The best new restaurants to try in Hong Kong this October

Kick back with your gang at Mamtom, a laid-back beer garden that looks out towards Victoria Harbour. Led by chef John Nguyen formerly of Le Garçon Saigon, this venue offers elevated takes on Southeast Asian dishes, such as minced lamb wrapped in betel leaves, papaya salad with fried soft-shell crab, duck confit khao soi, and a flavourful beef pho that can be paired with roasted bone marrow for an additional cost. What’s more, once you’re finished with your bone marrow, Mamtom’s servers will serve you a shot of liquor poured down the hollowed bone!

Grab a meal at Sports Bistro to recharge after working up a sweat at Go Park Sai Sha. This casual eatery has floor-to-ceiling windows to let in plenty of sunlight and a large flat-screen TV that broadcasts sporting matches. On their menu, you’ll find a large selection of healthy, nutritionist-recommended dishes such as all-day breakfast plates, loaded poke bowls, salads, and meal sets like Hainan chicken rice with soup and steamed veggies. The healthy offerings also extend to Sports Bistro’s beverage menu, which offers smoothies and detox juices pressed in-house.

Renowned Japanese sushi chef-owner Hisashi Udatsu brings his Michelin-starred restaurant, Udatsu Sushi, to the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui in FWD House 1881. The Hong Kong outpost only holds 12 diners, and guests will be seated at a 150-year-old cypress wood counter table, where they can admire the chefs at work. Aside from using ingredients flown in daily from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, this Japanese restaurant also uses local produce to create its offerings. Udatsu’s customers can enjoy dishes like nigiri sushi, maki rolls, seasonal sashimi, hot dishes like croquettes, and plenty more in the restaurant’s omakase courses.

Tucked away on the 13th floor of Circle Tower along Causeway Bay's bustling 'foodie street', Savor Kitchen is a standout destination for seafood enthusiasts and meat lovers.

Led by a seasoned chef with over 20 years of experience at various prestigious restaurants, this casual eatery is where you'll get to savour premium ingredients at affordable prices. One of their menu highlights is the Charcoal Grill Tasting Menu which focuses on seasonal delights, using Japanese Binchotan charcoal to enhance the flavours of carefully selected ingredients. Diners can also explore daily specials displayed on a blackboard, including grilled Hokkaido scallops paired with fresh pea and corn purees, and tender U.S. Wagyu flat iron steak served with creamy mashed potatoes and black truffle sauce.

In addition to the dining experience, Savor Kitchen also has a retail store called Savor located in Aberdeen, offering frozen seafood, aged meats, and gourmet sauces for home cooks. With its commitment to quality and innovation, Savor Kitchen is a must-visit for anyone seeking an exceptional culinary experience in Hong Kong.

Korea’s fried chicken chain bb.q Chicken has opened its first location in Central. The Hong Kong branch spans over 3,000sq ft and provides ample space for customers to dine comfortably. Each chicken served here is marinated with 30 herbs for 24 hours then fried to order in high-quality olive oil. On their menu, you’ll find nine unique fried chicken flavours such as classic, a spicy secret sauce, honey garlic, and even a fiery Gangnam Style sauce made with green onions and peppers. For an extra satisfying meal, be sure to wash everything down with some somaek (soju mixed with Korean beer), prepared tableside by the restaurant’s staff. Aside from fried chicken, bb.q Chicken’s menu also offers a variety of authentic Korean fare like kimbap (seaweed-wrapped rice rolls), soups, noodles, and stir-fried rice cake.

Taiwanese chain restaurant Spicy Noodle has opened its first location at Cityplaza in Taikoo. This chain has become widely popular for its signature XiaoHun noodles tossed in housemade chilli oil packed with Chinese medicinal ingredients and top-grade chilli peppers. Each bowl of the restaurant’s signature noodles comes with your choice of mild or spicy beef broth with add-ins like beef brisket, tendon, or shank. Additionally, customers can choose their desired side dish from options such as spicy tofu skin, tofu, or braised duck blood.

Drop into K11 Musea at Tsim Sha Tsui to find Golden Blossoms, a Chinese restaurant that serves Zhejiang, Beijing, Shanghai, and Cantonese cuisine – all under one roof. Here, customers can expect to savour traditional dishes from each cuisine such as honey-glazed Kurobuta pork, Peking-style roasted duck served tableside with steamed pancakes, aromatic braised chicken with abalone, and steamed dried hairtail with salted pork.

Tsuen Wan welcomes Parkside@Nina to its ever-growing collection of dining venues. This wood fossil-themed restaurant is located next to Nina Park, an urban green space that’s home to Asia’s largest wood fossil collection. Expect to snap plenty of pictures in this Instagrammable venue, as they’ve got high ceilings that let in natural sunlight and plenty of wood-themed decor. Aside from speciality dishes on its menu such as chocolate cake topped with a chocolate crisp that looks like a wood fossil, Parkside@Nina presents Asian and Western offerings like sourdough pizza, char-grilled steaks, pasta and risotto, burgers, and more. Additionally, customers can grab their favourite beverages from NOC Coffee Co.’s cafe bar within the very same venue.

Men-ya New Old is a cosy ramen restaurant under Isshin Group, proprietors of popular Central ramen restaurants like Zagin Soba and Maru de Sankaku, and the first overseas branch of Men-ya New Old, a ramen restaurant located in Amagasaki within Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture. The restaurant’s menu offers two distinct ramen broths – shoyu (soy sauce), made with chicken and three kinds of soy sauces, and shio (salt), which uses various dried ingredients such as shrimps, scallops, and mushrooms. Customers can enjoy their noodles either served in a broth ($128) or as tsukemen (dipping ramen), where the noodle is dipped into a thicker broth ($138). Additionally, the tsukemen noodles are served in chilled kelp-infused water, which imparts deep umami flavours. If you’re still hungry, don’t miss the restaurant’s add-ons like the assorted meat platter ($40) – which offers three generous slices of indulgent cha shu – or their crispy fried chicken steak ($58) which gives a delightful contrast in texture to the bouncy ramen noodles. 

Popular fast food chain Matsuya has opened its first branch in Hong Kong and is the newest addition to the city’s dizzying array of Japanese restaurants. The Japanese restaurant is located at Chuang’s London Plaza in Jordan and offers a wide array of signature gyudon beef rice bowls and various set menus at affordable prices. Aside from serving its signature gyudon with various toppings such as spring onions, cheese, or grated yam, Matsuya’s menu also features a wide array of mouthwatering plates like grilled meat rice sets, hamburg steak rice bowls, curry rice, and breakfast sets with grilled fish.