Must-Try Hearty Meals In Hong Kong To Beat The Winter Chill

When it’s hot, it’s hot, but despite impressions to the contrary, there are parts of Hong Kong where winter temperatures can plunge to as low as zero. Fortunately, there are plenty of dining spots out there to warm you up when the weather turns cold.

Never mind holidays, nothing says winter quite like indulging in traditional ‘stick-to-the-ribs’ soups, stews and casseroles for a comforting meal during the cold months between December and February. Whether you fancy one of the various types of hot pot from across the region, a warming curry with a spicy kick or a Japanese-style beef stew, there’s an option to choose from among Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Scheme outlets – and all of them are guaranteed to help you get cosy. No space heater required.

Read More: Top Hot Pot Spots in Hong Kong

Bamboo Thai

Bringing together the diverse flavours of the Mekong Delta in one spot, Bamboo Thai offers diners a range of authentic Thai dishes for every day of the year. That said, there’s something about the warming spiciness of saucier selections that offers comfort on a cool night. The creative chefs inject the essential tastes of Thai basil, lemongrass, coriander, garlic, lime and chilli pepper into the signature wok-fried tiger prawns – from the Thai-Myanmar border – in a creamy light yellow curry with egg, and the zesty Thai-style stir-fried clams, which are guaranteed to put you in a cosy mood. Grab a piquant Siam Mary or Thai-holiday cocktail to cap off the meal and you’ll be feeling warm for days.

Opening Hours: Daily, 12pm to 10pm; Daily, 12pm to 11:30pm (Nina Mall)

Bamboo Thai, various locations across Hong Kong, Instagram: @bamboothai_hk, www.cafedecogroup.com

Read More: The Best Thai Restaurants In Hong Kong – Where To Eat Thai Food

Hiyama

Sukiyaki is among the most popular Japanese meals in the world and it’s easy to see why. It’s hard not to be lured into a comfy mood when Hiyama’s fragrant signature broth washes over you from the nabemono bowl. Hiyama’s original Tokyo restaurant has earned a Michelin star for 10 years running thanks in part to a 110-year-old tradition of sourcing only perfectly marbled premium Wagyu beef. Its Hong Kong branch stays true to that tradition, and Hiyama’s secret recipe Sukiyaki broth is flown in from Tokyo for an exceptional dining experience in an elegantly tranquil space. As a bonus, if it’s cool but not cold and you’re feeling like seafood, Hiyama’s deluxe sushi platter will hit the spot.

Opening Hours: Weekdays, 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 10:30pm; Weekends and public holidays, 12pm to 3:30pm, 6pm to 10:30pm

Hiyama, Shop OTE302, 3/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, 2885 3203, Instagram: @hiyamahk, www.thefoodstoryhk.com/hiyamahk

Read More: The Best Michelin-Recommended Cheap Eats In Hong Kong: New Bib Gourmand Restaurants & More

Mou Mou Club

You can never go wrong with shabu shabu, Japan’s other great winter nabemono hotpot dish. More savoury and earthy than its slightly sweeter sukiyaki sister, shabu shabu rolls thinly sliced beef into a rich soup base along with a variety of vegetables, noodles and sides. Mou Mou Club offers up a choice of premium Japanese Wagyu, Australian or American beef, plus a buffet zone featuring 30 ingredients, drinks, and ice cream for capping a meal. Come in for Mou Mou’s two-hour all-you-can-eat Japanese Kyushu A4 Wagyu + Seafood extravaganza, with abalone and Hiroshima oysters, or the Beef Platter trio, which includes hand-cut Australian beef short ribs, US SRF beef rib cubes and beef brisket trimmings. The ice cream may be a push.

Opening Hours: Daily, 11:30pm to 11pm

Mou Mou Club, Shop 423, 4/F, MOKO, 193 Prince Edward Road West, Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 3184 0384, www.facebook.com/MouMouClub, www.moumouclub.com

Read More: The Best Sizzling Teppanyaki In Hong Kong

Super Super

Congee is arguably the most comforting and warming meal out there, but it feels extra warming in winter. Super Super combines the best of tradition with culinary innovation to serve up dishes a little off the standard menu to go along with its congee and noodles specialities. It goes without saying both are must-tries – like the signature congee with shrimp, fish, BBQ pork and squid, as well as the noodles with shrimp wonton – but the depths of winter demand sampling the seasonal hot pot series, such as braised mutton in hot pot and sour pickle and fish fillet & duck blood in hotpot, both popular and satisfying thanks to rich ingredients.

Opening Hours: Daily, 10am to 5pm

Super Super, Café de Coral Centre, 5 Wo Shui Street, Fo Tan, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, WhatsApp: 2601 8481,  www.facebook.com/SuperSuper.CongeeAndNoodle, www.supersuper.com.hk

Top Pot Taiwanese Hot Pot

No time of year is wrong for Taiwanese hot pot, truly one of the island’s great exports, but when there’s a chill in the air Top Pot Taiwanese Hot Pot’s all-you-can-eat hot pot ticks all the boxes. High quality, melt-in-your-mouth Australian wagyu beef, Hokkaido Yongenton Pork belly, seasonal seafood, farm fresh vegetables and signature broth made fresh daily ensure it’s authentic. And Top Pot’s individual pots guarantee everyone at the table gets exactly the soothing meal they want. Wash your bowl down with a sweet and cosy black sugar pearl fresh milk and get a warm jolt from its indulgent fats perfect for winter, and round it out with a Taiwanese street snack.

Opening hours: Daily, 12pm to 10:30pm (Tuen Mun); Daily, 11:30pm to 10:30pm (Ma On Shan)

Top Pot Taiwanese Hot Pot, Shop 36-37, L3/F, Trend Plaza North Wing, 2 Tuen Lung Street, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong, 2300 1126

Top Pot Taiwanese Hot Pot, Shop 2001, 2/F, MOSTown Phase 4, 18 On Luk Street, Ma On Shan, New Territories, 2300 1777, www.inline.app, Instagram: @toppotasia

Read More: Your Guide To Hong Kong Street Food

Mama Spicy

Little heats a body up faster than Sichuan cuisine, and Mama Spicy’s signature spicy dry pot – or fragrant pot – is one of the freshest and most numbing on the go in Hong Kong. Veterans and newcomers alike can cater their dry pot to their preferred spice level, from fiery to sort of mild, while never missing out on the dish’s irresistibly intense and distinctive aroma. Don’t miss the hearty casserole of chicken with pepper pork chitterlings, or the rich and unique spicy goose belly and fried quail casserole, whose spicy notes are not only warming but appetite-stimulating. It all adds up to an ideal choice for helping you make it to spring’s warm embrace.

Opening Hours: Daily, 12pm to 4pm, 6pm to 11:30pm

Mama Spicy, Shop J1, G/F, 9 Hau Fook Street, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, 2394 0211, Instagram: @mamaspicyspicy

Read More: Where To Find The Best Claypot Rice In Hong Kong

Wing Lai Yuen Restaurant

Legend holds that the nearly 80-year-old Wing Lai Yuen began life in a run-down squatter village shop, finally moving to its bright, shiny location 25 years ago. Either way, this consistent Bib Gourmand winner has earned its reputation for authentic, old school dan dan noodles, the kind made in Imperial kitchens centuries ago and whose secret recipe has been passed down to the current eatery. The spicy, nutty broth is a comforting winter soup, and Wing Lai Yuen’s freshly cut noodles hit the spot every time. The signature homemade dan dan (with or without meat) are a must-have, but other hearty recommendations from the Szechuan and Shanghainese menu include the gold medal wonton chicken soup casserole and succulent braised ham in honey sauce. Winter is welcome to linger.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 11pm to 3:30pm, 6pm to 10pm; Weekends and public holidays 11pm to 10pm

Wing Lai Yuen Restaurant, Shop 102-105, 1/F, Whampoa Gourmet Place, Site 8, Whampoa Garden, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2320 6430, www.winglaiyuenhk.com