Catharina Cheung

Cada any elaborem una classificació de les millors ciutats del món per menjar i beure. L'objectiu és retre homenatge als xefs, els fogons i les parades de menjar de carrer que alimenten la ciutat. I com es decideix la llista? Enguany, el rànquing de les Millors Ciutats per Menjar de Time Out s'ha creat a partir d'una enquesta a més de 24.000 residents de tot el món. Els vam demanar que valoressin la qualitat general de l'escena gastronòmica del seu lloc de residència, el preu de sortir a sopar i els punts gastronòmics en els quals creuen que destaca la seva ciutat. A continuació, vam combinar aquestes milers de respostes amb el criteri del panell d'experts culinaris de Time Out (editors i crítics gastronòmics de tota la nostra xarxa), que van votar per les ciutats que consideren els destins gastronòmics més estimulants del planeta en aquest moment. Per garantir que la llista reflecteixi fidelment les capitals culinàries globals, només la ciutat amb la puntuació més alta de cada país va aconseguir entrar al Top 20 definitiu. Com demostra la nostra selecció, vivim un moment divertidíssim per sortir a menjar per la ciutat. Restaurants des de Lisboa fins a Lima estan servint alguns dels plats més sorprenents, atrevits i francament deliciosos que es puguin trobar. Què hi ha al menú? Polos de crema de mandarina a Nova York, fideus d'espina de peix a Copenhague i un sofisticat phở a Ciutat Ho Chi Minh. Hi ha alta cuina a Melbourne i fun dining (alta cuina divertida) a Ciutat del Cap

You don’t need any occasion to show your appreciation for someone with some beautiful blooms, but they sure do make a celebration that much more special. Even if you don’t have a lavish present or a Michelin-starred booking in the works, a beautiful bouquet of flowers can still be a lovely gift to melt someone’s heart. From well-established spots to modern florists with a hipster spin, here are some of our favourite places to pick up blooms. RECOMMENDED:  🕰 The latest Hong Kong shopping news🛍 Places for cheap shopping

June is a great month in Hong Kong. The temperature is just about cool enough to keep us from melting into the ground, which makes it the perfect time to challenge yourself with the best hiking trails in Hong Kong, and even if the weather is a bummer, there are still plenty of fun indoor activities to keep you entertained while staying dry. Read on to see what the city has in store for us this month. RECOMMENDED:  🎡 Hong Kong’s top attractions😍 Free things to do in Hong Kong✅ 63 most incredible things to do in Hong Kong

Looking to make your weekend worthwhile? You’ve come to the right place. Whether you want to catch some live music, check out a new art exhibit, or just find a casual spot to relax with friends, Hong Kong knows how to keep you busy. Come rain or shine, day or night, here’s everything you need to plan the perfect weekend.  RECOMMENDED:  📆 Hong Kong events in June🎡 Top attractions in Hong Kong🛍️ Your ultimate Hong Kong checklist 2026

Every year, we create a definitive ranking of the world’s greatest cities for eating and drinking. The aim is to celebrate the chefs, kitchens and street food stalls that feed the city, bringing locals and visitors together to savour life’s one greatest pleasure: an excellent meal. So, how is the list decided? This year, Time Out’s Best Cities for Food with Intrepid Travel was created on the back of a survey of more than 24,000 locals, based all around the world. We asked them to rate the overall quality of the food scene where they live, how affordable it is to eat out and the food spots they believe their city does best.  We then paired their thousands of responses with the insight of Time Out’s expert food panel – editors and food critics from across Time Out’s network – who voted for the cities they think are the most exciting dining destinations on the planet right now. Only the highest-scoring city in each country made the final 20, ensuring our list reflects culinary capitals globally.  As our list demonstrates, it’s a very fun time to be eating out in the city right now. Restaurants from Lisbon to Lima are serving up some of the most striking, daring and downright delicious plates of food you can find. On the menu? Satsuma creamsicles in New York, fish bone noodles in Copenhagen and fancy phở in Ho Chi Minh. There’s fine-dining in Melbourne and ‘fun dining’ in Cape Town, food trends from sandwich crazes to elevated tacos, and coffee and cocktail scenes well worth trav

June has rolled around again, which means it is time for all the girls, gays, and theys to unapologetically slay. Whether you’re more for going to queer bars, drag shows, or simply curling up with a homoerotic romance on the telly, there’s plenty you can do for Pride Month. Here are some of the best LGBTQIA-related parties, brunches, shows, and events that are happening in town! RECOMMENDED: Check out the must-watch movies from Hong Kong’s queer icon Leslie Cheung!

Much like our clothes, hairstyles, or even our phone cases, our nails are just another avenue to express ourselves and feel good in our own bodies. Whether you’re in need of a quick pick-me-up or a full-on pampering with the freshest designs on both your hands and feet, these nail salons are where it’s at.RECOMMENDED: You deserve nothing less than a full day of pampering, so why not book a package at one of these brilliant Hong Kong spas as well?

Every year, Time Out publishes the results of its international survey ranking the world’s best cities. Our team then dives deeper into the data to uncover other fascinating insights, like the world’s best cities for culture, the coolest neighborhoods and—the one I look forward to most—our ranking of the world’s best food cities. To get there, we surveyed thousands of city dwellers and asked them to rate their city’s food scene across 18 different criteria, including quality, affordability and diversity. Then we tapped our global network of chefs, editors and food critics to provide local insight into what makes their particular cities such wonderful places to eat—and not just right now. Our global network of food writers shared knowledge about the history of food in their cities, the dishes each place is known for, and the influence of different cultures on the local food scene. We’re serving up all this delicious intel in the tastiest list you’ll read all year, filled with nuggets from folks who frequent the bars, are restaurant regulars and know their city’s food scene inside and out. Ready to dig in? Here are the greatest cities for food on the planet.

Not sure how to spend your free time this week? We’ve rounded up some of the best happenings across the city – from art exhibitions and food pop-ups to music nights and kid-friendly activities – so you don’t have to go searching. But if all else fails, you can always turn to one of Hong Kong’s best restaurants, or cross things off our ultimate Hong Kong checklist. Whatever you decide, we’ve got you covered for the next seven days. RECOMMENDED:  🎨 Art exhibitions to check out right now🥹 Free things to do in Hong Kong

From menu takeovers by renowned chefs to creative baked goodies and exclusive pop-ups, Hong Kong’s food and drink scene is always hard at work to keep us happy, well-fed, and forever curious. If you’re a bona fide foodie who's always on the lookout for the latest eats, turn your attention to these delicious happenings in the city right now. RECOMMENDED:  😋 New restaurants to check out in Hong Kong🍽️ 50 best restaurants in Hong Kong🍜 Unique Hong Kong dishes you need to try

It doesn’t really matter if your relatives hosted weekly games with their friends or whether family’s set only ever saw the light of day for a couple of days over Lunar New Year – mahjong is most definitely an indelible part of life in Hong Kong. There have even been films centred around the game (starring Andy Lau and directed by Johnnie To, no less), and it’s not hard to see why when, apart from its cultural prevalence, there is an inherent beauty in mahjong: the sharp clacking of tiles being shuffled, the deep jade green of the tile backs formed into neat rows, the curvature of the motifs in the Circles suit contrasted against the strokes of Chinese characters in the Thousands suit. The iPad and AI generations may not care as much about this gambling game any more, but there are still some in Hong Kong who want to keep this slice of cultural heritage alive. Meet Mr Mahjong, the pseudonym of a Hong Kong artist in his early 30s called Daniel, who has dedicated his body of work to modernising mahjong in pleasingly eyecatching ways. We hung out with Mr Mahjong before his solo exhibition on Shin Hing Street, when he took us around Coa, Out of the Brew, and Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei, got us chatting to the friendly bar managers and proprietors Lok Cheung, Terrence Wu, and Rex Lam, and showed us his works dotted up and down the popular set of stairs. Read on to see why mahjong makes for an interesting art medium, how this culturally important game is the great unifier, and can connec

To some, Buddha’s Birthday is just another public holiday on the calendar, but to many others, the birth of the Buddha is a deeply meaningful celebration – but what is it really all about? Keep scrolling as we explain the ins and outs of this important day. RECOMMENDED: See what's happening in Hong Kong for the rest of the month.

Eaton HK’s Pride activities culminate in Queertopia: Evolution, bringing together a diverse lineup of drag performers both experienced and emerging, for a fabulous night of transformation and queer celebration. Performing drag queens and artists include Balatro, Bauhinia Black, Boy Bawang, Falanja, Gin Pan, Holok, Kameleon, Quasiturtle, and Sailor Ying. Guests who have joined the drag workshop held on June 15 and learned choreography will also get the opportunity to join the drag queens onstage for the final performance number. Tickets are priced at $250, inclusive of one drink. 

Hotel and creative hub Eaton HK is hosting a range of Pride month events, including an exhibition that draws from the Hong Kong LGBTQ+ Archive of Printed Matter. The city’s queer community is revisited through relics from the pre-internet era, such as newsletter, indie zines, handwritten letters, promotion brochures, AIDS leaflets, and more rare materials from the 80s to the early 2000s. More than a record of the past, this show aims to open dialogue for new visions of future queer memory.

Head to The Pontiac for a karaoke night of high-energy Pride anthems, where guests will be invited to take the mic and belt out both nostalgic throwbacks and rock classics. If you’re a diva who can hold a tune (or even just a partygoer unafraid to have some fun), we’ll see you there from 7pm!

June 19 sees everyone’s favourite queer-friendly dive bar The Pontiac partnering with five other venues around Central for a fun shot run. Complete six custom-made Moonshine mini cocktails at Dead Poets, Aer, Friday After Class, Honky Tonks Tavern, Not 2 Sweet, and The Pontiac, before rocking up to the finish line featuring a Midnight Special afterparty from 10pm onwards, where a bartender from each of the participating locations will take their turn behind the stick amidst the Pontiac chaos. Tickets to the Rainbow Run are priced at $288 per person, which includes six mini cocktails, an exclusive Rainbow Run race kit, and guaranteed access to the afterparty.

Cruise at the Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong brings back their Draglicious Pride Brunch, an all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink extravaganza on the rooftop of the hotel. While you’re indulging in the feast over with 20 dish options and bottomless prosecco and wines, there will also be entertainment in the form of some of Hong Kong’s best drag queens such as Emma Ohrey, Lilo May, and Pansze Diva, as well as live DJ sets by Disco Stoner to keep the vibes going. Cruise’s drag brunch is available exclusively on Saturday, June 27, and costs $688 per person.

Manteigaria, the artisanal bakery that has earned a cult following in Portugal for its pastéis de nata, opened its first Hong Kong flagship at the beginning of June 2026. Unlike Hong Kong-style egg tarts, which often favour a firmer, egg-forward filling with either a buttery shortcrust or light flaky crust, Manteigaria’s pastéis de nata are defined by a thin and shatteringly crisp pastry – the result of a intensive process where the dough is kneaded and folded by hand – and a creamy caramelised filling made using whole eggs, plenty of sugar, and butter (rather than margarine), with zero preservatives or additives. Every time a fresh batch of tarts slides out of the oven, a bell will ring out onto the street – a signature Lisbon tradition that signals the arrival of something warm and ready to be shared.

The private members’ club will be opening its top two floors for the Rainbow Rave on June 27. The Pontiac will bring in a lineup of top bartenders from the region, including Call Me Al, Friday After Class, Crushed, and Sundry Bangkok, while there will also be live DJ sets and drag performances from Poise’n Grace. Partygoers can also have fun with flash tattoos and tooth gems by Stage.tattoo, tarot card readings, as well as access to the club’s pool and nibbles. Early-bird tickets are available until June 10 at $288, while full-price tickets will cost $350 – all include one drink.

This weekend, a young local artist known by the fitting pseudonym Mr Mahjong is putting on an exhibition that celebrates the classic game, contemporary art, and a particular popular pocket of Central. Reaching out to nine restaurants, cafés, and bars on Shin Hing Street, he has used them as inspiration for Hong Kong’s first mahjong street art exhibition. 15 art pieces carved and painted into little mahjong tiles will be dotted along the street, including some hidden installations tucked into unassuming spots, waiting to be discovered like Easter eggs. Some of these works include a set of tiles featuring the agave plant for our famous mezcal bar Coa, little sushi pieces for Sakaba Masaka, a fluffy sheep for the lamb-centric restaurant Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei, wine bottles with small plants for the wine shop and cellar La Cabane, and more. Stop by the Out of the Brew taproom and recreate their rocket artwork out of shuffled mahjong tiles under a time limit to get a free craft beer as well!

After spending last year’s edition in Singapore, this major regional event for wine professionals is returning to Hong Kong for 2026. The global wine and spirits trade will gather at the convention centre in Wan Chai for three days of everything vino. Stroll and sip your way through hundreds of exhibitors from all over the world, attend masterclasses and gather important insights from the Vinexpo Academy, and get connecting with wine industry leaders and independent winemakers. If you’re eager to tap into still and sparkling wines, premium spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks from iconic wine regions, emerging wine markets, and everything in between, Vinexpo is the event for you this week.

Employees Only is making a nostalgic return of sorts to our shores. Having closed its Hong Kong outpost in 2019, the legendary speakeasy brand is back for one single evening on May 21, as the team from Employees Only Singapore takes over the bar at Terrible Baby. Three custom creations will be served throughout the evening, including the smooth, milk-washed gin-based ‘Dilly, Don’t Dally’; the tequila-based ‘Nightshade’ with notes of fruit and spice; and ‘Peachy Keen’, a light and floral number matching Tito’s vodka with elderflower, peach liqueur, lemon, and an Oolong tea-infused Baldoria Bianco vermouth. All cocktails are priced at $120 each, but a tasting package is available online via Eventbrite for $320 per person, which lets you sample all three of these signature serves at a discount. See details about the Employees Only SG bar shift here.

Founded by globally influential wine critic James Suckling, his eponymous wine bar is without a doubt one of Hong Kong’s best. Here, oenophiles can look forward to a wine list covering 100-point rated wines collected over his decades-long career – after all, if there’s one person in town you can trust to hand you a great glass of vino, it is Suckling. In summer 2026, Suckling changed his bright, glass-filled space on Staunton Street for a much more intimate space on the steps of Shin Hing Street. The warmly lit 18-seater space feels capacious thanks to a second-storey loft abovehead, yet still has moody corners to curl into for a quiet chat. People watchers (both inside the bar and outside on the street) will love the fishbowl effect the floor-to-ceiling windows provide. Even with this compact space, you can choose from around 350 selections including about 20 different wines by the glass – though we’re also fans of their half-bottle programme when single glasses just don’t cut it. Try the 2014 Mirae from the Sucklings’ own New Zealand winery, and order plates from their small but excellent food menu.

For the first time since opening its flagship hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui in 1981, Hong Kong’s iconic Royal Garden hospitality brand is expanding. Tseung Kwan O is now home to The Royal Garden Kowloon East, just minutes away from the MTR station, in the space formerly occupied by the Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Kowloon East by IHG. Built as a contemporary “urban resort”, the 366-key hotel is imagined as an “oasis of calm” in the city, leaning on nature inspirations and eco-conscious design to create a soothing space coloured in olive and apricot tones. Guests have several room types to choose from, the most interesting options being the loft-style rooms perfect for sharing between friends, and the children-centric roomed themed after safaris and princesses. The Royal Garden Kowloon East has also repurposed the former spa treatment rooms into seven themed villas situated outside on the grounds, away from the bustle in the main hotel tower – and one of them is even pet-friendly for animal lovers wishing to stay with their fur babies! 

Even if you weren’t that into Korean music, as long as you were alive in the 2000s, there’s simply no way you could have escaped the phenomenon that was BigBang. The original five-member group moulded entire generations of K-pop artists and was arguably responsible for initiating South Korean entertainment into the eyes of global pop culture, and VIPs will be glad to know that the K-pop heavyweights are about to go on a new world tour, with Hong Kong on the docket! Following a massive set at Coachella, G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung will begin their global run from August until next February, with 31 concerts scheduled across Asia, North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia. Hong Kong is getting three nights with the group – they will be playing Kai Tak Stadium on November 13 to 15. This new world tour also serves to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary, made especially memorable since the last time they went on a global tour was a decade ago, before any of the members even went on hiatus for South Korea’s mandatory military conscription. Though BigBang’s lineup is now officially short of TOP and Seungri from the original five, we’re sure the reunited band remains a force to be reckoned with (thankfully, the vocal line is still intact). Who else is holding out hope that they’ll perform a career-spanning selection of their classic bangers like Haru Haru, Lie, Last Farewell, and Fantastic Baby? Ticketing details including prices, releases, and VIP packages have yet to be ann

If there’s one thing that every Hongkonger is proud of, it’s that we have some of the best food in the world. Aside from homegrown culinary treasures that have dazzled and delighted across the generations, we also have a seriously impressive roster of eateries serving flavours from all over the world. We are foodies here in Hong Kong, and proud of it. Every year, Time Out conducts an international survey ranking the world’s best cities, and one part of the survey focuses on food, from which the team creates the annual ranking of the world’s best food cities. Thousands of city dwellers were asked to rate their cities’ food scene across 18 criteria like quality, affordability, and diversity. Then we ran the info past our global network of chefs, editors and food critics to provide local insight. The delicious result is Time Out’s annual list of best cities for food, and this year, Hong Kong has come in at number 16! Photograph: Courtesy Ma Hing HongMa Hing Hong cha chaan teng Aside from our dizzying array of food choices, one of the factors swaying voters in our favour was that Hong Kong is one of those rare cities where dining out can be just as easy on the wallet as grabbing a cup of coffee and, surprisingly, cheaper than going out for drinks. From casual cha chaan teng where the service is brusque but the food is comforting, to our down-to-earth open-air dai pai dong stalls where rubbing elbows with strangers is the norm, our city is full of wallet-friendly food options th

If your idea of a good time is to roleplay different lives while walking through Ikea showrooms, there will soon be a new playground for you to enact your IRL The Sims fantasies. Mainland Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com – also known as Jingdong for those who speak Chinese – has announced that they will be opening the brand’s first JD Mall in Hong Kong on June 18.  The JD Mall will be located in Wan Chai, covering over 30,000 sqft, which makes this one of the largest home appliance retail locations in Hong Kong. Shoppers can expect to find a wide range of home and lifestyle products, including everyday appliances, electronics, smart home systems, and more, with brand names such as Bosch, Siemens, Samsuny, Sony, DJI, and Xiaomi on the shelves. Photograph: Courtesy JD.comJD Mall Hong Kong The store has also promised to operate under a localised supply chain model, with products “sourced in Hong Kong, sold in Hong Kong” that meet local commercial standards. As a mainland Chinese brand, of course, homegrown Chinese brands will also be featured, such as TCL, Hisense, Gree, Haier, Jomoo, and others – JD Mall will be the Hong Kong debut for several such brand names. Instead of a simple shopping mall setup, JD Mall is designed to be immersive, giving customers the opportunity to test out products in scenario-based zones designed to reflect real life. For instance, there will be dedicated sections for smart home solutions, relaxation, massage equipment, robotics, coffee enjoyment,

As much as Hong Kong is a world-renowned foodie haven, we don’t seem to have a lot of Sri Lankan cuisine around, and certainly even less that are aesthetically pleasing places to kick back in. It pains us to pass along the news that Hotal Colombo has announced it will be closing at the end of June – though not before throwing a month-long celebration of events in honour of its time in the city. Located on Elgin Street with a distinctive pink entrance, teal signage, and gold lettering that’s all reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film, Hotal Colombo has been knocking about since 2018, headed by one of Black Sheep restaurant group’s OG team members, chef Gisela Alesbrook (or Gizzy to those in the know). Her vision for the restaurant was always to bring the vibrant food culture of Sri Lanka to Hong Kong diners, inspired by the everyday canteens found all over Colombo’s streets known as hotals. Photograph: Courtesy Hotal ColomboHotal Colombo To look back on its success, the restaurant will be hosting a series of special collaborations as well as curating a menu of their most beloved dishes from across the last eight years. All through the month of June, the Greatest Hits Farewell Menu will feature culinary bangers such as their bone marrow varuval with pol roti, crab kothu, hoppers, and more. If you’re not ordering a side of seeni sambol for extra spice and washing it all down with a Ceylon G&T, you’re doing it wrong.  From Monday, June 8, Hotal Colombo will be partnering with Messi

We’ve known since January this year that global pop sensation BTS is coming to Hong Kong on tour, but after ages of only seeing other territories enjoying their time in concert, details for the Asia and Australia legs of the BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ have finally been released. BTS have already sold out all 41 of their stadium dates across North America, Europe, and the UK, with the overwhelming demand meaning that they’ve had to add extra shows in several cities. Ticket sales for Asia are bound to be a fight to the death, but if you’re serious about seeing RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook right here in Hong Kong, then here’s what you need to know about getting a spot in that stadium. Read on to see how you might be able to get tickets! When will BTS’ Hong Kong concert tickets be on sale? The first round of tickets will be released on Tuesday, June 9 at 11am, via the ARMY Membership Presale. Only membership holders who have registered in advance will be able to join the queue to access the presale – your nine-digit ARMY membership number will be needed to unlock the site. If you have yet to join this official membership, now’s the time to do so! When signing up on Weverse, Hong Kong fans should make sure to choose the Global membership option. The second drop will be the Trip.com exclusive priority access sale on June 10 at 10am, followed by the Live Nation members pre-sale on the same day at 11am. Any remaining tickets will then be open to the general public fro

If you’re in the habit of romanticising everyday events, then The Ordinary’s newest event will be right up your alley. The skincare brand is creating a mini mart, only instead of sandwiches, drinks, and other convenience store staples, you get to roam around filling your basket with their famously accessible skincare essentials. For a very limited time only, The Ordinary will take over the Cosme flagship store in Tsim Sha Tsui, giving Hong Kong shoppers the opportunity to engage with their products in a fun new way. Decked out in whites and blues, this Mini Mart feels like a hybrid of a convenience store and a pharmacist, complete with paper bag packaging and refrigerated sections. This special concept store has already had successful runs in Tokyo and Osaka, and if the trend-savvy Japanese had a good time, there’s no doubt that we will also enjoy this immersive retail experience. Photograph: Courtesy The OrdinaryThe Ordinary Mini Mart Apart from their bestsellers like the Niacinamide 10% serum, Multi-Peptide + HA Buffet serum, and the Glycolic Acid exfoliating toner, The Ordinary Mini Mart will also have a series of items designed exclusively for this pop-up, including the Squalane + Amino Acids lip balm shaped like an onigiri, skincare bento sets designed with Re-Edit that come with customisable charms, and blind boxes inspired by Cup Noodles featuring surprise sticker collections.  This sounds exactly like the kind of convenience store we’d want to pop into at all times.

Ah, burgers. Juicy meat patties with a nice char, melty cheese, a bunch of vegetable toppings, and other succulent additions sandwiched between fluffy buns – they can pretty much be their own food group. Hong Kong might not be the city that immediately comes to mind when you think of a gorgeous burger, but as it turns out, we do have some options that are among the best in the world! Photograph: @thediplomathkThe Diplomat burger The World’s 101 Best Burgers has just dropped their list for 2026 and two Hong Kong eateries have made it onto the rankings. Sitting at a most respectable No. 4 position – and thereby making them the best in Asia – is none other than The Diplomat, with their famous quarter-pounder Wagyu beef patty that’s grilled medium rare, melted over with cheddar, and served in sesame buns. Owner John Nugent insists that The Diplomat is still first and foremost a cocktail bar, but that hasn’t stopped his kitchen team from serving up absolute bangers – and honestly, it makes this recognition even more special among all the other global steak and grill restaurants on the list. Photograph: @fireside.hkFireside burger slider The other Hong Kong win on the World’s 101 Best Burgers list is Fireside at No. 46, which might not come as a surprise if you’ve been paying attention to the city’s food scene and know that they have recently been ranked No. 18 in the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants. Clearly, the open-fire specialist tucked away upstairs in H Code knows exac

Although most Hongkongers do love an aesthetically pleasing restaurant for Instagram and Setlog purposes, how pretty an eatery is generally isn’t really a factor when choosing a spot for dinner. Well, the people behind Prix Versailles disagree. Announced each year at UNESCO, the Prix Versailles is a series of architectural competitions that judge distinction and excellence in the world’s finest contemporary design projects, and they think that gorgeous architecture lends to culinary journeys. On June 1, they unveiled the World’s Most Beautiful Restaurants List 2026, and Hong Kong has been represented by three out of 16 chosen restaurants from all over the world. The secretary general of the Prix Versailles, Jérôme Gouadain, says of this year’s selections, “The decor at these 16 establishments is imbued with an array of styles and colours that put each one in perfect harmony with its environment [...] and its menu”, which all goes towards cultivating unforgettable experiences. Photograph: Courtesy Akira BackAkira Back Interestingly, Hong Kong’s winners are all located in The Henderson, a floral-inspired tower designed by Zaha Hadid Architects located on Murray Road where Central leads into Admiralty. Firstly, there’s Akira Back on the fifth floor, the eponymous restaurant of chef Akira Back who is a master of Korean-Japanese fusion cuisine with global influences. The main dining area features a sculptural ceiling that hides sophisticated lighting in its latticed crosses, whi

Haw Par Mansion, like the old Lai Yuen amusement park, retains an almost mythical status in the memories of Hongkongers of a certain age. Built in 1935 by ‘The King of Tiger Balm’ Haw Aw-boon, the mansion’s sprawling garden became Hong Kong’s first theme park, including rides, a seven-storey pagoda, and a section famously featuring the ‘Ten Courts of Hell’. After being demolished in 2004, followed by a brief stint as a music school from 2017 to 2022, the Haw Par Mansion is now about to embark on another chapter of its life. The non-profit Foundation for Art and Culture, co-founded by curator and entrepreneur Arthur de Villepin, won the tender to operate the Haw Par Mansion site to promote arts and culture in Hong Kong. The 91-year-old Grade I historic mansion will be transformed into an artistic ‘living space’ that fosters international exchanges, and will be renamed Villa Haw Par. Photograph: CHVilla Haw Par Villa Haw Par will operate on a non-profit, self-financed basis. Instead of becoming a conventional museum – or going down the theme park route like the Haw Par Villa in Singapore – Hong Kong’s latest arts hub is envisioned as a “working house” where artists can create and heritage can coexist under contemporary practices and support. The villa is set to open to the public by the end of 2026, with the first stage focused on revitalising the mansion’s garden grounds into a ‘Garden of Wonders’ that draws on memories of the former Tiger Balm Garden. From 2027 to 2028, a p

Hong Kong has no shortage of restaurants serving Singaporean food, but among all the laksa, Hainanese chicken rice, and bak kut teh joints around town, Whey holds a special spot in our heart for its innovative and consistently excellent cuisine. As the one-Michelin-starred restaurant celebrates its fifth anniversary – as well as the 10th anniversary of its parent company the ZS Hospitality Group – they’ve brought in new head chef Keith Teo to create a new menu that further elevates Singaporean hometown flavours. Working with Whey’s founder chef Barry Quek, chef Teo will use fresh local produce in every dish to highlight the seasonal and sustainable ingredients in the vibrant flavour profiles of the Lion City. The menu opens with a snack duo of scallop pie tee and crab bao – the former is a crispy pastry cup familiar to all who have munched their way around Malaysia or Singapore, filled with sweet scallops and celeriac in a scallion ginger vinaigrette; the latter a fried doughnut packed with snow crab meat with salted black peppercorns and garlic aioli in a nod to Singapore’s famous black pepper crab dish. Photograph: Courtesy ZS Hospitality GroupIberico pork three ways (L) and mackerel (R) at Whey Other dishes of note include cured mackerel with tomato sambal; tilefish with crispy scales on a bed of sambal okra and eggplant purée that mirrors a Singaporean fish curry; and Iberico pork served three ways in an homage to the beloved bak kut teh. For an even more delicious expe

Relive the youthful halcyon days of playing with bubbles in the park this summer as ‘Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience’ floats into town! After captivating over 5 million visitors across cities like New York, Los Angeles, London, and Milan, this large-scale event is in the Hong Kong leg of its international tour. Exhibition Hub and local partner Last Bullet Production have created a dreamy land featuring 11 themed rooms spanning 27,000 sqft which combine interactive installations, VR, inflatables, and visual illusions. Everything in this spherical, floaty universe is designed to spark curiosity and play. Photograph: Courtesy Exhibition HubBubble Planet Hong Kong Tap into a spot of serenity in the Bubble Ocean, fall into an endless space of mirror illusions with the Infinity Room, and dive into the deep blue with the Underwater Bubbles aquatic theme. If the giant bubbles, inflatable structures, fantastical landscapes, and more don’t activate a sense of childlike wonder and glee, then there’s probably no saving your broken dopamine receptors. Photograph: Courtesy Exhibition HubBubble Planet Hong Kong Bubble Planet Hong Kong will be open from June 29, at Baggage Hall A, 2/F, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. Tickets run from $210 to $260 depending on the day of entry, with child fares and concessions available. VIP tickets also run from $300 to $340 – this grants access to the VR experience with a skip-the-line pass, as well as one poster of the bubbleverse, while regular ticket

For days now, the weather in Hong Kong has been blistering, to the point where we are actually cowering away from the waves of hot air you can feel outside before even exiting a building. If this is what it’s like in May, we dread to think what August 2026 will feel like, but unfortunately it looks like this bout of heat is here to stay for a while longer – at least until the weekend. According to the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), an anticyclone aloft is what’s bringing extremely hot weather to the region today and tomorrow. The temperatures today, May 28, will remain very hot at a maximum of 34 degrees Celsius while Friday is likely to be extremely hot, with the mercury reaching 36 to 37 degrees Celsius in the New Territories.  The first Very Hot Weather Warning of 2026 was issued on Tuesday, May 26, and has been in force every day since. The HKO recorded the highest temperature so far this year yesterday on Wednesday, with TVB news reporting that it even reached 40 degrees Celsius out in Sheung Shui. With the city not cooling down for a couple more days, the Department of Health has been urging citizens to take precautions against heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke by staying hydrated; minimising heat absorption by wearing light-coloured, loose clothing; avoiding strenuous exercise and outdoor activities; and also keeping skin protected with broad-spectrum sunscreen. Looking ahead to the weekend, a trough of low pressure approaching the coast of southern China wil