Amber
A stalwart of the fine dining scene, Richard Ekkebus charms the palate with his two-Michelin-starred French cuisine that is utterly deserving of its legendary status.
7/F, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central, 2132 0066
Beefbar
Does what it says on the tin and serves the best cuts of meat from around the globe, in a variety of different ways, alongside a great dollop of mash.
2/F, Club Lusitano, 16 Ice House Street, 2110 8853
Caprice
A favourite of all who dine here, Caprice has it all: fabulous food, panoramic views and superior service. With a price tag to match, this is special occasion dining at its best.
6/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, 3196 8860
The Chinnery
The Chinnery feels much like a private club, or perhaps a posh pub, and serves authentic British and Indian grub. Very undeserving of this terrible rhyme, it’s full of leather chairs, warm woods and a vast range of whiskies to wet your whistle.
1/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, 2825 4009
Ciak – In the Kitchen
We love Umberto Bombana’s less expensive (though still far from cheap) alternative to the three-Michelin-starred 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo for its charming Italian flavours and 36-hour fermented pizza dough that serves as the base to a beautiful pie.
Shop 327–333, 3/F, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central, 2522 8869
翡翠拉麵小籠包 Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
No Central list would be complete without this reasonably priced and delicious Shanghainese dumpling and Sichuan shop. Perfect for an easy meal in a buzzing atmosphere.
Shop 2018–2020, 2/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, 2295 3811
都爹利會館 Duddell's
Doing decadent dim sum no matter the time of day, Duddell’s won our Foodie Forks award for Finest Al Fresco for its elegant terrace serving up exceptional modern Cantonese cuisine.
Levels 3 and 4, Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell Street, 2525 9191
Foxglove
The coolest hidden speakeasy in Central, Foxglove is accessed through an umbrella shop and leads to airplane-chic decor with live jazz, contemporary cuisine and meticulously prepared cocktails.
2/F, Printing House, 6 Duddell Street, 2116 8949
French Window
With a recent redesign of the menu to serve Parisian bistro fare, the setting is still anything but casual. The grand dining hall is vast and opulent, and while they may offer moules frites and other bistro-style items, it’s still a pretty fine place to dine.
Shop 3101, 3/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, 2393 3812
Gaucho
Argentine steak with Argentine wines, this steakhouse does those two things beautifully but also manages to excel at its tantalising accompanying dishes and desserts too.
5/F, LHT Tower, 31 Queen's Road Central, 2386 8090
Genie Juicery
If you want to drink your meal and get all the nutrients packed into one hip package, this is the kiosk to visit.
Shop 2096B, 2/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street. 2644 5875
好燒味 Good BBQ
Siu mei served in recyclable packaging! With five different varieties of the famed Cantonese roasted meats, you can have barbecue pork, crispy pork belly, soy sauce chicken, boneless chicken or roast duck, all for less than $50, with a large selection of veggies to accompany. Just look for the ‘Made With Love’ sign and friendly faces, then let your stomach take it from there.
Shop 2, G/F, 39 Queens Road Central, 9852 1062
Grom
This new gelateria has taken a prime spot on the first floor of ifc mall, with plenty of footfall to serve up those looking for a cool escape with one of Italy’s best dessert offerings.
Shop 1023, 1/F, Ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, 2454 2777
Home: Eat to Live
This chilled urban eatery serves delicious, mindful vegetarian fast food. Earth bowls, oven-fired flatbreads, meat-free burgers and much more, there is an abundance of choice to be enjoyed guilt free in this buzzing eatery.
Shop G01 and 101, Nexxus Building, 77 Des Voeux Road Central, 2777 4777
Isola
Posh and picturesque sum up the scene of this reliably superb Italian bar and grill with stunning views, for seaside dining both inside and out.
Shop 3071–3075 (3/F) and Shop 4011 (4/F), ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, 2383 8765
Lady M
The queue alone will alert you to the tasty goods inside this crepe cake shop. Good for the ‘gram and good for the gustation.
Shop 2096A, 2/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, 2865 1099
Lung King Heen
If you like your Cantonese cuisine served with three Michelin stars behind it, here you’ll find local ingredients transformed into a lavish and refined banquet with a view that’s very hard to beat.
4/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, 3196 8880
Mak Mak
JIA Group has opened this solid offering of Thai food in a cool setting for an easy stop-in to sate that pad Thai craving.
Shop 217A, 2/F, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central, 2983 1003
麥奀雲吞麵世家 Mak's Noodle
People love it. They really love it. They call it the best wonton noodles in Hong Kong, and it just might be. We certainly highly recommend it.
77 Wellington Street, 2854 3810
Mandarin Grill + Bar
This enduring Michelin-starred restaurant has long been on the best list of many a Hong Konger for its sumptuous dishes with all the frills and flourishes you’d expect from a stalwart fine dining establishment at the Mandarin Oriental.
1/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, 2825 4004
美心皇宮 Maxim's Palace City Hall
One of the few places still serving dim sum with an old-fashioned trolley service, this is where you take the out-of-towners for a taste of the past. Always busy, always buzzing, always good.
1/F, City Hall, 5–7 Edinburgh Place, 2521 1132
Morty's Delicatessen
Reubens, pickles and pints; need we say more? Okay we will: breakfast starting from 8am serving eggs any style and bagels with lox and schmear, pastrami poutine later in the day and a variety of sport playing in the background – all in the basement of Jardine House, an area that is mostly bereft of good eats.
Shop 12–14, LG/F, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, 3665 0900
卅二公館 Mott 32
This Joyce Wang-designed Chinese beauty has to be seen and tasted to be believed.
Basement, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4–4A Des Voeux Road Central, 2885 8688
Panino Giusto
Spectacular sandwiches teeming with fresh ingredients, crisp white wines at decent prices and a light, airy appeal make this Milanese spot a staple when travelling through the mall. Did we mention the tiramisu? It’s a beaut.
Shop 3077, 3/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, 2564 7000
Pierre
Innovative French fare with a seasonally evolving menu by one of France’s most renowned chefs, Pierre Gagnaire. The intimate dining room feels sophisticated and contemporary yet still manages to be comfortable and homey (if your home is filled with the reflected prisms from chic crystal chandeliers, fresh flowers and meticulously created cuisine, that is) for an evening beneath two Michelin stars.
25/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, 2825 4001
R&R Bagels
A bagel shop in Central! Grab a dozen or so of these beautiful rounds with all the fixings, as well as some unusual cream cheese offerings like the maple bacon and vegetable varieties, and you’ll be the most popular person in your office.
28 Li Yuen Street West, 2178 5168
SEVVA
Floral and pretty yet sophisticated and business appropriate are the incongruous results of Bonnae Gokson’s industrious efforts. SEVVA has a mountain of a vegetarian menu yet plenty for the carnivores too and a vibey terrace renowned for its middle-of- the-high-rise appeal.
25/F, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, 2537 1388
添好運點心專門店 Tim Ho Wan
Another one that proves that in Hong Kong you should follow the queues as much as your nose. This dim sum specialist, known as the cheapest Michelin-starred spot in the world, delivers the goods without denting the wallet.
Shop 12A, L1/F, Hong Kong MTR Station, 2332 3078
Zuma
Many times listed as the favourite of brunchers everywhere, this is consistently delicious Japanese in a sophisticated setting along with killer cocktails.
Shop 501–503, 5/F, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central, 3657 6388