New launches
Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei
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Love a lamb? Not a fan? It doesn’t really matter. The team behind acclaimed lamb yakiniku restaurant Mt. Yotei has converted numerous lamb detractors into genuine appreciators, and made loyal patrons out of true lamb enthusiasts. Now, they’re breaking new ground with Kyanbasu, the city’s first lamb-focused izakaya concept located in SoHo—and they’ll do the same to you. Premium lamb hailing from New Zealand, Japan, and Mongolia drives the narrative at Kyanbasu, laying the groundwork for a menu as inventive as it is delicious. Signature dishes include lamb tartare brightened with a special sansho seed sauce, a seasonal seafood dumpling served in a moat of rich lamb soup, and the unconventional ‘Fish Maw Braised in Fish and Lamb Soup’ featuring slow-cooked brisket, lamb throat, and sweet Kyoto daikon. Kyanbasu’s grilled skewers selection is also wholly impressive, in-house dry aged lamb, rare cuts and innards like silver skin or heart, and signature sticks such as a heavenly chicken skin gyoza stuffed with minced lamb (this one was a favourite).
40 Gough Street, Central; @kyanbasu_mt.yotei
La Vache opens at Exchange Square
Following its recent debut at The Peak, La Vache has swiftly opened doors in Central’s bustling Exchange Square. It’s the entrecôte steakhouse we all know and love, but bigger and better. The straightforward ‘Aujourd’hui Menu’ of fresh baguette, salad, USDA Prime ribeye, and bottomless fries remains the focus, all to be enjoyed in the comfort of La Vache’s largest space yet—designed by Sean Dix to evoke the charm of a Parisian brasserie. Novelty however, arrives in the form of a bar counter serving up hearty snacks exclusive to the Exchange Square address: the mouthwatering ‘Burger Maison’ with caramelised onions and melted raclette cheese, and the ‘La Vache! Steak Sandwich’ that is essentially a speedrun of the ‘Aujourd’hui Menu’. Both of course, are served with a heap of crisp golden fries.
Shop 103, 1 Two Exchange Square, Connaught Road Central; @lavachehk
Festive Christmas menus and more
Arcane
At Arcane, Christmas celebrations span December 24th to 26th, with both an exclusive lunch menu and premium menu on offer. As always, dishes strike a balance between hearty and refined. Highlights included the nutty and buttery Pumpkin Ravioli, and a slow-braised wagyu short rib infused with the toasty flavours of smoked bacon and chestnuts, and served alongside savoy cabbage for slight sweetness, fried polenta, and a rich peppercorn sauce.
3/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central; @arcanehk
Carna
At Carna, this season is all about white Alba truffles and Tuscan grandeur. Until the end of the year, the contemporary steakhouse presents a dedicated menu of four dishes elevated with white truffles. The Piedmontese specialty brings added richness to smoked, slow-cooked Italian eggs, cacio e pepe pasta, seared Italian scampi, and Carima Italian beef tenderloin carpaccio. Come December 24th and 25th, Carna unveils ‘The Butcher’s Christmas Feast’ crafted to emulate a traditional Tuscan Christmas. Dinner opens with a delightful assortment of antipasti like homemade focaccia and cold-cuts, before six moreish appetisers follow—think deep-fried smoked scamorza cheese balls drenched in bell pepper sauce and grilled garlic-buttered langoustines. The main centrepiece is a colossal Australian black angus tomahawk steak served with hearty sides like Dario’s stewed white beans and grilled asparagus, while a dessert of hazelnut tiramisu brings a sweet finish. If you’re after a daytime celebration, Carna is also hosting ‘The Butcher’s Christmas Brunch’ on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
39/F, Mondrian Hong Kong, 8A Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; mondrianhotels.com
Beefbar
Chestnut Ravioli with Lobster and Jerusalem Artichoke Foam
If Christmas to you means chowing down on quality beef, Beefbar is your best bet. The one Michelin-starred restaurant has whipped up a festive five course dinner menu available throughout the month of December, with a special six course Christmas dinner menu reserved for the 24th and 25th. Expect signature cuts like US prime short rib, Omi wagyu, and USDA prime Black Angus French bavette steak in the festive menu, and 1++ Korean Hanwoo beef and the heartwarming ‘Chestnut Ravioli with Lobster and Jerusalem Artichoke Foam’ in the Christmas dinner menu. For those looking to elevate their experience, wine pairings are also available at an additional cost.
2/F, Club Lusitano, 16 Ice House St, Central; @beefbar_hk
Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic
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For some, Christmas is the time to go all out. Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic presents a lavish celebration that will be cherished for years to come. Served on December 24th and 25th, the “Noël Éclat” dinner tasting menu begins with a selection of amuse-bouche featuring delicate flavours like kaffir lime, sobacha, and shiso that make way for the latest iteration of the signature Les Berlingots ASP—a blend of 24-month Comté fondue with Paris mushrooms perfumed with oolong tea and smoked vanilla. This is followed by Scottish King Scallop cooked meunière with coral cream, Madras curry and sake; Jacques Pic’s legendary Wild Seabass for those enjoying the more premium Voyage version of the menu; Chicken from Bresse with a green curry cabbage “bonbon”; and a contemporary interpretation of millefeuille for dessert. As with all tasting menus, guests have a choice between a compelling non-alcoholic beverage pairing, a mix, or full wine pairing.
43/F Gloucester Tower, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central; @cristalroombyasp
Zuma
You can always count on Zuma for any celebration—it’s a reliable marriage of unmatched convivial spirit and consistently good food. This holiday season, Zuma Hong Kong introduces the 12-Day Festive Daikoku Tasting Menu from December 22nd to January 2nd, 2026, a curation that highlights the best of seasonal flavours with Japanese Wagyu Tataki with Black Truffle, Langoustine Kataifi Tempura with Truffle Soy Butter, and Warm Gingerbread Cake with Roasted Fig and Whisky Butterscotch Ice Cream. Zuma is also extending its iconic Shūmatsu Brunch across four consecutive days from December 25th to 28th, enlivening the experience with festive decor, daily live performances, and the appearance of Father Christmas himself.
Level 5 & 6, Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central; @zumahk
181 Fortnum’s
There’s no Christmas like a Fortnum’s Christmas. Their latest seasonal menu embraces time-honoured Christmas flavours throughout—a Kelly Bronze Turkey served with all the trimmings, maple-glazed brussel sprouts, Kirsch-infused cauliflower cheese, and beef tallow-roasted potatoes; Venison Carpaccio using grass-fed New Zealand Red Deer; 66% valrhona chocolate soufflé with a scoop of eggnog ice cream; and a spiced pumpkin crème brûlée topped with gingerbread ice cream. This time of year also gives way to an exciting partnership with Tell Camellia that brings four limited cocktails made with Fortnum’s teas, each designed to pair with a different 181 Fortnum’s Afternoon Tea menu.
181, Shop 022, 1/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; @181fortnums
Heimat
The only place in town doing Christmas the German way, Heimat unveils a heartwarming feast brimming with the nostalgic flavours of Chef Peter Find’s childhood. Available during both lunch and dinner, the annual Festive Menus spotlights traditional German Gerösteter Gans (roast goose) or duck paired with homemade red cabbage and potato dumplings, pan-fried turbo filet with champagne cream sauce, and a chestnut soup so luscious it’s difficult to believe there’s no dairy involved. Those looking to celebrate in the comfort of their own homes can indulge in Heimat’s Take-away German-style Christmas Feast; place orders for your own whole traditional roast goose complete with sides, oven-roasted vegetables, a German sausage platter, and even desserts like ‘Gingerbread Spiced Banana Gugelhupf’ or an apple cinnamon crumble tart.
8/F, 33 Wyndham Street, Central; @heimathk
LALA
Chef Franckelie Laloum and his team are pulling out all the stops for LALA’s very first Christmas. The restaurant’s festive programme kicks off with a festive lunch menu throughout December that is concise yet indulgent, with a number of rotating specials and optional supplements like pâté en croute and wagyu beef cheek braised in red wine. Weekends, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day see the arrival of LALA’s festive brunch menu with an enticing selection of appetisers, homemade pastries, and mains like the beloved ‘Poulet Jaune with Koshihikari Rice’ or ‘Charcoal Grill Turbot with Smoked Hollandaise’, whilst Christmas Eve and Christmas Day present a festive dinner feast brimming with restaurant signatures and opulent bites like Cadoret oysters. This December also marks the first time that LALA is offering its large celebration cakes and signature pastries for takeaway, so you can ensure any intimate Christmas gathering ends on a sweet note.
G/F, 29 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central; @lala.hongkong
Emmer Pizzeria
Keeping it casual this Christmas? Emmer Pizzeria is cooking up a trio of new dishes that possess just as much festive flair as an ornate Christmas feast. Here, the centrepiece is the ‘Festive Crown Pizza’ showcasing a bed of Emmer’s signature emmer grain crust and a blanket of punchy nitrate-free pepperoni, aged Parmesan, Caciocavallo D.O.P. cheese, kale, and beautifully blistered tomatoes. For greens there is an unassumingly addictive pile of shaved brussel sprouts layered with cranberries, burrata, and crushed hazelnuts, while dessert is a modern spin on the traditional Italian Christmas cake, pandoro.
Shop 217A, 2/F, Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central; @emmerpizza
La Petite Maison
LPM is decking the halls and tables with more than just boughs of holly. For December, the French Riviera-inspired restaurant brings a month-long Festive Lunch Menu in two variations, each overflowing with delectable dishes like ‘Tuna Carpaccio with Black Truffle’, ‘Foie Gras Terrine with Toasted Brioche’, ‘Grilled Tiger Prawns Provencal’, and the seasonal ‘Hazelnut Chocolate Tart’. Christmas Specials à la carte such as ‘Pan-fried Foie Gras with Balsamic Reduction’ are also available for lunch and dinner throughout the month. Expect nothing less from the LPM Christmas feast, which presents itself as an extravagant sharing menu for groups of eight or more. Here, a journey of seasonal produce unfolds in a showstopping seafood tower, ‘Tenderloin Rossini with Foie Gras’, ‘Scallops & Mushroom Risotto’ and more. Two festive cocktails also debut this month: a twist on the classic Espresso Martini called ‘La Pistache’, and a boozy spiced mulled wine named ‘Le Chalet’.
H Queen’s, 23-29 Stanley Street, Central; @lpmrestauranthk
The Baker & The Bottleman
Who says the Brits have no culture? This holiday season, The Baker & The Bottleman brings the cosy charm of a British Christmas to their extensive pastry selection and restaurant. The bakery’s festive collection comprises both sweet and savoury treats such as a traditional ‘Gingerbread Man’, slices of ‘Blackberry Bakewell’ tarts, chewy ‘Hazelnut & Brown Butter Cakes’, mince pies in croissant form, ‘Matcha Shortbread’ biscuits, and ever-so-festive turkey, mushroom and chestnut puff pastries. Upstairs, festive à la carte specials like Scotch quail eggs and mince pies with orange cream are available throughout the month, while a Christmas set lunch menu complete with cosy ‘Mushroom & Chestnut’ soup and an optional (but recommended!) supplement of ‘Honey Roasted Pork Belly Ham’ arrives exclusively for the December 25th holiday.
G14-15, G/F, F15A, 1/F, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai; @thebakerandthebottleman
The Quinary presents The Five Senses: Flavour
Quinary continues its multisensory progression with The Five Senses: Flavour—a collection of eight new cocktails based on Quinary bartenders’ connections and memories in Hong Kong. From neighbourhood culinary customs like sweet soup in Kowloon City to rituals like fortune reading at Wong Tai Sin Temple, every drink draws from personal stories. The Soupreme is modelled on the mock shark fin soup of Temple Street, using sesame fat-washed Ketel One Vodka, clarified tomato juice, shiitake mushroom syrup and more to balance a savoury and addictive concoction. Meanwhile, Cheeky Float blends Two Moons Five Flowers Tea Gin with fresh sugar cane juice from the neighbouring shop as an ode to the tranquil moments of drinking herbal tea on Hollywood Road. The menu is a reminder that flavours hold memories, and the act of looking inward should be celebrated.
56, 58 Hollywood Rd, Central; @quinaryhk
TABIÀ
Get ready to cosy up this winter with TABIÀ’s irresistible seasonal menu, where Northern Italy’s hearty traditions meet creative flair! From the soul-warming Canederli soaked in a whiskey-kissed broth to the cheesy decadence of Pasta Alpina, every dish is designed to melt your winter blues away. Indulge in the rich flavours of Guancia di Manzo and Pollo Brasato con Purè di Patate, lovingly prepared over four days. And let’s not forget the grand finale—TABIÀ’s signature Tiramisu, topped with an adorable bunny-shaped cookie that’s as delightful as the dessert itself. Winter never tasted so good.
G/F, 55 Caine Road, Caine Road, Mid-Levels; @tabia_hk
Collaborations and pop-ups
Plaisance x Txispa “Water & Fire” Four-Hands Dinner
From December 18th to 20th, the elements collide in a four-hands dinner with Executive Chef Mitsuru Konishi of Plaisance by Mauro Colagreco and Chef-Founder Tetsuro Maeda of the one-Michelin-starred Txispa. In an ultimate showcase of sea-to-land gastronomy, the two chefs fuse their mastery of aquatic flavours and Basque grilling techniques to craft a ten course menu grounded in a shared appreciation for nature.
1/F, G/F and Basement, 1 Duddell Street, Central; @plaisancehk
Chalet des Alpes returns
Black Sheep Restaurant’s crowd-favourite alpine pop-up is back! Designed to feel like the hottest soiree in the Alps, the legendary Chalet des Alpes spans two floors this year, complete with rustic, snow-dusted decor and Euro-disco tunes. Slip into your best après-ski outfit for a complimentary shot of kirsch before the party really kicks off. The night begins at the bar, where glasses of mulled wine help to get conversations flowing and up the festive mood. The meal that follows is an easy-going feast of traditional cold-cuts, ‘Salade de Mâche Mimosa’, raclette melted over potatoes, cornichons and pickled onions, and of course, a bubbling pot of Swiss cheese fondue, before dessert arrives. Chalet des Alpes also offers three beverage packages for those partial to French and Swiss wines. While the pop-up is a mere embodiment of alpine merriment, all diners have the chance to enter a lucky draw for a trip to the Swiss Alps to truly live out the dream.
From December 2 to January 15, 2026, reservations only
18 Shelley Street, SoHo
LMO Freshly Baked presents “The Best of Tastemaker Series”
LMO Freshly Baked wraps up the year with the best of its 7-month long Tastemaker Series. In response to requests to bring back the most popular dishes from the past collaborations, LMO Freshly Baked unveils a December menu featuring the top-performing creations from each tastemaker: Yardbird’s Three Yellow Chicken Meatball Soup, Bar Leone’s Roman Chicken Salad, The Chairman’s Szechuan Spicy Peppercorn Beef Pie, TATE Dining Room’s Yuzu Sichuan Pepper Mushroom Salad (a personal favourite), Little Bao’s Szechuan Chicken Sandwich, Leela’s Masala Chai Egg Tart, and Hansik Goo’s Seolleongtang. It’s the perfect opportunity to reunite with the dishes you loved, or try the recipes you missed out on the first time around.
Shop 237, 2/F, LANDMARK Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central
TamJai Avenue at Clockenflap 2025
Hong Kong’s beloved mixian brand steps in this year as official partner for Clockenflap 2025, bringing its three renowned brands—TamJai Yunnan Mixian, TamJai SamGor Mixian, and international brand TamJai Mixian— to the buzzing music festival grounds at Central Harbourfront. TamJai Avenue brings a host of new experiences, including a pop-up dishing out classic bowls of Tomato Soup or Mala Soup Mixian and TuFei Chicken Wings, as well as unexpected Clockenflap-exclusive items like Avocado with Garlic & Chili Sauce that put a Western spin on Chinese classics.
Festival-goers can also head to the “Spiced Mixology Bar” to sip on two special cocktails made in collaboration with local gin brand Perfume Trees Gin, or put their spice tolerance to the test with the “Spicy Soup Master” challenge. A variety of TamJai x Clockenflap merchandise is also available to shop, from graphic tees, blind box plush toys, and a phone strap with customisable charms for every HK$150 spent at the dining area.
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. PayosCredit
Lead image: Courtesy of The Baker & The Bottleman
