One common seafood experience in Sai Kung is purchasing a meal from a sampan along the dock, and having your fish passed up to you straight from the water via a net attached to a long pole. These sampans camp out along the pier so are not hard to find, and you don’t have to know Cantonese to point to the variety of seafood you want to buy from the boat. Don’t worry, you’re not expected to eat it raw – most of the restaurants will then cook the seafood you take to them.

1. Tung Kee (G/F, 96-102 Man Nin Street, 2792 7453), a big Chinese seafood restaurant right on the pier, offers great views of the harbour from the patio seating. A fantastic location and wide range of seafood offerings means that Tung Kee is often jam-packed, so be forewarned that you might have to wait for a table. The restaurant offers set meals for groups ranging from 2-12 people, so it’s great for large parties ($338 for a set meal for two, $1,880 or $2,380 for 12). Open 9am-11pm daily.

2. For a good seafood meal at a reasonable price without the wait, check out Sai Sha Seafood Restaurant (SX 164, DD221, Tai Mong Tsai Road, 2792 4990). Sai Sha is near the water sports centre on the beach running down the left-hand side of the pier. It offers an unobstructed view of the harbour along the more secluded waterfront, and is beautifully lit up at night. And Sai Sha is really more of a mini restaurant complex than a seafood restaurant alone; it is a small barbecue, pub and seafood restaurant rolled into one. Its most popular dishes include steamed scallops with garlic ($68), and fried clams with black bean sauce ($68). The terraced outdoor seating is great to relax in and enjoy a good meal with a great view.

3. A hub for Western dining restaurants is Sha Tsui Path, a plaza just a short walk from the pier. This open square houses restaurants serving both traditional seafood and culinary alternatives. One such is Jaspa’s (13 She Tsui Path, Sai Kung, 2792 6388), a five-star fusion restaurant that’s been around for more than 10 years – it is a Sai Kung institution. Some of the more popular menu items range from starters such as Turkish bread ($45) and goat cheese parcels ($80) to entrees like the surf and turf ($165). A dinner set for two includes soft drinks, a starter, a main dish and dessert, and will cost you $290. Open 8am-5:30pm daily.

4. Next to Jaspa’s is Sauce Italian restaurant (9 Sha Tsui Path, Sai Kung, 2791 2348), where hanging plants and a dark wooden interior create an air of family-friendly elegance that, during nice weather, can follow you into the outdoor seating area. Offering a set dinner nightly from 5-10:30pm ($138) and a set lunch Monday-Friday that ranges from $60 to $70 (a la carte options are also available all week), Sauce boasts homemade pastas and a good selection of wines by the glass. Menu offerings range from New Zealand sirloin ($135) to such unorthodox appetizers as leek, potato, and goat’s cheesecake ($68). If you come to Sauce as the summer winds down, be on the lookout for dinner theatre and live music, both still in the planning stages but set to appear as the rainy season comes to a close.

5. Ali Oli Bakery (11 Sha Tsui Path, 2792 2655) has been around since 1986 and is a Sai Kung favourite, loved for the outdoor seating that makes it more than your standard take-away bakery. Homemade offerings here include sandwiches, cakes, breads, pies, and more. Ali Oli is a pavement café, a gourmet catering service, and wholesale, home, and school camp delivery service; they will go to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, or the New Territories. Open 7:30am-7pm daily.

6. The Boozer (G/F, 57 Yi Chun Street, 2792 9311) has been in Sai Kung seven months and is gaining popularity as a destination for nightlife. And with a pole for dancing in the middle of the bar, flat screen TVs, and Hong Kong’s only video jukebox, we can see the appeal. Happy Hour is 4-9pm midweek, 2-9pm on Saturdays and 2-7pm Sundays. The Boozer is open 4pm-2am Monday-Friday, 2pm-4am Saturdays and Sundays.

7. At Bacco Bar (G/F, 21 Man Nin Street, 2574 7477), relax on a couch beneath a big screen TV and peruse the extensive wine menu and drinks list, with wines by the glass ranging in price from $38-$58, and wines by the bottle ranging from $210-$528. Upstairs, JoJo Indian Cuisine (2574 7477), same ownership, is popular for its samosas ($28), clay oven dishes like the chicken tikka ($58) and the tandoori mixed grill ($180). A large selection of Indian breads is available, and set dinners for one to four persons range in price from $105-$390.

8. Cru Wine and Grill (G/F, 18 Wan King Path, 2791 1792) has a new menu aligned with that of its sister site in Central. Cru is a slightly more upscale Sai Kung dining option that’s still great for families. Check out dishes like the sesame-coated ahi tuna ($95) and decadent desserts for $50, like hot chocolate filos, where Toblerone is wrapped in filo pastry and dipped in hot chocolate fondue sauce. The kitchen is open 8am-10:30pm, dessert is served until 11pm and the restaurant closes at midnight.

9. Another Sai Kung hotspot, Cheers (G/F, 28 Yi Chun St, 2791 6789) has a downstairs bar and upstairs seafood restaurant. The restaurant specializes in Boston lobsters, steaks, and oysters imported from around the world. Spanish/Mexican food is on the menu alongside calamari rings ($58) and mango cheesecake ($48). Cheers recommends the surf and turf ($258), a combination
of lobster and steak. Bar Happy Hour is from 11:30am-9pm Monday-Friday, 11:30am-6pm on weekends and the place is open until 2:30am daily.

10. Honeymoon Dessert (G/F, 9, 10A & B & 10C Po Tung Road, 2792 4991) calls itself a destination for Sai Kung visitors worldwide. What do people come for? Honeymoon Dessert offers unique Chinese pastries and other sweets, the best example of which may be the entire durian menu including durian pudding ($18), durian sticky rice ($30) and durian pancakes ($22). Other desserts include and snow-white sago ($25), sea coconut bean curd, walnut soup, and coco mango sago. There’s no café here, but takeaway is available from 1pm-2am daily.

11. Scarecrow (G/F, Shop 5, 66 Yi Chun Street, 2791 0888) reaches the anniversary of its second year in Sai Kung in September. Go there for good Italian cuisine and al fresco dining, weather permitting. Known for its thin crust pizza, Scarecrow also recommends its beef carpaccio and calamari fritti, cooked with fresh oil. There are no set meals; all food comes a la carte. Pizzas range in price from $78-$98, meat/fish/chicken dishes from $118-$168, with antipasti, soups, pastas, and desserts also on the menu. Open weekdays noon-3pm and 6-11pm, weekends noon-midnight. Closed Mondays.

12. Steamers Bar (G/F, 18-32 Chan Man Street, 2792 6991) undergoes atmospheric transformations depending on the time of day. Known for its full English breakfasts in the mornings (breakfast options range from $40-$70) and its Sunday roast (which always sells out by about 4pm), Steamers becomes a coffee shop in the afternoon (a business luncheon spot that’s now all the better for its broadband wireless), a wine bar at night, and a pub as the night goes on. Steamers boasts a diversified menu and is known for its Indian curries ($65-$70). A Sai Kung institution and local hangout spot, it is also home to the Hash House Harriers’ “Worldwide Drinking Club with a Running Problem” on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Open 9am-1am, Happy Hour Monday-Friday 2-9pm.

13. Xtreme (72 Po Tung Road, 2791 7222) proves absolutely that there is a nightlife scene in Sai Kung. Two pool tables are available at no charge, as is a dartboard and big screen television. When we spoke with Xtreme, they wanted to make sure we mentioned their friendly and good-looking staff. Drinks range in price from $64-$75, with a 2-for-1 special during Happy Hour on all beers, spirits, cocktails, wine, juice, and soft drinks. Xtreme is open 5pm-about 3am. Happy Hour from 5-9pm Monday-Saturday, 5-7pm Sunday.

14. Appetito Delicatessen & Rotisserie (61 Yi Chun Street, 2791 5666) serves Italian products and produce off a constantly evolving menu. Owned and operated by Italian managers and an Italian chef, Appetito serves up dishes like the Italian cold cuts platter ($120) comprising various types of hams and salami – good for sharing. Appetito is open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-late, but only by reservation, for lunch and dinner.

15. Dia Indian Restaurant (42-56 Fuk Man Road, 2791 4466) prides itself on authentic Indian food with genuine herbs and spices. Serving Sai Kung since 2003, Dia has earned a name for Indian and Bengali delicacies like stuffed poori appetizer ($45) filled with
spicy chicken or wild mushroom, and its myriad tandoori specialties and curries. Indian breads like naan (plain naan $15, stuffed naan $20) and roti (soft whole-wheat bread, $12) are cooked in the tandoor clay oven. Even more Bengali and South Indian dishes are set to appear on an expanded menu in August. Dia offers a full wine list and drinks menu, and home delivery is available. Open daily 11am-11:30pm, Tuesdays 6-11:30pm.

16. Want to know a Sai Kung secret? When celebrities come to Sai Kung, they go to Chuen Kee (G/F, 53 Hoi Pong Street, 2791 1195), a Chinese seafood restaurant. Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang is one such famous visitor. A special meal set for two costs $348, and includes seafood ranging from lobster to abalone, vegetables, and dessert. An average dinner here costs about $250; a deluxe meal set costs $3,288. Chuen Kee wants to make sure you come away satisfied; if you don’t like the taste of a dish you order, Chuen Kee will re-cook it for you. The eatery offers dim sum all-day, every-day, where recommended dishes are roasted duck and shark’s fin soup. It is open 10am-11pm daily.