The holidays are undoubtedly a time of excess, but have you ever considered how that might affect more than just our own waistlines? Festive meals with meats, cheese, wines and more are usually shipped into Hong Kong from around the world, leaving a heavy carbon footprint in the process. This Christmas, create a more ecologically friendly holiday feast by keeping it local and supporting these sustainable restaurants in Hong Kong that place local producers front and centre.
The Chairman
Book early to get into this sought-after establishment, a Cantonese farm-to-fork feast that’s unlike any other. Not only does the restaurant grow its own produce on a farm in Sheung Shui, where its meats are preserved and its pickles prepared, but it also partners with small farmers in Yuen Long, guaranteeing fresh, hyperlocal vegetables. All of its pork, chicken, fish and shrimp are sourced locally, too. Think crispy pork belly rice cakes with chrysanthemum sugar, Sichuan spicy lamb spare ribs, and cherry tomatoes pickled in a basil reduction – our mouths are watering just thinking about it. From $828 per head.
No.18 Kau U Fong, Central, 2555-2202, thechairmangroup.com
Roganic
The city’s only restaurant bestowed with a coveted Green Star for sustainable gastronomy, Roganic is a leader in Hong Kong’s sustainable culinary space. To cut down on imported ingredients, the kitchen grows its own microgreens, leafy greens and herbs in-house, and sources produce from local suppliers like Zen Organic Farm, Wah Kee Farm, and New Age Organics in the New Territories. The full tasting menu ($1,080) here is a perfect shout for the holiday season, featuring 10 courses of delights including truffle pudding with birch sap, stout and Lincolnshire poacher, and seven-day aged local pigeon with maitake, beetroot and preserved blackcurrant.
UG08, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2817-8383, roganic.com.hk
Yin Yang Coastal
The farm-to-table scene in Hong Kong arguably began with the Cantonese concept Yin Yang Coastal, helmed by chef Margaret Xu Yuan. First launched in 2008, the restaurant has developed into a private kitchen today, located in a beachside house in Ting Kau Village. Ying Yang’s emphasis on organic and local ingredients sets it apart from the crowd, creatively interpreting fishing village-style cuisine, with flavours and techniques of Hakka cuisine. This year’s Christmas menu includes lobster flambeed with homegrown organic tomatoes and Hong Kong-style cheese sauce and a homemade watercress gelato. From $1,200 per head.
House 117, Ting Kau Village, Ting Kau Beach, Tseun Wan, 9784-2280, yinyang.hk
Posto Publicco
New York Italian osteria Posto Publicco embraces seasonal menus in a bid to reduce lengthy supply chains and using imported, hard-to-find ingredients. The chefs and owners have forged relationships with local farmers to keep their changing menu predominantly local, sustainable, and traceable, which we love to see.
G/F, 28 Elgin St., Central, 2577-7160, postopubblico.com
Asaya Kitchen
Mediterranean-focused food with a health and wellness flair – that’s Asaya’s niche. Under the auspices of Rosewood’s global Partners in Provenance programme, the restaurant works with growers and producers in Hong Kong to source local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients wherever possible. This year’s Christmas offerings include black cod with smoked chestnuts and chanterelle mushrooms, pumpkin veloute with winter black truffle, and cinnamon tart with maple syrup and banana ice cream. Starts from $988.
6/F, Rosewood Hong Kong Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3891-8732, rosewoodhotels.com
SKYE Gastrobar
The Park Lane’s SKYE Gastrobar offers more than just a stunning skyline view. It’s also committed to sustainable seafood, offering only the finest catches, most of which are locally farmed or caught. Much
of their produce also comes from local organic producers, and the restaurant even has their own rooftop garden and an in-house hydroponic growing operation.
310 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2293-8888, parklane.com.hk
Read more: How To Eat Healthier This Christmas, From a HK Nutritionist
