27 Best Italian restaurants in Hong Kong you have to try

8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana is the first and only three-Michelin-starred Italian restaurant outside of Italy since 2012, so there’s no denying that it is among the city’s best. Helmed by culinary master Umberto Bombana, the dishes are expertly made, curated, and beautifully plated. The vintage-style decor and ambient lighting create a seriously romantic vibe. Complementing the delectable dishes is an excellent selection of wine, available by the glass or bottle. Guests can choose from an extensive selection of wines, a large portion of which comes from Italian producers. The cocktail menu, chock-full of Italian aperitivo, is also worth trying.

Ama, the brainchild of former Gaia Ristorante chef Paolo Monti, or ‘The Amatricianist’ (a name that stems from traditional pancetta and tomato pasta sauce), is a 25th-floor venue that plates up Roman and Italian dishes in the heart of Wan Chai. The menu offers everything from small plates to share and salad to pasta, grilled meats and fish. Our favourites include the crunchy Southern Italian red shrimps fritti and raw marinated Mediterranean anchovies with chilli pepper & garlic for appetisers, home-made spaghetti with jumbo garlic, artichokes & chili sauce and a plate of Grigliata di pesce with chargrilled scallop, octopus, squid, scampi and fish.  

Contemporary Italian restaurant Angelini sits in the Kowloon Shangri-La, serving a wide range of comfort dishes using fine seasonal ingredients flown in from Italy. We’re a fan of their fusilli lunghi bucati with shaved black truffles, tossed in a pecorino cheese wheel tableside, or their homemade oxtail agnolotti with celeriac purée and a Barolo reduction. Seafood lovers will also appreciate their baked whole wild blue cod from New Zealand, served with a lemon butter sauce. On weekends, diners can enjoy a semi-buffet lunch as well.

Associazione Chianti is one of Black Sheep Restaurants’ long oeuvre of dining experiences. Specializing in authentic Italian food – particularly the cuisine of Tuscany – Associazione Chianti can transport patrons to the centre of Florence with a bite of their no-frills, simple Italian dishes. If you’re a carnivore or carb-fiend, drop by the restaurant for some perfect steak and soul-nourishing pasta.

We love this sun-drenched dining hall in the Rosewood hotel for its harbour views and its community spirit – one percent of its revenue goes towards supporting underserved people within Tsim Sha Tsui, and they’ve also partnered with local NGO LoveXpress to provide training and placements to autistic youths. From the menu, customise your own mozzarella, have your pick of Roman-style slices, or opt for one of their comforting pasta dishes. You can’t go wrong with the whole Canadian lobster fettuccine.

Carbone brings the ‘bada bing’ of New York-style Italian food to the city. As an extension of Mario Carbone’s New York restaurant, the interior is decked like a retro dining room straight out of The Godfather’s set, with servers dressed in pressed tuxedos. Highlights include a perfectly tossed Caesar salad, the crowd-pleasing spicy rigatoni vodka, and the Italian-style desserts, which are huge and come out on a trolley for you to choose from. Go for ample-sized tiramisu or carrot cake, and you’re in for a great night filled with the vibes and nostalgia of Italiano Americana.

Head inside the newly opened Mondrian Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui to find this contemporary Italian steakhouse by the famous butcher Dario Cecchini. The restaurant prides itself on their sustainable nose-to-tail concept, which minimises as much food waste as possible while still creating mouthwatering dishes. Carna’s expansive menu offers a wide range of appetisers, such as deep-fried beef meatballs with bone marrow, a small selection of surf-and-turf entrees, as well as charcoal-grilled special cuts like porterhouse, beef chuck flap, bone-in ribeye, and many more.

Causeway Bay’s famed Piedmont restaurant has moved to a new two-storey space on Ice House Street in Central with its new Asti-born executive chef Romeo Morelli. The restaurant prides itself on serving top-notch, authentic Piedmont cuisine using fresh ingredients sourced from the region. Expect a range of traditional Italian cuisine, including pasta, soups, fish and meat dishes. The menu features chef Morelli's signature Piedmontese twists on traditional and authentic regional dishes. The dinner set menu includes dishes like Girello di vitello invecchiato – dry-aged veal topped with Toma Piemontese cream cheese and chef’s signature gnocchi with duck thigh. Pair your meal with quality vino from Castellana’s extensive wine selection showcasing over 400 labels, including bottles of Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera d’Asti, and Cortese di Gavi. 

Estro, which means inspiration in Italian, is focused on Neapolitan cuisine but eschews the traditional rustic style usually associated with chef Antimo Maria Merone’s birthplace for something more sophisticated in technique and presentation. The restaurant interior, designed by André Fu Studio, also takes inspiration from Naples, resulting in a luxurious aesthetic nuanced with old-world charm. The food, primed with the chef’s clever interpretations, will then you on a sentimental journey full of robust flavours.

This fine dining Italian resto is named after the breadsticks that are also served at the tables. Grissini is an impressive restaurant, and after undergoing a big refurbishment in autumn 2019, the place looks grander and more inviting than ever. This is among the most pleasant Italian dining experiences in Hong Kong, with sophisticated décor and an amazing zillion-dollar view, as well as an impressive wine cellar. Chef de cuisine Valerio Mandile presents an array of pastas, meats and seafood dishes, all to delicious effect.

This unpretentious eatery in Happy Valley accommodates only 28 diners in a cosy atmosphere. Formerly named Locanda dell'Angelo, the restaurant is headed by executive chef Steve Chiu, serving dishes cooked using traditional Italian techniques. Guests can choose from their à la carte menu, which features signature dishes such as their homemade red prawn linguine and Wagyu OP rib.

Created collaboratively by chefs Alessandro Angelini and Luca De Berardinis, this neighbourhood Italian restaurant in Sai Ying Pun offers rotating dishes that spotlight the season's hottest ingredients. This summer, expect plates such as ricotta-filled ravioli in a truffle and green pea sauce, broken pasta 'risotto' with lobster, and refreshing creations like hamachi carpaccio topped with fruit and vegetable sorbet.

Helmed by Piedmont native and chef de cuisine Francesco Gava, this Italian ristorante and bar offers simple and classic Italian dishes with a modern twist. The menu includes classic antipasti, fresh seafood, pasta, seasonal dishes, and desserts. We highly recommend trying their delicious pasta dishes like the 36 egg yolk homemade tagliatelle topped with 36-month-aged Grana Padano cheese; and selecting the La Tagliata di Manzo Americano, which is served with Prime U.S. Beef Ribeye Steak for mains. 

You've likely spotted Nocino all over your Instagram. Since it popped up in Tai Hang early this year, food lovers can't stop raving about its cosy, hearty Swiss-Italian eats. Snagging a table takes weeks, especially for a weekend slot, and it's easy to see why. With its wallet-friendly, generous portions, it’s the go-to spot for munching on Swiss cheeses and cold cuts, digging into homemade pasta, and savouring other delicious mains. Plus, their wide array of Swiss wines and signature cocktails sure kick the dining experience up a notch. They’re now also available in Kwun Tong and BaseHall, so go make your belly happy.

Noi, nestled within the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, breaks the mould of traditional Italian cuisine with vibrant Asian influences. Helmed by renowned Argentinian chef Paulo Airaudo, recognised for his Michelin-starred restaurant Amelia in Spain, the venue offers a culinary journey reflecting chef Airaudo's eclectic palette – from nostalgic 80s and 90s tunes to pop art and nods to his film and ink obsessions. For an up-close experience, opt for the chef's table to witness the kitchen’s creative energy. Enhance your dining experience by pairing your meal with a thoughtfully curated wine selection or delicious non-alcoholic beverages. 

Earning itself two Michelin stars, Octavium is another one of chef Umberto Bombana’s stellar restaurants. The fine dining establishment offers a variety of menus for both lunch and dinner, including a six-to-eight-course degustation menu with wine pairing options. Patrons can indulge in appetisers, pasta, and main courses that incorporate timeless Italian flavours with contemporary techniques.

There are numerous American-Italian restaurants in the city, but Oro takes pride in being the only restaurant that serves Italian cuisine with elevated Manhattan elegance. Owned by Gian Franco Razzani, a veteran of the F&B industry and native of Abruzzo (formerly associated with Gaia Group, Black Sheep Restaurants, and Il Bel Paese), the restaurant serves hearty yet sophisticated dishes that reflect Italian family traditions. Its location, high above Central ground, provides a great vantage point for enjoying the cosmopolitan landscape. Whether you're looking for a quick business meal or a romantic evening with your significant other, Oro has you covered. You can choose to dine at one of the corner tables that overlook the skyline for a truly memorable experience.

Another venue from Black Sheep Restaurants, Osteria Marzia specialises in the cuisine of Italy’s coastal regions. Helmed by executive chef Luca Marinelli, this dining venue whips up bright, breezy, seaside foods that will transport you to the Mediterranean. Aside from Osteria’s signature dishes like acqua pazza branzino and Brontë pistachio pesto spaghetti, diners can also expect to enjoy seasonal dishes made with jet-fresh seafood. 

Fresh, hand-rolled pasta is the name of the game here. With various branches in Hong Kong, including Kennedy Town, Wan Chai, Central, and Tsim Sha Tsui, this neighbourhood pasta bar offers simple and hearty dishes that can cheer anyone up. Pick from a packed menu that includes tagliolini with white truffle paste and shaved black truffle and orecchiette with Italian sausage and spicy ’nduja. The warm and casual vibe at Pici makes it an ideal spot to unwind and gorge on some carbs.

Pleka is a modern Italian-Japanese restaurant, part of the same group that operates Pano and Palco, and it is led by chef Ken Lau. Like its sister restaurants, Pleka offers a unique dining experience where guests can observe the cooking process. One of Pleka's most popular menus is an eight-course tasting menu, which draws inspiration from chef Lau's travels around the world. 

Despite being located miles away from Central and nestled in a five-star hotel, this Italian gem in TST draws in business honchos for their regular lunch fix. Its recent expansion into ifc mall brings Hong Kong Island a taste of its renowned offerings, complete with breathtaking harbour views. Spearheaded by chef de cuisine Marco Antonio Li Voti, this fresh locale promises authentic Italian fare across five unique spaces: a welcoming walk-in atrium, a buzzing bar, a cosy lounge, a vibrant main dining area, and an exclusive VIP section. Embracing elegance with floor-to-ceiling windows framing Victoria Harbour, alongside Roman-style arches and marble touches, the new Sabatini radiates a sophisticated, luxe vibe.

The same team behind restaurants like Hansik Goo, Whey, Feuille, Jee, and more is the brain behind modern trattoria Testina. The restaurant is in collaboration with Trippa Milano from Italy, and it serves refined versions of classic Italian recipes with a nose-to-tail approach to their dishes. Former 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Shanghai chef Marco Xodo leads the kitchen, creating dishes that spotlight various parts of an animal – from tripe and tongue to pig’s head and beyond.

After a makeover and a rebrand, InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong moved their Italian joint upstairs, and now it’s called The Mistral. The spot dishes out Italian delights with a side of Victoria Harbour views. Guests can enjoy their semi-buffet lunch, pick from the seasonal à la carte menu in the evening, or laze around at Sunday brunch. Chef Fabio Guaglione is whipping up both beloved classics and inventive new takes, including handmade pasta dishes like black ink taglierini with Mazara Del Vallo red prawns and a rainbow of tortelli with blue Boston lobster and Osietra caviar in a lobster bisque sauce. Wash it all down with a pick from their extensive Italian wine list, available by the glass too. And for a proper Italian send-off, don’t skip the Grappa and Amaro, rolled right to your table on their trolley.

Inspired by one of the most famous operas in history, Tosca features super-high ceilings and a beautiful, contemporary open kitchen where guests can enjoy their food while taking in breathtaking views. Thanks to famed chef Angelo Agliano at the helm, Tosca has been awarded a Michelin star for consecutive years. His speciality is southern Italian cuisine, which he puts a new spin on with his innovative dishes. Start your meal with their hamachi and Mazara red prawns appetizer before moving on to main dishes like Sardinian fregola with langoustines and basil bisque and Mediterranean Dover Sole served with borlotti beans, baby fennel ragoût, and confit shallots. Finish your meal with a serving of their traditional tiramisù with coffee granita and Amedei chocolate.

This modern Italian trattoria is a cosy yet refined restaurant that dishes up quintessential Southern Italian flavours that are near and dear to chef Marcello Scognamiglio’s heart. Start by savouring appetisers like hamachi carpaccio and smoked artichokes; tray-baked pizzas with toppings like mortadella with ricotta cheese; smoked sardines with eggplant and olives; or fried calamari . For the mains, Trattoria Felino offers hearty options such as Neapolitan pork ragout in tomato sauce and clay pot braised yellow chicken in addition to a range of homemade pasta dishes. No Italian meal is complete with delightful treats to cap off the meal, and Trattoria Felino certainly delivers with millefoglie al cioccolato, served with caramelised puff pastry, chocolate ganache, hazelnut praline, and capers for a savoury touch.

Tuber Umberto Bombana is another restaurant under the Octavo Group curated by maestro chef Umberto Bombana. Tuber, led by chef Keith Yam, pays homage to his favourite gastronomic delicacy - truffles. The degustation menu combines seasonal ingredients from across the globe with the prized fungi, with standout dishes including artisanal linguine with jumbo carabinero prawns from Spain. After dinner, guests can take a private stairwell to Cannubi, the restaurant's sister wine bar in K11 Musea, named after Northern Italy's famous Barolo wine-producing Cannubi hill. 

Perched atop a two-story penthouse with stunning views of the picturesque harbour and the dramatic city skyline, Vista offers a memorable dining experience. The kitchen serves Italian dishes from Northern to Southern Italy, including handcrafted pasta and pizzas, risotto, grilled seafood, and other delectable dishes. Guests can also enjoy a variety of cocktails at the restaurant's bar on the 30th floor, featuring a collaboration with Campari. Indulge in several Negroni variations or choose from their Eight Shades of Red menu.