Hong Kong Dining Awards 2021: Editor’s Pick

Restaurant of the Year

VEA

Ranked as number 16 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, VEA has been one of this year’s most talked-about restaurants. Using a Chinese-French philosophy throughout its tasting menus, Chef Vicky Cheng uses high-quality, sustainable Chinese ingredients cooked with a French flair for its tasting menus.

Chef of the Year

Shane Osborn

You may recognise Shane Osborn from Netflix’s cooking show, Final Table. This chef has become a familiar face in Hong Kong’s dining scene since moving to the city almost 10 years ago. He opened his third restaurant Moxie in August this year and introduced The Arcane Collective. The Arcane Collective is a socially and environmentally aware ideology to his other restaurants, Arcane and Cornerstone. 

Best New Restaurant 

Musubi Hiro

Since opening in the heart of Central in July, Musubi Hiro has become well-known as a fun, cool Izakaya-inspired multi-leveled GastroPub. The restaurant serves everything from made-to-order musubis to reimagined izakaya snacks perfect for a late-night bite. 

Beyond serving the ultimate spam-musubi, Musubi Hiro puts a contemporary spin on traditional Japanese fare. They offer a variety of musubi creations. From vegetarian and deep-fried options to those inspired by Hong Kong’s unique local flavours. The wagyu & truffle musubi, OMG sea urchin musubi, chicken wings & shishito, and panipuri pops are musts. 

With mural art setting the scene inside and outside the restaurant, Musubi Hiro is vibrant and atmospheric, with friendly staff and affordable prices. Weekday set lunch is a steal and bookable weekend brunches are a regular sell-out. Go with a group to try out their weekend brunch with starter, musubis, desserts and unlimited booze.

Best New Bar 

The Quality Goods Club

As the newest entertainment venue in the heart of Central, The Quality Goods Club offers live music, cocktails, and finessed food. Helmed by Beckaly Franks from The Pontiac and some of the masterminds behind Honky Tonks and Shady Acres, everything about this bar has been well-thought-out and makes it the perfect place to party.

Best pop-up 

Calioo 

Translating to “next door” in Cantonese, Calioo is a support and infrastructure system for small food businesses across Hong Kong. Since its founding, Calioo has hosted multiple pop-ups in locations such as The Pulse, 36 Cochrane Street, and K11. They currently work with close to 600 merchants and sell over 10,000 products on their mobile platform.

Best Hotel Restaurant

Grissini, The Grand Hyatt

Established in 1989, Grissini has a long history of serving up delicious Italian cuisine and is well-known for its comically large breadsticks. Since its refurbishment in 2019, the restaurant has become a popular choice for refined business lunches, intimate celebrations, and large affairs.

Read more: The Highlights of the Hong Kong Living Influencer Awards 2021 

Best Takeaway 

Shake Shack 

Starting as a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park in Manhattan, Shake Shack has grown into an international burger chain. Today, it has six convenient locations in Hong Kong where you can grab a takeaway.

Make sure to try its signature 100% all-natural Angus beef burger served on a potato roll, or opt for its humble flat-top Vienna beef dog. Vegetarians, meanwhile, can go for the mushroom burger. Other must-tries include Shake Shack’s chicken sandwich, crinkle-cut fries and frozen custard.

What’s more, at the IFC branch, 5% of sales from the Shack Attack concrete supports ChickenSoup Foundation to empower at-risk families in Hong Kong.

Best online grocery shop 

Eat The Kiwi 

Eat the Kiwi is our favourite online grocery shop for the second year running. Operating in three countries including Hong Kong, it delivers high quality goodness from producers and farmers in New Zealand.

With a heavy focus on sustainability, Eat The Kiwi not only delivers fresh groceries directly to your doorstep, but also to Hong Kong’s top restaurants. Fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, recipe kits, and even popular pantry items are packed loose in a recyclable box with biodegradable insulation to ensure everything stays fresh.

Standing out from other grocery stores, Eat The Kiwi also offers a personalised subscription service where customers can subscribe to ingredients of their choice, such as eggs, butter, and bread,  and have them delivered every week or fortnight. The subscription can be adjusted or paused at any time, providing maximum flexibility for customers.

Best catering concept 

Mama Malouf 

Inspired by founder Alex Malouf’s mother, Mama Malouf is a Lebanese restaurant offering a mix of a traditional and modern take on Lebanese cuisine. It’s our favourite catering concept this year with its unique Middle Eastern dishes. Whether for a party at home, in the office, or on a junk, its catering menu is sure to keep you and your company well fed.

Some of Mama Malouf’s best dishes include eggplant baked with goat’s cheese cream and beef kafta with chermoula (grilled kebabs dressed with citrus relish), both of which you can order for your party no matter the size.

Catering packages are split into three groups. Starting at $170 per person for the “Light Lunch” set to $300 for the “Let’s Feast” set. If you are hosting a sit-down event, Mama Malouf also offers the option of letting you hire a fully equipped kitchen team and front-of-the-house staff.

Best cafe

Infiniti C

Founded in 2018 by Bryant Law and October Chu, Infiniti C is an all-day cafe that prides itself on being fully gluten-free. Infiniti C also has a wide selection of vegan and keto-friendly dishes. Many of its first visitors upon opening were people who suffered from gluten intolerance or celiac, who found respite in its unique menu.

Now with four locations across Hong Kong, Infiniti C’s food is enjoyed by all, not just those with food intolerances. The boutique cafe is perhaps even more known for its floral-filled interiors, pastel-colored pastries and lattes sprinkled with edible flowers. It’s an Instagram hotspot, that’s for sure.

In addition to catering to those with Instagram or dietary needs, the cafe is also centered on healthy food. If you’re looking for a guilt-free experience, you’ll find healthier versions of well-loved desserts like the avocado brownie and sugar-free cakes. It also hosts coffee classes to promote and educate the coffee culture in Hong Kong.

Read more: Hong Kong Living Influencer Awards 2021: Health & Wellness

Best Brunch

Conrad Hong Kong

Whether it’s a day date, a birthday, or any other celebration, Conrad Hong Kong’s signature weekend brunch is a real treat. Conrad has devised an elaborate spread of enticing delicacies at Nicholini’s and Brasserie of The Eighth. 

The extensive brunch menu features a selection of starters and a generous main along. They also offer an unlimited buffet featuring seasonal produce and jet-fresh seafood, as well as a full range of cheeses and desserts. Of course, no brunch is complete without free-flow and Conrad offers Perrier-Jouët Champagne, Bloody Mary, and seasonal cocktails. Take a seat and get ready for an afternoon of impressive eats.

Best restaurant with a view 

aqua 

Offering sweeping views across Hong Kong’s iconic skyline, aqua is one of the best restaurants to take guests (or during Covid times, celebrate the city.) The luxury restaurant is a unique mix of Japanese and Italian cuisine. They offer classics from fresh sashimi to charcoal-grilled miso cod along with decadent pasta and risotto dishes.