With only two nights in Hong Kong, we really wanted to make the best use of our time in terms of getting must-have reservations. So, we set out months in advance to interrogate our friends about their favorite meals in the city. In order to get some of the harder-to-get reservations, we relied heavily on our concierge at the Shangri-La Kowloon. Here are all of our favorite meals while in Hong Kong.
Mott32: One of the spots that came really highly recommended was Mott32, a Chinese restaurant in the Central Business District that is sleek and sexy and probably at least 75% full of people expensing expensive meals on their corporate accounts. The vibe here is really indulgent and like something you would find in Manhattan. It’s definitely the type of place you want to wear heels and a cute outfit.
It was our first night in China, and we wanted something quintessentially Chinese but also with a kick of spice. So, in typical fashion, we overordered (by a lot) so we could have lots of different bites. We started with a seasoned jellyfish, which is WAY out of m comfort zone in terms of food and texture, but my best friend really enjoyed it.
Our main dishes (pictured above) were some of the best foods we ate in all of Asia. I had the free range chicken with dried chili and Szechuan red peppercorns which was so incredibly tasty and set my mouth on fire. My friend had the poached Mandarin fish fillet in Szechuan pepper broth which was crazy spicy, but delicious. We shared both dishes. To be noted: these dishes were humungous and way too much for one person. We really should have asked for half portions of each because we let a lot go to waste. This was one of our most expensive meals in China, but absolutely worth it and a great way to kick off the trip.
The Peak Lookout: The photo above is unedited and exactly why you need to time your trip to Victoria Peak for before sunset and then grab a cocktail on the patio of The Peak lookout to watch the most amazing sunset. My suggestion is to check the exact time that sunset is when you are in Hong Kong and aim to get to the top of the Peak about an hour and a half before it. Go to the top of the Sky Terrace and take your photos, and then make your way to the clifftop restaurant called the Peak Lookout about 40 minutes before sunset. Ask for a table out back on the patio, grab yourself a glass of wine and position yourself for the sunset. A note: don’t order food here. It is mostly fried food and bites that are overpriced for tourists. Stick to the wine and the sunset and you’ll leave happy.
Duddell’s: One of my favorite meals ever was at Duddell’s, the most delightful restaurant I think I’ve ever stepped foot into. Duddell’s is known for its dim sum, or dumplings, and is a bit of an institution in Hong Kong. We weren’t in Hong Kong on the weekend unfortunately, but they do an epic dim sum champagne brunch that I will definitely time my next visit for.
The vibe of Duddell’s is super refined with reclaimed wood staircases and really eclectic art. The second floor has the most charming bar and opens up onto an outdoor patio with strung lights. It’s just super cute all around. The dim dum is even more amazing. We went to Duddell’s hangry and left super satisfied. Some of our favorites from the meal were the pork buns (which we re-ordered again after having because they were that good), the soup dumplings, all of the pork and chicken dumplings and the friend rice. This meal was epic in just every way possible and it wasn’t lost on us why they have two Michelin stars. And, they give you these incredible dipping sauces for the dumplings that we legit were putting on everything and the chef even sent us out with a carton of it to take home. if you make one reservation in Hong Kong, make sure it’s for dim sum at Duddell’s.
Yardbird: Located in the Sheung Wan part of Hong Kong, Yardbird is a hip yakitori restaurant with a n elevated approach to the grilled meat skewers. After two days of really indulging in pretty rich foods, Yardbird was the perfect dinner for our last night in Hong Kong. The dishes are protein-centric and light. We started off with their pickles dish, which came with small plates of pickled kimchi, cucumber, daikon, ginger and other great bites. We then moved onto the skewers, which are all different parts of the chicken. We had breast, thigh, wings, chicken meatball (amazing). It was a great meal before a night out because we didn’t feel crazy full afterward.
Want to see more of our Asia Travel Guides?
Travel Guide: Hong Kong
Travel Guide: Where to Stay in Hong Kong
Travel Guide: Where to Stay in Tokyo
Travel Guide: Tokyo Itinerary
Travel Guide: Where To Eat In Tokyo
Travel Guide: Kyoto Itinerary
Travel Guide: Where to Eat in Kyoto