Michelin HK: Your definitive guide to the best dining options in Hong Kong

Though the accolades bestowed by the Michelin Guide inspectors may be controversial to some, this French dining bible is still considered the barometer of good eating around the world. This year in Hong Kong, 57 restaurants have been awarded between one and three of Michelin’s coveted stars. The folks at Foodie Magazine narrowed this list down to their ten favourites – the places they recommend over and over again when they’re asked the inevitable: what are the best restaurants in Hong Kong?

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Sushi Shikon   ***

This eight-seat sushi counter opened by celebrated Tokyo chef Masahiro Yoshitake was presented with two stars from the get-go, no mean feat when it often takes chefs years of blood, sweat and tears to achieve a mere Michelin recommendation. Using seasonal ingredients flown in daily from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market, in-house chef Yoshiharu Kakinuma works magic behind the counter, presenting diners with some of the most beautiful pieces of sushi and sashimi we’ve ever tasted outside Japan. A meal here certainly doesn’t come cheap (there’s a single omakase dinner menu priced at HK$3,500 per person), but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime dining and cultural experience.

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana   ***

Now with branches in Macau and Shanghai, Chef Umberto Bombana’s eponymous fine-dining Italian restaurant has been beloved by Michelin inspectors since its opening, and in 2011, it became the first Italian restaurant outside Italy to be granted three stars. We were admittedly slow to warm up to its charms, but now we’re firm converts. The top-notch ingredients shine here; the homemade cavatelli with shellfish ragout and sea urchin is just one example of the chef’s commitment to using the best produce money can buy.

Lung King Heen   ***

Until T’ang Court made its appearance this year, Lung King Heen was the sole three-star Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong. Chef Chan Yan Tak’s weekend dim sum menu is legendary and must be booked weeks in advance. The regularly changing seasonal dishes are also highly recommended, and it’s nice to see that the chef has put some thought into creating an appealing children’s menu, uncommon for a restaurant of this calibre.

Amber  **

Has he been robbed? We think Chef Richard Ekkebus’ stylish dining room deserves three stars for his stellar modern interpretation of French cuisine (Amber is also ranked number 20 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List). In the Hong Kong restaurant world, where even good restaurants may be fleeting, Amber has consistently remained at the head of the pack since its opening more than 10 years ago, with many of Chef Ekkebus’ dishes becoming iconic, such as the magnificent-to-behold sea urchin in lobster jelly with cauliflower, caviar and crispy seaweed waffle.

Yan Toh Heen  **

This Cantonese’s restaurant’s dim sum is exquisite, as are Chef Lau Yiu Fai’s showstopping advance-order dishes of Peking duck, fortune chicken and barbecued suckling pig. In addition to the food, we’re also impressed with the wraparound harbour views and the decor, which manages to be both intimate and inviting and luxurious at the same time.

Caprice  **

With the best cheeseboard in the 852, it was a given that longstanding French restaurant Caprice would make our top ten. No matter how many times we dine there, we’re always blown away by the harbour views, extensive wine list and brilliantly crafted dishes by Chef Fabrice Vulin – for us, the seafood and foie gras are the highlights. Although not Michelin starred, we also have to give a shout-out to the adjacent Caprice Bar, the perfect spot in which to indulge in a bit of wine and cheese at any time of the day.

ON Dining *

Chef Philippe Orrico is taking the HK dining scene by storm, having opened up low-key French restaurants Picnic and Tartine this past year, but ON Dining is the jewel in his crown. It’s sophisticated yet funky, with a relaxed outdoor terrace and great views that add to the appeal. There are lots of menu options, from the degustation at HK$1,688 per person, to a well-priced set lunch at HK$388 for three courses, to creative bar bites and cocktails. The chef’s 63–degree egg with frogs’ legs, pearl barley and aged Comté is a must order.

Akrame *

Chef Akrame Benallal’s recently introduced five-course brunch menu is one more reason we keep heading back to this modern (verging on minimalistic) French restaurant. The pricing is extremely reasonable when judged against the quality of the food (the four-course Chef Menu at dinner is HK$588 per person, for instance), and we love the element of surprise with each meal here: the menu itself is not revealed till the end, allowing the diner to savour the flavours and artistic presentation without any preconceptions.

Kam’s Roast Goose *

We were pleased as punch to see Kam’s name back on the Michelin list year. This no-frills local joint dishes out plate after plate of the tastiest roast goose and noodles/rice in town, putting purported roast goose king Yung Kee to shame in our opinion (Kam’s was opened by one of the grandsons of Yung Kee’s founder). The meat is juicier, the flavour more robust, and we can’t get enough of the glistening roasted skin dipped in both the accompanying sesame-infused and plum sauces. The restaurant’s roast pork and suckling pig are also highly rated by us.

Serge et le Phoque *

Winner of the Editors’ Choice award for Chef of the Year in this year’s Foodie Forks, Frédéric Peneau’s small Parisian-chic bistro in the midst of Wanchai’s bustling market neighbourhood never fails to astound us with its artfully designed, ingredient-focused dishes. The chef’s almond dacquoise is a signature; oh how we wish we could order this light-as-air confection in bulk to go.