New restaurants to try in Hong Kong this October

Currently in their soft opening stage, new smokehouse and restaurant Smoke & Barrel, has opened its doors in Central taking over the space that was once The Flying Elk before it closed at the end of 2019. Headed by Kinship’s Chris Grare and Arron Rhodes together with Christopher Tuthill, an Albuquerque native and chef, the three will bring old-school American BBQ fare to Hong Kong. And thanks to their imported wood-fired smoker from Missouri, diners can expect smoky meats prepared the slow-and-low way. The restaurant is open for dinner and weekend brunch (for now, with lunch coming in later) where menu highlights such as the all American brisket, Carolina pulled pork, seafood broil, jalapeno cornbread, loaded tater tots, Mississippi mud pie and much more, is offered. There is also a bourbon table to wash it all down in true Southern style.

The sister brand to Omotesando Koffee, Koffee Mameya, or coffee beans in Japanese, has opened in K11 Musea and will focus on (you guessed it) the world's finest coffee beans and roasters. The shop will offer coffee bespoke blends and single origins, from the finest geisha to the rarest micro-lot coffees from around the world. The shop will also be offering bespoke one-on-one experiences, whereby a coffee consultant will prescribe the best beans and preparation methods depending on taste.

A collaborative venture between Singaporean duo ‘PasirPanjangBoy’ (or Tinoq and Dylan, who also happen to be celebrity makeup artists) and JIA Group, Bibi & Baba is serving up Nyonya, also known as Peranakan, cuisine in Hong Kong starting October 6 onwards. Occupying a space that was Ham & Sherry in Wan Chai’s already bustling Ship Street, the new restaurant will bring about the vibrant flavours, spices, and colours that come from this complex hybrid culture that fuses Chinese and Malaysian traditions, with elements from Indonesia and India too. Expect a world of intensely flavoured, tangy, and spicy food at Bibi & Baba, including Nyonya favourites such as laksa, crispy kueh pie tee, nasi lemak, and Penang prawn noodles, along with the more punchy flavours from assam fish, stinky bean (or petai) stir-fried with shrimp, and Ayam (chicken) braised in a spicy tamarind curry with buah keluak nuts.

The popular Thai restaurant chain has opened a new flagship, Greyhound Café Galleria, at K11 Musea, this month. Bright and spacious, the new restaurant’s interior will benefit from artworks by various Thai artists, with eyes also on the epic view of Victoria Harbour thanks to the floor to ceiling windows. The menu will continue its winning combination of Thai and Western flavours with dishes such as the grilled wagyu banh hoi, Panang lamb chops with Southeast Asian curry and roti canai, and grilled rock lobster. Not letting the dessert side down, Greyhound offers fresh coconut crepe cakes, sweet mini pancake rolls, and roti with condensed milk. Homemade ice cream is also available at their Thai ice-cream tuk-tuk, which offers a range of toppings including glutinous rice, tapioca pearl, basil rice, and more. For groups, the restaurant has a private room available for booking too. 

Cobo House relocates to K11 Musea overlooking the picturesque views of Victoria Harbour. The restaurant's interior boasts of a spacious, grey colour tone with modern aesthetic, displaying contemporary works by artists Zhang Enli, Pascale Marthine Tayou and Fred Eversley, among others. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows are one of the highlights of the restaurant as it overlooks the picturesque views of the harbour.

Offering a grab and go, dine-in, and bar service, the kitchen will be led by two young Hong Kong chefs Ray Choi and Devon Hou, whose personality and cooking style contrasts yet complements each other. These promising talents – hailing from various Michelin-starred restaurants around the world including L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Mandarin Grill + Bar, Amber, Arbor, and Tate Dining Room – are set to take Cobo House' menu to culinary heights. Expect a bespoke tasting menu that will feature a highlight ingredient presented in a six ($1,180) to eight-course ($1,480) meal that will change every six weeks.

DPD – short for dai pai dong – just opened in Mong Kok and it is giving the popular open-air food stall an elevated approach. Helmed by former Michelin-starred Ming Court executive chef Jacky Tse Chi-wai, this new eatery will bring Hong Kong nostalgic dishes with a Southeast Asian flair. Expect signature takes on dai pai dong dishes with additional renditions of stir-fried beef rice noodles, Hainan chicken, and tom yum soup.

By the end of the year, DPD will open another branch in Hong Kong Island and eventually in other parts of the city.

If you're looking for a new al fresco spot in the city, Glasshouse just opened their latest branch at K11 Musea, and it features a spacious outdoor terrace surrounded by lush greenery. The eatery will carry Glasshouse's signature menu of Southeast Asian classics with a Western flair. Drop by for a breezy brunch and chow down on hearty dishes like stir-fried Malaysian-style flat rice noodles, Wagyu Char Siew Rice with Foie Gras. Glasshouse Greenery also beefed up their drink programme with an extensive selection of coffee, teas, healthy juices and shakes, and craft cocktails. What catches our attention is their Mary Mary Mary tasting flight that offers three renditions of Bloody Mary – a classic serve, Tom Yam Mary (vodka, cranberry juice, Thai basil, lemongrass, galangal, chilli, kaffir lime leaf, and black pepper), and a spicy Southern Mary (vodka, various spices, garnished with cherry tomato and dehydrated chilli) – perfect for a boozy brunch!

The group behind The Cupping Room and Doubleshot opens Smoke & Barrels, a Southern American smokehouse and delicatessen, offering grab-and-go sandwiches, smoked meat platters, and New Orleans-style beverages.

Try the eatery's tasty signature hot brisket bun ($118) prepared with juicy US prime brisket smoked for more than 18 hours. Or dig-in on non-red meat options – chicken avocado and Gouda Sandwich ($98), smoked salmon and cream cheese croissant ($78), or request for a vegetarian sandwich. For hearty portions, go for the smokehouse platters with options of brisket and ribs ($328), smoked chicken and sausage ($268), and smoked turkey and brisket ($268). Apart from delicious sandwiches and platters, premium smoked meats are also available in retail packs, and customized platters and bespoke cuts can be made to order.

K11 Musea welcomes much-anticipated Korean restaurant, Soil to Soul, an eatery that focuses on Buddhist-friendly temple food. The restaurant is helmed by chef Gu Jin Kwang, a temple food master with 25 years of experience and a protégé of famous Korean nun – who became popular after starring in the Netflix series Chef's Table in 2017 – Woo Kwan.

Soil to Soul offers a wide range of dishes available for lunch, bar snacks, six and eight-course dinner sets, and a la carte menu which include appetisers like ginseng salad, cold mushroom terrine with sweet and spicy sauce, and yellow bell pepper cold soup with kimchi. For the drink menu, choose from their selection of organic wines and soju and pair it with your meal.  

Fat Chad's is the latest food concept from the purveyors of Hong Kong restaurants BlackSalt Kitchen, Brut!, and Pondi. Inspired by New York bodegas – small convenience stores that also serves as a snack bar – this new grab-and-go joint in Sai Ying Pun offers made-to-order hearty sandwiches, homemade ice cream, and carefully-curated sodas, organic wines, and beers. If you're looking for good quality takeaway food, then put this on your must-try for your next meal. 

Taking over Cé La Vi's old spot on the 24th floor of California Tower is Lan Kwai Fong Entertainment Group's new Italian restaurant Aria. Helmed by chef Andrea Zamboni, formerly from 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, expect reinvented Italian classics and family-style dishes amidst a stunning panoramic view of the city. Guests can enjoy cigars and cocktails as well as an expansive wine list featuring 150 bottles from Italy and around the world that can be paired with fresh meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes from chef Zamboni's kitchen that includes blue lobster and Bagna-cauda fondue ($268), Italian milk-fed veal cutlet Milanese style with tomatoes, celery relish and Sicilian lemon ($428), and roasted cherry tomatoes, Apulian burrata and basil (HK$108). 

The restaurant is currently offering ready-to-eat meals as well as instructable ready-to-cook-home food kits available for delivery and takeaway via lkfe.com. If you drop by at the restaurant to pick up your orders, they’ll even slash 30 percent off from your bill. 

Sports pub The Blind Pig recently opened their second location in TST's Knutsford Terrace. Expect sports on multiple screens, and menu items that include elevated pub food like beef hotdogs, pork shanks, burgers, fish ‘n chips, truffle fries, among others. Head down here on weekends to try their hearty roast and wash it down with a cold craft beer, wine, or cocktail.