Where to eat in Hong Kong in December: 15 new restaurants from Majo Tapas Paella Bar, Cantonese kitchen 1111 Ones and vegetarian-friendly sushi at Uoharu, to new homes for Hutong and Little Bao

Another month, another bunch of new openings in Hong Kong!

In December, decadent Chinese restaurants are opening up in Wan Chai and Pacific Place, while K11 Atelier King’s Road welcomes a new izakaya. Meanwhile Tung Chung, Tseung Kwan O, Happy Valley and Soho all welcome both new concepts and old.

Scroll down to see what strikes your fancy this month.

CBD in Hong Kong: where to get a cannabinoid kick in your coffee, cocktail or meal

New restaurants

Majo Tapas Paella Bar

Fans of paella have a new hang-out in town. Perched on the steps of Soho, the Spanish restaurant offers six versions of the classic dish, including Paella Valenciana, considered the most authentic recipe that was recently crowned a protected cultural status. Wash it down with the specially selected range of Spanish sherries while you’re there too.

G/F, 22 Staunton Street, Central

The Next Chapter

A new all-day, alfresco diner has opened in Tung Chung. Patrons can enjoy a fresh oysters, seafood, tasty appetisers, soups and salads, pastas, home-made sourdough pizzas, prime steak cuts as well as the dramatic seafood tower that is packed with dry ice.

Shop R&S, G/F, Seaview Crescent, 8 Tung Chung Waterfront Road, Tung Chung, Lantau Island

1111 Ones Restaurant and Lounge

Be prepared for a feast for the eyes as well as your stomach at 1111 Ones. If you’re wondering about the reason behind the odd name, it is believed to be the powerful universal number, for what that’s worth. The restaurant touts its celebration of Cantonese and local ingredients, while the presentation for each dish is inspired by the work of photographer Kelvin Yuen.

11/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central

11 Hong Kong executive lunches guaranteed to impress

Ship Kee

You can expect traditional and exquisitely executed cuisine at Ship Kee. The kitchens are helmed by executive chef Dee Lui, who has over 27 years of experience in the kitchens of Fu Sing Shark Fin Seafood Restaurant in Wan Chai, and was the recipient of a silver medal from the coveted Asian Culinary Exchange 2019 in Japan. Pedigree chefs oversee the barbecued meats and dim sum production too, so expect nothing but excellence at this new Cantonese kitchen.

G/F, Pao Yip Building, 7 Ship Street, Wan Chai

Astra

Chilean grill house Astra joins the ranks of open fire concepts in town. Focusing on the “asado” grilling technique that originates from Spain’s Basque country and is widespread across South America. Signature items include the Rubia Gallega “Chuleta” 400-gram rib-eye steak – which has been dry-aged for 50 days – a whopping 1kg Argentinian 21 days wet-aged T-bone and Iberian pork shoulder “Secreto”.

Shop 2, G/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central

Torihachi

Yakitori izakaya Torihachi has landed in K11 Atelier in Quarry Bay and it’s all about the chicken. Eight must-try signature skewers are chicken skin lollipop, chicken neck, chicken tail, chicken kidney, chicken rolls, chicken meatballs and chicken wings, as well as soft-boiled egg with pork. We can’t wait to try the sweetcorn tempura, pork pluma with hackberry leaf as well as the sea urchin French toast.

Shop G03, K11 Atelier, 728 King’s Road, Quarry Bay

Auntie Ayi

For a different flavour of Chinese cuisine head over to the newly opened Auntie Ayi in Pacific Place. Auntie Ayi gets its name from Ma Jie or the equivalent of handmaids in traditional Chinese society. While on the menu are Chinese dishes with innovative twists such as the signature sesame candy chicken, silky egg custard with fresh lobster, two-way stuffed crab claws and “Chan Village” noodles with crunchy Tai O shrimp paste.

Shop 002, LG1, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty

The one thing luxury hotels and restaurants always get wrong

Little Napoli

Now there are even more choices for pizza in Happy Valley. New grab-and-go concept Little Napoli is serving Neapolitan ripieno fritto stuffed pizzas and baked panuozzo sandwiches made with pizza dough. We loved the Vesuviana that features Italian fennel sausage, turnip green, Agerola mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and chilli flakes.

8 King Kwong Street, Happy Valley

Anne

Breton-style buckwheat crepes have made its way to Tseung Kwan O. Creperie and French bistro Anne is perched on the Tseung Kwan O boardwalk where patrons are welcomed to bring their furry friends! On the menu are classic and international takes, including Thai and Indian flavours, and the “The American”.

Shop G05, G/F, Monterey, 23 Tong Chun Street, Tseung Kwan O

Jom

Joining the ranks of Bibi & Baba, Whey and Can Lah comes Jom, a modern Singaporean eatery promising to serve home recipes and local favourites. We look forward to classics such as chilli crab, nasi lemak, Hainan chicken rice as well as the real crowd pleaser, laksa.

7 Tai Wong Street East, Wan Chai

Grill Manten-Boshi

The renowned Tokyo omurice restaurant will open its first branch in Hong Kong. The house philosophy is simple – supreme egg, rice and gravy creates the best omurice. Grill Manten-Boshi has long been a popular wayo-style (Western-influenced) restaurant, with seven branches in Tokyo that have proved wildly popular for 43 years and counting.

Shop OT301-301A, 3/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui

Dark Leaf Cafe & Lounge

Dark Leaf provides a new spot to chill on Nathan Road. Enjoy one of their speciality tea-infused cocktails such as lapsang souchong, camomile, sencha, Earl Grey, pu’er and jasmine along with some shisha. Hearty items populate the menu with items such as lobster mentaiko spaghetti, tiger prawns and scallops mentaiko spaghetti and M4 Australian Wagyu rib-eye steak with truffle fries.

8/F, 726 Nathan Road, Mong Kok

How personal chefs became Covid-19’s must-have luxury comfort

Hutong

Hutong has relocated to a new venue with the same awesome view at H Zentre. Fans of the concept will be happy to know that the wish tree and hand-embroidered red Chinese lanterns are still there, as well as popular dishes such as “Red Lantern” crispy softshell crab, thrice-cooked crispy deboned lamb ribs and flaming Peking duck.

18/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Uoharu Pacific Place

Seafood-forward izakaya Uoharu opens its second branch in Pacific Place. To celebrate the occasion, executive chef Masahiro Uchiyama has created a new menu featuring bites such as prime tuna sushi, uni sushi and jumbo scallop sushi. A new plant-based sushi will also be available that includes crispy Omnipork sando, spicy Omnipork gyoza, miso grilled aubergine with Omnipork, and Omnipork with tofu rice.

Shop 001, Level LG1, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty

Little Bao Soho

Everyone’s favourite bao hang-out has returned to Soho, opening on Shin Hing Street. Old favourites remain on the menu, while diners can look forward to new items such as lamb tartare, skirt steak beef tataki, mixed seafood ceviche and crab bao.

1-3 Shin Hing Street, Central

Radical Chic’s innovative take on Italian cuisine in Hong Kong

New menus

A Taste of Local Heritage menu at Ming Court

A champion of local ingredients and flavours, Ming Court has launched a menu that utilises the best Hong Kong has to offer. To promote sustainable dining and support local communities, Ming Court’s executive chef Li Yuet-faat has created eight dishes with locally grown ingredients that include Ping Yuen chicken from a farm in Fanling. Other highlights to look forward to are simmered leopard coral grouper fillet, dried squid, shiitake, straw mushroom, turnip, Chinese celery, rice vermicelli, aged dried mandarin peel; and pan-seared minced pork patty with salted fish, dried squid, water chestnut and shiitake.

Level 6, Cordis, 555 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok

New menu at Margo

Margo is introducing fantastic new dishes to its menu. On the list are octopus terrine with artichoke, preserved Sicilian lemon and Adroino olive; croquette with mulard duck, red cabbage and kumquat marmalade; pan-seared Hokkaido scallops with pumpkin, tarragon and mandarin; and grilled pike perch with savoy cabbage, barley, buttermilk sauce and smoked pike roe. For dessert, guests can sink their teeth in the mille feuilles aux marrons with blueberry jam, chestnut cream and candied chestnut meringue.

G06, 9 Queen’s Road Central, Central

Ultimate uni omakase at Mizutani

Head to Mizutani at The Alva Hotel for your sea urchin fix. Priced at HK$3,380 (US$433) for two people, the multi-course menu features yuba bean curd skin and soft-boiled onsen egg with sea urchin, followed by four kinds of buttery and fat-melting flavours of sashimi – medium fatty tuna, yellowtail, sea urchin and striped jack – plus grilled lobster with sea urchin as well assorted sushi layers with different species of the shellfish.

28/F, Alva Hotel By Royal, 1 Yuen Hong Street, Sha Tin

Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.