Italians have a reputation for living passionately - and this also goes for preparing and enjoying food. So where do Hong Kong's resident Italians go when they crave a taste of home?
Company director Federica Betteto, who has been in Hong Kong for three years, said: 'My top Italian restaurant is Isola in the IFC. Apart from the great indoor and outdoor atmosphere, the chef is really skilled, and all the ingredients - from the tomatoes to the fish - are imported from Italy.'
Ms Betteto also likes Gaia in the Grand Millennium Plaza between Central and Western on Hong Kong Island. 'I love the location - it reminds me of an Italian square in a seaside town.' Another favourite is Grissini in the Grand Hyatt Hotel, offering 'good cuisine in a nice environment - I often take customers there for business dinners. It is really elegant.'
A favourite lunch spot is DiVino on Wyndham Street in Soho, where the custom of serving a glass of wine as an aperitif reminds her of home. 'The food there is simple but always tasty. I love their spaghetti with fresh tomato, which is always good. I also recommend Pane Vino [on the Mid-Levels escalator], where you eat like you eat in Italy. The food is very simple - like you'll do it at home - but very tasty.'
Italian deli owner Massimo Sfriso, originally from Venice, likes stylish Aqua in Tsim Sha Tsui 'for the friendship, atmosphere and the modern Italian dishes'. He said: 'It's a unique place. The chef combines a southern Italian influence with modern Australian. One special dish is a kind of handmade pasta from Calabria known as pasta al ferro. To get its particular shape you have to use your hands and an iron 'stick' to roll it [ferro means iron]. I enjoy this with a spicy, tomato-based sauce. They also serve a very classical fish dish with a salt crust, which is very simple but tasty.'
Mr Sfriso also enjoys Cinecitta on trendy Star Street in Wan Chai. 'The chef is very young and talented and he usually does Roman dishes. I like the atmosphere, which combines a rustic feel with scenes from the movies.'