Aqua

29th Floor and Penthouse, One Peking Rd T3427 2288. Mon-Thurs noon-2am, Fri-Sun 10.30am-2am.

Enjoy superlative harbour views from the sunken slate tables, as you consume an unexpectedly successful blend of Italian and Japanese dishes.

The atmosphere is informal, and the prices high - at least $400 a head.

Chao Inn

7th Floor, One Peking Rd T2369 8819. Daily 10am-10pm. The moderately priced food - mainly cuisine from Chaozhou in Guangdong province, featuring clear-skinned dumplings, seafood and roast meats - is a cut above average, especially the roast goose fl avoured with sour plum, and harbour views are an added bonus.

D&J Shanghai

2nd Floor, Hanley House, 68-80 Canton Rd T3113 6993. Daily 11am-midnight. Good place for Shanghai cold dishes, hot meals, or just a quick snack of xioalong bao (tiny steamed pork buns). Slightly tourist-inflated prices - mains cost $50 and upwards.

Delhi Club

Block C, 3rd Floor, Chungking Mansions, 36-44 Nathan Rd T2368 1682. Daily noon-2.30pm & 6-11.30pm. A Nepali curry house with spartan surroundings, slap-down service, and an inexpensive set meal that would feed an army.

Also recommended for their vegetarian dishes, mutton and tandoori specialities and clay oven-cooked naan.

Felix

28th Floor, Peninsula Hotel, Salisbury Rd T2315 3188. Restaurant daily 6-11pm; bar daily 6pm-2am. Architect-designed restaurant with incredible views of Hong Kong Island which alone warrant a visit. The Eurasian menu is not as good as it should be at over $500 a head, but many people just come for a Martini at the bar.

First Cup of Coffee

12 Hankow Rd. Daily 7am-1am. Excellent coffee from around $15 a cup, plus home-made croissants, torte, biscuits and toasted sandwiches.

Itamae Sushi

14 Granville Rd; no phone. Daily 11.30am-midnight. Conveyorbelt sushi at the front, tables and full menus at the back, and fish tanks in between. Looks upmarket, but actually pretty reasonable at $10-40 per colour-coded plate of (almost entirely raw) seafood.

Light Vegetarian

Ground Floor, New Lucky House, 13 Jordan Rd T2384 2833. A big selection of tasty Cantonese and Shanghai vegetarian dishes, with everything made out of vegetables, gluten or tofu despite the names: sweet and sour “fish” (made from taro); a “bird’s nest” basket with fried vegetables; “yin-yang” mushroom, corn and spinach soup; and “duck” (marinated, fried beancurd skin packets). Well worth it at around $55 a dish.

Mrs Chan

Basement, 63 Peking Rd T2368 8706. Daily 11.30am-10pm. Singapore-Malay home cooking, very good if you order the right things - including any of the seafood or satay dishes. Count on $120 a head.

Napa

21st Floor, Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel, Salisbury Rd T2733 8752. Daily noon-3pm & 6.30-11pm. Excellent Californian food in Art Deco surroundings, with possibly the best view of the harbour anywhere. Dining here is expensive (upwards of $400 a head), though a light lunch (Caesar salad, or grilled scallops, for instance) comes in at under $200.

Spoon

Inter-Continental Hotel, 18 Salisbury Rd T2313 2256. Daily 6pm-midnight.

You’ll either love or hate this expensive, cutting-edge French restaurant: they serve some intriguing dishes, with an unusual blend of cooking styles, ingredients and sauces used in each. Above $600 a head.

Spring Deer

1st Floor, 42 Mody Rd T2366 4012. Daily noon-10.30pm. Good-value place noted for its barbecued Peking duck (which is carved at the table) among a barrage of northern-Chinese favourites, such as baked fi sh on a hot plate, smoked chicken, and beancurd with minced pork. $150 a head.

Tao Heung

Floor 3, Silvercord Court, 30 Canton Rd (entrance beside cinema on Haiphong Rd) T2375 9128. Daily from 7.30am.

First-rate and inexpensive dim sum restaurant where you’ll need to come early for a window-seat facing Kowloon Park. Try the white radish cake, roast pork sheung fan (stuffed rice noodles), and the beef rissoles with celery.

Yan Toh Heen

Inter-Continental Hotel, 18 Salisbury Rd T2721 1211. Daily noon-2.30pm & 6-11pm. Reckoned to be one of Hong Kong’s best for cuttingedge Cantonese cooking - and for the excellent service and amazing harbour views. Count on $800 a head for the works, though a $600 set-menu relieves the pain a little.