Hong Kong’s struggling restaurants hope city’s foodies give them a boost during expanded Great November Feast
- Annual event to be three times bigger than last year as sector seeks to recover from economic battering at hand of anti-government protesters
- Some 600 outlets are involved, covering everything from street food to Michelin-starred restaurants
This year’s Great November Feast is to be three times bigger than normal, as the devastated food and drinks industry in Hong Kong seeks to recover from the economic battering it has taken because of the anti-government protests sweeping the city.
Some 600 outlets, from street food to Michelin-starred restaurants, will take part in the annual dining festival next month, offering discounts to boost appetites soured by the increasingly violent civil unrest, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said.
The number of the restaurants involved has soared from 200 last year, while the cuisine available has been extended to include French, Italian and street food, in part to make up for the cancellation of this year’s hugely popular Wine & Dine Festival.
Traditionally held on October 31, the festival attracted 140,000 visitors to Central Harbourfront last year, but was called off over safety fears arising from the protests.
“The scale of the feast is the biggest in its history,” said the board’s general manager, Mason Hung Chung-hing. “We hope to lift the palate of diners – locals or tourists at this challenging time.”
