Michelle Loo writes a food column for Eat and Travel and hosts TVB's television show, Grab a Bite.

Tsui Wah Restaurant

15-18 Wellington St, Central, tel: 2525 6338 (for other branches, go to tsuiwahrestaurant.com) 'I like this for the culture of the food - it's a mix of western and local, you can have fishball noodles or steak and sea bass. It's amazing to have all this in one restaurant. It's quite difficult to run a chain and have the quality the same in each of them, but they're all very good. It has that Hong Kong efficiency - from the moment you order, the food is on the table within five minutes. If I were judging on the ambience I would give it one star because it's small and crowded, but if it's just for the food, it's two stars.' Favourite dishes: fish ball noodles, curries with chicken or prawns, fried noodles with pork

Tin Heung Lau

18C Austin Ave, TST, tel: 2366 2414

'It's a very cosy restaurant serving the best Hangzhou food in Hong Kong, but it's expensive. The hairy crab roe noodles cost about HK$200 a bowl. They have the best fa diu [rice wine] in the world - it's a blend of old and new. You don't come here for the service. If they want you to go, they just turn off the air con and start mopping the floor - they want you to leave so they can play mahjong. But the food is just terrific.' Favourite dishes: smoked yellow fish, dongpo pork (fatty pork leg with vinegar), steamed pork

Dynasty

Renaissance Kowloon Hotel, 22 Salisbury Rd, TST, tel: 2734 6600

'The Michelin guide has so many Chinese restaurants in hotels, I don't know why Dynasty isn't in there. They do home-style dishes - which are difficult because everyone has their own concept. But dining at Dynasty is just like having dinner at home. The service is good because it's in a hotel.'

Favourite dishes: bo jai fan with preserved sausage and duck, cha siu (order it when you make a reservation because it's so popular), minced pork cake, steamed fish, chicken in soya sauce

Lau Kin-wai is a food critic, contributor to Eat and Travel Weekly and writes a daily column for the Hong Kong Economic Journal. He also operates two restaurants, one of which, Kin's Kitchen, was on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list.

Hong Zhou Restaurant

1/F, Chinachem Johnston Plaza, 178-186 Johnston Rd, Wan Chai, tel: 2591 1898

'I prefer restaurants with a soul. I appreciate the owner's efforts - he goes all the way down to Hangzhou for fresh and seasonal ingredients. The owner's father used to be one of the best chefs in Hangzhou. He goes in to supervise the kitchen every day even though he's retired. You can always find many dishes from the region, such as spring bamboo shoots and stinky tofu.'

Favourite dish: dongpo pork

Chong Fat Chiu Chow Restaurant

60-62 South Wall Rd, Kowloon City, tel: 2383 3114 'This restaurant has a history of more than 60 years. Instead of the expensive dishes such as shark fin or abalone, Chong Fat is famous for its authentic Chiu Chow street food such as turnip cake and turnip balls.' Favourite dish: Chiu Chow pork jelly

Gaddi's

1F, The Peninsula, Salisbury Rd, TST, tel: 2315 3171

'Gaddi's has always been considered one of the top local French restaurants. It has a long history, opening in 1953. It has exquisite French cuisine and keeps the quality consistent.'

Favourite dish: American prime beef fillet and short rib with red wine jus and wild mushrooms

Wilson Kwok is the director of W's Entrecote restaurant, author and television host for Gourmet Power Zoom on TVB Jade.

Gaddi's

1/F, The Peninsula, Salisbury Rd, TST, tel: 2315 3171

'It's one of Hong Kong's longest-standing restaurants, known for consistently exquisite food, a wide range of wines and warm service. The staff are also very knowledgeable. Gaddi's offers one of the city's best fine dining experiences.'

Favourite dishes: foie gras, lobster

Cuisine Cuisine

Shop 3101-3107, Podium Level 3, IFC mall, Central, tel: 2393 3933

'They offer very authentic Chinese cuisine The chef has acquired amazingly refined culinary skills.'

Favourite dish: stir-fried shredded sea turtle

Fook Lam Moon (TST)

53-59 Kimberley Rd, TST, tel: 2366 0286

'I go to their Tsim Sha Tsui branch more often than the one in Wan Chai, which was on the Michelin star list. They don't do nouvelle cuisine, but offer very delicate traditional Chinese cooking.'

Favourite dishes: crispy fried chicken, roast suckling pig, stir-fried fresh bamboo shoots with sea turtle, stewed snow pear with almond cream

Josh Tse writes the popular food blog, Cha Xiu Bao (chaxiubao.typepad.com) and has appeared on television in Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie.

One Harbour Road

7/F & 8/F Grand Hyatt, 1 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai, tel: 2584 7938

'Most of the dishes are of very high standard and the service is good. A breathtaking view of Victoria Harbour is always be a bonus.'

Favourite dishes: salt-baked chicken, Hainanese chicken rice, dim sum, steamed fish, shark fin

Spring Moon

1/F The Peninsula, Salisbury Rd, TST, tel: 2315 3160

'I like the service and the decor, and the food is really good. It's solid Cantonese cuisine.'

Favourite dishes: Peking duck done two ways, double-boiled fish maw and conpoy soup

Gaddi's

The Peninsula, Salisbury Rd, TST, tel: 2315 3171

'When you compare the standards - food, service and setting - I don't see why Caprice [in the Four Seasons] got two stars and Gaddi's didn't. Gaddi's is right up there, I think it should get three stars. One way to classify restaurants is by the number of regulars they have - not one-off visitors. These three I've mentioned are of high calibre.'

Favourite dish: Pyrenees milk-fed lamb