Best restaurants in Sai Ying Pun

Recently opened in Sai Ying Pun is Melody, a vibrant venue that elevates the joy of dining with exceptional live music and high-quality drinks. Striving to offer its guests an exceptional level of comfort and relaxation through its homely environment, Melody is structured just like a mansion, complete with a kitchen, dining room, music room, bar lounge, and a garden room.

In addition to its unique venue, Melody’s diverse menu offers a variety of grill plates crafted with premium ingredients. Highlights include Wagyu beef cheek kaldereta with cheese dumplings and piquillo peppers, whole roasted yellow chicken served with a mushroom stuffed onion, mash, and charcoal velouté, and whole squid stuffed with rice. From the dessert menu, leave room to savour indulgent items such as the warm doughnuts with rhubarb compote and vanilla yoghurt topped with Macademia nuts and burnt orange foam and the strawberry jelly and mousse with basil sorbet and pistachio tuile. Melody’s stellar music programme is also one to watch for.

Melody—House of Food and Music, G/F, Truelight Building, 100 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun

LucAle is a friendly neighbourhood eatery serving authentic Italian cuisine. Its menu is populated with elevated homestyle dishes that best represent the essence of Italian fare, with highlights such as Sicilian fresh tuna with avocado cream, soy sauce, and Amalfi lemon dressing, Parma ham and mortadella ravioli tossed in artisanal butter and sage, and pork chop Milanese cooked in clarified butter and served with Italian tomatoes, arugula, and lemon. LucAle’s desserts ensures your meal ends on a high note, with the tiramisu and the zuppa inglese trifle being must-try’s.

LucAle, Shop A, G/F, 100 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun

Beef lovers simply have to check out 616 Hot Pot! Although the brand has various locations across Hong Kong, 616 Hot Pot’s Sai Ying Pun address offers a laid-back venue for your next hotpot gathering. You can choose from 15 different soup bases, which range from beef bone broth to the spiced mala winter melon broth, all paired exceptionally well with 616’s 13 different cuts of beef—talk about a nose-to-tail experience. Other hotpot essentials are also available to add to your feast, including vegetables, meat balls, and noodles.

616 Hot Pot, Shop A, G/F, Samtoh Building, 384–386 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun

Offering dynamic and creative French-inspired cuisine, Brut! is made for intimate yet lively occasions. Head chef CJ Jalandoni’s Filipino roots means that there’s a wide variety of culinary influences on the menu. Offerings are updated seasonally, but current popular items include the tahini scallop with cauliflower and pomegranate, salt and vinegar mackerel with cucumber and buttermilk, and seared salmon with corn flan, charred jalapenõs, and local hibiscus.

Brut! is also known for the uniqueness of its wines, with bottles being primarily sourced from organic and biodynamic vineyards around the world. Essential to the tasting experience is the extra care put into the menu’s three- or five-glass pairing, with a third unconventional pairing available: the No ABV pairing, with three non-alcoholic house-made concoctions. The drinks are poured in wine glasses and carefully crafted to go with each meal, so it truly feels like a classic wine pairing!

Brut!, Shop C, G/F, 1 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun

Spanish restaurant La Paloma offers a wide selection of authentic Spanish fare that goes beyond the usual tapas and paellas—but that is not to say its gambas al ajillo and seafood paella are something to scoff at! Patrons can also try out specialities such as pan con tomate, boquerones white anchovies with potato chips, and tortilla Spanish omelette with potatoes and onions. For desserts, opt for the crema Catalana crispy caramel pudding or a classic Basque burnt cheesecake served with refreshing berry sorbet. Most importantly, we recommend you wash it all down with a sangria rojo!

La Paloma, 1/F, SoHo 189, 189 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun

As the latest creative venture by the team behind French-Indian bistro Pondi, Shop B injects a touch of local flavour to the dynamic neighbourhood of Sai Ying Pun. Inspired by Hong Kong’s unique food scene, Shop B is a contemporary dai pai dong concept that specialises in Cantonese favourites and wok-fired dishes. Highlights of the menu include fried dry-aged pigeon with fermented soybean curd, mala chicken skin with peanuts, and the signature fried rice with river prawn and preserved Chinese olives. Patrons can also expect a diverse drinks menu complete with beer, cocktails inspired by quintessential Hong Kong drinks, and sparkling tea.

Shop B, Shop B, G/F, 10–14 Fuk Sau Lane, Sai Ying Pun

Anyone who has walked around the Sai Ying Pun neighbourhood will have heard of Kwan Kee Claypot Rice—if not for its mouthwatering claypot creations, then certainly for the winding queues that build up just outside of the restaurant during peak hours—and this Michelin-recommended local spot is definitely worth the hype! Specialising in Hong Kong-style claypot rice, Kwan Kee is known for toppings such as Chinese cured meat with chicken and white eel with pork ribs set on a bed of steaming rice served in a clay pot, all drizzled with a generous amount of soy sauce.

Kwan Kee Claypot Rice (坤記煲仔小菜), Shop 1, Wo Yick Mansion, 263 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun

Bistro Breton is the sister restaurant of Brittany-inspired La Crêperie, but its specialities go beyond the simple but delicious crêpe. Serving a wide selection of seafood-centred items, the restaurant offers diners a unique taste of authentic Breton fare. Popular items include the Brittany fish soup, beef cheek Burgundy stew, and a selection of seafood platters. If you are still hankering for a crêpe, opt for a galette (savoury crêpe)—the goat cheese and salmon galette is a must-try!

Bistro Breton by La Crêperie, Shop 3, G/F, Bohemian House, 321 Des Voeux Road West, Sai Ying Pun

Happiness Single Coffee is a quaint coffee shop serving a wide selection of coffee beans and Hong Kong-style snacks, small plates, and mains. With over 60 types of coffee beans sourced from all continents on offer, coffee enthusiasts can customise their cup of joe to their exact preferences. On the food side, the most popular item at Happiness has to be its iconic sandwiches; the signature Super—Happiness Sandwich is a generous delicacy, while tried-and-tested combos like the BLT and the cheese and scrambled eggs sandwich are also available. A range of sweet sandwiches exists as well, with the Nutella and banana flavour being a favourite among guests.

Happiness Single Coffee, Shop 1, G/F, Wah Fai Court, 1–6 Ying Wa Terrace, Sai Ying Pun