It’s that time of the year again. The sun is shining, the kids are out of school and there are junk trips and beach outings every weekend. It is shaping up to be a great summer, until the inevitable boatload of long-lost relatives and barely recognisable college friends all descend into town, demanding to be taken out and shown a good time. Whether it’s a cranky grandparent or picky teenage cousins who are vegetarian for the month, AsiatatlerDining.com is here to help with our top picks dining destinations for tourists.

Aqua:

Perched on the top floors of One Peking, Aqua is the perfect place to admire Hong Kong’s famous skyline. Start off your evening by enjoying the nightly light show playing out over Central’s skyscrapers while you and your guests enjoy a drink at the bar. When they’ve had their fill of the view, make your way over the to the restaurant where the Italian and Japanese menu should satisfy even the most finicky of customers. Fans of Mediterranean fare can enjoy starters such as carpaccio of fresh figs with seared foie gras while sushi lovers will adore the fish flown in daily from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market. For carnivores, they will have a difficult but pleasurable time deciding between the roasted lamb loin from the Italian side and the deluxe Wagyu teriyaki from the Japanese menu.

29-30/F, One Peking, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. For reservations, call +852 3427-2288.

Top Deck:

Located on the top floor of the floating Jumbo Kingdom in Aberdeen, Top Deck allows your guests to soak in a bit of Hong Kong’s junk and seafood culture, without the trouble of actually leaving the island. Famous for its Sunday champagne brunches, Top Deck is ideal for families with small children. Large enough to seat 300 people, there is a ton of space for the kids to run round, and large platters of food make sharing easy. For example, there is enough food on the tandoori platter to feed a small army, with French spring chicken, Tasmanian lamb chops, tiger king prawns and sea bass. Seafood lovers are also similarly spoiled with their fresh seafood mountain platter.

Top Floor, Jumbo Kingdom, Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen. For reservations, call +852 2552-3331.

Yung Kee:

One of the quintessential dishes of Hong Kong cuisine is what is known as “siu mei”, which roughly translates into roast meat served cold, although it also includes some meats that are not technically roasted, such as chicken cooked in soy. No Hong Kong resident could in good conscience allow their guest to leave without trying some and Yung Kee’s convenient location in the Central district, 65-year tradition of roasting geese and retro building makes it a must-see for tourists. While the menu is large with Cantonese classics, only three things really need to be ordered: a portion of roast goose (ask for the lower portion if you like drumsticks), a bowl of egg noodles in soup to accompany the goose; and the century-old eggs. While the preserved eggs with pickled ginger slices are a delicious hors d’oeuvre on their own, it is also worth ordering just to see your guests’ eyes widen as they debate between eating a rotten egg and the prospect of bragging about it to their friends back home.

32-40 Wellington Street, Central. For reservations, call +852 2522-1624.

The Parlour:

Hong Kong’s rich colonial history has sadly been mostly erased from our modern urban landscape, but luckily, Hullett House still allows us a glimpse of the past. Located in the old Marine Police Headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hullett House has a whole range of dining options but we would especially recommend The Parlour. Decorated in a chinoiserie style with murals showing Victoria Harbour in the 19th century, your guests can enjoy a little trip back in time. Finish off by enjoying the traditional English afternoon tea on their terrace.

2A, Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. For reservations, call +852 3988-0101.

Fook Lam Moon:

Hong Kong is undoubtedly a wealthy city and to catch a glimpse of the city’s elite, there is no better place to go than Fook Lam Moon. The outer appearance of the building is unassuming, even a tad run-down, but the cluster of chauffeur-driven Bentleys and Mercedes double-parked outside is a dead giveaway. The restaurant specialises in high-end Cantonese cuisine, with the four favourites (abalone, sea cucumber, shark’s fin, fish maw) given pride of place. The abalone (either the non-dried type from South Africa or the dried-aged type from Japan) made with premium oyster sauce is without doubt one of the best in the city; but the restaurant can also expertly prepare less wallet-breaking choices such as the crispy chicken.

35-45 Johnston Road, Wan Chai. For reservations, call +852 2866-0663.