Wan Chai

This long-standing, family-owned restaurant boasts some of the best Cantonese food in Hong Kong. This is the place to try more expensive dishes like bird’s nest soup or abalone, but they’re well-known roasted suckling pig, fried crispy chicken, and excellent dim sum classics. It’s a great spot for an upscale lunch; They have several outposts, but this is the original.

Recently renovated and located on the third floor of an office building in the Wan Chai District, Liu Yuan Pavilion is known as one of the best Shanghainese restaurants in Hong Kong (and has a 2017 Bib Gourmand from Michelin to prove it). Don’t miss the dim sum, of course, but it’s also worth trying dishes like their Mandarin fish with sweet and sour sauce or their braised pig knuckle. Because of its popularity and small-ish space, it’s usually very hard to drop in—definitely make reservations in advance.

You won’t find traditional pho here, but what you will find are unexpected flavor pairings—green papaya salad with shrimp crisp, cashew nuts and spicy tamarind, fresh veggies and hearty grilled prawn skewers—all served up in a brightly lit, Parisian brasserie-like setting. Vegetarians will be pleasantly sated with the soy-braised tofu and hedgehog mushrooms. If it’s not too hot out, opt for one of the tables outside, settle into one of the roomy wicker chairs, and take in the bustle of the surrounding Star Street neighborhood. Don’t glaze over the wine list—it features an impressive roster of biodynamic French wines rarely seen elsewhere in Hong Kong.

Sommelier and born-and-raised New Yorker Alison Christ took her love of wine, art, and music to Hong Kong and opened MyHouse in Wan Chai’s QRE Plaza (following the debut of the popular Maholo Tiki Bar there). MyHouse is part restaurant (open for lunch and dinner), part wine bar, and also a music venue with a roster of resident DJs and a library of vinyl. Another space might run the risk of trying too hard but MyHouse feels sophisticated and warm as opposed to a trend chaser.

This Hong Kong take on the speakeasy is on the fourth floor of the Kiu Yin Commercial Building. Designed to be reminiscent of a library, the vibe here is upscale gentleman's club, sans the buzz that pervades much of Hong Kong's club scene. It's the kind of place you go for a serious cocktail (the whiskey selection is legit) and quiet conversation.

When you've maxed out on dim sum and just want a simple café where you can tuck into the paper, and maybe a bagel and lox or some avocado toast, Classified is a nice choice.

Dark and moodily-lit, the emphasis here is on industrial, old-world home goods, which might sound strange, but is actually quite cool: There are old-fashioned enamel hooks, simple mugs and plates, along with everyday-useful things, like the perfect broom. (It’s from the same team as Homeless, so expect a similarly extensive array.) There's also an outpost in Central.

This is one of those kids-focused shops that has huge appeal, even if you don’t have little ones back at home: Primarily because it’s more lifestyle boutique than toy store, and many of the design-centric picks would look right at home on someone’s coffee table, rather than in the playroom. (Meanwhile, you’ll want all the clothing in adult sizes.) Our picks: Fold and go farmyards, sundresses emblazoned with lips, and lunchboxes covered with a print of a vintage map. There's also a location in Central.

It may seem strange to shop for Scandinavian labels in Hong Kong, but the edit here is so spot-on—from stand-out lines like Humanoid, Hope, by Malene Birger—and the palette is so clean and muted, the racks prove irresistible. Besides being unisex, there’s also a nice range of home goods from similarly Nordic designers like Hay and Skultana. There's also an outpost in Causeway Bay.

Sir David Tang launched, built, and ultimately sold Shanghai Tang. Now, he and his wife Lucy are at it again, but with a twist: Tang Tang Tang Tang offers wares for every room in the house (including the closet). Everything is impeccably crafted—and made in China, though priced to be accessible to China’s "rising middle class." We cleared them out of their silk Chinese zodiac pajamas and silver tumblers.