https://www.scmp.com/rss/30/feed News, restaurant reviews, recipes and blogs on food & wine en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Victoria Burrows Victoria Burrows British chefs are in the midst of a love affair with Cantonese prawn toast as the dish appears on tables across the country, spanning fine-dining hotspots, chef’s counters and street food markets. In London, at Thai-Americana Chet’s in The Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush hotel, the dish is transformed into a crisp bun filled with house-made prawn paste, while at Sri Lankan street food specialist Adoh, it becomes a plate of neat, rectangular, chilli-spiced sandwiches. At Cafe Kowloon in London Fields,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355635/how-uk-chefs-are-reinventing-cantonese-prawn-toast-thrillingly-delicious-ways?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355635/how-uk-chefs-are-reinventing-cantonese-prawn-toast-thrillingly-delicious-ways?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:45:05 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Hong Kong’s pizza scene is firing up, with four local restaurants claiming spots on the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific 2026 list and two internationally recognised names entering the market. Joining the likes of Fiata – ranked joint third on the above list – in the city are Vincenzo Capuano, whose Naples pizzeria is No 13 on the 50 Top World Artisan Pizza Chains 2025 list, and Tokyo’s The Pizza Bar on 38th, which placed No 2 on the 50 Top Pizza World 2025 list. Capuano launched his first Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355787/hong-kongs-pizza-scene-heats-new-spots-vincenzo-capuano-and-pizza-bar-38th?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355787/hong-kongs-pizza-scene-heats-new-spots-vincenzo-capuano-and-pizza-bar-38th?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung If all the world’s a stage, then Hong Kong must be a one-man show. Shakespeare takes centre stage this weekend at the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) with Tibetan Hamlets and Ming-dynasty Othellos, while a North Point cafe transforms into an after-hours parlour for natural wines and flash tattoos. For those craving a slower scene, a wellness retreat will be hosted at a five-star hotel, and a pet playground has just opened inside the island’s largest lifestyle mall. Take a seat and enjoy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3355842/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-june-5-7?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3355842/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-june-5-7?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:45:06 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun How many pots and pans do we really need for cooking? It depends. Quite a number of food nerds I know are fetishists when it comes to kitchen cookware. If a professional chef says that they employ a unique piece of cooking equipment, that suddenly becomes a new toy for them to obsess over. In some of my friends’ kitchens, the number of pans kept in cabinets, hung on walls or stashed in an oven’s lower drawer is astonishing. It does not help that cookware makers exploit our materialist weakness... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355778/why-do-we-need-so-many-pots-and-pans-hong-kongs-tiny-kitchens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355778/why-do-we-need-so-many-pots-and-pans-hong-kongs-tiny-kitchens?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:15:06 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun US-born Jen Balisi runs the food Instagram @indulgenteats and founded the modern Filipino restaurant Barkada in Hong Kong. She spoke to Andrew Sun. I was born in the US but I grew up eating home-cooked Filipino food. My summer memories are of dad grilling pork marinated in tangy soy-garlic barbecue sauce that we then dipped in garlic-spiked vinegar. From an early age, I had a taste for bold flavours. But we also liked American “treats” at Pizza Hut and Olive Garden. I will eat almost everything... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355561/where-go-amazing-steak-and-seafood-hong-kong-food-influencer-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355561/where-go-amazing-steak-and-seafood-hong-kong-food-influencer-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:15:05 +0000 Angela Hui Angela Hui “My mum’s Chinese restaurant is dying,” Scottish-born Chinese actor Lisa He says, recording herself speaking as she walks down a street in Edinburgh. “And I have three months to save it.” He posted the video to her social media account in April 2026, detailing the problems that have plagued her family’s restaurant, from the uninviting exterior to the colossal, outdated menu. The post has been viewed more than 16 million times on Instagram and TikTok. After her video went viral, comments flooded... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355277/edinburgh-chinese-restaurant-dying-meet-daughter-using-social-media-save-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355277/edinburgh-chinese-restaurant-dying-meet-daughter-using-social-media-save-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:15:05 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok Scorching weather has arrived in Hong Kong, which means it is time to enjoy the iciest drinks in the coolest spaces. New cafe openings in Hong Kong include some ensconced in the air-conditioned paradise of airports and shopping malls, while others may require a short walk under the sun. Either way, your reward – in the form of deliciously cooling caffeine – will be waiting. 1. Blue Bottle Coffee The newest Blue Bottle Coffee cafe takes over a space with high foot traffic in the middle of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355305/5-new-cafes-and-coffee-shops-try-hong-kong-june-2026-beat-summer-heat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355305/5-new-cafes-and-coffee-shops-try-hong-kong-june-2026-beat-summer-heat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Oreo is teaming up with K-pop supergroup BTS for a bit of marketing dynamite that capitalises on a growing interest in global flavours. Mondelez, Oreo’s parent company, said on May 26 that BTS-themed Oreos will go on sale on June 1 online and on June 8 in stores. The cookies, which feature purple wafers in a nod to the band’s signature colour, will be sold in more than 80 markets around the world, making the partnership the brand’s biggest to date. BTS also designed 13 embossments for the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355025/oreo-and-bts-launch-purple-cookies-new-k-pop-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355025/oreo-and-bts-launch-purple-cookies-new-k-pop-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 07:15:05 +0000 Morning Studio editors Morning Studio editors The story of Penfolds was written, in part, by chance. In 1950, chief winemaker Max Schubert travelled to Europe to study fortified wines, only to find himself in Bordeaux, tasting finest 40-50-year-old clarets of astonishing complexity and grace. Those moments in the prestigious cellars of Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Margaux ignited a bold ambition: to craft an Australian wine that could stand alongside the Bordeaux greats – age‑worthy blends that were powerful, yet... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/food-drink/topics/penfolds-returns-france/article/3355010/australian-wine-icon-returns-france?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/food-drink/topics/penfolds-returns-france/article/3355010/australian-wine-icon-returns-france?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 08:16:24 +0000 Joyce Yip Joyce Yip On a Wednesday evening in mid-May, a crowd gathered at Otheroof, a rooftop natural wine bar in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, for something far rarer than the usual low-intervention reds and biodynamic whites: a tasting of premium Korean rice wines. This was Otheroof’s first showcase of the category. The seven labels on pour – some sedimented, others bright and citric, and one even infused with mugwort shoots – challenged founder Jameel Cai’s impression of cheap, cloudy rice wines in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355137/why-korean-rice-wine-could-be-next-big-drink-hong-kong-and-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355137/why-korean-rice-wine-could-be-next-big-drink-hong-kong-and-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 07:15:05 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam June in Hong Kong arrives with humidity and sudden downpours, but that will not dampen the city’s craving for new restaurants. New openings include a Korean seafood specialist and a late-night dessert bar serving chilled mango pomelo sago and other favourites. A Tokyo ramen bar known for its unusual A4 Wagyu white broth has opened a new branch in Central, and a Sichuan-cuisine icon has opened a casual dim sum concept. There is also a restaurant in Central that is reinventing two-dish rice, and a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355028/15-new-hong-kong-restaurants-try-june-2026-pizza-and-ramen-chinese-desserts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355028/15-new-hong-kong-restaurants-try-june-2026-pizza-and-ramen-chinese-desserts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 04:15:06 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au Thirty years ago, Dong Zhenxiang ate a bowl of snake soup at a small Hong Kong stall. In the years since, he has built his Da Dong catering group into one of China’s most celebrated restaurant empires. But of all the delicacies he has encountered throughout a career that has taken him from the kitchens of Beijing to collaborations with Alain Ducasse in Paris, the memory of that single dish – and one ingredient in particular – refuses to fade. “I still remember the fragrance of the kaffir lime... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354970/legendary-chinese-snake-soup-was-all-lost-how-2-chefs-are-reviving-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354970/legendary-chinese-snake-soup-was-all-lost-how-2-chefs-are-reviving-it?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung The final weekend of May features many exciting events to keep Hongkongers entertained before summer truly begins. Whether you are queuing for a glimpse of Mads Mikkelsen, catching the Hong Kong debut of Broadway royalty, relaxing with a gong bath or watching the latest zombie movie, this weekend has something in store for you. Read on to find out more. 1. Hong Kong Comic Con 2026 Pop culture will take centre stage at Comic Con Hong Kong 2026, which runs from May 29 to 31 at the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3355110/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-may-29-31?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3355110/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-may-29-31?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 03:40:31 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok “You’ll hear the word ‘nourishing’ a lot during this meal,” Vicky Cheng tells us as we sit down for a preview meal at Estuary, his new restaurant at Macau’s Capella hotel that officially opens on May 29. It is an accurate note – the dinner is a sophisticated calibration of temperature and seasonality, where ingredients seem chosen for their healing properties as much as flavour and prestige. We leave feeling satisfied, but not bogged down. As French meals go, this is as far as it gets from the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355001/vicky-chengs-new-estuary-restaurant-macau-french-dining-not-we-know-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3355001/vicky-chengs-new-estuary-restaurant-macau-french-dining-not-we-know-it?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 00:15:04 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Pak-man Lee is the chief executive and creative director of design shop Nuovo in Hong Kong’s Central neighbourhood. He spoke to Andrew Sun. I grew up eating a lot of Chinese food because my father, born and raised in Hong Kong, only ate Chinese food. Even when we were in Italy at the Milano Furniture Fair, he needed to have Chinese food almost every day. Now, I usually choose other foods, such as sushi and Italian, not because I hate eating Chinese food, but because I was forced to eat it all... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354823/crazy-cool-italian-funky-japanese-design-shop-ceos-hong-kong-food-picks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354823/crazy-cool-italian-funky-japanese-design-shop-ceos-hong-kong-food-picks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 04:45:05 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Hong Kong dim sum restaurant chain Tim Ho Wan has launched a nostalgic dim sum series with the help of 95-year-old veteran master Foo Shing. The series recreates five different dim sum dishes built from the chef’s personal recipe records that have almost disappeared from Hong Kong menus, with small adjustments to cater to modern tastes. “I met Chef Foo at a networking event,” says Cheung Yat-sing, Tim Ho Wan’s global product innovation director. “He told me he still kept his dim sum recipes, so... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354843/95-year-old-dim-sum-chef-launches-menu-forgotten-items-tim-ho-wan-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354843/95-year-old-dim-sum-chef-launches-menu-forgotten-items-tim-ho-wan-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Is there much in common between Switzerland and Hong Kong? One is full of Alpine mountains and glacial lakes, the other is a concrete jungle. One is divided into cantons, the other speaks Cantonese. Swiss food in Hong Kong is still quite niche and remains a tale of two “houses”. Chesa, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last August at The Peninsula Hong Kong, has always been the city’s nexus for fondue and raclette. Yodel over to nearby Hart Avenue and you will find The Swiss Chalet, which... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354463/hong-kongs-curious-history-swiss-restaurants-and-2-have-endured?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354463/hong-kongs-curious-history-swiss-restaurants-and-2-have-endured?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 09:15:05 +0000 Bernice Chan Bernice Chan Vietnamese-American Hong Pham and his wife Kim are passionate about good food – so much so that once they like eating something, they learn everything they can about how to make it. They have tried their hand at Vietnamese food like banh cuon (steamed rice rolls) and doi huyet (blood sausage) and have even made a durian ice cream semifreddo pie. Their latest obsession is Chinese barbecued meats such as char siu and pork belly. Their take on roast duck has got the most attention, resulting in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354297/quest-make-perfect-peking-duck-opening-doors-vietnamese-american?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354297/quest-make-perfect-peking-duck-opening-doors-vietnamese-american?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 04:45:05 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung In Hong Kong’s bustling Central district, the pedestrian-only Shin Hing Street is a popular haven known for its wide staircase and its many great bars and restaurants. Now, one of the neighbourhood’s most beloved streets is getting its own visual identity over three days in May, courtesy of 33-year-old Daniel Wu, also known as Mr Mahjong. Starting from May 29, the 15 shops that hug the steps will each display a one-of-a-kind mahjong tile-inspired artwork on their facades. The project is the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354356/how-mr-mahjong-telling-hong-kong-stories-through-his-one-kind-outdoor-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3354356/how-mr-mahjong-telling-hong-kong-stories-through-his-one-kind-outdoor-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 23:15:06 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu For a few days every spring, crowds of people jump on ferries taking them to Hong Kong’s outlying island of Cheung Chau, drawn by the Taoist spectacle that blends religious devotion, carnival parade and athletic competition: the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. Also known as the Da Jiu festival, the event – which this year runs from May 21 to 25 – coincides with Buddha’s Birthday on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, falling on May 24 in 2026. The festival’s highlights include the Piu Sik... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3354361/origin-hong-kongs-peace-buns-cheung-chau-bun-festivals-iconic-snack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3354361/origin-hong-kongs-peace-buns-cheung-chau-bun-festivals-iconic-snack?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 07:15:04 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Has “fusion” ceased to be a dirty word among chefs? For many years, gimmicky creations such as Korean-Mexican tacos, sushi burritos and Peking duck pizza defined the genre-bending food trend. To serious chefs, such dishes mostly inspired an eye roll and a shrug. But a new generation of Hong Kong chefs is happy to utter this “F” word as they dabble in elevated East-West culinary crossover. Their bold melding of disparate ingredients and techniques has resulted in ambitious “third-culture”... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354194/hong-kong-chefs-serving-east-west-fusion-food-without-stigma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354194/hong-kong-chefs-serving-east-west-fusion-food-without-stigma?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam For 60 years, Hong Kong restaurant Snow Garden has been synonymous with the refined, understated elegance of Shanghai-Huaiyang cuisine. Once a North Point institution, Snow Garden is now housed in the South Pacific Hotel in Wan Chai, continuing its legacy to preserve the taste of traditional Shanghainese cooking – enjoyed by tycoons and movie stars of yesteryear – that is slowly disappearing from the city. “Yu Jiuxi, my great uncle by marriage, opened the first Snow Garden [in Jordan, Kowloon]... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354202/story-snow-garden-legendary-hong-kong-restaurant-loved-rich-and-famous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354202/story-snow-garden-legendary-hong-kong-restaurant-loved-rich-and-famous?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 04:45:05 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun I’m beginning to think I am the Goldilocks of eating. What do I mean? More and more, I notice people around me either dining disturbingly fast or at such a glacial pace that their languor becomes everyone else’s annoyance. Lately, for example, whenever my partner and I go out for a meal, we find that other couples who arrive later than us still manage to finish, pay and leave while we are still polishing off the main course. Maybe they have a movie to catch, except their dispassionate hurry does... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354176/why-do-so-many-people-hong-kong-eat-too-fast-or-too-slow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354176/why-do-so-many-people-hong-kong-eat-too-fast-or-too-slow?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 00:15:05 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Eileen Cha is a prominent entertainment journalist, radio host and food critic based in Hong Kong. She spoke to Andrew Sun. My mum’s Hunanese and from a well-off family, so she never set foot in the kitchen. When she came to Hong Kong and married my dad, she had to figure out how to cook proper Cantonese meals and old-fashioned soups. She never gave up the spice from her hometown and I started enjoying spicy food from a young age. At home, we would eat a fusion of Hunanese and Cantonese food,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354173/japanese-vietnamese-cantonese-where-hong-kong-food-critic-likes-eat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3354173/japanese-vietnamese-cantonese-where-hong-kong-food-critic-likes-eat?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 10:15:05 +0000 dpa dpa The air at the North Bridge Road Market & Food Centre in Singapore is filled with the scent of lemongrass, mangoes, turmeric, fermented prawn paste and curry. The stalls are neatly stacked with everything from red Asian bananas to shrivelled sea cucumbers, frog’s legs, blue ginger and dragon fruit. Vidhya Nair, a Singaporean of Indian descent, is buying prawns and spices for our cookery class. She already has everything in her nearby studio but is taking us to the market so we can get an idea of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353916/where-eat-food-paradise-singapore-hawker-centres-michelin-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353916/where-eat-food-paradise-singapore-hawker-centres-michelin-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 04:47:20 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung The May showers have arrived, and with them the full seasonal package: thunder, grey skies and humidity that seems to cling to everything. But before you decide to hide from the rain at home, here is a list of indoor activities around Hong Kong to try for some good, dry fun, including one of the most anticipated annual art fairs, a whisky festival and a pickleball and Pilates session to a soundtrack of Justin Bieber’s greatest hits. 1. Affordable Art Fair The Affordable Art Fair returns to the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3353420/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-rainy-weekend-may-15-17?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3353420/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-rainy-weekend-may-15-17?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Tan Pin Yen Tan Pin Yen It is 10 in the morning and I am handed a shot of baijiu at the Yulin Comprehensive Market, in Chengdu’s Wuhou district. The woman who poured the strong, clear spirit eyes me uncertainly. “This is 52 per cent,” she warns. My guide, chef Steven Tang of the one-Michelin-star Mi Xun Teahouse at Upper House Chengdu, provides some background. “Sichuan has a long history of baijiu brewing, with countless small distilleries each unique,” he says. “This time-honoured brand [you are drinking] from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353370/what-eat-chinas-chengdu-fiery-hotpot-original-mapo-tofu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353370/what-eat-chinas-chengdu-fiery-hotpot-original-mapo-tofu?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 04:45:04 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok Food influencers, once derided for loving everything and hating nothing, are apparently now trying to stand out by doing the opposite. In particular, a content creator by the name of Cian Abion – whose account Life of Cian has more than 3 million followers on TikTok and more than 600,000 on Instagram – has gone viral in the last week for his uncouth take on foods sampled on a trip to Japan. In a since-deleted clip, he complained that a creme caramel served at a long-standing Japanese cafe was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353376/influencer-who-spat-out-food-japan-trip-leaves-bad-taste-mouth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353376/influencer-who-spat-out-food-japan-trip-leaves-bad-taste-mouth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 00:15:05 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Joey Pui is part of the third generation of his family to operate Pak Loh Chiu Chow Restaurant. He is also the guitarist of the Hong Kong rock group Zarahn. He spoke to Andrew Sun. I grew up in a traditional Hong Kong Chiu Chow family. Most of our meals revolved around chopstick culture. When I was little, I would have Chiu Chow white congee for breakfast every morning with my grandparents, accompanied by simple dishes like cold fish or stir-fried salted pork. When eating out for lunch, I like a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353136/japanese-korean-chinese-guitarist-restaurateurs-top-hong-kong-eats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353136/japanese-korean-chinese-guitarist-restaurateurs-top-hong-kong-eats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 09:15:05 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Big JJ Seafood Hotpot opened in a quiet, dead-end lane off Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong’s Central neighbourhood in July 2020, garnering acclaim for elevating hotpot – a dining staple in the city – with premium ingredients, attentive service and a down-to-earth approach. After five and a half years, the local favourite has relocated to one of the most unlikely locations in Central for hotpot: the basement of Landmark Prince’s, a building that houses major fashion brands such as Cartier, Hermès and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353259/hong-kongs-big-jj-seafood-hotpot-gets-fancy-new-central-location-landmark-princes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353259/hong-kongs-big-jj-seafood-hotpot-gets-fancy-new-central-location-landmark-princes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 04:45:07 +0000 dpa dpa A small neighbourhood bakery in Paris is being overwhelmed with fans after its owner won the prestigious Grand Prix de la Baguette competition. “This is a non-negotiable must-try,” a fan enthused on Instagram. “The crunch is unreal!” Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan is the owner of the Fournil Didot bakery, in Paris’ 14th arrondissement. He submitted his baguette to run alongside 143 other bakers taking part in the competition in March. “I took part for the first time and won straight away,” he... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353237/paris-crowns-new-best-baguette-maker-prestigious-bakery-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353237/paris-crowns-new-best-baguette-maker-prestigious-bakery-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Bernice Chan Bernice Chan At Vancouver’s Cofu Chinatown restaurant, Japanese chef Akiko Gulkison and her sous chef prepare delectable dishes: miso-glazed aubergine with snow fungus wrapped with nori and rice, radicchio cured in between sheets of kombu, and steamed soy milk custard seasoned with reduced sake and Japanese plum. They are part of an 18-course omakase vegan menu Gulkison created, to showcase vegetables as the star of Japanese cuisine – not the traditional seafood or meat. The vision was to expose the untapped... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353078/meet-japanese-chef-making-vegan-sushi-and-omakase-vancouvers-chinatown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3353078/meet-japanese-chef-making-vegan-sushi-and-omakase-vancouvers-chinatown?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 04:45:49 +0000 Xiong Yang Xiong Yang Nanjing, a bustling metropolis in eastern China that serves as the capital of Jiangsu province, has embraced eclectic influences across its long history, from foundations laid during the Six Dynasties (220-589) to the intellectual cosmopolitanism of China’s Republic era (1912-1949). Its culinary scene is infused with the Halal flavours of its Hui Muslim residents and imperial influences, all niftily blended with the precision of Huaiyang chefs. A weekend trip to Nanjing is a great idea for those... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3352629/best-things-do-chinas-nanjing-great-food-and-architecture-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3352629/best-things-do-chinas-nanjing-great-food-and-architecture-history?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 09:15:05 +0000 Joyce Yip Joyce Yip The summer of 2016 was unseasonably hot, especially at the Fu Shin Street Wet Market in Tai Po, in Hong Kong’s New Territories, where Chest’N Nuts & Dried Foods had called home for the last three years. In this area with relatively low foot traffic, the shop’s offerings of traditional confectionery, preserved and dried fruit, and freshly roasted chestnuts were not pulling in enough business. General manager Tse Yu-man’s solution? Infusing his bestselling staples, such as dried mandarin peel – or... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3352692/mandarin-peel-ice-cream-coffee-gin-why-chun-pei-tcm-ingredient-gaining-favour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3352692/mandarin-peel-ice-cream-coffee-gin-why-chun-pei-tcm-ingredient-gaining-favour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 04:45:05 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun There might be plenty of fish in the sea, but not everyone knows what to do with them. Recently, I was watching a Rick Stein travel show in which the British cook toured around Australia. In one segment highlighting fresh Aussie seafood, he suggested making a Chinese-inspired stir-fried crab. While extolling the produce, Stein attempted a stir-fry with the crustacean, infusing it with aromatics like ginger, spring onion and chillies. It should have been a quick, simple preparation, but it ended... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3352502/nobody-can-cook-seafood-chinese-certainly-not-celebrity-chef-rick-stein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3352502/nobody-can-cook-seafood-chinese-certainly-not-celebrity-chef-rick-stein?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 00:15:04 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Russia-born creative director Maria Mayorova’s new cabaret spectacle, Becoming Her, starts on May 7 at Maggie Choo’s in Hong Kong’s Central district. She spoke to Andrew Sun. I grew up in St Petersburg with hearty Russian comfort food. Game was a big thing, especially deer. My grandma’s minced deer meat dumplings, served with sour cream, were pure happiness. To lose weight, I stopped eating meat. For years, I was a pescatarian. Only recently did I start eating chicken occasionally. These days, I... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3352489/russian-cabaret-directors-top-hong-kong-restaurants-sushi-noodles-dim-sum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3352489/russian-cabaret-directors-top-hong-kong-restaurants-sushi-noodles-dim-sum?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 04:44:20 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Thai food around the world is undergoing its biggest changes in decades, especially in the US. There are still plenty of curries and noodles to go around, but a new generation of restaurants and cafes is looking beyond the classics to put unique twists on everything from chicken tenders and banana pudding to barbecue, cheesesteaks and cheesecake. “I don’t know what happened in the last year, but there was some sort of crazy explosion,” says Ann Redding, sitting with her husband and fellow chef... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3352326/theres-thai-food-revolution-going-chefs-think-outside-box?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3352326/theres-thai-food-revolution-going-chefs-think-outside-box?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 20:15:04 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times For many foreign Seoulites, the name “Nowon” is more familiar as a punchline than a place. Beyond the long-running joke that the city’s northeastern district’s name sounds like “no one”, there is not a whole lot that is widely known about it. For most, it is regarded as a quiet residential district filled with apartment blocks and cram school clusters, not nightlife or cultural flair. But Kelly’s Pub, nestled above a street near Gongneung Station, is a sign that Nowon is no longer a blank spot... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3352112/how-irish-pub-helping-turn-quiet-seoul-neighbourhood-cultural-hotspot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3352112/how-irish-pub-helping-turn-quiet-seoul-neighbourhood-cultural-hotspot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Blue Seal ice cream, Spam musubi and taco rice have one thing in common: they are uniquely Okinawan, and locals absolutely love them. Tubarama is a popular Okinawan restaurant and izakaya in Naha. It is famous for its immersive experiences, in which traditional shima-uta, or folk music, is performed, in a setting resembling a pre-war Okinawan village, as local cuisine is served. There are live sanshin – a traditional lute – and other performances every evening on the restaurant’s second... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351992/how-us-occupation-shaped-okinawan-cuisine-spam-musubi-taco-rice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351992/how-us-occupation-shaped-okinawan-cuisine-spam-musubi-taco-rice?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam With three new steakhouses opening in Hong Kong in May, meat seems to be the theme for menus this month. But there is plenty more for those looking for new places to try. There are Michelin-starred ramen expansions, creative omakase concepts and comforting Korean stews. A Japanese eel specialist lands in Tuen Mun, a Swiss fondue spot debuts in Kennedy Town, and a modern Vietnamese kitchen opens its doors in Central. Whatever you crave, there is a fair chance you will find it among the new... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351811/13-new-hong-kong-restaurants-and-bars-try-may-2026-pizza-and-steak-fondue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351811/13-new-hong-kong-restaurants-and-bars-try-may-2026-pizza-and-steak-fondue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung This Labour Day long weekend may seem like the perfect time to catch up on some sleep, but you know what they say about Hong Kong, right? Whether you are in the mood for eating your way through a French alpine market, shaking off pre-race nerves with a Pilates-and-ice-bath combo, hunting down a rare Pokemon in Lai Chi Kok, or browsing ancient jade between glasses of wine in Wan Chai, this weekend has got you covered. Here is what is worth getting off the sofa for. 1. French GourMay As a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351960/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-labour-day-weekend-may-1-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351960/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-labour-day-weekend-may-1-3?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 02:45:08 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok Several of Hong Kong’s leading coffee specialists have opened new branches alongside some intriguing newcomers. Read on for our pick of the five new cafes to visit in May. 1. Artista Perfetto While Hollywood Road may be better known for nightlife with its collection of bars and fast-food shops under the Mid-Levels Escalator, a new addition offers early birds a quality fuelling stop. The third branch of Artista Perfetto is its tiniest yet, with enough room for just a few customers to stand and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351939/5-new-cafes-and-coffee-shops-try-hong-kong-may-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351939/5-new-cafes-and-coffee-shops-try-hong-kong-may-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 23:15:07 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Are you ageing well? 5 simple tests to get a picture of your biological age We can do simple tests like these at home to assess how well we are ageing, allowing us to compare our chronological age (the number of years we have lived) with our biological age (how well our cells and systems are ageing). 2. Inside the 14k,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3351954/60-year-old-singaporean-pole-dancer-guizhous-spicy-food-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3351954/60-year-old-singaporean-pole-dancer-guizhous-spicy-food-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:30:08 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung When Taiwanese-American journalist and cookbook author Clarissa Wei gave birth to her first child three years ago, she did everything “right” – at least by Taiwanese post-partum care standards. She checked into a dedicated confinement centre, expecting a month of nourishing herbal soups, expert recovery advice and the kind of rest that Chinese tradition has prescribed new mothers for centuries. Instead, she felt lost. “To be honest, the food wasn’t great,” Wei says. “I developed post-partum... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351808/asian-american-mother-challenges-tough-chinese-traditions-new-mums-modern-recipes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351808/asian-american-mother-challenges-tough-chinese-traditions-new-mums-modern-recipes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok Several years ago, I opined about the misguided hate towards Chinese desserts, and how a subset of Hongkongers were attempting to buck the stereotype of sweet soups and puddings as boring, one-dimensional or too sweet. In the time since, the usual wave of sugary trends has waxed and waned: from croffle madness to the rise and fall of doughnut shops to the dominance of Dubai chocolate and all of its iterations. Now, Hong Kong is seeing a resurgence of dessert specialists that are honing in on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351779/chinese-desserts-red-bean-black-sesame-and-sago-soups-are-having-their-moment-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351779/chinese-desserts-red-bean-black-sesame-and-sago-soups-are-having-their-moment-again?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:15:08 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Sam Chong is the director of wine at New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui East. He spoke to Andrew Sun. I am a comfort food person at heart, but I also appreciate fine dining when the occasion calls. Growing up, seafood was always on the table. My parents loved it, so I developed a deep appreciation for fresh seafood from an early age. My father is not a chef, but he truly enjoys cooking so I was always spoiled with great home-cooked food. For me, quality ingredients and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351576/exceptional-steak-fresh-shrimp-dumplings-wine-lovers-top-hong-kong-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351576/exceptional-steak-fresh-shrimp-dumplings-wine-lovers-top-hong-kong-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Doris Lam Doris Lam When it comes to cooking, chef Jeremy Chan refuses to be boxed in. At Ikoyi, the two-Michelin-star London restaurant he co-founded in 2017, his creations don’t sway towards West African cuisine, despite having borrowed the establishment’s name from his co-founder’s hometown in Lagos, Nigeria. Nor does the food overtly tell of Chan’s international background – born in Britain to a Chinese father and Canadian mother, he grew up between Hong Kong, Canada and the United States. Instead, it is a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351555/british-canadian-chefs-nod-hong-kong-childhood-2-michelin-star-london-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351555/british-canadian-chefs-nod-hong-kong-childhood-2-michelin-star-london-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 04:45:45 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam At 15, most Hong Kong teenagers are fretting over exams. At that age, Kan Wong, the newly appointed executive Chinese chef at Celestial Court at the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, was up to his elbows in a wok, learning a lesson his father never intended to teach. “I started helping my dad out in the kitchen when I was only nine years old,” he says. “He thought it would teach me a lesson so I would study harder at school. But I fell in love with the work.” Born into a working-class family in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3351539/how-hong-kong-chef-cooks-old-style-tastes-city-using-innovative-techniques?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3351539/how-hong-kong-chef-cooks-old-style-tastes-city-using-innovative-techniques?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:16:07 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Josh Boutwood has a confession to make: the founder of Manila-based Helm – the only restaurant in the Philippines with two Michelin stars – once swore that he would not become a chef. Born in the UK to a Filipino father and an English mother, Boutwood spent his earliest years in Boracay before moving back to England for primary school, then again to the Philippines for middle school and, finally, to Spain at age 11. His parents were both hoteliers and restaurateurs. “No matter which parent I was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351262/he-swore-he-wouldnt-be-chef-now-he-owns-2-michelin-starred-restaurant-manila?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351262/he-swore-he-wouldnt-be-chef-now-he-owns-2-michelin-starred-restaurant-manila?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 04:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Long a staple in Filipino desserts, ube has become the newest obsession in South Korean cafes. The root crop, also known as purple yam and commonly exported from the Philippines, is turning up in everything from creamy desserts to colourful drinks as its popularity spreads worldwide. Ube first went viral for its visual appeal as it gives off a distinct violet hue when added to desserts and drinks, taking the place of the long-reigning green of Japan’s matcha. The starchy tuber is now a mainstay... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351302/how-viral-ube-drinks-and-desserts-are-taking-over-south-korean-cafes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351302/how-viral-ube-drinks-and-desserts-are-taking-over-south-korean-cafes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:15:08 +0000