The modern Spanish tapas at this raw, industrial, no reservations eatery boast creative, addictive flavors. Come early or prepare to wait, and wait.

Holland-born chef Richard Ekkebus trained in France under celebrated talents Guy Savoy, Alan Passard and Pierre Gagnaire before creating this modern, French-influenced menu. Dishes here are crafted from ingredients flown in daily, from the Tokyo fish market to those in Tasmania and Brittany. Standouts on the ever-changing, seasonal menu include duck foie gras ravioli, sea urchin in lobster jelly and line-caught amadai with orange and fennel confit. The pastry chef more than holds up his end of the evening, balancing French classics with the fruits of his local market excursion. Complementing the exceptional cuisine is the dining room, designed by Adam Tihany, under a chandelier of 4,320 suspended bronze rods used to cast a warm metallic glow over the double-height interior.

The Asia Society Hong Kong Center occupies a former British Army explosives warehouse, and the dining room of its in-house restaurant has bullet-inspired brass interiors. Here, green velvety banquettes are placed alongside floor-to-ceiling windows. Standouts include the meaty oxtail balls rolled with crunchy peanuts and cacao powder, sweet and savory quail salad with grapes and pancetta to start, and mains like the homemade burrata ravioli and fettuccine heaped with Ibérico pork ragoût. Don’t skip such cocktails as the freshly squeezed kiwi-basil martini.

One of the most creative restaurants in the city, Bo Innovation may have lost one of its two Michelin stars in 2010 but it remains a must-reserve place for a special dinner. Complete with tattoos and trendy haircut, chef Alvin Leung Jr., playfully reinvents, abstracts and highlights Chinese cuisine, creating elaborate tasting menus that are often described as Ferran Adria-inspired. The restaurant was featured on the Hong Kong episode of No Reservations during which Anthony Bourdain complemented chef Leung on making a mark in a “city where great food is a birthright and almost taken for granted.”

This sleek, upscale taqueria fuses Mexican and Japanese flavors under the eye of the Nobu-trained chef. While the plates tend to be small, the flavors are exciting and robust and the dishes artfully prepared.

Walk a few steps up from busy Peel Street in nightlife quarter Lan Kwai Fong and you'll come to the cool, sparse space of Chom Chom. This bustling, one-room restaurant serves exceptionally fresh and inventive Vietnamese small plates to a soundtrack of mellow reggae and hip hop. An oversized mural dominates one wall but the otherwise pared-down design keeps the focus on bright and colorful dishes like pho reimagined as fresh rolls, caramel black cod, excellent salads and the renowned VFC — Vietnamese fried chicken wings slathered in coriander and mint. Chom Chom does not take reservations, but the small front patio is an excellent place for a cocktail and to watch the crowds stroll by while you wait for a table.

CulinArt is arguably one of the finest examples of the dining-in-private-kitchens trend that is sweeping Hong Kong. Although the location is rather far from central Hong Kong, the dramatic, candlelit space and the exquisitely prepared fusion food make it worth the trip to Aberdeen (about a 15-minute drive from Central). Under the guidance of German-Chinese chef Stanley Wong, chefs at CulinArt prepare eight- to ten-course tasting menus for up to 32 people in an intimate setting.

Much like LA’s The Ivy, Fook Lam Moon is Hong Kong’s original celebrity hot spot where you are almost guaranteed to see a big name. Even during lunch hours (which we suggest for a visit as opposed to dinner, which can feel rushed), black cars and paparazzi are waiting on the street in front of the Wan Chai institution. Those who are not regulars may feel a bit out of place but eating at Food Lam Moon is practically a Hong Kong right of passage. Don’t expect stellar service, but waiters do get guests in and out with efficiency. The menu is extensive and focus is placed on regional classics, seafood and classic Cantonese. The baked stuffed crab shell is a highlight.

Best known for its claypot rice, Hing Kee is a Kowloon institution. In service for decades, this old-school joint attracts visitors and locals alike. Here, a steaming pot of perfectly cooked rice is served with a variety of toppings.

Urban panoramas from the 28th floor complement the 19th-century rooftops and tables sourced from mainland China’s street markets: Hutong recreates a traditional Beijing courtyard high in the sky. Flavors hint at the Silk Road, like steamed scallops in a sensuous pumpkin purée and bamboo clams, bathed in rosewater, and finished with hot peppers. Their rightly famous lamb ribs are de-boned and deep-fried, to be lavished at the table in a chili-soy dip. It’s a very memorable place for a meal, and the Kowloon location makes for excellent views of the main island’s skyline.

Specializing in high-brow Cantonese cuisine, Kin’s Kitchen is owned by Lau Kin, owner of the Yellow Door, and founder of Hong Kong’s private kitchen movement. As is popular in the US, the restaurant focuses on sourcing local ingredients and turns classic Cantonese dishes on their heads in inventive new combinations.

This single table for up to 12 inside the Mandarin Oriental comes with views of the main kitchen where talented chefs whip up dishes created to complement the Krug Champagne, be it rosé or Vintage 1995. Guests are encouraged to discuss the menu suggestions directly with the chef who tends towards dramatic dishes with names like “Golden Caviar, Black Cod and Rain.” A limousine delivers discerning diners to and from this ultimate gourmand table.

Known for their Chinese burgers (baos), this aptly named spot started as a food truck before moving into a diner-style storefront. The Goop-approved eatery aces innovative comfort food with flair—from fries with roasted tomato sambal and Japanese mayo to fried chicken with egg yolk glaze.

A favorite lunch staple of Hong Kong businessmen, Liu Yuan Pavilion takes its Shanghainese cuisine very seriously. In fact, orders for popular dishes like the smoked chicken and steamed fish heads with chilies are taken in advance. Inside the spacious and well-lit dining room, a lively crowd devours delicacies like spicy wontons, Shanghai sesame biscuits with minced meat and the Xiaolongbao (steamed buns).

Lung King Heen is the Four Seasons three-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant. Located on the fourth floor of the hotel, this simple yet elegant restaurant is best known for its lunchtime dim sum and fabulous Peking Duck. For a Michelin-starred restaurant, the setting is quite family friendly and not stuffy, and the service is among the best in town. For those staying at the Four Seasons, this is a wonderful way to enjoy a great meal within the confines of your hotel on your day of arrival. Please note that those interested in the duck must pre-order the bird at least 6 hours in advance of your meal.

This chic café puts an innovative spin on traditional dim sum. Man Mo Café’s fusion twists are unique—truffle Brie dumplings, duck fried risotto and steamed ratatouille dumplings are just a few items on the menu—and are complemented by a fantastic selection of teas.

People argue constantly over which is the finest Cantonese restaurant in town—and which place does the best dim sum. Expect to find One Harbour Road in the top five of discerning diners. The Grand Hyatt restaurant has an open-plan, near-European feel, not to mention a 180-degree view of the harbor. Specialties include stewed pigeon with lemon sauce, wok-fried lobster with garlic and chili, bean curd with egg-white scallops and wok-fried prawns with salty duck-egg yolk.

Foodies willing to go a bit farther afield will be richly rewarded at this three-story, Sino-Portuguese house overlooking the South China Sea. Located in the bucolic seaside village of Sai Kung, the restaurant is about 45 minutes from Central by taxi. The romantic downstairs dining room, with exposed beams and French doors, seats only 25 for the four-course lunch and six-course dinner. Ingredients come straight from the surrounding organic farm and the chef’s menu changes daily, so that the foie gras swathed in black truffle on brioche tonight may be stuffed inside prosciutto-wrapped French guinea fowl tomorrow. Make reservations well in advance.

After exploring the island of Lamma, settle into this seafood restaurant right on the water. The menu is massive; order such classics as salt-and-pepper shrimp, steamed bok choy and fried prawns with sweet-and-sour sauce. Best of all, after a meal, diners can take the restaurant’s private boat back to Hong Kong.

Located on a small street in Sheung Wan, Ronin is easily missed if one doesn’t have precise directions. The façade is non-descript, but the food is anything but simple. Opened by one of Zuma’s previous chefs, Ronin serves creative Japanese dishes that change on a daily basis to ensure quality ingredients. The restaurant only seats 26 people so expect a wait, or prepare to sit at the bar for a drink (the Mars Whiskey is a must).

Opened by the seventh born son of Fook Lam Moon’s founder Chui Fuk-Chuen, this restaurant is a wonderful spot to enjoy some of Hong Kong’s best traditional Cantonese cuisine. The menu is refined and extremely approachable for English speakers, and the décor is relaxed and modern compared to its parent restaurant. The best dishes also happen to be the most simple.

The more intimate sister to Hutong, this little dining den is all dark-wood, with semi-private rooms at the back, which confer the vibe of an exclusive club. The menu is focused on exceptional Northern Chinese cuisine and a highlight is the generous bowl of chili chicken.

Alain Ducasse’s innovative French food rarely has to compete for attention but the location of this restaurant, in the Intercontiental Hotel, is nothing short of stunning. Diners sit almost at water-level with expansive views of the Hong Kong skyline (the hotel and restaurant are in Kowloon), and the dining room is decked out with a massive chandelier made of more than 500 Murano glass—what else?—spoons.

A curated convenience market, specialty liquor store and sandwich shop, Sunday’s Grocery is a cool spot for tasty and creative eats. Wearing many hats doesn’t lessen the quality—this neighborhood establishment in Kennedy Town continues to garner acclaim for its unique and flavorful offerings.

What began as an extremely popular hole-in-the-wall in Mong Kok has now become an international chain, serving some of the best and most affordable dim sum. The simple and bright interior of this Michelin-starred restaurant pairs well with its straightforward yet outstanding cuisine.

Picture a huge fish market, its floors tiled, that is lit by bright, unromantic halogen and filled with large round tables that have little shelves underneath for diners to store their purses and bags (the floors are usually still wet from the day’s fish-selling activities). Add to that large groups of rowdy Hong Kong locals, waitresses dressed in cheerleading outfits and an impresario-maitre d’ who occasionally moonwalks to Michael Jackson and you have the jovial ambience of this dai pai dong, known locally only as the Cooked Food Center. The food is excellent, especially the ultra-fresh seafood dishes, like salt-and-pepper shrimp and stir-fried prawns. For foodies who want to be part of a real local, and somewhat hidden, dining scene (you take an escalator up to the second floor of a nondescript building in North point), the Cooked Food Center is not to be missed.

The four Wanchai locations of Under the Bridge Spicy Crab are fabulous for trying the city’s famous chili crab. Expect a messy, fun meal, and if you are going on a Wednesday evening, head to the Happy Valley horse racing afterwards. It’s just a short taxi ride away.