Top Hong Kong Brunches That Don’t Break the Bank
Andrea Lo
Make no mistake about it: the dining scene in Hong Kong is awesome. But for all its excitement and variety, dining out is often far from cheap ‘n’ cheerful. In a city that loves its weekend brunches, for example, there are free-flow options aplenty – but not all of them are exactly wallet-friendly. Thank goodness for these restaurants, who offer us delicious, substantial spreads that are truly good value for money. Give these great brunches a spin.
La Vache!
Courtesy of Lifestyle Asia
We love La Vache!, the Parisian steakhouse with a single-item menu that serves up a mean steak frites. Normally, diners pay a set price for trimmed l’entrecote steak served with a special house sauce comes alongside unlimited, super-moreish fries. The Disco Brunch, held the first Sunday of every month, takes the dining experience to the next level by offering free-flow everything, alongside a live DJ churning out disco classics. That’s right: for four hours, you’ll have unlimited steak, fries and booze coming to your table – which are sure to get you in the mood to dance.
How much: $438 per person, including mimosas, cocktails and wine
48 Peel Street, Central, (852) 2880 0248
BLT Steak
Courtesy of SCMP
Harbourfront restaurant BLT Steak offers generously portioned American dishes with an unbeatable view of the Victoria Harbour. The weekend brunch is seriously good value for money: you get unlimited appetisers, salads at the buffet; a choice of one main, which includes dishes like the brunch burger (grilled bacon and tomato and all the works); and free-flow dessert, too.
How much: $218 per person. Add $128 for free-flow sparkling wine, pinot grigio or Montepulciano red wine
Shop OTG62, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, (852) 2730 3508
Cafe Deco Pizzeria
Courtesy of Openrice
Nestled on a quiet street in the hip Sheung Wan neighbourhood known as PoHo, Cafe Deco Pizzeria offers a four-hour free-flow weekend brunch. What’s on offer? An antipasti buffet (think cheeses, charcuterie and the lot), plus signature pancake. You have the option to order a main course for an extra $30-40. FYI, for mains, there are 18 types of pizzas to choose from – everything from the standard four cheeses to M6 wagyu beef and prawn. Better come with an empty stomach! If you’re on Kowloon side, there’s another branch at Elements mall in West Kowloon.
How much: $228 per person. Add $30-40 for a main course. Add $150 for free-flow house red or white wine, prosecco, rose, soft drinks and juices, plus coffee and tea
11 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, (852) 2559 4100
Taku
Courtesy of Sassy Hong Kong
We’re often surprised by how this SoHo restaurant manages to serve up such great Japanese food while keeping its prices low. Taku offers a weekend brunch that serves unlimited snacks (edamame, Japanese jellyfish salad); a selection of sashimi and sushi; deep-fried dishes like calamari and prawns tempura; grilled meats; noodles; and desserts. All of this, alongside free-flow booze, for only $308. You’d be a fool not to check it out.
How much: $308 per person, including free-flow draught beer, sake sangria, soft drinks and Japanese tea
G/F, 35 Elgin Street, Central, (852) 2545 9966
Pirata
Courtesy of Pirata
Expect big portions at Pirata’s weekend brunch. On Saturdays and Sundays, the Italian restaurant serves up a sumptuous spread that includes an antipasti buffet, three starters for sharing (meatballs, asparagus flan and fried mozzarella sandwich), plus choice of a main – think tagliatelle with summer black truffle, papardelle with duck ragu and the like. Save some room for dessert, a chef’s selection that includes the perennial Italian classic panna cotta.
How much: $298 per person. Add $180 for free-flow Valpolicella red wine, chardonnay, prosecco, Asahi, strawberry peach bellinis and lychee martini
29-30/F, 239 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, (852) 2887 0270
Stone Nullah Tavern
Courtesy of Chiba
All-American restaurant Stone Nullah Tavern doesn’t do things by halves. Its weekend barbecue includes a giant seafood platter for sharing, followed by a choice of mains (choose from a range of classic comfort foods like bacon cheeseburger, Hebrew national hot dogs, southern fried chicken), but that’s not all – you pick one main, then have as many of as you want. If this is, for some reason, still not enough food for you, there’s also an all-you-can-eat DIY nacho bar. Yes, you read that right.
How much: $298 per person. Add $98 for free-flow margaritas and Pabst Blue Ribbon
G/F, Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai, (852) 3182 0128
Giando
Courtesy of Giando
Italian restaurant Giando on trendy Star Street has a semi-buffet brunch menu that should please picky eaters. Head there on weekends for a buffet of cheese, charcuterie and salads, and then choose from mains like pasta and risotto.
How much: $288 per person, buffet only; $338, including buffet, main course and dessert. Add $158 for free-flow prosecco or $258 for Franciacorta sparkling wine
Shop 1, G/F, Tower 1 Starcrest, 9 Star Street, Wan Chai, (852) 2511 8912
Andrea Lo is a freelance journalist and translator based in Hong Kong. After cutting her teeth in the industry as a staff writer at a lifestyle magazine, she embraced the freelance life in 2015 and hasn’t looked back. She spends her time exploring the best of Hong Kong’s dining and nightlife scene, trialling new fitness trends, and travelling to exotic locales – all in the name of “research”.