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Lobster made by Lui Yip, a former private chef, for newly opened Chinese restaurant Mokone in The Olympian Hong Kong. It is one of eight new restaurants and bars in Hong Kong to try in February. Photo: Mokone

Lifestyle Food & Drink

8 of the best new restaurants and bars in Hong Kong in February 2024, for Wagyu beef, Chiu Chow food, affordable sushi and more

There is no better time to try a new restaurant or three than the Lunar New Year holiday, when life is all about festive feasting and eating until you burst
A new bar has panoramic views of Victoria Harbour, a Thai restaurant serves classics with a Chinese twist and a former private chef opens a restaurant

Food and Drinks

Lisa Cam

Published: 12:45pm, 1 Feb 2024

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The Lunar New Year holiday starts on February 10, which means the festive feasting begins – and there is no better occasion to add a few new restaurants to your wish list.

Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui neighbourhood in Kowloon is getting busy, with a new open-fire cooking concept, a rare spirits bar and a Thai restaurant opening. Look out too for a freshly opened coconut-themed cafe that will delight those who love Southeast Asian flavours.

On Hong Kong Island, those who want sushi can head to a new standing omakase bar in Central Market. Read on for more about what is new for the Year of the Dragon.

1. Charcoal Bar

The Charcoal Bar menu features items such as steak. Photo: Charcoal Bar

Charcoal Bar specialises in open-fire cooking and is situated along the waterfront at Ocean Terminal in Harbour City, Kowloon. Heading the kitchen is executive chef Bjoern Alexander, previously of Michelin-star restaurant Octavium.

The menu features items such as steaks, charcoal grilled eel, jumbo tiger prawn grilled over lychee wood, grilled oysters and uni toast. Desserts include classics such as charred pineapple.

Shop OT G62, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui

2. Mokone

Heading the kitchen at newly opened Chinese restaurant Mokone in The Olympian Hong Kong is Lui Yip, formerly a private chef for a Hong Kong tycoon.

Mokone serves contemporary Chiu Chow food with Cantonese influences. Photo: Mokone

Mokone serves contemporary Chiu Chow food with Cantonese influences. Spanning over 7,500 sq ft (700 square metres) and with 160 seats, the restaurant’s design combines traditional and contemporary elements. On the menu are dishes such as Kunlun abalone, and salt-baked truffle chicken.

Shop G01, Silversea Place, 18 Hoi Fai Road, Tai Kok Tsui

3. Mue Mue

Mue Mue and Mue Bar, a new Thai restaurant and a cocktail bar at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Mira Place, serve Thai classics with Chinese influences and East-meets-West cocktails.

Signature dishes at Mue Mue include tom yum roasted with crispy chicken. Photo: Mue Mue

Mue Mue’s kitchen is headed by chef Saito Chau of restaurant Chinesology, whose background is in fine Chinese dining. Signature dishes include tom yum roasted with crispy chicken, and red curry Wagyu beef cheeks.

Mue Bar’s drink list includes drinks named Pineapple Punch and Spiced Lemongrass Fizz.

Shop 302, 3/F, Mira Place, 132 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Qura is a bar that specialises in rare spirits and has panoramic views of Victoria Harbour. Photo: Qura

4. Qura

The Regent Hong Kong hotel, having held its grand opening at the end of 2023, has added Qura to its line-up of gastronomic offerings. Qura is a bar that specialises in rare spirits and has panoramic views of Victoria Harbour. The food offerings are equally refined and include baby lamb shoulder, a luxurious lobster linguine and a black truffle porcini risotto.

Lobby, Regent Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

5. Yakiniku Luigi

This barbecue meat chain, voted one of the top 10 yakiniku restaurants in Taiwan, is famous for its reasonably priced but high-quality Japanese A5 Wagyu beef – and Hong Kong fans can now enjoy its first offshoot in Wan Chai.

Signature menu items include Wagyu beef tongue and Wagyu short ribs. For something different, try the Wagyu French toast. The signature rice bowl includes Wagyu beef paired with truffle, caviar, sea urchin and egg yolk.

Shop B, G/F, 33 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai

6. Uogashi Nihonichi

Japanese fresh fish specialist Uogashi Nihonichi has – not long after launching in Kai Tak’s Airside shopping centre – expanded its presence with a second, standing sushi bar in Central Market.

Uogashi Nihonichi offers authentic sushi made from premium seasonal seafood. Photo: Uogashi Nihonichi

The popular brand from Japan offers authentic sushi made from premium seasonal seafood, affordable omakase sets and a curated sake pairing menu. The winter menu includes kinmedai (splendid alfonsino), kawahagi (file fish) and donburi – or rice bowl sets.

G12, G/F Central Market, 80 Des Voeux Central, Central

7. Teadaye

Teadaye, a Thai coconut-themed cafe with a flagship in Tsim Sha Tsui, recently opened in Sheung Wan. The cafe imports fresh, organic coconuts from Thailand daily to make its coconut-flavoured, tea-based drinks and desserts.

Squash Lemon Coco Tea from Teadaye, a Thai coconut-themed cafe. Photo: Teadaye

Signature items include Whole Coco Jelly and Coconado, which showcase the velvety texture and sweet taste of fresh coconut.

Coffee enthusiasts can savour blends such as Coco Lemon Americano; other drink options include Squash Lemon Coco Tea and Matcha Coco Latte.

Shop S11C&D, B/F, Heath, Chungking Mansions, 36-44 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

8. Crushed

Crushed is the dine-in version of a store of the same name, Crushed Wines, on First Street in Sai Ying Pun, on Hong Kong Island. The wine bar on Second Street – a block away – has opened a second floor.

Patrons can sample small plates while they sip on Crushed’s selection of wines. Pair your three-glass or five-glass flights with dishes such as braised leeks with almond and garlic purée, aubergine, whipped roast chilli, chocolate with chilli crisp and peanut butter pie.

G/F, 6-8 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun

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