The American-style Sunday champagne brunch, lavishly served with a dizzying array of amazing culinary selections, has become quite popular in Hong Kong, and I think the city offers some of the best available anywhere in the world. All of my choices include all the usual breakfast suspects — omelets, waffles, bacon, sausages, and so on — plus an array of seafood, prime rib, and Asian specialties sure to satisfy even the most serious foodie. All this food is joined by (usually bottomless) glasses of fine champagne. Here are my picks for the five best Sunday brunch options in Hong Kong:
Blue Butcher
This hip new meat-centric restaurant in Central features a Butcher’s Brunch with some of their signature, dry-aged, bone-in roasted ribeye. Delicious breakfast options are offered, including Belgian waffles, and foie gras cooking stations complete the experience. Brunch is served from noon to 3 p.m. on Sundays and is HK$390 per person (about $50). A free-flowing Prosecco option is available (HK$180, or about $24), as is a free-flowing Veuve Clicquot champagne option (HK$280, or about $37).
The Ritz-Carlton
If you want to get high and have brunch in Hong Kong, really, really high, Ozone at the Ritz-Carlton offers a Skyline Sunday Brunch on the 118th floor of the ICC building. With one of the best views in the city, the restaurant and hotel sit at the top of the tallest building in Hong Kong and the seventh tallest in the world. Brunch features an array of champagnes, plus a wonderful special menu. Selections are available individually or part of a four- or five-course brunch. The four-course is HK$528 (about $68), and five-course is HK$628 (about $81). Add HK$400 (about $52) to drink all the Veuve Clicquot you want during brunch and for the ultimate Dom Perignon free-flowing champagne brunch, add HK$1,400 (about $181). Brunch at Ozone at the Ritz-Carlton is served from noon to 3 p.m.
The Peninsula Hong Kong
The Grand Dame hotel of Hong Kong, I think the Peninsula still sets the standard for old-school elegance and luxury. That reputation for excellence extends to the Weekend Champagne Brunch in The Lobby restaurant, served both Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. HK$698 per person (about $90) gets you three courses, free-flowing champagne, and a choice of teas from their legendary Peninsula Tea Collection. Brunch with a single glass of champagne is available for HK$438 (about $57).
ToTTs and Roof Terrace at The Excelsior
Also in Central, ToTTs and Roof Terrace is another great spot with skyline views of the city. I love ToTTs as a great place for drinks and a bite to eat before going out for partying, but they also serve a great Sunday brunch. ToTTs (which stands for Top of The Town) is 34 stories up with a huge outdoor space facing Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. Brunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Brunch with free-flowing champagne is HK$628 (about $81) or HK$428 without (about $56). The stylish hotel is a Mandarin Oriental property, and I find the service here wonderful.
Grand Hyatt
My last selection comes from a good friend, a Frenchman and foodie, who, as the city’s top truffle supplier, knows the Hong Kong food scene intimately. When I asked him about the best Sunday brunch, he took about two seconds to answer “the Hyatt pool.” Served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekend brunch is served poolside (weather permitting) at the hotel’s The Grill restaurant. Fresh salads, an amazing chilled seafood selection, and char-grilled items are offered, along with breakfast items. Adults are HK$498 (about $65), and kids are HK$249 (about $30). Unlimited house wines, beers, and mimosas are another HK$170 (about $22).
I have to mention I did not have a good experience at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong recently. I went to meet a friend who was involved in a luxury watch convention, with events happening at the hotel. I asked at reception to use the hotel Wi-Fi to contact my friend, and they refused, abruptly stating the service was for guests only. I explained I was there to attend an event at their hotel, to no avail. But hey, their brunch is good, and restaurant patrons do get free W-Fi access.
Freddy Sherman is a world traveler and editor of the travel blog luxuryfred.com. In the past year, he has visited Turkey, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Canada, and Peru. You can follow him onTwitter [email protected] and on Instagram – @luxuryfred.
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