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Lisa Cam

The Year of the Horse begins in February, and how better to enjoy the Lunar New Year period than by checking out some of Hong Kong’s new restaurants?
Toni Au of Écriture fame has opened a French restaurant in Causeway Bay shaped by Asian flavours. Meanwhile, in Wan Chai, the new sister restaurant to Sheung Wan’s Babette delivers relaxed French brasserie classics.
The city’s first matcha cafe with its own in-store stone mill arrives in Sai Ying Pun, while Gough Street in Central welcomes a wine bar from acclaimed sommelier Mason Ng and a traditional Kansai-style oden izakaya.
A new branch of a Korean-Italian pizza chain arrives in Times Square, a borscht restaurant opens in Fo Tan, and a classic vinyl bar concept comes to Lan Kwai Fong.
Read on for more details.
1. Ébauche

The tasting menu at this modern French restaurant in Causeway Bay is shaped by Asian flavours.
Écriture alum chef Toni Au presents an eight-course menu (HK$1,380) featuring nam yu (fermented tofu) beef tendon beignet, and seared shirako paired with white corn soup and sea urchin. Other highlights include charcoal-grilled threadfin and dry-aged duck breast.
End the meal on a sweet note with desserts such as cucumber and green apple ice slurry.
18/F, Aura on Pennington, No. 66 Jardine’s Bazaar, Causeway Bay
2. Maison Natsukashii
Mason Ng, who was crowned the best sommelier of Asia & Oceania in 2023 by the International Association of Sommeliers, has opened a wine bar on Gough Street, combining Japanese simplicity with French cellar vibes.
Maison Natsukashii’s selection features more than 1,600 bottles, championing Burgundies and Japanese natural wines.
Curated vintages are paired with bold bar snacks. Think A5 Wagyu bresaola with Sichuan peppercorn duck “prosciutto”, and raw prawns with caramelised apple.
49-51 Gough Street, Central
3. Daichi no Udon
Daichi no Udon brings Fukuoka’s coveted noodles to Hong Kong.
Each bowl is made to order and features the almost translucent, smooth, chewy udon noodles, which get their signature character through a precise 20-hour fermentation process.
Menu items include classics such as hot udon with beef and burdock tempura, in which crispy fried burdock complements a rich fish broth.
Hong Kong-exclusive items include the mentaiko butter udon with a torched Hakata cod roe topping.
Shop 146A, 1/F, Olympian City 2, 18 Hoi Ting Road, Tai Kok Tsui
4. Kuke Shokudo

Oden is a traditional Japanese one-pot stew in which items are cooked in a clear, umami-rich broth. Kuke Shokudo brings the authentic Kansai-style rendition of the dish to Central.
The menu features more than 20 meticulously crafted items, including signature Awaji onion and tender beef tendon.
Beyond oden, creative small plates include octopus carpaccio. The stand-out drink is the oden cocktail, a savoury, layered tipple blending shochu and hot dashi.
9 Gough Street, Central
5. Chouchou

Chouchou, a new French brasserie in Wan Chai, offers a relaxed take on classic Gallic cuisine.
The menu, crafted by chef Cedric Tsia of Babette and Amber fame, features traditional dishes such as rich foie gras au torchon and vibrant steak tartare. Other highlights include delicate crab ravioli and the decadent tournedos Rossini.
Signature platters such as the whole-roasted duck à l’orange and the luxurious traditional French tourte are designed for sharing.
Shop 8, Podium 1/F, J Residence, 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
6. Yamamoto Hamburg

The sister restaurant of Hikiniku to Come has opened in Tseung Kwan O.
Its menu centres on handmade hambagu patties crafted daily from premium Australian black Angus beef and Spanish pork.
Each hambagu steak at Yamamoto Hamburg is paired with high-quality Japanese rice and vegetable sides.
Shop F23, 1/F, Popcorn 1, 9 Tong Yin Street, Tseung Kwan O
7. Aokomi

Aokomi is Hong Kong’s first matcha cafe with an in-store stone mill, which grinds fresh tencha (the tea leaves ground to produce matcha) from the town of Uji, in Kyoto.
The drink menu features traditional ceremony-grade matcha alongside signature creations such as the creamy Komi latte and the innovative Ao-cano, a tea-infused Americano.
Food highlights include the tencha pistachio nut butter on sourdough and the must-try milky matcha pudding.
Shop 3, G/F, Island Crest, 8 First Street, Sai Ying Pun
8. Borsch Spot

Borsch Spot brings hearty Eastern European comfort food to Fo Tan in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
The menu is built on soul-warming classics, starting with its namesake beetroot soup. Mains include slow-cooked, tender Hungarian beef goulash.
For a sweet finish, indulge in the delightful syrniki – fluffy cottage cheese pancakes – paired with sour cream and jam.
Shop 227, The Arles Shopping Centre, 1 Au Pui Wan Street, Fo Tan
9. Pique Cafe
Japanese gelato joint Gelato Pique Cafe has opened its first Hong Kong location at the Airside mall in Kai Tak.
Guests can savour the brand’s premium soft-serve gelato wrapped up in the signature crepes and served with teddy bear cookies.
There is also a selection of soda floats and pasta dishes.
Shop L306-L307, 3/F, Airside, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak
10. Pizza Maru

South Korean pizza chain Pizza Maru has over 600 outlets around the world and is expanding its Hong Kong presence with a new branch at Times Square in Causeway Bay.
The menu’s flagship offering is the exclusive golden beef rib soufflé pizza, featuring tender braised short ribs, crispy lotus root and a unique “soufflé” egg custard crust.
The menu also includes the brand’s popular range of Korean-style pizzas, crispy fried chicken and pasta.
Shop B110, B1/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay
11. 8055
Previous incarnations of the cult-favourite vinyl bar 8055 graced Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. Now the bar, which has been patronised by superstars from Eason Chan to Josie Ho, has opened in Lan Kwai Fong.
The drink menu is focused on premium Japanese whiskies and umeshu – plum wine – with the signature umeshu soda as a highlight.
The omakase-style approach allows guests to share preferences for personalised recommendations.
Units A & B, 4/F, Ho Lee Commercial Building, 40 D’Aguilar Street, Central


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Food and Drinks

11 new Hong Kong restaurants and bars in February 2026, from Japanese udon to Korean pizza

Hot udon with beef and burdock tempura at Daichi no Udon. The Fukuoka-style noodle restaurant in Tai Kok Tsui is just one of the exciting new openings in Hong Kong in February 2026, which also include an Eastern European comfort-food spot and a special kind of matcha joint. Photo: Daichi no Udon 

 A chicken liver dish at Ébauche. Photo: Ébauche

Awaji Onion at Kuke Shokudo, a new Japanese oden restaurant in Central. Photo: Kuke Shokudo

Chouchou’s duck à l’orange. Photo: Chouchou

A dish at Yamamoto Hamburg. Photo: Yamamoto Hamburg

Ceremony-grade matcha is served alongside signature creations at Aokomi. Photo: Aokomi

Beef borscht at Borsch Spot. Photo: Borsch Spot

Pizza Maru’s golden beef rib soufflé pizza is exclusive to the new Times Square branch. Photo: Pizza Maru

How to cook food worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant at home? 2 top chefs share tips

Up-and-coming Swiss chefs Marco Campanella and Piero Roncoroni say slow roasting, braising and gentle sautéing are the best way to bring out the flavours of ingredients. Photo: Shutterstock

Sautéed courgettes with parsley and garlic. The chefs say that slow roasting, braising and gentle sautéing are among the best ways to bring out the flavour from ingredients. Photo: Shutterstock

The chefs use a variety of spices in their food to add umami and make dishes “well-rounded, deep and elegant”. Photo: Shutterstock

If using rosemary, always add it at the end, the chefs say. Photo: Shutterstock

When it comes to fish, the chefs suggest buying the highest quality and knowing “exactly where it comes from”. Photo: Shutterstock

Cooking all parts of the meal, such as making one’s own pasta, can be easy and quick, the chefs say. Photo: Shutterstock

Craft beers, dim sum, Chinese hotpot and more: a culinary trip through Brussels

Da Long Yi is a well-established hotpot franchise from Chengdu, and now has hundreds of locations globally in major cities such as London, New York, Sydney – and Belgium. Photo: Charmaine Mok

A view of Brussels city centre in Belgium. Photo: Shutterstock

The reception of The Hoxton in Brussels. Photo: The Hoxton, Brussels

At The Hoxton hotel in Brussels, guests are encouraged to write down tips for other travellers. Photo: Charmaine Mok

Tipsy Tribe, a microbrewery and distillery in Brussels, sells Desita, a lager made using 100 per cent African hops. Photo: Charmaine Mok

Daniel (left) and Aylin Fastenau are the co-founders of Tipsy Tribe Brewery & Distillery. Photo: Tipsy Tribe Brewery & Distillery

Langoustine served with a potato cake made with brewer’s yeast at Gus bistro in Brussels. Photo: Charmaine Mok

Bar Magritte at Brussels’ Hotel Amigo features cocktails inspired by the works of Belgian artist René Magritte. Photo: Bar Magritte

The Wolf food market in Brussels features more than a dozen vendors serving international cuisines. Photo: Charmaine Mok

A selection of inventive siu mai by Dim’s, a modern Chinese eatery in Brussels. Photo: Charmaine Mok

Hong Kong’s NIP Distilling founders on their ‘leap of faith’ to make distinctly local gin

NIP Distilling founders Jeremy Li (left) and Nicholas Law are pictured at their gin distillery in Hong Kong’s Quarry Bay neighbourhood. The pair, who built the brand from the ground up, are seeing their tipple take off in Hong Kong and beyond. Photo: Elson Li

Childhood friends Li (left) and Law began talking about setting up their own distillery over happy-hour beers. Photo: Elson Li

Li and Law assembled NIP’s copper still themselves after importing the pieces from Germany. Photo: Elson Li

A selection of NIP gins. Photo: Elson Li

Li shows how to use NIP’s draft cocktail system. Photo Elson Li

6 of Singapore’s best hidden speakeasy bars that will take you back in time – and how to find them

Bartenders at Chandu create drinks with a narrative that are loosely based on history. Photo: The Robertson House by the Crest Collection

A bartender mixes a drink at Chandu, one of our picks of six of the best hidden speakeasy bars in Singapore. Photo: The Robertson House by the Crest Collection

The Mizuwari whisky highball at Live Twice uses Hokkaido soft water rather than soda to accentuate the malt notes of the Japanese Nikka whiskies. Photo: Instagram/@livetwicesg

Chandu is inspired by Singapore’s colonial era, when opium dens flourished in the city state. Photo: The Robertson House by The Crest Collection

Chandu’s Mata Hari cocktail is named after a Dutch dancer and courtesan. Photo: Facebook/Chandu

Oriental Elixir, located in a Peranakan rowhouse, is a dimly lit watering hole for nonconformist cocktails. Photo: Philipp Meier

Oriental Elixir’s Malabar Tamarind cocktail combines the sour ingredient with roasted cherry tomato gin, dry vermouth. Photo: Instagram/@oriental.elixir

Junior the Pocket Bar is a small, 25-seater speakeasy that tasks itself with changing the menu completely every few months. Photo: Philipp Meier

A cocktail titled Sesame from the Korea-inspired menu at Junior the Pocket Bar. Photo: Junior the Pocket Bar

Jade Harbour is part of The Bund menu currently offered at Junior the Pocket Bar, inspired by the Shanghai district. Credit: Junior the Pocket Bar

For its Korean Joseon dynasty-inspired menu, the interiors of Junior the Pocket Bar featured dragons. Photo: Philipp Meier

Roxy is a hip-hop-inspired speakeasy hidden inside the Miss Fitz restaurant in Singapore’s Marina Bay. Photo: Facebook/Roxy

The drinks at Roxy are based on classics, but are given their own spin. Photo: Facebook/Roxy

Last Word has finessed tipples that were invented in the 1920s. Photo: Philipp Meier

Last Word’s eponymous cocktail is a classic, blending gin, maraschino liqueur, green chartreuse and lime. Photo: Instagram/@lastwordsg

Lifestyle

Food & Drink

New openings include the new branch of a Korean pizza chain, a Japanese gelato joint, a borsch specialist and two French restaurants


New openings include the new branch of a Korean pizza chain, a Japanese gelato joint, a borsch specialist and two French restaurants.


11 new Hong Kong restaurants and bars in February 2026, from Japanese udon to Korean pizza

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}New openings include the new branch of a Korean pizza chain, a Japanese gelato joint, a borsch specialist and two French restaurants

1. Ébauche

New openings include the new branch of a Korean pizza chain, a Japanese gelato joint, a borsch specialist and two French restaurants