A heady mix of old and new makes Hong Kong one of the hottest destinations on the planet. It’s constantly evolving, with new bars, restaurants and cultural attractions seemingly popping up monthly.
This means there is always something new to see or do in Hong Kong, whether it’s a new luxury hotel, a performance at the new Tai Kwun centre, or a cocktail at one of the newest bars. Here’s what’s currently hot in Hong Kong.
Sleep
Located along legendary Cotton Tree Drive in the heart of Hong Kong, The Murray is the city’s newest, luxury iconic landmark hotel. The contemporary urban sanctuary features 336 sophisticated spacious suites and guestrooms across 25 storeys and five elegant dining destinations including a glamorous rooftop restaurant and bar with panoramic views. The hotel’s terraces around the arches, an architectural signature of the building also showcase views of the city, Hong Kong Park, Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
Officially opened in April 2018, Soravit on Granville is a Thai-themed hotel which sits in the middle of Tsim Sha Tsui. Its interior and large restaurant boasts authentic Thai design and artwork by artists from Bangkok. Josephine Fu, a Thai-Chinese artist from London, was also commissioned to create paintings for the hotel’s restaurant. Canton Road and Nathan Road are located just minutes away, making shopping and other attractions easily accessible.
Eat
The highly regarded Sichuan restaurant, Fu Rong has opened its doors at Ocean Terminal, Harbour City. Fu Rong dishes up a stylish twist on traditional recipes whilst keeping with the unique essence of Sichuan, with its signature hot, spicy and aromatic flavours.
A French fine-dining restaurant with chefs Nicolas Boutin and Eric Räty at the helm, H Queen’s Arbor is slated as one of the most exciting new additions to Hong Kong. Serving up innovative dishes in forest themed surroundings, Arbor makes for a perfect tranquil getaway in the heart of Central Hong Kong. You can also wind down with a weekend brunch before heading to the art galleries downstairs.
Japanese cuisine is one of the most diverse in the world, from multi-course kaiseki meals, yakitori skewers, platters of iced sashimi to steaming bowls of ramen. On a mission to take diners on a culinary tour of Japan, new restaurant, FUMI, is bringing the best of the country’s food to Hong Kong, serving delectable dishes in an elegant space filled with Japanese-inspired art, furniture and tableware. Located in California Tower, FUMI has exclusive access to the best seasonal ingredients from Japan, flown daily to Hong Kong and delivered straight to FUMI’s kitchen. Often served to diners mere hours after being plucked from the Japanese soil or sea, these ingredients will appear in FUMI’s sushi, sashimi, omakase and kaiseki dishes, as well as on a variety of seasonal menus.
Injecting a dynamic dose of Californian living into the city’s dining scene and dedicated to good food and a great vibe, Big Sur is a new all-day dining destination at the heart of the city’s vibrant SoHo precinct. Serving up contemporary BBQ cuisine; classic Cali style healthy salads; smoked meats and seafood; tacos and ribs, Big Sur delivers its own take on California-inspired beer and barbecue comfort food.
Yardbird is a modern izakaya that specialises in yakitori dishes of skewered grilled chicken. The food menu, created by Chef Matt Abergel, focuses on the many different parts of a chicken, from neck to tail, that are grilled over traditional Binchotan charcoal. In addition to yakitori, Yardbird also features ‘smaller’ and ‘bigger’ dishes that incorporate fresh, seasonal ingredients, and served in a neighbourhood restaurant style environment. Whilst the restaurant is not new, it has moved to a new location in Sheung Wan and expanded their offering.
Sushi Saito offers an authentic Edomae-sushi experience in a tranquil setting overlooking the city skyline. This first ever overseas branch of Tokyo’s three Michelin-starred Sushi Saito highlights the freshest seasonal seafood, hand-picked by Chef Takashi Saito every morning at Tokyo’s Tsukiji market and transported to Hong Kong on the same day.
InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong is now set to be the home to Theo Mistral by Theo Randall, the anticipated debut of British celebrity chef Theo Randall in Hong Kong. With Chef Theo at the helm since March, the restaurant has infused an inspired taste of Italy into the local culinary scene. Theo Randall is one of Britain’s top chefs, acclaimed for his award-winning take on classic Italian cuisine.
Drink
Dear Lilly is a floral fantasy world. Located on the stunning level four podium at IFC, Central and inspired by the dreamy hole-in-the-wall florists along beautiful boulevards in Paris. Designer Ashley Sutton captures the vistas of Victoria Harbour and presents a journey into a world filled with flowers, fine food and superb cocktails.
Following the successful pop-up in 2016, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong opened a unique new bar concept in March this year, in collaboration with the iconic New York cocktail bar, PDT (Please Don’t Tell). Regularly voted among the World’s Best Bars, PDT has long been a favourite of New Yorkers who enjoy its intimate privacy, distinctive interiors, and creative cocktails developed by renowned mixologists Jim Meehan, Jeff Bell and their talented bar team. After ten years on St. Marks Place, PDT Hong Kong is the first permanent PDT outside New York City.
Play
The largest heritage conservation and revitalisation project in Hong Kong is Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts, which opened on 25 May 2018. Tai Kwun presents a wide range of heritage, contemporary art, performing arts and lifestyle experiences to the meticulously restored Central Police Station compound which comprises three declared monuments: the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison. What was once a closed-off part of Hong Kong has become an open and inviting new space for all to enjoy.
Tai Kwun offers the best heritage and arts experiences in Hong Kong and tries to cultivate knowledge and appreciation of contemporary art, performing arts and history. Tai Kwun has a wide variety of cultural experiences, ranging from heritage, contemporary art, performing arts and workshops, with additional programs from the shops and restaurants.
This year also saw the opening of H Queens in the city’s Central district – a 24-storey tower housing seven local and international galleries, including David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth and Pace, which held inaugural solo shows by Wolfgang Tillmans, Mark Bradford and Yoshitomo Nara, respectively.
The Mills is a landmark revitalisation project from Nan Fung Group and is scheduled for completion this year. A destination consisting of a business incubator, experiential retail, and a non-profit cultural institution may be relatively unfamiliar to Hong Kong, yet The Mills’ vision and history is purely a Hong Kong story. The Mills witnessed the manufacturing heyday in the1960s, and now carries on that legacy with a future of applied creativity and innovation. Visitors can explore the continuity of an authentic Hong Kong story, where themes of textile and industry are woven into experiences of innovation, culture, and learning.
And, finally, Artisenses is a new local fragrance house, specialising in creating products and experiences that stimulate the senses.
All information on Hong Kong provided by www.discoverhongkong.com/au
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