August brings the heat, but Hong Kong’s dining scene is staying cool with a wave of new openings, seasonal menus and limited-time collaborations. Tasha Lam rounds up the spots worth booking this month

Shelley Tai Opens Her Second Bar in a Year: Fello

Fresh off a whirlwind debut with Mius—which earned Foodie Forks 2026 Best New Bar and a spot on Asia’s 50 Best—Shelley Tai is back with her second solo venture. Fello lands on Wyndham Street as a two-storey cocktail bar built around human connection, with warm-toned interiors designed to spark conversation. The menu keeps things tight with eight cocktails ranging from HKD100 to HKD130, spanning classics like Bee’s Knees and espresso martinis alongside signatures with Asian inflections—think pineapple basil smash, Gyokuro melon punch and peony pear smoothie. A small food menu rounds things out with scallion oil tossed noodles and a tsukune chicken burger.

Fello, Shop B & C, G/F & 1/F, Yu Yuet Lai Building, 43–55 Wyndham Street, Central

Bar Mind Unveils “Chapter III: The Proustian Effect”

Elgin Street cocktail bar Bar Mind, founded by Diageo World Class Hong Kong & Macau champions Jo Lo and Birstacla Wong, launches its third menu chapter this month, translating cha chaan teng staples and street-cart snacks into ten cerebral cocktails. Highlights include the Claypot Sour (HKD100), built on black glutinous rice wine and Chinese sausage oil; Satay Highball (HKD120), a tequila-mezcal tribute to satay beef noodles; and Bub Bub Culture (HKD140), a lychee-wood-smoked riff on Four Seas candy. Other creations nod to Horlicks, roasted sweet-potato trolleys, coconut chicken soup and the chef’s salad from Chungking Express. The new chapter joins the bar’s permanent Signatures collection, with all drinks priced from HKD100 to HKD150 plus service.

Bar Mind, G/F, 11 Elgin Street, Central; walk-in only

Yakiniku Yama Oku: A Hidden Mountain Barbecue Comes to CUBUS

Yakiniku Yama Oku brings a theatrical take on Japanese barbecue to Hong Kong, tucked inside a 12-seat counter at CUBUS. The name translates to “barbecue in the heart of the mountains,” nodding to pre-Meiji Japan when villagers retreated to remote huts to cook meat in secret. Here, that folklore is reimagined through a contemporary cave-like dining room where chefs Koji Takazono and Koichi Kuga—both Kyushu natives with deep yakiniku and washoku credentials—perform every slice, grill and finishing touch in front of guests. Opened by CSC Collective, the group behind Sukiyaki Nakagawa and Teppanyaki Mihara Goten, the menu spotlights seasonal wagyu from Shiga and Oita across omakase-style dinners. Expect signatures like Sea Urchin and Wagyu Ichibo Tartare, dry-aged Chateaubriand grilled over straw, and cuts finished with century-old soy sauce and Hyogo’s prized Kodawari Tamago eggs.

Yakiniku Yama Oku, CUBUS, Causeway Bay

Kiku’s hand whisking class

Central Hong Kong is loud—queues, chatter, screen glow, the constant rush. In the middle of it, Kiku Kiku quietly turns the volume down. Tucked on the UG level of No. 30 Hollywood Road, this Japanese hojicha specialist feels less like a café and more like a studio set for calm: wood-toned décor, soft lighting, and an artsy, literature-soaked mood that practically asks you to slow your breath.

But the real magic isn’t just the atmosphere—it’s the tea’s personality. Built around the rich character of traditional Japanese tea making, Kiku’s hojicha experience shines through aroma, texture, and clear layering, especially in its famed hojicha signature pastel series.

What’s even more exciting? Kiku is among the few spots in Central where you can enjoy traditional hojicha or matcha hand-whisking yourself—and still keep it surprisingly affordable.

UG/F, 30 Hollywood Rd, Central

The Team Behind ESTRO Opens a Family-Style Trattoria Ninetta

Ninetta arrives in Central as a warm, lively trattoria from the team that brought Hong Kong ESTRO. Co-founded by Antimo Merone, Graziano De Gregorio and JIA Group, with Chef Marco Xodo at the helm, the restaurant takes its name from a term of endearment for a beloved Italian matriarch—the nonna whose table is always full. After four years leading Testina’s kitchen and helping it land on Asia’s 50 Best, Chef Marco brings his philosophy of “Italian Food For Everyone” to this 80-seat space on Wellington Street. The all-day menu spans 32 dishes designed for sharing, from Mozzarella Braid with ox heart tomatoes to Pappardelle with yellow chicken ragù, Tortellini with artisan ham and peas, and a show-stopping whole Boston Lobster Paccheri. Larger plates like clarified butter Veal Chop and charcoal-grilled Wagyu Rib Eye are built for the table. A terrace overlooking Central rounds out the aperitivo-ready setting, complete with Negronis, Hugo Spritzes and an all-Italian wine list.

Ninetta, 3/F, M88, 2-8 Wellington Street, Central

Santa Nata: London’s Cult Portuguese Tart Bakery Arrives in Central

The London-born bakery behind some of the city’s most sought-after Pastéis de Nata has opened its first Asian outpost on Lyndhurst Terrace. Founded by Portuguese entrepreneur Francisco Oliveira in 2019, Santa Nata now spans ten locations worldwide—and Hong Kong is its latest. The compact Central space offers front-row views of bakers crafting each tart by hand, with fresh batches emerging at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. Alongside the signature custard tart (HKD14), expect Pão de Deus—a Portuguese sweet bread with coconut and nata custard—plus a brioche-style croissant. Monthly rotating specials keep things fresh.

Santa Nata, 25-27 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central

La Terrace by Louise Rolls Out New Weekly Dining Happenings at PMQ

The casual French bistro beneath one-Michelin-starred Louise is giving guests fresh reasons to visit every day of the week. Mondays and Tuesdays bring Sip & Social evenings with rotating wines at HKD450 a bottle and a complimentary charcuterie board, while Wednesdays feature live acoustic sets from 6:45pm. A new three-course set lunch lands on Thursdays and Fridays (HKD428), centred on the kitchen’s signature half roasted yellow chicken, and a four-course set dinner (HKD588) is now available daily. Mark the calendar too for Kebab & Wine Nights on 20 August, 8 October and 17 December—HKD208 gets you a chicken kebab with fries, coconut soft serve, and access to Burgundy pours by the glass.

La Terrace by Louise, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central

Torikizoku Opens Sixth Hong Kong Branch in Mong Kok with Late-Night Hours and Digital Ordering

Osaka-born yakitori chain Torikizoku opens its sixth Hong Kong location tomorrow (4 August) at Grand Plaza in Mong Kok—the first local branch to introduce tablet ordering as practised in Japan. The 3,600-sq-ft izakaya seats 140 and stays open until 1am on weekends and holidays, catering to the district’s night-owl crowd. To mark the launch, diners ordering Chicken Skin Chips or French Fries with Butter Sauce (HKD29.90) receive a bonus 50 per cent portion through 18 August, and social-media posts earn tokens for a claw machine stocked with branch-exclusive plushies. New to the menu are rare cuts—Chicken Oyster and Chicken Breast Cartilage—plus two house-made dipping sauces developed with the Japan team. A mobile app launching in September will add online queuing and loyalty rewards. Three more branches are on the way: Tsim Sha Tsui and Tin Shui Wai in September, Whampoa in October.

Torikizoku Mong Kok, Shop 206, 2/F, Grand Plaza, 625 & 639 Nathan Road, Mong Kok

Soho House and The Pulse Launch Weekend Beach Club Pop-Up in Repulse Bay

Soho Beach Club takes over The Pulse rooftop every Friday through Sunday this August, blending Mediterranean vibes with Hong Kong’s south-side coastline. Daytime sessions feature yoga, Pilates and ice baths alongside a kids’ zone with bouncy castles and face painting until 5pm. Evenings turn adults-only with DJ sets from Sunken, Plastic Shanghai and Cantomania, culminating in a Nordic Crayfish Night with Michelin-starred Embla on 29 August. Day passes from HKD250; night passes from HKD330 including one drink.

Rooftop Garden, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay

Luk Yu Tea Club Opens as Weekend Speakeasy Inside Iconic Central Tea House

The first-floor dining room of Luk Yu Tea House transforms into Luk Yu Tea Club every Friday and Saturday from 6pm to midnight. The eight-cocktail menu splits into two series: tea-infused drinks built on leaves sourced directly from the tea house, and Chinese-spirit creations featuring Wu Jia Pi, rose wine and Huadiao from 144-year-old distillery Wing Lee Wai. Highlights include a Longjing gin martini, a Wu Jia Pi Negroni riff, and a zero-proof sparkling white peony option. Late-night dim sum from Luk Yu’s kitchen rounds out the offering. Walk-ins only.

1/F, Luk Yu Tea House, 24-26 Stanley Street, Central; Fri–Sat 6pm–midnight

Nana’s Green Tea Hong Kong Marks 25th Anniversary with Limited-Time Matcha Menu and Debut Mooncakes

Japan’s leading matcha café chain is celebrating a quarter-century milestone at its two Hong Kong outposts with exclusive creations available through 30 August. Developed alongside Kyoto tea producer Yamamasa Koyamaen—165 years in the business—the anniversary line-up includes a Matcha Cookie Milkshake with Chocolate Drizzle (HKD58), Premium Matcha Parfait (HKD108) layered with shiratama dumplings and genmai crisp, and a Triple Matcha Soft Serve (HKD52) that stacks matcha ice cream, sauce and powder. On the savoury side, a Korean-style Tuna Yukhoe Donburi with Onsen Egg (HKD158) joins the menu. The brand is also launching its first Hong Kong mooncake gift box featuring four mini custard varieties—egg, hojicha, matcha and black sesame—at an early-bird price of HKD208 until 31 August, rising to HKD268 from September.

Nana’s Green Tea, AIRSIDE, Kai Tak; THE SOUTHSIDE, Wong Chuk Hang