We get it—MICHELIN-starred restaurants are the kind of places you’d book for special occasions. But what if we tell you that there’s a way to sample dishes from the best restaurants in town without breaking the bank?
In fact, dining at a MICHELIN-starred restaurant at lunchtime, for the most part, can guarantee decent value for money and a memorable experience—if you know where to look.
Next time you're in Central, check out the following MICHELIN-starred restaurant offering excellent-value lunch menus that are well under HK$800 (service charge included) per person for the whole meal.
Aaharn
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021As the only MICHELIN-starred Thai restaurant in MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021, Aaharn by internationally acclaimed chef David Thompson presents elevated Thai food with an emphasis on kup kao, meaning “eaten with rice” in English. On the three-course lunch menu, you will find curry-based dishes, salads, and stir-fried Thai greens to go with a bowl of steamed Thai jasmine rice.
For mains, you can opt for the signature coconut snow crab curry with turmeric by adding HK$200 per two people, which still makes your bill well within HK$800 per person. With a terrace overlooking Tai Kwun, the terrace of Aaharn makes it the perfect place for a take a break from work and the Central office crowd.
Price: HK$488 for the Aaharn Lunch Tasting Menu
Address: 1/F, Armoury Building 02, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
Arbor
Two MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021With a prime location on the 25th floor of H Queen’s, Arbor is a stone's throw from Central’s office towers but the idyllic atmosphere will make you forget that for a moment.
Certainly a place to bring clients if you want to impress, Arbor serves innovative Nordic-Japanese cuisine with elements inspired by chef-owner Eric Räty’s memories of Finland and his love of travel. On the Weekly Tasting Lunch menu, four courses including two appetisers, a main—which might include a choice between pork and wagyu beef A4 for an additional HK$320—and a dessert. Don’t forget to save room for the homemade madeleines—arguably one of the best in town.
The private room can be split into two separate spaces to accommodate smaller groups to provide more exclusivity, though the tables in the dining room are well spaced for just enough privacy.
Price: HK$688 for the four-course Weekly Tasting Lunch
Address: 25/F, H Queen's, 80 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong
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Arcane
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021Found in the heart of Central, Shane Osborn’s Arcane guarantees top-notch food and service that can be relied upon for a business lunch.
Sustainability is at the heart of Arcane, with an ingredient-driven menu that celebrates the seasonality and sources of quality produce. Vegetables are the star of the show, but the meat- and seafood-based dishes are equally well done.
The lunch set menu includes three courses, which changes depending on what’s in season but might include taiyouran egg or salmon tartare as the starter, a choice between pan fried stone bass, braised beef cheek, and homemade tagliatelle for mains, and cheese or lemon meringue for dessert.
Price: $458 for three courses
Address: 3/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong
Beefbar
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021The name says it all—Beefbar is where you’ll want to take your meat-loving clients and colleagues for lunch. Staying away from the dark and wooden decor of traditional steakhouses, the interior of Beefbar is modern and stylish, punctuated with brass accents and white marble table tops.
Beefbar’s lunch menus take us to parts of the world where some of the best quality beef can be found. Named after the cities where the style of cooking is inspired, namely Milano, Paris, Chicago, Sydney, and Tokyo, the five lunch set menus are on offer daily with your choice of two or three courses. No matter your preference, each menu offers decent value for money, ranging from HK$330 for two courses from the “Milano” menu where you can choose from burrata, homemade ricotta ravioli, and tiramisu or almond & apricot opera cake, to HK$650 for the three-course “Tokyo” menu featuring Hokkaido scallop carpaccio Kagoshima striploin and the same dessert.
The best tables are close to the floor-to-ceiling windows where ample natural light comes through during the day—a factor to consider when making a booking. The three private dining rooms are ideal for bigger gatherings—with two smaller rooms accommodating four to six persons each, and a medium-sized room for groups six to eight.
Price: HK$330 to HK$580 for two courses, HK$400 to HK$650 for three courses
Address: 2/F, Club Lusitano, 16 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo - Bombana
Three MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021If you’re surprised to see a three-MICHELIN-starred restaurant on this list, don’t be. Book in for lunch to experience what 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo - Bombana has to offer at wallet-friendly prices.
For a taste of what’s in season, the lunch menu gives us a chance to sample brilliant dishes from the three-MICHELIN-starred Italian restaurant for less than HK$800 a head. Designed to be as simple or as elaborate as you want it, the lunch menu is priced at HK$700 for any two courses of your choice—meaning you can opt for a pasta and a meat- or fish-based main course if that’s what you’re in the mood for.
The lunch menu changes regularly but the pasta dish (a must if you ask us) might feature cavatelli with shellfish ragout and sea urchin, and spaghetti chitarra with Sicilian-style squid sauce and fresh herbs.
Thanks to the well-heeled guests and celebrities that regularly grace the restaurant, the staff are incredibly respectful and discreet, while the comfortable seatings ensure an unrushed dining experience if a long lunch is in order.
Price: HK$700 for two courses
Address: Shop 202, 2/F, Alexandra House, 16-20 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong
Man Wah
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021Considering the newly refurbished interior, impressive harbour view, and central location, Man Wah checks all the boxes for a business lunch that won’t disappoint.
Spotlighting refined classics as well as overlooked culinary delights and forgotten recipes, Man Wah’s lunch menu gives diners a taste of its signature dishes at a reasonable price. The six-course lunch menu might start with a selection of dim sum, followed by a nourishing boiled soup, stir-fried spotted grouper fillet, fried rice and whole abalone wrapped in lotus leaf, and round off with a Chinese dessert like almond cream with egg white and sesame dumplings.
But if you’re here for dim sum, the a la carte menu features a variety of steamed, baked and fried dim sum options, which can easily make for a satisfying meal without going over HK$800.
Price: HK$688 for Man Wah set lunch menu
Address: 25/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, CentraL, Hong Kong
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Mandarin Bar + Grill
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021A classic choice for a business lunch, Mandarin Bar + Grill offers a contemporary adaptation of classic grill specialties in a brightly-lit, stylish dining room.
The lunch menu caters to most preferences, with vegetarian options like cucumber, avocado, tomato, basil gazpacho for starters and mixed heirloom tomato tart for mains. Otherwise, the brown buttered French langoustine is worth splurging for at an additional HK$198, and you can expect scrumptious mains like pan-seared and glazed veal liver and pan-seared local red mullet on the menu.
Those who are hungry can opt for three courses, which guarantee a sweet ending with desserts like chocolate, entremets, passionfruit tart, and black sesame custard.
Prices: HK$598 for two courses, HK$698 for three courses
Address: 1/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central, Hong Kong
Ryota Kappou Modern
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021One of the best-value Japanese lunches in town, Ryota Kappou Modern checks all the boxes with a kappo-style menu that encompasses the chef’s choice of sashimi, sukiyaki and specialty dishes.
The four-course lunch menu highlights the season’s finest ingredients, which might kick off with a lobster warm salad or Japanese fruit tomato salad, with options to add HK$220 for a “Bowl of Wonders” featuring uni, wagyu, ika and caviar. For mains, we’d recommend splurging on the Miyazaki wagyu (or Iberico pork) sukiyaki or Shiga Omi wagyu sirloin to get a taste of the best quality Japanese beef prepared with skillful precision.
True to the concept of kappo, the restaurant has counter seats that will give you the best view to see the chefs in action. If you’re with a group, the private room is available for booking, which can accommodate up to 10 guests.
Price: HK$580 for the Chef Specialty Lunch
Address: 21/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong
Octavium
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021This bright, attractive Italian restaurant is a personal project of chef Umberto Bombana, so it’s no surprise that the quality of the cuisine and service is up there.
It would be remiss of you to not order the homemade pastas here—especially the linguine with red prawn—but other highlights on the lunch menu include the artichoke salad, blue lobster and M5 beef sirloin. The menu changes regularly to suit what’s in season, and you can expect something different every time as the culinary team is constantly evolving the menu.
To finish, don’t miss the hazelnut soufflé with caramel ice cream for a satisfying finale.
Price: HK$560 for two courses, HK$680 for three courses
Address: 8/F, One Chinachem, 22 Des Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong
ZEST by Konishi
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021With a name that suggests freshness and seasonality, ZEST by Konishi is housed in a bright and inviting space that makes talking business over lunch less formal.
Focusing on haute French-Japanese cuisine, the restaurant offers a lunch menu with two-course and three-course options to choose from. To start, pick one or two appetisers from a selection of cold and hot dishes, such as the poireaux vinaigrette with ajitama and smoked sardine, and Yunnan porcini and saffron bolete. For mains, daily wild fish and Australian wagyu beef are on offer.
Desserts are not included in the set lunch menu, but those with a sweet tooth can stay for the earl grey crémeux or pickled Sichuan mango for an additional HK$70.
Price: HK$480 for two courses, HK$580 for three courses
Address: 28/F & 29/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong
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