A balcony in a shopping mall, close enough to the street to be alfresco but removed from the fumes, is the setting for some authentic Japanese fare.

Address: Shop F1, Fashion Island, 19 Great George St

Tel: 2882 1582

Opening hours: 10am-11pm daily

Outdoor seating: 28

Indoor seating: 90

Food: Good value combo meals including grilled chicken with fish soup, rice and appetiser ($48.80) and ramen noodles ($39.80)

Drinks: Large selection of non-alcoholic drinks. Kirin beer $32 (bottle), large glasses of sake from $33-$45.80

Recommended: Speciality desserts such as homemade ice cream with grilled sweet potato ($35.80)

Specials: Mon-Fri lunch sets with soup, appetiser, pickles and main $39.80-$45.80

Fashion Walk, Paterson St

Just slips into the alfresco category with its atrium-like walkway with plenty of air that is also home to King Parrot Group's El Cid and Chilli N Spice.

Jo Jo's Indian Bar and Restaurant

Pleasant standard Indian eatery

Address: Shop D, G/F, Towning Mansion, 50-56 Paterson St

Tel: 2894 9722, 2895 4522

Opening hours: 11am-3pm, 6pm-11pm Mon-Fri; 11am-midnight Fri, Sat and public holidays

Outdoor seating: 16

Indoor seating: 46

Food: Tandoori a speciality, including murgh tikka ($65)

Drinks: Carlsberg $32 (pint), house wine $32 (glass)

Recommended: Adrak ka panja (tandoori lamb chops, $68)

Specials: Set meal of eight items $148 (per person), 11 items $498 (serves four); Mon-Fri lunch combo meals of seven items $52

Chilli N Spice

Decent Asian fare at excellent prices.

Address: 13-15 Cleveland St

Tel: 2504 3930

Opening hours: 12pm-12am daily

Outdoor seating: 100

Indoor seating: 100

Food: Southeast Asian delights such as river beard fish and mango salad ($58) and grilled spice and sweet pomfret ($100)

Drink: beer $22 (bottle), house wine (glass) $35

Recommended: Chicken green curry with chestnut in hot pot ($48)

Specials: Seasonal menu includes fried white eel in hot pot ($55)

El Cid

Spanish restaurant chain with extensive menu and consistent quality.

Address: 9-11 Cleveland St

Tel: 2576 8650

Opening hours: noon-midnight daily

Outdoor seating: 40

Indoor seating: 150

Food: The long menu includes seafood and king prawn paella ($280)

Drinks: Beer (bottle) $33; house wine (glass) $38

Recommended: Cod fish with clams in green sauce ($140)

Specials: Cocido seven-course dinner ($200 per person, minimum of four)

Island Seafood and Oyster Bar

Chain of upmarket seafood and steak restaurants with a contemporary feel.

Address: 30-56 Patterson St

Tel: 2915 7110

Opening hours: noon-midnight daily

Outdoor seating: 20

Indoor seating: 50

Food: Classics and nouveau cuisine including bouillabaise ($55) and baked bass collier ($185)

Drinks: beer $36 (bottle), house wine $50 (glass)

Recommended: A selection of dishes available as samplers, combine two dishes such as Australian beef tenderloin ($110) and king prawns with garlic and herbs ($110), and share

Specials: Leave 30 minutes for special dishes such as paper-baked seafood combination ($185)

Repulse Bay

Okay, you may not own that mansion and Mercedes, but no one can deprive you of those spectacular views and some fine nosh to match.

Spices

An exhaustive selection of pan-Asian standards in a relaxed atmosphere.

Address: 109 Repulse Bay Rd

Tel: 2812 2711

Opening hours: 10.30am-2.30pm, 6.30pm-11pm daily; buffet dinner, Sat night; afternoon tea 2.30pm-6.30pm Fri-Sun and public holidays

Outdoor seating: 100

Indoor seating: 68

Food: Asian of all flavours including tandoori mixed grill ($174) and gado gado $87 (large)

Drinks: beer $32 (bottle); house wine $38 (glass)

Recommended: Fried soft-shell crabs with salt and pepper ($136), barbecued duck with lychees in a red curry sauce ($108)

Specials: Hainanese chicken rice set menu ($90) Sat only

The Verandah

Just makes it into the alfresco category by virtue of its breezy window/verandah. A brilliant location and classic upmarket menu - with prices to match - make this a great choice for special occasions.

Address: 109 Repulse Bay Rd

Tel: 2812 2722

Opening hours: noon-11pm Mon-Sat, 11am-11pm Sun

Seating: 105

Food: A refined menu including the Repulse Bay seafood selection appetiser with oysters, clams, mussels, king crab with caviar, scallop sashimi and prawn ceviche ($198). Choose three courses from a la carte menu for $540

Drinks: beer from $48 (bottle); house wine from $42 (glass)

Recommended: Milk-fed baby lamb served with eggplant tian ($295)

Specials: Sunday brunch $328 (adult) or $250 (child); traditional English afternoon tea $128; celebration champagne afternoon tea $198

Quarry Bay

Taikoo Place is not high on Hong Kong foodies' must-do lists, unless they work or live in the area. Yet its occasional Friday night live outdoor entertainment and quality eateries are worth the trip.

Cafe Einstein

Recognised for its French-inspired hearty meals and cosy atmosphere.

Address: 33 Tong Chong St, Taikoo Place

Tel: 2960 0994

Opening hours: 11am-1am (outdoor dining 11pm)

Outdoor seating: 20

Indoor seating: 110

Food: A selected menu of quality dishes. Caesar salad ($70), roasted chicken breast stuffed with pork sausage, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese and herbs ($120)

Drinks: Carlsberg $53 (pint), house wine $50 (glass)

Recommended: seared scallop and king prawns with spinach, mashed potato and lobster sauce ($140)

Specials: Numerous promotions, including the popular three-course set lunch ($85); Monday Movielounge offers a film with free-flowing bar and unlimited tapas for $197; Tues pizza and a pitcher of beer ($160); Wed three-course set dinner $97; happy hour two-for-one drinks 4pm-9pm daily

Thai Orchid

Good-quality Thai cuisine, lively bar and pool table make this a popular hangout.

Address: G/F, 39 Tong Chong St, Taikoo Place

Tel: 2856 9848

Opening hours: Noon-11.30pm daily

Accepts: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Diners

Outdoor seating: 30

Indoor seating: 100

Food: Large range of dishes with many snacks and appetisers and tom yum kung (spicy and sour prawn soup) at $46 small/$82 large and the chef's special of king prawns with mushroom, taro and water chestnuts ($150)

Drinks: Becks or Budvar $45 (pint), house wine $40 (glass) or drinks such as young coconut ($30)

Recommended: Fried crab in curry sauce ($130)

Specials: Two-for-one Thai Beer Chang. Set three-course lunch $80; three-course takeaway lunch $50

Shek O

Shek O Chinese and Thailand Seafood Restaurant

Just scraping in to the alfresco category, this longtime favourite is protected from rain, but open to the breeze and pulls in flocks of Shek O day-trippers and Dragon's Back trekkers with good food at great prices.

Address: 303 Shek O Village

Tel: 2809 4426, 2809 2202

Opening hours: 11.30am-10pm daily

Seating: 100

Food: As it says out the front, Chinese and Thai with a large selection of cheap eats

Drinks: Beer $65 (jug), $25 (tall bottle); soft drinks from $12

Recommended: Tom yung goong (seafood in red curry sauce) $40, $70 or $90

Specials: With food this cheap, you want specials?

Stanley

The world-famous Stanley Market makes this area a gift shoppers' paradise . . . and don't worry, food lovers are also well catered for.

The Boathouse

The place to go for sea views, seafood and comfort snacks: 'The only thing we overlook is the ocean' is the motto . . . say no more.

Address: 86-88 Stanley Main St

Tel: 2813 4467

Opening hours: 11.30am-midnight

Outdoor seating: 30

Indoor seating: 35

Food: Seafood dominates the menu but don't overlook the pasta and snack selection. Penne pasta with scallops and asparagus ($119). Leek and fennel filled sole on Italian parsley and truffle sauce ($148)

Drinks: Carlsberg $39.50 (pint), house wine $55 (glass)

Recommended: City-slickers book in advance for the restaurant's famous mussels - small bucket ($95) large bucket ($135). All prices subject to 10 per cent service charge

Specials: Fish and chips or chicken and chips combo with pint of beer ($75). Snack platter for two comprising pork shanks in Guinness barbecue sauce, chicken strips, prawn fritters and scallops ($135)

Mi Casa

Tucked away behind the market is a home-style oasis that's a perfect retreat for families (books and crayons galore for the kids). Mi Casa is a relaxed, leafy hideaway - the perfect stop before or after a day at the market.

Address: Shop A1, No 26, Stanley Main St

Tel: 2813 1002

Opening hours: Tue-Fri, 11am-6pm; Sat-Sun, 9.30am-11pm

Outdoor seating: 16

Indoor seating: 12

Food: Mediterranean-style menu changes every week, but one dish that stays is the popular mixed antipasto with prawns, mushrooms, chorizo, clams, semi-dried tomatoes and mixed green salad, $148 (for two). It serves homemade bread and cakes and boasts a fine selection of herbal teas

Drinks: Carlsberg $30 (pint)

Recommended: Select from the weekend brunch menu (9.30am-11am). A) eggs benedict with smoked salmon or bacon; B) omelette with mushroom or bacon or sausage or tomato cheese; C) fried eggs with bacon or sausage or mushroom or tomato cheese. ($48 plus 10 per cent service charge)

Specials: Sandwich set of tuna or smoked-salmon with coffee, tea or soft drink ($58 a person). Afternoon tea set between 3pm-5.50pm

Seafront

Ocean blue decor is ideal setting when gazing across the ocean.

Address: G/f, 92A1, Stanley Main St

Tel: 2899 0812

Opening hours: 11am-1am daily

Accepts: Visa, Mastercard, Amex

Outdoor seating: 30

Indoor seating: 34

Food: Famous for its fish and chips and German sausage, says the blackboard but the pizzas ($85) look pretty good as well. Also ideal for a quick snack such as spring rolls ($50) or mozzarella fritters ($50)

Drinks: beer $45 (pint), house wine $43 (glass); and an impressive selection of mocktails ($40) and cocktails ($60)

Recommended: Its most popular dish is the grilled lamb chop with wild mushrooms gravy, vegetables and pesto mashed potato ($85). Grilled salmon steak with dill cream sauce and vegetables and mash ($85)

Saigon/Sukho Thai

A beautifully decorated two-in-one restaurant featuring Vietnamese food (Saigon) on the first floor and Thai food (Sukho Thai) on the second. Dishes from both menus can be ordered from outdoor tables. Indoor tables near the shutters have fantastic sea views.

Address: 90 Stanley Main St

Tel: 2899 0999

Opening hours: Noon-10.30pm weekdays, noon-11pm weekends

Accepts: Visa, Mastercard, Diners

Outdoor seating: 12

Indoor seating: 120

Food: Not surprisingly, both restaurants feature a fantastic selection of seafood dishes. Check the legend for their signature dishes, vegetarian dishes and spicy dishes. All prices subject to 10 per cent service charge

Drinks: Carlsberg $42 (pint), house wine $48 (glass). You'll be blown away by the extensive wine list

Recommended: Saigon - Spicy king prawns with garlic and lemongrass in traditional spices ($138); roasted duck with orange honey glaze and Vietnamese herbs ($98). Sukho Thai - standing crispy snapper with sweet, sour and spicy sauce ($118); royal Thai curry of beef or chicken with fresh pineapple and fresh herbs ($68)

Specials: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, both restaurants have a summer lunch set from noon-6pm. The set is $98 and includes one starter and main course ($20 extra for dessert). They also have a sunset dinner set (6pm-10.30pm) which is $138 a person for any two courses and $158 a person for three courses. And both offer a high-tea set ($58 a person, 3pm-6pm)