentary round of bubbles for all. To cash in your lucky treat, simply share your discovery on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag the restaurant and use the hashtag #LaVacheRoyals for a chance to win two round-trip tickets to

The golden age of Hong Kong cinema saw the production of blockbuster titles like A Better Tomorrow (1986), The Conman (1998), and Infernal Affairs (2002). Packed with action, suspense, and good ol’ “nonsense” humour that’s representative of local comedies, these iconic crime films not only offer gripping stories but also capture the essence of life in our city in the 70s and 80s. Now, cinephiles and cultural enthusiasts can relive their favourite scenes from these classics at the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station. Opened on January 2, the ‘Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey’ delves into local cop film classics through reconstructed sets, collectibles, original scripts, and much more.  Organisers couldn’t have picked a more apt setting for an exhibition spotlighting Hong Kong cop vs triad films. Not only did the façade of the Old Police Station appear as a backdrop for a good number of iconic titles, but the restored building also retains its original Edwardian architecture that’s representative of colonial buildings in the 20s, while the majority of the two-storey structure is opened for the public to explore. This nostalgic location definitely sets the stage for an immersive affair.  Photograph: Courtesy Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency Visitors enter through a retro-style cinema entrance before moving onto five immersive spaces: CID Office, Identification Parade Room, the Armoury, Surveillance Room, and Detention Cells. Designed by local filmmak

Newly opened at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre is Mi Manchi, a laid-back trattoria serving a menu of casual Italian fare. Located just minutes away from the Kowloon Bay MTR station and between the neighbourhood’s residential areas, Mi Manchi is a no-fuss, family-friendly destination with a touch of class — thanks to its artsy abode.  Tucked away within the Cultural Centre, Mi Manchi sports an open-planned interior complete with two-storey floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooks the surrounding metropolis. Its window counter seats are ideal for a lazy afternoon of people watching, while its booths and tables add extra comfort and privacy to your meals.  Photograph: Celia Lee Mi Manchi offers a menu of Italian classics revamped with a local twist. A highlight is the tofu cheese foam with focaccia toast ($78), a light and fluffy tofu cloud that pairs exceptionally well with the contrasting crunch of toasted focaccia slices, while another signature is the restaurant’s selection of homemade fresh pastas. If you’re indecisive, go with our choice: the spaghetti alla red shrimp ($178), a rich and indulgent dish made with Huadiao-infused soy sauce and sashimi-quality shrimp that is served with a spray of Huadiao mist.  Another highlight is Mi Manchi’s housemade sourdough pies, where toppings are piled on a sliced sourdough bread loaf and baked to perfection. Meanwhile, the restaurant offers four classics: housemade gelato, bomboloni, panna cotta, and tiramisu. As for drinks, you’l

Hong Kong keeps things alive with a steady slew of new openings and offerings, and nighttime punters will be glad to hear that a new cocktail bar has just opened on Soho’s buzzy Peel Street. Friday After Class serves a menu of nostalgic favourites inspired by one of our core collective memories: college. This cosy joint on Peel is divided into an intimate ‘Common Room’ and a rowdy ‘Pre-game’ terrace where cocktails are served on tap through a takeaway window in red solo cups.  The Common Room menu offers 10 concoctions dedicated to three stages of life, where cocktails increase in strength with each chapter. ‘Lifelong Kindergarten’ comprises two sweet cocktails that recalls the simple joys and sweet treats of childhood, while ‘Bittersweet Adolescence’ explores the period of turbulent pre-adulthood with twists on classic recipes and savoury creations. A highlight is the Reverse Manhattan, which channels the rebelliousness of teenage years with inverted ratios in a traditional mix.  Photograph: Courtesy Friday After Class The final chapter, ‘Say FAC! To Adulthood’, is made up of four refined cocktails. Highlights include the Shroom-Fashioned with umami flavours of mushroom, butter, and coffee, as well as a duo of martinis that champions a good life motto, “Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee.” Out on the pre-game terrace a selection of uni party favourites await. Initial takeaway cocktails include FAC’s take on the British summer classic, Pimm’s High Cup; a throwback wit

Hong Kong is no stranger to spectacular Christmas lights and installations this time of the year. However, a recently opened destination in the West Kowloon Cultural District is promising Hongkongers a different kind of fun this festive season. Get ready to bounce the year away at Merry Balloon Hong Kong, a giant inflatable playground offering endless merriment to visitors of all ages. Here’s everything you need to know before your visit.  The Balloon Park themed attraction is one of three mega projects under Merry Balloon Hong Kong and will take place from now until January 11, 2026. The park is divided into two main zones: the ‘Giant Bouncy Zone’ where large inflatable attractions, a bouncing area, and an inflatable slide await, while the ‘Snap & Play Zone’ includes a vibrant maze populated with installations of popular cartoon characters ranging from Moomin and Peppa Pig to SpongeBob and Mr. Men Little Miss that are ideal for photo taking. An outdoor snack booth will also be onsite, where you can refuel with small bites and drinks in-between all the jumping.  Photograph: Courtesy Merry Balloon Hong Kong Entries into Merry Balloon Hong Kong are divided into three categories: Junior, Everyone’s Fun Day, and After Dark. Junior sessions take place from 9.30am to 12.40pm and are designed for little ones under 120cm, so parents can let them run free around a safe zone within the park. Everyone’s Fun Day sessions run from 12.50pm to 7.20pm, where children aged 15 or under can p

While we love to indulge in a well-shaken post-work margarita, the vibe calls for something with less detrimental effects on your liver once in a while. Among the myriad boba shops and coffee spots in Central, a new contender for delicious drinks, good vibes, and an all-round mindful philosophy has entered the scene: Hong Kong’s favourite matcha specialist Matchali has finally opened a second location on Lyndhurst Terrace! Fellow matcha lovers, it’s time to get hyped.  Photograph: Courtesy Matchali Loved for its handcrafted, ceremonial-grade matcha creations, Matchali has become a one-stop shop for all things matcha since opening on Wan Chai’s Moon Street back in June 2022. Visitors can expect the same matcha-centred menu on offer at its Central store, alongside seasonal offerings, location-exclusive items, premium tea powders, and state-of-the-art brewing equipment.  Photograph: Courtesy Matchali The Lyndhurst-exclusive iced banana bread matcha latte infuses the essence of this comforting treat with matcha to create a tropical delight, while the Spanish matcha latte layers hand-beaten tea with swirls of creamy condensed milk for extra indulgence. Meanwhile, diners can pair their drinks with the sweet yet refreshing matcha ricotta strawberry toast or the matcha yoghurt granola bowl, a hearty delight packed full of essential nutrients and superfoods.  Photograph: Courtesy Matchali Don’t miss the Christmas specials! The festive line-up stars returning favourites such as t

Since Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan in a recent parliamentary debate, Sino-Japanese relations have seen a steady decline. This political tension has led to many Japanese artists being boycotted from performing in mainland China as well as its Special Administrative Regions. Unfortunately for fans of Japanese pop idol Ayumi Hamasaki, the cancellation of her upcoming Macau concert will mark the second axed performance in her 2025 ‘I am ayu’ Asia tour.  The J-pop sensation announced the cancellation on Instagram, expressing her regret about the decision following discussions with event organisers. Scheduled to take place in Macau on January 10, 2026, the concert was originally planned to be the finale of Hamasaki’s 2025 Asia tour, which began in Hong Kong with an electric performance at AsiaWorld-Arena in June.  Since her Hong Kong appearance, Hamasaki has shown her love and appreciation for her supporters in our city through fan-interactions and social media presence. Notably, before the singer’s Shanghai concert was scheduled to take place, Hamasaki announced in an Instagram post that, in light of Hong Kong’s devastating Tai Po fire, she would be nixing red-coloured costumes, cancelling crimson special effects, and urged fans not to wear red to the show. Nonetheless, the performance was axed one day before it was scheduled to take place on November 29, leading to the singer performing to an empty stadium instead.  Fans who have purchased tickets f