Wine Bar and Restaurant
G/F, 73 Wyndham Street, Central
Tel: 2167 8883
Opening hours: Noon-late
There is nothing more satisfying than walking into a restaurant and being struck by a sense that you are going to enjoy yourself. Such welcomes are rare in Hong Kong, with its obsession with million-dollar interiors that are often as warm as Siberian gulags.
What makes DiVino so good is that all the elements are right. It's a small area that has been well-designed to maximise the space in style - with a vibrant bar at the front and an open-air terrace out back - without being all show and no substance.
A wonderful touch is the free antipasti offerings for drinkers from 6.30pm-7.45pm, and the knowledgeable staff should also be commended. These factors, plus an extensive winelist and excellent Italian food, have seen the place full almost every night - a well-deserved result for an establishment that dared open just three months ago at the height of the Sars scare.