Cantonese cuisine is the native cuisine of the southern coastal Chinese province of Guangdong and neighbouring Hong Kong and Macau. One of the eight prized culinary traditions of China, Cantonese cooking is well known for its use of fresh ingredients, particularly seafood, with dried and preserved ingredients playing important supporting roles.
As Cantonese is the dominant cuisine in Hong Kong, there’s no shortage of reputable Cantonese eateries in the city. This list places a spotlight on the cream of the Cantonese crop, the fine-dining restaurants to book when you’re searching for impeccable local flavours and don’t mind splashing out.
Hong Kong’s top fine-dining Cantonese restaurants
The Chairman Restaurant
Perhaps THE most difficult reservation to clinch in Hong Kong – it’s already fully booked until the end of 2024 – The Chairman is a Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant that topped Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2021 and now sits pretty at number 4. The vibe might not be as fancy and the plating not as Instagram-perfect as others on this list, but these debatable shortcomings don’t stop locals and tourists from flocking here for a taste of owner Danny Yip and chef Kwok Keung Tung’s innovative flavour combinations, including the one-and-only steamed fresh flowery crab with aged Shaoxing wine, fragrant chicken oil, and flat rice noodles. To get the full experience, the price tag is around HKD1,380 per diner.
The Chairman, 3/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, 2555 2202, WhatsApp 5501 5102
Hong Kong Cuisine 1983
Hong Cuisine 1983 is the deserving winner of our Foodie Forks 2024 Best Chinese Restaurant award, crowned by us owing to chef Silas Li’s progressive East-meets-West approach to Cantonese cuisine, merging French techniques with Chinese ingredients and recipes. If you order the dinner tasting menu (HKD2,180), be sure to supplement with a few of chef Silas’ à-la-carte signatures, including the trio of baked mini crab shells (HKD460), caramelised sweet-and-sour pork with crispy pork lard (HKD380), and crispy chicken (HKD680), which must be pre-ordered at least a day in advance. The chef’s Frenchified desserts can’t be missed; we’re big fans of the mango mousse with coconut sauce, mango sauce, pomelo, sago, meringue, and frozen pomelo drops (HKD150) for an elevated take on the classic mango pomelo sago pudding.
Hong Kong Cuisine 1983, 1/F, Elegance Court, 2–4 Tsoi Tak Street, Happy Valley, 2893 3788, WhatsApp 9029 2093, book here
T’ang Court
The first of the three-Michelin-starred Cantonese establishments to grace our list, T’ang Court at The Langham hotel has been going strong for over three decades, which might explain its plush but somewhat dating-looking burgundy- and gold-toned decor. Chef Wong Chi Fai crafts Cantonese culinary masterpieces here. The stir-fried lobster with spring onion, red onion, and shallot (HKD1,380), baked stuffed crab shell with crabmeat, onion, and cream sauce (HKD360), and stir-fried diced Wagyu beef with spring onion and wasabi (HKD680) are our top recommendations – or you can go the whole hog and order the tasting menu (HKD3,280 pp).
T’ang Court, 1/F & 2/F, The Langham, Hong Kong, 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2132 7898, book here
WING
Chef Vicky Cheng has come up trumps with his second opening following Chinese-French fine-diner VEA (located just one floor upstairs). At WING, the chef offers a more classic Cantonese touch through his own personal interpretations of traditional recipes. Chef Vicky chooses his ingredients fresh each morning, using them to craft a refined seasonal tasting menus (HKD1,980 pp/HKD2,980 pp) that currently features dishes including smoked eggplant with house-made sour sauce, fragrant Alaskan chilli crab with crispy cheung fun, and dry-aged baby pigeon smoked over sugar cane.
WING, 29/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, 2711 0063, book here
The Legacy House
Another stunning Cantonese fine-diner housed within a luxury hotel, Rosewood Hong Kong’s The Legacy House is one to bookmark if you want to impress that special someone; it offers the winning trifecta of exceptional Cantonese cuisine, sophisticated interiors, and sweeping harbour views. The Michelin-starred restaurant’s dinner tasting menus (from HKD1,680 pp) showcase an abundance of luxurious under-the-sea ingredients, from abalone and fish maw to spotted garoupa and sea cucumber. Chef Li Chi Wai’s stir-fried fish noodle with dried sole, bean sprout, and mushroom (HKD320) is a go-to for its bouncy texture and umami flavours. For carnivores, the roasted goose (HKD338/HKD568) is a popular choice.
The Legacy House, 5/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3891 8732, book here
Duddell’s
Duddell’s is a stylish spot that encompasses a Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, more laid-back salon-style dining area with attached garden terrace, members-only lounge, and showroom for art exhibitions and cultural talks. On the fine-dining side, the dinner tasting menu (HKD1,588 pp) presents a flourish of seasonal delights by chef Chan Yau-Leung, with an emphasis on local sourcing. The fried shredded shrimp with fresh crabmeat, Chinese ham, egg, and bean sprout (HKD468) is a showpiece of the chef’s knife skills. The sensational barbecued pork selection (HKD368) comes with two varieties: traditional honey-glazed and a spicy version marinated with Sichuan peppercorn and chilli. Duddell’s free-flow dim sum weekend brunch (HKD638 pp) is legendary.
Duddell’s, 3/F & 4/F, 1 Duddell Street, Central, 2525 9191, book here
Forum Restaurant
Three-Michelin-starred Forum is possibly the priciest Cantonese restaurant in town, founded nearly five decades ago by master chef Yeung Koon-yat, whose signature abalone dishes are now world-famous. Today, executive chef Adam Wong is the man whipping up the braised Ah Yat abalone with dried seafood (HKD2,980), roasted pork belly with Tai O shrimp paste (HKD330), deep-fried crispy chicken (HKD680), baked bird’s nest in crab shell (HKD720), and more signature dishes. A wide range of set and banquet menus can be ordered too, including several Ah Yat abalone premium menus (from HK27,288 per table of 12).
Forum Restaurant, 1/F, Sino Plaza. 255–257 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, 2869 8282, WhatsApp 6061 1682, book here
Ming Court (Cordis)
Cordis hotel’s Ming Court has recorded an astounding 16 years as a Michelin-starred restaurant, in no small part owing to the expertise of chef Li Yuet Faat. The chef is dedicated to showcasing Cantonese cuisine at its most authentic, utilising premium local ingredients and time-honoured culinary techniques. For example, the lobster is sourced in Sai Kung, whilst the air-dried seafood comes from Lamma Island. Chef Yuet Faat’s standout dish is the barbecued supreme pork loin (HKD338) made with Hong Kong heritage pork. Another winning BBQ option comes in the form of the grilled eel with Chinese angelica (HKD288). Ming Court’s six-course Michelin degustation dinner (HKD1,456 pp) is an ideal way to sample the restaurant’s most lauded dishes.
Ming Court, 6/F, Cordis, Hong Kong, 555 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, 3552 3300, book here
Chinesology
This swanky Cantonese hotspot at ifc mall is celebrating its second anniversary this year, with culinary director Saito Chau continuing his revival of “glorious Chinese cuisine.” At Chinesology, classic Cantonese flavours are innovated by chef Saito, and he brings a sense of artistry to the plate. Be sure to order the minced stonefish soup with fish maw and tangerine peel (HKD198), chilled jumbo razor clam with chilli sauce (HKD328), and smoked free-range chicken with osmanthus and oolong (HKD398/HKD788). You can instead opt for one of the seasonal tasting menus (from HKD788 pp) for a bit of everything. Chinesology’s drink programme is just as progressive as the food. Notably, the mixologists infuse Chinese herbs into their eye-catching cocktails, complemented by an extensive international wine list.
Chinesology, Shop 3101, 3/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 6809 2299, book here
Above & Beyond
Above & Beyond at Hotel ICON is a restaurant that we feel deserves more love. It’s worth travelling to eastern Tsim Sha Tsui for the eatery’s sky-high 360-degree harbour views and quality fine-dining Cantonese menu by chef Chi Ki Wong. The chef delivers authentic Cantonese flavours but mixes things up through the use of global ingredients and techniques, as in the stir-fried venison with lamb and fig (HKD328), an autumnal special, and the signature wok-fried lobster with egg white and black truffle (HKD368) and stir-fried pork tenderloin with balsamic vinegar and osmanthus-poached pear (HKD288). If you prefer a Cantonese tasting menu, the seafood set (HKD988 pp) is the way to go.
Above & Beyond, 28/F, Hotel ICON, 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, 3400 1318, book here
Lai Ching Heen
Lai Ching Heen made a triumphant return to its original name when the Cantonese restaurant reopened at the rebranded Regent Hong Kong hotel in early 2023 (at the hotel’s formation incarnation as the InterContinental, it was known as Yan Toh Heen). Now crowned with two Michelin stars, the elegant interior is absolutely breathtaking, inspired by a jade jewellery box, and offers incredible views. Executive chef Lau Yiu Fai boasts more than 30 years of experience at the hotel, and it’s his prestigious dinner menu (HKD2,288 pp) that truly knocks our socks off. The Buddha Jumps over the Wall dish, starring double-boiled abalone, fish maw, sea cucumber, and conpoy, Kagoshima Wagyu combination, and steamed rock rice with garoupa fillet and preserved vegetables display the pinnacle of expertly prepared, high-quality ingredients.
Lai Ching Heen, G/F, Regent Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2313 2313, book here
One Harbour Road
The Grand Hyatt hotel’s One Harbour Road’s high ceilings and bright and airy 1930s-style decor equate to serene elegance. In the signature set menu (HKD1,588 pp), chef Chan Hon-cheong, who is passionate about the use of local produce and sustainable seafood, whips up inventive dishes such as a duo of lobster featuring deep-fried Boston lobster claw with shrimp mousse and spicy pepper salt and braised lobster with minced pork, egg, and spicy sour sauce for a complementary contrast of flavours. Moving from meaty to plant based, the appetisers of crispy suckling pig with foie gras mousse and caviar (HKD368) and crispy black mushroom with osmanthus honey sauce (HKD138) are superb dishes to kick-start the palate.
One Harbour Road, 7/F & 8/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, 2584 7722, book here
