Top 206 Eateries in Hong Kong and Macau. Restaurant Ta Vie Promoted to Three Michelin Stars

Accompanied with the lift of travel restrictions, the culinary scene in Hong Kong remains vibrant and passionate, while the hospitality industry is also picking up its pace. In fact, it has not been a quiet year in Hong Kong, with a lot of new projects in town, catering to diners of different nationalities and taste buds.

Michelin Guide revealed the full restaurant selection of the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau 2023.

The MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau 2023 has unveiled its selection of restaurants, which includes 206 establishments in Hong Kong and 44 in Macau. This year’s selection features four restaurants, including one new, that were awarded the MICHELIN Green Star. Chef Hideaki Sato’s Ta Vie has been promoted to Three MICHELIN Stars for its innovative cuisine that focuses on using top-quality ingredients. In total, the guide recommends ten restaurants worth a special journey in the Three MICHELIN Stars category. Eighteen restaurants were awarded Two MICHELIN Stars, while six were newly awarded One MICHELIN Star and three were promoted to the same category.

Restaurant Ta Vie Promoted to Three MICHELIN Stars in Hong Kong

Ta Vie Restaurant that serves innovative cuisine is promoted to Three MICHELIN Stars in the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau 2023. The mantra of Chef Hideaki Sato — “pure, simple, and seasonal” shines in his cuisine. His passion for cooking and his experimental approach on food combinations and preparation are evidenced by his original and extraordinary creations such as the Charcoal-Grilled “Akamutsu” with Rice Crackers and Aonori Seaweed Sauce, made with top-notch ingredients mostly from his native Japan.

With this new addition to the Three MICHELIN Stars category, the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau recommends 10 restaurants worth a special journey.

2 Restaurants Newly Awarded, and 1 Restaurant Promoted to Two MICHELIN Stars in Hong Kong

Bo Innovation Restaurant is a highly acclaimed restaurant that moved to a new spot in 2022. Just like the art that exudes local flavours, chef-owner Alvin Leung’s playful creations are a nod to the Hong Kong food culture. The menu is inspired by Chinese elements and famous paintings like Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans.

Lai Ching Heen is renamed from the legendary Yan Toh Heen in 2022. Expansive harbour views and Hong Kong’s skyline with its electric glow remain a joy to behold. All-time favourites like stuffed crab shell with crabmeat and crispy Lung Kong chicken are still offered on the menu, while their dim sum lunch is not to be missed.

Rùn Restaurant is promoted from One MICHELIN Star to two MICHELIN Stars this year. With more than 20 years of experience, chef Hung values food quality and shrewd techniques more than anything else. Seasonal ingredients from around the world are painstakingly prepared the traditional way, and then plated with modern refinement.

In total, 18 restaurants are awarded Two MICHELIN Stars in the 2023 edition of the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau.

6 Restaurants Newly Awarded, and 3 Restaurants Promoted to One MICHELIN Star in Hong Kong

6 Hong Kong restaurants are newly awarded One MICHELIN Star in this year’s selection. D.H.K’s owner-manager worked in some top-tier Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong, and his presence alone attracts plenty of gastronomes. The kitchen team also lives up to expectations with shrewdly executed Cantonese classics. The classic dim sum menu is worth checking out.

Godenya may be in a narrow dark alley with a discreet entrance, but this tiny self-proclaimed “sake pairing restaurant” is fully booked months ahead. There is only one omakase menu featuring kappo dishes, made with seasonal produce mostly flown in from Japan. Sake pairing is vital part of the experience, as the chef/sake master serves each drink at a different temperature to bring out the best in each course.

Nagamoto is a Japanese restaurant helmed by Chef Teruhiko Nagamoto, with only counter seats, where all diners can watch his well-honed skills in action. Only one omakase menu is offered, with kaiseiki courses crafted out of “shun” ingredients in peak condition, embodying the chef’s deep knowledge in the beauty of subtleness.

Noi’s tasting menu prominently features top-notch seafood in contemporary cooking with Italian soul. Dishes are highly detailed, artfully plated, and show shrewd techniques, while a wide selection of beverages is carefully prepared.

The Chairman moved to a new address in 2022, and the elegant room comes with a generous display of lush greens. Despite the new location, the culinary vision stays the same — ingredients are mostly sourced from small suppliers and local fishermen, and signatures like steamed crab with Huadiao are still on the menu.

The Demon Celebrity is a crossover between chef Alvin Leung, also known as the “Demon Chef”, and Master Fu of the now-defunct Celebrity Cuisine. The two chefs put a new spin on familiar Cantonese flavours, with collaborative efforts such as fried pork intestine stuffed with minced cuttlefish and black truffle.

Three other restaurants are promoted within the selection and receive One MICHELIN Star:

Estro has impressed diners with authentic Neapolitan cooking by the native head chef since its opening, especially his homemade pastas such as buttoni filled with parmesan, tomato jus, and basil. Diners have a choice between the 6- and 8-course fixed price menu for the chef’s ingenious creations.

Kappo Rin, helmed by the Japanese head chef from Sendai, specialises in multi-course omakase menus with both cooked and raw dishes, designed to bring out the natural flavours of fresh Japanese ingredients with a unique touch of seasoning. Diners get to interact closely with the experienced chefs at the 8-seater counter.

Neighborhood Restaurant is the brainchild of chef-owner Lai, a Hongkonger who was trained in the U.S. An intimate spot tucked away in an alley, the minimalistic and tasteful décor matches the short but sweet menu, with 20 tapas-style items that rotate regularly, many featuring local seafood in a no-framed unique presentation.

1 Restaurant Newly Awarded, and 1 Restaurant Promoted to One MICHELIN Star in Macau

The Huaiyang Garden is the only restaurant newly awarded with One MICHELIN Star in Macau this year. Helmed by the renowned culinary master chef Zhou, the kitchen team excels in sophisticated Huaiyang fare, incorporating fresh river fish shipped from the region twice a week, such as stir-fried shrimps with roe and tomalley, or Liangxi-style crispy eel.

Five Foot Road is promoted from a MICHELIN Selected to One MICHELIN Star restaurant. With more than 30 years of experience, the chef from Sichuan excels in presenting traditional Sichuan flavours and aromas with various seafood.

With these new additions and promotions, a total of 67 restaurants are recommended by the MICHELIN Guide’s inspectors with One MICHELIN Star. 58 are located in Hong Kong and 9 in Macau.

The MICHELIN Green Star Newly Awarded to Restaurant Mora in Hong Kong

Within the MICHELIN Guide restaurant selection, the MICHELIN Green Star highlights establishments at the forefront of the industry for their sustainable practices and dining experiences that combine culinary excellence with outstanding eco-friendly commitments.

In addition to the two restaurants in Hong Kong (Amber, Two MICHELIN Stars and Roganic, One MICHELIN Star) and one restaurant in Macau (IFTM Educational Restaurant, Bib Gourmand) which have been awarded the MICHELIN Green Star in the previous years, 2023 sees one new Hong Kong restaurant being recognised with the MICHELIN Green Star — Mora (MICHELIN Selected). Mora features soya beans as the core of the menu, with red meat and seafood in rather small portions. Dishes are served in tasteful portion sizes, with consciously selected local and sustainable ingredients. Working with many long-standing and reputable local produce shops, the team aims to promote local ingredients, flavours, and culture. Being a board member of a Hong Kong food bank, chef Vicky Lau is dedicated to rescuing surplus food from retailers, distributors, and manufacturers, and redistributing them to people in need.

Three New MICHELIN Guide Special Awards

This year, the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau adds three Special Awards to highlight talented professionals from the restaurant industry, shining the light on the diversity of jobs and know-hows, which, together, contribute to create exceptional gastronomic experiences.

MICHELIN Guide Service Award

The 2023 MICHELIN Guide Service Award aims to highlight and encourage skilled and talented professionals who dramatically add to the customer experience. This award goes to Kit Li from two MICHELIN Starred restaurant Sichuan Moon in Macau. Kit Lai, who has been working in Sichuan Moon since its opening, is smart and passionate. Equipped with excellent product knowledge and a thorough understanding in the culinary concept that André Chiang holds, she anticipates the needs of guests and interacts with them at the right time with good serving pace.

MICHELIN Guide Sommelier Award

The 2023 MICHELIN Guide Sommelier Award, presented by Perrier-Joüet, recognises the skills, knowledge, and passion of talented sommeliers of the industry, and is given to Jacky Luk from three MICHELIN Starred restaurant Forum in Hong Kong.

Jacky Luk has been with Forum for many years and has always been humble and helpful. He is not only dedicated to an exclusive wine list with some small labels included, but also has extensive knowledge and a unique understanding on wine.

MICHELIN Guide Young Chef Award

The 2023 MICHELIN Guide Young Chef Award, presented by AIA, recognises a young chef working in a restaurant of the selection and whose exceptional talent and great potential have impressed the inspectors. This year’s award is given to Steve Lee from one MICHELIN Starred restaurant Hansik Goo in Hong Kong.

Born in 1991, Steve Lee gained years of experience in Australia, and his home country Korea, showing good talent in execution of the new menu, with Korean flavours expressively presented.