Love the fresh flavours of authentic Italian food? Craving a good wood-fired pizza or homemade pasta? KATE and KARL WOODBURY sample a selection of some of the top Italian restaurants in Hong Kong that won’t disappoint!
6 of our favourites – tried and tested!
Sky-high Italian dining at Pirata
Trundling along Hennessy Road, we gazed up at a high-rise tower to see a soft twinkling glow emanating from the top floor. We were delighted to discover this was to be our destination for the evening. That’s the beauty of dining out in dynamic Hong Kong! Hiding away in unassuming office buildings are gastronomic gems.
The lift doors opened up on level 30 to reveal a dimly lit dining room with ornate chandeliers and a plush velvet sofa. Pirata packs a punch straight from the off. We were escorted one level down to see fellow diners tucking into very attractive antipasti – wild mushroom arancini, eggplant parmigiana, aged cold cuts and mussels.
This time, though, we wanted to dive straight in to the restaurant’s sumptuous pasta. We were happy we did, too! The Gnocchi Sausage and Porcini ($190) is delicious – plump potato dumplings bathed in glorious porcini cream. And the Ravioli Ricotta e Spinaci ($150) is stunning “happy food”. Think al dente pillows generously filled and garnished with sage and served in a vibrant tomato sauce.
Other popular orders from the Primi list include spaghetti ai frutti di mare and lobster risotto. We’ve also noted the tagliatelle truffle and pappardelle Tuscan ragu for a future visit!
Mains and desserts
The Secondi dishes are equally enticing. The cacciucco seafood stew and baked seabass fillet with zucchini cream caught our eye, as did the lamb chops, roasted whole baby chicken and wagyu beef cheek. However, the most popular order was The Butcher’s Cut – a generous Australian flap steak dressed with rocket leaves and cherry tomatoes.
We couldn’t look past that tremendous trattoria triumph, Veal Milanese ($420). Our waiter proudly presented a vast crumbed veal chop with a mound of rocket and a frying pan laden with roast potatoes. Carved tableside, it was delightful to share. The crunchy crumb and tender veal were truly outstanding.
Desserts here are very generous. The Panna Cotta ($90) is delightfully creamy while Il Grande Tiramisu ($140) really hit all the right notes.
Pirata promises honesty at the heart of all its fare: simple recipes of fresh ingredients cooked with love. It truly delivered on this night, and had us dreaming of a summer odyssey to the old boot!
29 & 30/F, 239 Hennessy Road, Wanchai
2887 0270 | pirata.hk
Juno – Italian food in Sheung Wan
Juno’s light and breezy interior of olive green and cream is a calming reprieve from busy Sheung Wan. Billed as a Italian-Mediterranean, this eatery has an extensive à la carte menu along with various set menus.
We chose the tasting menu ($538 per person), which is a great option for a group. Chef Jordi Vallés Claverol is adept at showcasing quality ingredients, and this was on display in the sharing plates we started with, including 48-month aged jambon serrano served on freshly baked rosemary focaccia. We also enjoyed smoky charred peperonata, a zesty tuna tartare and lightly fried padron peppers. The star here of the show? Burrata Pugliese: creamy cheese served with perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes, with pesto and the subtle crunch of hazelnuts. A delight!
Mains and desserts
There are four main courses to choose from. We opted for the hearty Juno Truffle Tagliolini – rich and creamy with a generous portion of shaved truffle – and the Angus Truffled Beef Cheek Risotto ($40), which was a knockout. The perfectly cooked risotto was umami rich and would have been a treat in itself but the succulent beef cheek took this dish to another level. Another generous shaving of truffle added an indulgent touch.
To finish, there were three desserts to choose from; the tiramisu was a perfect end to our meal. There’s a solid menu of cocktails, well priced at $120, and the restaurant offers an interesting list of wines from Spain, Italy and France.
G/F, 88 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan
2703 5188 | juno.hk
Coffeelin in Fortress Hill
Styled on a Milan coffee house, Coffelin brings a touch of Italian flare to Hong Kong. Famed for its coffee, breakfasts and all-day dining, it recently opened its fourth café, on Oil Street in Fortress Hill.
This is a true neighbourhood gem, where chef Umberto D’Avino serves up delicious and very well-priced Italian fare. The seasonal menu is split into starters, primi piatti, mains and desserts. We started with (and devoured!) a portion of gnocchi with basil pesto ($106), the soft pillows of loveliness lightly sautéed and smothered in a rich, fragrant pesto. The tagliatelle with beef ragu ($136) was similarly delicious, and a generous serving for sharing.
Coffeelin recently expanded its culinary offering in Fortress Hill with a selection of snacks and signature cocktails to enjoy in the evenings. The Crocchè (mozzarella croquettes) are perfectly crisp on the outside and lusciously gooey on the inside; and the parmesan truffle fries are generously adorned with grated grana padano and black truffle.
From the extensive cocktail menu we enjoyed the Negroni, a perfect blend of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. And, from the newly introduced signature list, we just had to try the signature Coffeelin Express – one of the best espresso martins we’ve had. It paired perfectly with the coffee tiramisù for a whopping caffeine hit!
With its vintage-meets-Memphis interior style that’s stylish and relaxed, this is an ideal spot to enjoy great food and drinks.
G/F, 228 Electric Road, Fortress Hill
IG @coffeelin_hk
Swiss-Italian dining at Nocino
We’re always striving for something a little different in our dining choices and Nocino fits the bill perfectly. The striking vibrant red façade is easy to find in the labyrinth of cutesy eateries in Tai Hang village. Diners are happy to queue outside for the Swiss-Italian cuisine – with Swiss-Italian wines to match – that the restaurant proudly offers.
The House Rosemary Focaccia ($30) soon arrived, followed by some outstanding Arancini Ticinese ($38 each) – crispy risotto balls studded with porcini, merlot and mozzarella. Malakoff ($68) is the firm favourite in these parts and it’s easy to see why, with fried Swiss gruyere fondue wrapped up in a crispy croquette.
The friendly staff urged us to try the signature Wagyu Beef Tartare ($148) from the “Small Plates” section of the menu. It comes with milk aioli, roasted celeriac and pickled shallot to perfectly complement the tender tartare. The clever potato mountain peak added some crispy contrast.
Mains and desserts
Nocino’s mains are no-nonsense: the meat in the Ox Cheek and Pickled Walnut Ragù Pappardelle ($178) is braised for 12 hours and will have you yodelling for more. Intense and indulgent, it also comes crowned with a generous pecorino dome.
As wonderful as that is, the star of the show for us is the Braised Duck Leg Reginette ($178). Delightful duck meets al dente pasta with rosemary, juniper and pecorino. The flavours and textures are to die for – the table next to us hoovered up their plate too!
Our meal rounded off with Odette’s Tiramisu ($68/$100), which totally hits the spot.
We admire Nocino’s passion as a self-proclaimed “Swiss-Italian Grotto”. The wine list is on the pricey side but they are looking into more affordable choices. In the meantime, diners were happily pairing their food with cocktails. Either way, it makes for a lovely night out, with dishes of note that certainly get our vote.
92E Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang
6012 1098 | nocinohk.com
Michelin-starred Italian at Octavium
While Michelin-starred restaurants normally come with a fairly hefty price tag, many offer tasting menus that can be a great way to sample the fine-dining experience. Octavium, for example, is famed for its seasonal Italian tasting menus.
The lunch menu offers options for two courses ($620), three courses ($760) or four courses ($980), and you can add a wine pairing for the full experience. We chose three courses starting with slow-cooked milk fed veal cheek, which is served with a crispy polenta croquette adding some contrasting texture to the silky smooth beetroot purée. A balsamico sauce gives a touch of acidity to balance out the flavours.
From the pasta selection, Spaghetto Quadrato is delicately flavoured with wild garlic and perfectly paired with tender Scottish blue lobster. For our main course, we chose the Poularde de Bresse, with prized tender chicken accompanied by the prettiest white asparagus and tarragon garnish.
The restaurant recently welcomed new Executive Chef Giuseppe De Vuono to helm the kitchen and, without doubt, the dishes showcases his exceptional culinary expertise and are flawlessly executed.
The dining room is a bright, elegant contemporary space oozing understated elegance – the perfect match for this superb cookery.
8/F, One Chinachem Central, 22 Des Voeux Road Central
2111 9395 | octavium.com.hk
Alfresco eats at Ask for Alonzo
Just off Tong Chong Street and tucked behind Dorset House, you’ll find Taikoo Piazza, a leafy space that’s home to six restaurants all with indoor and outdoor dining. It’s the ideal spot to escape the Quarry Bay bustle. On this visit, we headed to Ask for Alonzo, renowned for its wholesome Italian cuisine, to try the new weekend Auntie Maria’s Brunch.
We kicked off with a warm bread basket paired with truffled butter. Then came a generous grazing platter piled high with tasty morsels such as crispy calamari with a zesty lemon mayo, and Italian cold cuts, cheeses and bruschetta. Delicious!
Mains and desserts
There are eight family-friendly brunch mains on offer. Our two choices were the fabulous Breakfast Carbonara and and the TLC “Tender Loving Care” Sandwich with tasty Bolognese, mozzarella and red cheddar, served with parmesan fries.
There are three choices for a sweet finish; we chose the rich and creamy tiramisu and the white chocolate panna cotta with a tart wild berry compote to balance the sweetness. We must admit to eyeing up a neighbouring table’s portion of My Auntie’s Toast – toasted brioche mascarpone with berry compote. Next time!
This is a fabulous alfresco brunch spot. You get generous portions of delicious food, and it’s reasonably priced at $268 per person. We also added the two-hour free-flow for only $198 each. This included house wine, beer, lemonade as well as vodka and gin with mixers.
G/F, PCCW Tower, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay
(and other locations around town)
2856 2911 | askforalonzo.com
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