From sky-high dining to street snacks: A first-timer’s guide to eating in Hong Kong | Daily Hive

Tsim Chai Kee is known for its ping-pong-sized wonton soup. (Hanna McLean)

Few things excite a food lover more than a first trip to Hong Kong, one of the world’s great dining capitals, no matter which seat you’re flying in.

Our typical long-haul travel routine involves counting down the many restless hours until we can land, explore, and eat. We can’t forget to mention the compression socks, mediocre snacks from home, and a questionable neck pillow we always have in tow. Those are our ride-or-die flight essentials.

Normally, we’d arrive in Hong Kong slightly worse for wear and more tired than we’d like to admit, yet incredibly grateful to be there. But on our recent trip, that first part wasn’t the case, as we had the privilege of travelling in Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite in business class.

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For those familiar with the Cathay Pacific brand, it should come as no surprise that the business class experience redefines in-flight dining. But the culinary adventure doesn’t stop at 30,000 feet. From luxury flights to bustling streets, here’s a first-timer’s guide to eating in Hong Kong.

Getting there and back: Next-level lounge life and in-flight dining

The Aria Suite in Cathay Pacific’s all-new Business cabin. (Hanna McLean)

This type of trip isn’t exactly an everyday experience for us. We’d flown first class before, but not on Hong Kong’s main airline and national representative in international travel. This was a whole new world.

Cathay Pacific’s freshly rolled-out Aria Suites are exceptional. These state-of-the-art pods offer a private escape while travelling. They feature the airline’s first-ever suite door, which can be opened, closed, or left partially shut. They’ve also got touch controls for everything, from seat adjustments to lighting to a 24-inch 4K ultra HD screen packed with endless entertainment options.

We could go on and on, but you get the idea. The suite layout supports working, relaxing, sleeping, and, of course, a whole lot of eating.

A pre-flight meal at the Cathay Pacific YVR Lounge. (Hanna McLean)

For first and business class passengers, the dining experience begins before takeoff. At Vancouver International Airport (YVR), the airline operates a swanky lounge complete with private shower rooms, ample seating, and a menu of made-to-order noodles, dim sum, and more.

Loading up on siu mai and dan dan noodles before heading to our gate was a no-brainer; little did we know that would be the unofficial appetizer to our meal onboard, which was a deeply comforting spread of wok-fried crispy ling cod with sweet and sour sauce, kai lan, and egg fried rice, along with soup.

Hong Kong-style egg tarts are a signature offering during long flights. (Hanna McLean)

Options for dinner, breakfast, snacks, and drinks during our 14-hour flight from Vancouver to Hong Kong were plentiful, but there’d be even more on the return trip thanks to some Michelin-starred partnerships offered on that route. These include in-flight meals from inventive Hong Kong French restaurant Louise and traditional Cantonese destination Duddell’s. But more on those later.

On-board, Michelin-starred Hong Kong restaurant Louise offers steamed halibut with a smoky chorizo sauce. (Hanna McLean)

Cathay Pacific’s in-flight Western Breakfast. (Hanna McLean)

One of the best parts of flying with Cathay Pacific in business class is having access to its many private retreats at Hong Kong International Airport. Ahead of our return flight, we quickly realized it was best to go into lounge hopping with a plan. Think of it as airport lounge bingo; there were just certain experiences and bites you had to seize the opportunity to try.

We aimed to hit three of the six spaces: The Wing, Business, The Bridge, and The Pier, First. At the latter, you can book a massage before heading to the dining room for a full-service meal, including a seasonal tasting menu offered in partnership with Mott 32.

The amenities and hospitality made these lounges feel more like wellness clubs than places to kill time before a flight. Frankly, it’d be incredibly easy to zone out and miss your boarding time while enjoying made-to-order latte art or devouring everything at the noodle bar.

Hong Kong’s legendary service culture begins the moment you interact with a Cathay Pacific team member at YVR, and continues throughout the flight. For folks who hadn’t been to this destination before, like us, it set the tone for what we might experience after touchdown.

Touch down, tuck in: Where to eat in Hong Kong

Snapshot of Hong Kong. (Hanna McLean)

When the flight to Hong Kong lands at 5:30 a.m. local time, that means it’s time to knock back an espresso and look for your next meal.

Lucky for us, the first stop was our hotel, the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. The five-star accommodation is located on Connaught Road in Hong Kong’s Central district. It offers a whopping nine bars and restaurants, one of which, Man Wah, is Michelin-starred.

The Clipper Lounge’s breakfast buffet pastry and bread selection. (Hanna McLean)

Selection of bites at the Clipper Lounge’s breakfast buffet. (Hanna McLean)

We started our dining journey at the hotel’s Clipper Lounge, where we found a very impressive breakfast buffet featuring live food stations and everything from iconic local dishes to Western favourites. Aptly nicknamed “Hong Kong’s living room,” this space overlooks a lounge area that extends to the hotel’s foyer, which includes the entrance to local institution the Captain’s Bar. Known for its live music and draught beer served in silver tankards, the pub has been a favourite for over 50 years.

The Aubrey offers all-day dining and even features an omakase-style cocktail experience at its bar. (Hanna McLean)

The Aubrey’s Katsu Sando. (Hanna McLean)

If you find yourself dining in the hotel for lunch or dinner, we’d highly recommend the Japanese izakaya experience at The Aubrey. Find this stunning space on the 25th floor, offering amazing views of Victoria Harbour. If the decor isn’t enough to lure you up here, be sure to pop up on Friday nights when this space turns into one of Hong Kong’s busiest nightlife spots. The people-watching is fantastic.

Offerings from The Aubrey’s Bento Box Set Lunch. (Hanna McLean)

But let’s leave the hotel premises for a minute, as there’s ample opportunity to chow down across Hong Kong’s bustling streets and hidden corners.

From egg tarts to the best wonton noodle soup we’ve ever had — the streets of Hong Kong had us feeling like a kid in a candy store. A visit to Hong Kong’s oldest tea house, Luk Yu Tea House, led us to a dreamy, classic Cantonese spread, including a beef spring roll that froze time for a moment. This multi-level Stanley Street establishment will be 100 years old in 2033, and we’re told it’s a hot spot for locals and visiting celebrities alike.

Dim Sum at Luk Yu Teahouse. (Hanna McLean)

Luk Yu Teahouse beef spring roll. (Hanna McLean)

Tsim Chai Kee was a true highlight of our trip. Our timing was perfect as we missed the sizeable lunchtime lineup that typically gathers for the springy noodles and rich, flavourful broth it serves. This spot offers just three toppings: ping-pong-sized wontons, fresh minced fish balls, and fresh sliced beef.

We opted for the wontons, which were absolutely loaded with pork and shrimp and cooked to perfection.

Tsim Chai Kee’s wonton soup. (Hanna McLean)

In the event you are craving Italian or want to see what the world’s best bar is like, there’s Bar Leone. Hot off its win as The World’s 50 Best Bars’ number-one drink destination, this spot delivers outstanding ambiance once you get to the front of the queue and settle in.

Opened in 2023 by co-owner and award-winning bartender Lorenzo Antinori, a native of Rome, Bar Leone boasts an impressive drink list, including the signature Filthy Martini and Fig Leaf Negroni, both standouts. The bar also offers a memorable mortadella focaccia and (maybe) the world’s best olives. You can bet we had a few jars of those smoky snacks in our suitcase on the way home.

The spread of all spreads at Bar Leone. (Hanna McLean)

For something sweet, we popped into Chef Vicky Cheng’s gelato shop, Liz & Tori. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Toronto, the chef named this dessert destination after his two daughters, Elizabeth and Victoria. This scoop spot offers hard-to-come-by flavours such as the show-stopping salted duck egg and the dreamy lemon meringue gelato.

Liz & Tori’s lemon meringue gelato. (Hanna McLean)

A much-loved local culinary star, Chef Vicky’s other dining concepts are must-visits as well if you get a chance. While we didn’t have the opportunity to squeeze in contemporary Chinese restaurant WING during our visit, we did get to experience VEA.

This concept is known for its six and eight-course tasting menus fusing Chinese and French cuisine. The food takes centre stage here as you pull up one of 25 counter seats running the length of the open kitchen. Our meal at VEA was a true masterclass on service, offering delicacies like Racan pigeon and a tender sea cucumber with King crab, along with curated cocktail pairings arriving with every course.

VEA’s sea cucumber with King crab and aged Shaoxing wine. (Hanna McLean)

Staying in the realm of elevated dining, and in addition to Louise and Duddell’s offering in-flight dishes on the return journey with Cathay Pacific, these Hong Kong restaurants deserve a spot on any foodie’s itinerary.

The former serves up one of our now all-time favourite chicken dishes. Louise’s roasted Hong Kong chicken is served with Niigata rice, green salad, and chicken jus. The bird itself undergoes a meticulous, five-day process that includes brining, pre-cooking, and dry-aging. The result is a mouthwatering and noteworthy dish.

Louise’s Hong Kong chicken is a signature dish. (Hanna McLean)

Dim Sum at Duddell’s. (Hanna McLean)

If we’re talking dim sum (and when are we not), Duddell’s offers a spectacular spread and experience. It was a golden, buttery roasted goose pie with plum sauce that was the highlight for us here.

For spectacular fire-roasted Peking duck with a gorgeous harbour view, the picture-perfect dining experience and Northern Chinese cuisine at Hutong is a must. Just one floor down from the refined restaurant, the popular rooftop bar Aqua offers stunning skyline views ideal for a vibey nightcap.

Views inside Hutong. (Hanna McLean)

Cocktails at Aqua. (Hanna McLean)

No first trip to Hong Kong would be complete without a visit to Lan Kwai Fong, one of the best places to experience lively nightlife. We made our way to the famous stretch to enjoy a beer and soak in the vibrancy of the bars and restaurants there.

Lan Kwai Fong nightlife. (Hanna McLean)

The Peridot offers terroir-inspired cocktails and fermentation-focused vegan fare. (Hanna McLean)

Whether you hit the streets for a casual brew or venture to a sleek, sky-high dining spot like the all-new Peridot, a plant-based bar and restaurant perched 38 floors up in The Henderson Building, Hong Kong offers something for every appetite and every occasion.

After indulging in unforgettable dining moments, it was clear that Hong Kong’s culinary scene is just as elevated as the in-flight one we experienced on the way there and back. From the plane to the dinner table, every bite felt like a taste of the high life.

As first-timers exploring the scene, it was exhilarating and overwhelming, but we can’t wait to return and eat our way through even more of the city.

Hong Kong’s skyline. (Hanna McLean)

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The author of this article was hosted by Discover Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific.