Umai 鵜舞 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Little nugget is still going out with a wheelchair these days, so we decided to keep things close to home before he fully recovers. That said, our dinner spot fits the bill perfectly just a few steps from home — Umai (鵜舞).

Beef udon (博多牛肉烏冬) — Little one started the meal with a small bowl of beef udon. Not that there were tons of choices for udon here.

Beef tongue (牛舌) — For myself, I kicked things off with a few tempura items. I honestly had never had this as a tempura before — beef tongue. Surprisingly, the succulent, buttery texture worked really well with the thick batter.

Scallop (帆立貝) — The second time we had these deep-fried scallops. I’m not usually a fan of the old-school, thick batter, but the scallops were fresh and tender.

Maitake mushroom (舞茸) — Love the delicate, crispy and slightly feathery mouthfeel.

Jidori chicken eggplant roll (阿波尾雞大葉茄子) 🍆 — The premium Jidori chicken meat from Tokushima Prefecture in Shikoku (we’re going there in less than a month!) was stuffed into a Japanese eggplant, finished off with a nice wrap of shiso leaf. The flavor and texture combo was really great, and it was neatly tied together with homemade mayo.

Homemade minced chicken skewer (雞肉棒串) — Little one finally got his minced chicken skewer.

The silky smooth minced chicken meatball came with soft bones hidden inside. Not bad.

Deep-fried Sangen pork cutlet on rice (滑蛋三元豚豬扒丼) — The thin sliced pork cutlets were reasonably good but the scrambled eggs could have been more runny.

California sushi roll (加州卷) — Decent.

Little guy was finally a happy camper now that he got to go out for a meal. I wish him a speedy recovery and let's hope to see you in full health in a few days!

Food Rating: 6.5/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 2, G/F, D2 Plaza, 9 Cheung Yee Street, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Lai Chi Kok

Tel: +852 2743-8011

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 2:30pm, 5:30pm - 10:30pm daily

Soi.29 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

After the promising Thai-style dai pai dong experience at Samsen last month, I was craving something similar for tonight. After meeting with my hair stylist who happened to be working on Prat Avenue, it quickly became clear that a visit to Soi 29 to relive that Thai dai pai dong experience was exactly what the doctor ordered.

I finished my haircut at around 5:50pm, so the timing was perfect. As usual, there was a small lineup of about ten people in front of the Thai restaurant, but it wasn’t enough to stop me from getting a table.

Iced Thai milk tea (泰式凍奶茶) ($38) — Very rich, just like last time. I genuinely think it might be the richest Thai milk tea in town. Be warned if you don’t have a serious sweet tooth.

Stir-fried flat noodles with chicken (泰式乾炒) ($98) — They also have a “wet” version, but I stuck with the same stir-fried flat noodles dish I had at Samsen — the one that made me so happy.

This wasn’t bad. The flat noodles had that nice, slightly chewy texture again, but there was an excess of soy sauce, which made the dish a little too salty.

Compared with the same dish at Samsen, I have to admit this one came up a little short. For one, the noodles here had less "wok hei" but more importantly, the oyster sauce used for frying at Samsen made the noodles noticeably more umami-rich and less salty.

Food Rating: 6.4/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, Po Cheong Commercial Building, 29 Prat Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Tsim Sha Tsui

Tel: +852 3795-3775

Opening Hours: 6:00pm - 12:00am (Mon - Sat)

10 of The Best Cheesecake in Hong Kong (2026)

Just like Italian tiramisu, Hongkongers seem to have a love-and-hate relationship with cheesecake. We love it for the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth textures and unforgettable flavor combinations — yet we hate the calories that pile up after every slice. Different restaurants and cafés in Hong Kong offer their own version of this beloved dessert, and here are the best cheesecakes I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying while living in this wonderful food city.

1) Carbone
Carbone’s famous New York Lemon Cheesecake is a signature Italian-American dessert featuring a creamy, silky-smooth cheesecake base topped with a zesty layer of lemon curd. Due to its huge popularity and loyal fanbase, it has been a permanent fixture on the restaurant’s iconic dessert trolley since the opening in 2014. The cheesecake sits on a thick, firm biscuit base that delivers a satisfying crunch perfect for balancing the smooth layers above.

Address: 9/F, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2593-2593

Website: http://www.carbone.com.hk/

2) The Mandarin Cake Shop

The 1963 Mandarin Cheesecake from The Mandarin Cake Shop is arguably one of Hong Kong’s most legendary and iconic desserts in town. Introduced the same year the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong opened, it’s made with the shop’s secret recipe and has remained one of the city’s most beloved cheesecakes for over six decades.

Address: M/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2825-4008

Website: www.mandarinoriental.com.hk/hongkong/fine-dining/the-mandarin-cake-shop

3) The Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory’s Oreo® Cookies & Cream Cheesecake is widely considered one of its best around. It nails the art of balancing contrasting textures and rich ingredients: a velvety, dense baked cream cheese filling paired with a light, fluffy whipped Oreo mousse layer on top. The result is indulgent, cookie-studded bliss — creamy depth with airy, sweet momentum in every bite.

Address: Shop G102, G/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 25 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2791-6628

Website: http://www.thecheesecakefactory.hk/

4) Via Tokyo

The Uji Matcha Cheesecake from Via Tokyo is a hugely popular dessert, highly touted by local food critics and dessert enthusiasts as one of the best matcha cheesecakes in Hong Kong. Unlike dense, heavy American-style versions, Via Tokyo creates a distinctly Japanese dessert prioritizing a lighter texture and a refined, sophisticated tea profile.

Address: Shop 1A-1B, G/F, Leishun Court, 106-126 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Causeway Bay

Tel: +852 2895-1116

Website: https://www.facebook.com/viatokyocafe/

5) Lady M

Gâteau Nuage ("cloud cake" in French) from Lady M New York is an award-winning, sophisticated variation of the classic New York cheesecake. It’s made for those who love the familiar flavor of cheesecake but want a noticeably lighter, less heavy texture than traditional dense baked versions.

Its topping is a smooth, glossy layer of sweetened sour cream, creating a silky finish and a gentle, refreshing tang that beautifully balances the airy, cloud-like cream cheese filling.

Address: Shop OT 215K, 2/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2873-2356

Website: https://www.ladymhk.com/

6) Vission Nine Cakes, Pies & Desserts

The Passionfruit Cheesecake from Vission Nine is a vibrant, multi-layered dessert designed to balance rich American-style baking with bright, summery citrus energy. Topped with a highly tangy passionfruit glaze, it brings sharp tropical acidity that cuts cleanly through the dense, classic baked cheesecake custard set in the middle.

Address: LG/F, Chui Man House, 9 Staunton Street, Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 5545-6851

Website: https://www.vissionnine.com/

7) Finesse Patisserie

Finesse Patisserie is one of my favorite French pâtisseries in recent memory. Its Fromage Blanc is a signature French-inspired pastry creation by pastry chef Mandy Siu — featuring a light, smooth cream cheese filling paired with airy vanilla chantilly cream, resting on a crisp, golden-brown tart shell. It’s an absolute masterpiece that combines smooth richness and light, airy (French) elegance seamlessly.

Address: Shop B2, G/F, 9-11, St Francis Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 5723-6676

Website: https://finesse-patisserie.com/

8) Butter

Known for being exceptionally rich, dense, and creamy, the New York Cheesecake from Butter Bake Shop is a classic, decadent dessert tailored for those searching for a true American cheesecake experience. The cheesecake features an ultra-rich, dense texture paired with a vanilla cookie crumb base rather than a standard graham cracker crust, creating a distinct sweetness and a satisfying crunch.

Address: G/F, 34B Staunton Street, Soho, Central 

Tel: +852 2810-0660

Website: https://www.butterbutterbutter.com.hk/

9) Island Gourmet

The Hokkaido Cheesecake from Island Gourmet is a famous, premium signature dessert celebrated for its incredibly smooth texture and balanced, mellow flavor. The cheesecake is built on a crisp, crunchy biscuit base, with cloud-like baked Hokkaido cream cheese and smooth, sumptuous Chantilly cream above it resulting in a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth experience.

Address: 5/F, Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, Admiralty, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2820-8550

Website: www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/islandshangrila/dining/restaurants/island-gourmet/

10) Cheesy The Goat

Best known for its signature “Selfish Cakes” (自私蛋糕), Cheesy The Goat is an online cake shop built on one simple promise: delivering serious cheese flavor in a cheesecake that’s lighter than you might expect. Using a secret recipe, it achieves deep, satisfying cheesiness without the heavy thickness of traditional cheesecake and still maintaining an exceptionally soft, silky, light texture, and most importantly, an unforgettable melt-in-your-mouth finish.

Cheesy The Goat’s Oreo cheesecake is an Oreo lover’s dream. It features crushed Oreo cookie crumbs and a creamy Oreo cheesecake filling resting on a baked, crisp Oreo cookie crust. Expect an irresistibly rich, intensely chocolaty that's hard to resist. At the same time, soft, silky, and melt-in-your-mouth with every bite.

Pick-up Location: Multiple

Tel: +852 9759-1676

Website: https://cheesythegoat.com/

Finesse Patisserie (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Hidden in the labyrinth of narrow, uphill streets in Wanchai, Finesse Patisserie first caught my attention last year and it didn't take long for me to fall deeply in love with this French patisserie. 

I was in Wanchai for a meeting this afternoon and didn't hesitate to swing by after work to see what new creations they have for the summer.

Finesse Patisserie has become a favorite among dessert lovers for good reason. It consistently delivers the kind of French patisserie experience that feels both indulgent and effortlessly refined. From the moment I step through the door, there’s a clear sense of intention — everything is made not only for its taste, but also to appear visually stunning like a piece of artwork. Each dessert here is crafted the way classic techniques show up in each bite, balancing richness with lightness so you never feel overwhelmed, only delighted.

Tarte au fromage blanc (焗白芝士撻) ($72) — This looks like a very simple French-style cheese tart, but they’ve done it to absolute perfection.

The cheese tart combines a light, airy filling of smooth cream cheese with vanilla chantilly that floats atop. The cheesecake filling rests on a thick, firm tart shell, baked to perfectly crisp, golden finish. I loved how the shell delivers a heavy crunch to balance the delicate lightness up top. A truly impressive dessert that is airy yet deeply satisfying.

Kyoto (抹茶 · 芝麻) ($78) — While I’m not usually a huge fan of matcha, I was genuinely impressed by the presentation of this exquisite dessert, which brings together Uji matcha and black sesame using refined French pastry techniques.

The composition is beautifully layered: matcha soft sponge, Kyoto matcha mousse with Japanese black sesame crémeux, a matcha chocolate coating, and pumpkin seed praline. It’s elegantly decorated with a tuile made from toasted sesame, pumpkin seeds, and puff rice, adding an extra pop of crunch. I liked the depth of matcha flavor in the mousse working wonderfully with the textures and flavors of the soft sponge and black sesame crémeux. This was another incredibly delicious dessert, even if it’s slightly less memorable to me than the Tarte au fromage blanc (just a personal preference).

So far, the few times I’ve been able to indulge in their desserts, it’s always been a memorable experience. The flavors were thoughtful and harmonious, with delicate sweetness and clearly defined flavor profiles.

Food Rating: 7.4/10

Price: $$$$

Address: Shop B2, G/F, 9-11, St Francis Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Wanchai

Website: https://finesse-patisserie.com/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 7:00pm (Wed - Sat), 12:00pm - 6:00pm (Sun)

Chouchou (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

The last time I sat down for a proper meal on a weekday was… well, I couldn’t remember exactly when. It’s been a busy few weeks in both my personal life and work schedule, so I was relieved to finally get a chance for a decent outing.

Located at J Residence in Wanchai, Chouchou is an upscale French brasserie brought to us by the team behind Babette. Since this was going to be a rare proper meal for me, I decided not to sit at the bar and instead headed for a seat in the main dining room.

The bread wasn't bad but it was the homemade tarragon butter that shone through.

Cured striped jack, calamansi, pickles — I expected a fair bit of acidity from the calamansi and pickles here and not surprisingly, it was front and center.

The cured striped jack came with some lovely crunch. It was nicely complemented by the dill cream, salmon roes, and the sharp acidity from the calamansi dressing. Pretty nice, refreshing dish.

Grilled black cod, potato, salmon roe, fennel, dill, sansho pepper — The thick, buttery fennel velouté came together well with the confit potato cubes, salmon roe, dill oil, and sansho pepper, adding another layer of texture and flavor to the cod fish.

Service and food were both reasonably good, but the selection on the lunch menu was pretty limited (unless you go à la carte). And with all the supplements (for me, both dishes required supplements), $400 felt like a heavier price tag than I expected to pay for lunch in Wanchai.

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: $$$$

Address: Shop 8, 1/F, J Residence, 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Wanchai

Tel: +852 8432-6216

Website: http://www.chouchou-hk.com/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 2:30pm (Mon - Fri), 11:30am - 4:00pm (Sat - Sun), 6:00pm - 11:00pm (Sun - Thu), 6:00pm - 12:00am (Fri - Sat)

Island Gourmet (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

We had no immediate plans on the Saturday before Father’s Day. Little nugget’s wounds were still bothering him, so we didn’t want to risk him getting injured or anything. Going forward, the plan was simple — no plans.

As usual, I was the first to wake up. After having breakfast at a nearby cha chaan teng, I went for a little walk on my own. That little walk turned out to be much longer than I expected. It took me all the way to Admiralty, where I picked up a few things — and then, suddenly, I felt the urge to walk over to Island Gourmet, the famed dessert shop at Island Shangri-La, to grab a sweet treat for tonight.

I was hoping to get little nugget a strawberry cheesecake, but it wasn’t available this early. Instead, I picked up their signature Hokkaido cheesecake.

Island Gourmet’s Hokkaido cheesecake is a delicate, decadent dessert featuring a crisp biscuit base, airy and fluffy baked Hokkaido cheesecake filling, and a generous topping of silky Chantilly cream. It comes in a larger size, as well as this smaller one inside the round box.

The centre of the cheesecake velvety, airy, and whipped — almost weightless and mousse-like, rather than dense or sticky like a New York–style cheesecake.

It paired beautifully with the top layer of Chantilly cream and the bottom base of crumbly biscuit crust. It’s a perfectly light dessert for anyone looking for a sweet treat that melts the moment it reaches your tongue.

There is a subtle hint of yuzu in the cheesecake filling that cut through the sweetness beautifully. Time for an encore soon!

Food Rating: 6.6/10

Price: $$$$

Address: 5/F, Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, Admiralty, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Admiralty

Tel: +852 2820-8550

Website: www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/islandshangrila/dining/restaurants/island-gourmet/

Opening Hours: 9:00am - 7:30pm daily

Pier Lounge Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

Little nugget will be down and out for the next couple of weeks after his surgery earlier this week. He’s obviously very much on his grandparents’ minds. Even when they were enjoying dinner at Pier Lounge in the Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel tonight, their grandson was still top of mind.

To wish him a speedy recovery, they've ordered a Black Forest Cake for him with a message on top: “You’re brave like a lion!”.

Any chocolate lover would love this.  The cake features layers of moist chocolate sponge matched perfectly with velvety chocolate mousse and cherry filling. I just wish there were a bit more of those tangy tart cherry bits hidden throughout the sponge but all in all, a pretty tasty Black Forest cake. I guess I really miss having a Black Forest cake.

Everyone’s doing their part to help Little nugget cope with his recovery. Just like his grandparents, I hope he stays strong. With his courage, I’m sure he can do it~!

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, Pier Wing, Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel, 180 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Ocean Park

Tel: +852 3555-1700

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 12:00am daily

Cheung Hong Yuen Kai Tak Sports Park 祥香園餐廳 啟德店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

We didn’t have much planned for this long weekend since little nugget was down and out after his surgery. For the most part, we’re staying at home, except for this morning when I have an early pickleball game at Kai Tak Sports Park (啟德體育園).

I didn’t know much about the pickleball facility at the sports park until last week, when we had a gathering with our friends here. A friend escorted me around the venue, and after dinner, I even got to visit the outdoor pickleball courts. To my pleasant surprise, the courts are actually cheaper than the private ones at industrial/commercial buildings and better yet, there were open slots even on the weekends. We ended up booking an hour slot to test it out this weekend.

To be brutally honest, I haven’t woken up for a game this early since high school but I have to admit it was a lot of fun despite the tremendous heat. The outdoor courts being under a roof helped a little, but we were still sweating it out within 10 minutes.

After the game, our friend took us to Cheung Hong Yuen (祥香園餐廳), a local cha chaan teng just a short walk from the sports park, for breakfast.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — I learned from their Lai Chi Kok outpost that Cheung Hong Yuen always has a very strong, robust milk tea. I’ll give them that. The tea was creamy again today. A nice way to start the day for my tummy!

Butter pineapple bun (菠蘿油) — Somehow, I never had the pleasure of trying their pineapple bun. The thick slab of frozen butter was the best companion for the bun and to my surprise, it actually came with some scrambled eggs. Not bad.

Noodle soup with satay beef (沙爹牛肉麵) — The noodles were OK but the broth could have been more flavorful. The beef was a little rubbery today, but with the outstanding iced milk tea, I wasn’t complaining.

I’m starting to like the Kai Tak sports facilities more and more. And the fact that they have a dedicated mobile app for booking makes everything so much easier. Perhaps we should do more pickleball games like this from now on.

Food Rating: 5.2/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 1, G/F, Kai Yan Court, 6 Muk Lai Street, Kowloon City, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Kai Tak

Tel: +852 5975-4011

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 9:30pm daily