Ah, pizza. We love our tomato-and-cheese pies in Hong Kong, and we have it all in Hong Kong – there are slice shops, pizzerias hawking Neapolitan, Roman, New York, Chicago, and even New Haven-style pies, and restaurants serving up pizza as just one of their many “international”offerings. It’s tough competition in the city when it comes to ‘za.
Vesu Pizza Bar, a new venture by Aqua Restaurant Group, differs from Hong Kong’s pizza norm. Located on the 30th floor of the One Peking building in Tsim Sha Tsui, in a balcony space overlooking the group’s Vista Italian restaurant, Vesu commands postcard views of the Hong Kong Island skyline. It’s much swankier than Hong Kong’s standard pizzerias, even the more contemporary spots.
The Tsim Sha Tsui restaurant specialises in nine-inch Neapolitan pies that are cooked front and centre in a gold-flecked Neapolis pizza oven. Arguably the most popular type of pizza in Hong Kong, Neapolitan pies are characterised by their thin, soft, and tender middle and blistered, charred, and puffy cornicione, or outer edges.
At Vesu, you can go classic or “world” with your pizza, depending on your preference for sticking to tradition or veering off-piste with creative global flavours. We chose the worldly I’ll Be Bok (HKD138), crafted with locally inspired toppings including bok choy cream, minced crispy pork, ginger, and a drizzle of vinegar.
Vesu’s crust is extremely light and airy, and we have no doubt that most people would be able to wolf down a whole pie without feeling stuffed. The aromas of this pie in particular are akin to a Cantonese plate, but the East-meets-West melding of the Chinese flavours with the mozzarella cheese and yeasty dough works well. We scarfed this one down in no time!
We’ll certainly be back to try The Ducky (HKD138), which is only available at dinnertime. The star of this pie is Peking duck courtesy of Aqua F&B group’s nearby Hutong restaurant, alongside Chinese cabbage, mozzarella, spring onion, and homemade duck sauce.
To go with your pizza, there are several small plates we recommend, both sweet and savoury.
The tuna tartare (HKD98) is a petite number pairing tangy bluefin tuna with an uber-creamy avocado purée – a classic flavour pairing that nearly always delivers, as it does here at Vesu.
Much heartier, the montanarine section of the menu offers deep-fried puffs of dough with varied toppings. We went for the pulled pork (HKD78), shredded suckling pig coated in a sweetish BBQ sauce. These are fun to try but on the dense side.
The must-order small plate for us at Vesu is the fritto misto (HKD118), a traditional Italian dish of deep-fried seafood. This recipe is all about the freshness of the seafood – squid and prawn, in this case – and lightness of the batter, and Vesu gets top marks for both components.
Though you could opt for tiramisu or panna cotta for a textbook Italian ending, we preferred the pineapple carpaccio with coconut sorbet (HKD78), tropical freshness personified. The addition of lime boosts the pineapple’s tart bite, whilst the coconut sorbet imparts a contrasting subtly sweet milkiness.
The cocktails (HKD128) and mocktails (HKD88) deserve a look-in at Vesu too. Most of the drinks here have unique Asian components, and we appreciate that even the mocktails – like our Capri with basil, lime, ginger, and lavender – are zhuzhed up with snazzy glasses and garnishes.
Our verdict of Vesu Pizza Bar
What we like most about Vesu is that diners can pop it at any time of the day for an authentic and delicious Neapolitan pizza, small Italian bite, and tipple or two. If you find yourself at Vesu at lunchtime, the restaurant also offers a set lunch menu (HKD198 for 2 courses; HKD248 for 3 courses) that looks substantial and reasonably priced. In general, we’re pleasantly surprised by Vesu’s affordable price tags, considering the restaurant spoils us with such splendid views.
Vesu Pizza Bar, 30/F, One Peking, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3427 2018, book here
| Order this: tuna tartare, fritto misto, kai lan and sausage pizza, I’ll Be Bok pizza, pineapple carpaccio Menu: Vesu Pizza Bar à-la-carte menu Price for two: HKD500–700 | Atmosphere: not your run-of-the-mill pizza joint, Vesu stands out for its sky-high location, trendy decor, and background buzz of Italian pop tunes Perfect for: when you’re in the mood for “fancy” pizza, creative cocktails – or both – no matter the time of day |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
