Go to Shining Stone (452 G/F Shek O Village, 2809 2227) for all things homemade. Desserts originate in family recipes, the business card is drawn by the owner’s daughter and phone accessories designed by neighbourhood primary-school children are sold here for $10. Homemade bread ($9) is a mouthwatering respite from the pre-packaged rolls you’ll find at most Hong Kong restaurants, and is baked here in varieties ranging from whole wheat to pumpkin to rosemary and onion. Owner Pat Lee’s goal is to make the Shining Stone a community gathering place that supports local artisans and area students, in addition to offering food with a personal touch. Homemade spinach ricotta ravioli ($145) is as popular as scampi with garlic sauce ($195) and more casual beach fare like the giant burger ($75 with fries). Sandwiches feature on both the sit-down menu ($45 with salad) and newly-instituted take-away menu ($25), an instant hit that now makes it possible for beachgoers to picnic gourmet-style. Shining Stone’s door is open afternoons until 10:30pm. Closed Mondays.

The Shek O Chinese and Thailand Seafood Restaurant (303 Shek O Village, 2809 2202) has been a village landmark for 16 years and for good reason. The menu’s as thick as a small novel, and the open-air restaurant is spacious enough for family-style gatherings while reserving a cozy charm. Owner Pomchareon Sutichar has lived in Shek O for 33 years; his restaurant serves both authentic Thai dishes like the spicy red curry cream with prawns ($95) or milder chicken with coconut milk soup ($45, $80, $100 for small, medium and large respectively), alongside dishes purposefully adapted to suit the Hong Kong palate, like special-recipe yellow curry with chicken, beef, or pork and potato ($60). The restaurant is particularly proud of the specially imported Thai lime soda ($20) they offer, with a label printed entirely in Thai, in place of the standard brands found in your average 7-11 – they have even put a picture of the glass bottle on the large sign outside. Evenings here get crowded with families and couples alike, and you can enjoy your papaya salad ($45), pineapple baked rice ($65), or mango and white sticky rice dessert ($18) with a selection of wines ranging from $110-$280 per bottle. Open 11:30am-10pm daily.

Known for its pizza, late nights, and psychedelic décor, Black Sheep (G/F 330 Shek O Village, 2809 2021) has been in Shek O for 12 years and has acquired a reputation for the friendly, beachy atmosphere that takes guests to another world beneath disco balls, black lights, and a planetary mobile. Sip a fresh strawberry lemonade ($55) loaded with fruit and worth its price tag, while sitting on a zebra-striped couch with owner Daniel Marinov in a mirrored interior and surrounded by pillows and bongo drums. Hikers know the Black Sheep for its special thirst-quenching lemonade made with mint, lemon, and honey. Eggs here are flown in fresh from New Zealand, sea bass ($225) is flown in from Italy, and the chocolate mousse ($88) is made with imported Teuscher chocolate. The jungle pizza ($145), with tomato, mozzarella, mushroom, and San Daniele Parma ham, is a popular menu offering, as is the pavlova ($88). Open weekdays from sunset to midnight and weekends from midday to midnight. Keep an eye out for the restaurant Paradiso Black Sheep’s owners plan to open on the main beach by September 1. It will serve a sunrise breakfast, finger food, and promotional free Bloody Marys all day long.

If you plan on dining at Reminisces (824 Shek O Village, 2809 2112), make sure you’re dressed in the right attire. This restaurant restricts beachgoers to the few front patio tables during the afternoon, but bathing suits and flip-flops just won’t cut it as day turns to night. Reminisces has served Chinese and Thai cuisine in Shek O for the past 10 years, and is known for its roasted goose ($70) and roast suckling pig ($450 for a whole pig, $80 for a regular portion). Reminisces is set back behind the car park, offering a large, cool interior to those hoping to temporarily escape the summer heat. Open noon to midnight daily.

Shek O’s reputation for one of the most beautiful beaches in Hong Kong is reinforced by the number of HK movies filmed on the area’s shores. And when cast and crew get thirsty, they go to Ben’s Bar of the Shek O Sailing Club (273 Shek O Village, 2809 2268), on the village’s secluded back beach. Ben’s Bar is a Shek O institution. Photos lining the back wall testify to the many famous guests who’ve ordered drinks here over the past 10 years – from the honourable Tung Chee Hwa to Olympic windsurfer gold medalist Lee Lai Shan and those behind the Hong Kong movies Marry a Rich Man and King of Comedy. But Ben welcomes beach-going regulars with the same gusto as he does his famous patrons – and his bar boasts a fair number. Cocktails here range from $25-$35, the most popular of which is Sex on the Beach ($35). Beer is $20 a bottle. An outdoor patio BBQ space is available for reservation. Open Tuesday-Friday 7pm-1am, Saturday-Sunday 2pm-1am. Closed Monday.

The Beach
Shek O’s main beach is a long stretch of smooth sand and clean water. Facilities are well-kept, with showers and bathrooms available. Shark nets make it safe to swim. Widely regarded as one of the nicest beaches in Hong Kong, Shek O can get crowded so arrive early to stake out a good spot on the sand.

How to get to Shek O
Take Bus #9 from the Shau Kei Wan MTR station, which runs to Shek O daily, and get off at the last stop.
On Sundays and public holidays, you can also take Bus #309 from Exchange Square, Central.