Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get our top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
Header image courtesy of @soniashangrydiary (via Instagram)
Considering that Hong Kong is among the world’s biggest consumers of seafood, it would be a bit of an understatement to say that we have a sweet spot for delights from the sea—in fact, we’re obsessed with it. And who’s to blame for this fishy love affair? Boasting an advantageous sea-bound location and a strong fishing heritage dating back centuries ago, Hong Kong rustles up some pretty irresistible underwater delicacies, with its own dynamic local seafood dining scene rooted in Cantonese tradition. From high-end banquet establishments to seaside alfresco restaurants, we’ve rounded up the eight best spots in Hong Kong to nosh on seafood the local way.
Stewed, double-boiled, and even deep-fried—Sing Kee Seafood Restaurant serves abalone is more ways than you can imagine. This spacious waterfront restaurant in Sai Kung prides itself on its innovative touches on classic Cantonese seafood dishes, with abalone being its speciality. So naturally, a visit cannot be complete without a taste of their signature deep-fried abalone with salt & pepper, which can be ordered à la carte ($248) or in a set meal. Their fried rice with sea urchin ($360), steamed scallop with wine sauce ($188), and other deep-fried delicacies are equally divine, courtesy of their use of fresh ingredients and catches.
Sing Kee Seafood Restaurant, G/F, 33–39 Sai Kung Tai Street, Sai Kung | (+852) 2791 9887
Another neighbourhood mainstay in Sai Kung, Loaf On grabbed the attention of the mighty Michelin judges in just three years of operation, bagging one Michelin star in 2010 and retaining its esteemed status for 11 consecutive years. Unlike most of its local brethren, this Cantonese seafood spot does not have giant fish tanks to display at the entrance, and that’s because many guests bring their own seafood fresh from the market and leave the rest in the deft hands of the chefs. You can, of course, take your pick from their extensive menu of comforting, home-style dishes too; and on that front, the sauté razor clams with red pepper & black bean and mantis shrimp with chilli & garlic will not disappoint.
Loaf On, G/F, 49 See Cheung Street, Sai Kung | (+852) 2792 9966
Cruise over to the quaint fishing town of Sok Kwu Wan for a laid-back, alfresco seafood feast at Lamma Rainbow. The atmosphere at this decades-old Chinese restaurant is as down-to-earth as they come, with little décor to speak of, but the food is out of this world. Best enjoyed with friends and family, the curated set menus give you a chance to tuck into an array of Lamma Rainbow’s best culinary creations—including their award-winning fresh steamed garoupa and fried lobster with butter sauce—artfully put together and served the way the chef intended.
Offerings change to reflect the bounties of the season, so you always get what’s freshest. Once your belly is happily stuffed and you are ready to leave the island, feel free to hop on the restaurant’s complimentary ferry service to head back to Central or Tsim Sha Tsui.
Lamma Rainbow, G/F, 23–27 First Street, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island | (+852) 2982 8100
Perched on the sandy shores of Tai Wan in Po Toi, Ming Kee Seafood Restaurant is an out-out-the-way gem that’s worth the trip. Don’t be fooled by its humble and rustic appearance; this beachside shack has been feeding locals and far-away guests top-notch seafood for over 40 years. Ming Kee is known to dish out what some consider to be the best calamari ($150) in town, where ultra-tender pieces of squid are battered in a super crispy shell, generously seasoned with salt and pepper, and paired with a decadent sweet-and-sour sauce. Other must-try dishes are the seaweed soup ($110) and clams with black bean & chilli sauce.
Ming Kee Seafood Restaurant, Tai Wan, Po Toi | (+852) 2849 7038
During the day, Lantern Seafood Restaurant is beloved for its cheap and cheerful dim sum buffet; in the evening, sumptuous platters of gourmet seafood are what reign supreme. Compact yet well-appointed and comfortable, this Jordan seafood joint is the ideal spot to feast on the likes of deep-fried Matsuba crab claws ($58), Alaskan crab ($128), and cheesy baked-stuffed lobster ($588) in relaxed get-togethers. While they specialise in homestyle Cantonese fare, their menu also makes room for international cuisines, squeezing in dishes like the French-style honey mustard shrimp balls and Singaporean cereal prawns in their shrimp trio special ($688).
Lantern Seafood Restaurant, G/F & 1/F, Place 18, 14–20 Cheung Lok Street, Jordan | (+852) 2866 6177
If you’re looking for a quintessential Hong Kong dining experience, then look no further than Kui Kee Seafood Restaurant in Wan Chai, a no-frills, plastic-chaired dai pai dong that slings all sorts of classic Cantonese stir-fries and pot dishes for wallet-friendly prices. As the name would suggest, seafood is their main gig, with the fried crab with garlic and chilli ($580), fried clams with black bean sauce ($102), and big mantis shrimp with spice ($342) being their most popular orders. In pre-Covid times (and hopefully again in the not-too-distant future), the restaurant would stay open until the wee hours seven days a week to satisfy late-night hunger pangs.
Kui Kee Seafood Restaurant, G/F, Shop B, 16 Bowrington Road, Wan Chai | (+852) 2838 8998
Seafood restaurants in the old fishing village of Lei Yue Mun are a dime a dozen, but Gateway Cuisine stands a cut above the rest, boasting a classy, upscale environment, sweeping sea views through floor-to-ceiling windows, and skillfully executed dishes from the Cantonese seafood canon. Everything is made fresh and with great attention to detail, so even something as simple as steamed whole fish with soy sauce and scallions can steal the show. But don’t let that stop you from trying their cheffier options either, such as the baked lobster with cheese & E-fu noodles, grilled prawns with barbecue sauce, and baked oysters with Portugal wine. Prices vary depending on the variety and quantity of seafood you have them prepare, though they generally run on the more expensive side.
Gateway Cuisine, G/F, 58A Praya Road Central, Lei Yue Mun | (+852) 2727 4628
First opened in 1939, Dragon Inn Seafood Restaurant was formerly a luxury resort destination and popular film shooting location before it transformed into a Chinese seafood banquet restaurant in 1993. Since then, the establishment has forged a firm reputation for itself as a go-to spot in Tuen Mun for premium seafood. Their menu toes the line between tradition and fusion, offering Cantonese staples like deep-fried squid ($148) and fried crab with black pepper & chilli sauce ($398), as well as Western-inspired dishes like their house special smoked pomfret with salad ($350).
Dragon Inn Seafood Restaurant, Miles 19, Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun | (+852) 2450 6366
A wanderer, chronic overthinker, and baking enthusiast, Beverly spent much of her childhood in the United States before moving to Hong Kong at age 11 and making the sparkling city her home. In her natural habitat, she can be found baking up a storm in her kitchen, journalling at a café, or scrolling through OpenRice deciding on her next meal.
Top
