Hong Kong Best Restaurants – take a gastronomical journey around the city

A tiny restaurant with a big personality, Little Bao was designed to resemble a vintage diner with its stainless-steel bar stools and white-tiled floors and walls. The head chef May Chow puts a lot of thought into what she serves, and you can clearly see it in the dishes she sends out. The menu consists of her deliciously creative take on popular baos and sharing platters. The baos are quite large and come with a variety of 'fillings' that range from slow-braised pork belly and fish tempura to Sichuan chicken. There are also a few must-try desserts on the menu that perfectly complement the mains and end the meal with a sweet touch.

This upscale restaurant is crowded every night and with good reason. Dedicated to serving traditional Cantonese, slow-cooked cuisine with locally sourced ingredients, the dishes here are packed with flavour. This place is so in-demand that diners have to book two weeks ahead for a reservation and the host even recommends reserving one month in advance if you want a principal table. The classic flavours on the menu are the main attraction with top choices like the 20-year fermented lemon peels in razor clams with glass noodles. Chef Kwok Keung Tung keeps everything local by making all the sauces from scratch, using root vegetables grown in the restaurants own garden and even makes sure all the mat produce is bought from local suppliers.

You will probably hear this lively restaurant long before you see it. Located inside an old shophouse in Wan Chai near several shops and hotels like Cosmo Hotel Hong Kong, this busy restaurant is always packed with hungry diners enjoying the Thai-style food and vibrant atmosphere. Aside from the lip-smacking food which includes dishes like wagyu beef noodles, mango salad with tiger prawns and wok-fried crab with egg, the restaurant also has a good selection of beers and house cocktails. Samsen is a great option for a casual night out in Wan Chai with friends; there's no dress code, just bring your appetite.

Incredible dining in Hong Kong isn't all about 5-star ratings and fancy cutlery. This cha chaan teng (traditional Hong Kong diner) is a favourite among locals and is typically crowded on weekdays with families. When it comes to beverages, expect to find traditional favourites like milk tea and yuen yeung (a combination of tea and coffee) on the menu; whilst food is Hong Kong style comfort food. Imagine a piping hot bowl of macaroni-ham soup or treat your sweet tooth to a Hong Kong-style French toast (deep-fried with peanut butter, butter and topped with condensed milk). If you're stuck for time, grab a hot egg tart on the go, they're handmade every morning by the owners.