[Hong Kong Cuisine] Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui: 13 Must-Try Dishes, Must-Visit Photo Spots and Must-Buy Souvenirs

Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui is Hong Kong’s busiest shopping destination and also the city’s largest shopping centre. Comprising several distinct buildings, Harbour City is home to over 450 shops. There are more than 50 restaurants, most of which offer unobstructed sea views. With so many shops, it’s simply impossible to visit them all, so here are the top seven must-see, must-buy, must-eat and must-photograph spots at Harbour City for your reference.

(1) ‘Open-air Car Park’ – the best spot to enjoy the fireworks display, ‘A Symphony of Lights’ and the sunset views

The Ocean Terminal Open-Air Car Park is a car park connected to Harbour City; motorists can park here and then explore Harbour City, which combines dining, entertainment and shopping under one roof. This car park is no ordinary one; it offers panoramic views of the entire Victoria Harbour, and during major festivals and celebrations, it is an excellent spot from which to watch the fireworks displays. During these special occasions, the car park is designated as a ticketed viewing area, allowing visitors to admire the dazzling fireworks from an exceptionally close distance.
In addition to the National Day and New Year’s Eve fireworks displays, the ‘A Symphony of Lights’ light and music show can be seen every evening at 8 pm. More than 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour weave together this magnificent spectacle through ever-changing lighting and sound effects, illuminating Hong Kong’s night sky. From this open-air car park, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the sunset every day, making it the perfect spot for photography enthusiasts to capture those special moments.

Address: Open-air car park, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2118 8666
Opening hours: Monday–Sunday, 24 hours a day
Transport: Ocean Centre entrance on the middle section of Canton Road

(2) ‘FACESSS’ – a one-stop shopping paradise for make-up and beauty products

If you’re looking for beauty products from several brands and a range of beauty treatments, you might have to visit several different places to get everything you need. However, if you’d prefer to find everything in one go, ‘FACESSS’—an innovative beauty concept store in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, bringing together over 50 beauty brands—is the perfect place for ladies to go on a shopping spree.
FACESSS, which is based on the concept of a brand-new beauty experience, has recently added a number of brands to its range, including Innisfree, Leaders Clinic, Missha, Tony Moly, VIDIVICI, amika:, Clarisonic and philosophy. As for beauty services, the range is incredibly diverse, covering facials, make-up, eyebrow shaping, hairstyling, scalp analysis and treatments, as well as manicures!

Address: OT, 2nd Floor, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 5 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 211 099 87
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday 10:00–21:00; Friday to Saturday 10:00–22:00
Transport: Ocean Centre entrance on the middle section of Canton Road

(3) ‘LCX’ – a must-visit for Hayao Miyazaki fans!!!

LCX is a trendy department store in Hong Kong. With its open-plan shopping space, you can find the latest in fashionable casual wear, cosmetics, trendy gadgets and stylish accessories here.
In addition, LCX is home to a number of pilgrimage sites for anime fans. If you’re a fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s work, Donguri Republic is an absolute must-visit; many passers-by are drawn in by the giant Totoro statue outside the shop, and you can even step inside the Totoro Bus for a photo. Merchandise from *My Neighbour Totoro*, *Spirited Away* and *Kiki’s Delivery Service* can all be found here, so Hayao Miyazaki fans need not fly all the way to Japan to buy merchandise from the animations he created. The ‘Moomin Restaurant’ is also a must-visit for Moomin fans; the entire restaurant is decorated with members of the Moomin family, and you can even sample Moomin House pancakes and Moomin milk coffee.

Address: Level 3, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Tel: 310 236 68
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday: 10:00–22:00 daily
Transport: Ocean Centre entrance on the middle section of Canton Road

(4) ‘Cova Pasticceria & Confetteria’ – exquisite desserts, a favourite among ladies for afternoon tea

A long-established, upmarket Western-style afternoon tea venue that opened in 1994, it is renowned for its exquisite pastries. However, it offers more than just fruit tarts, cakes and sandwiches; in fact, at various times throughout the day, it serves an all-you-can-eat semi-buffet offering excellent value for money, with a new main course every day, whilst salads, cold cuts, pastries and desserts are all available to eat as much as you like. Looking around, there aren’t many seats, but they are spaced generously apart, creating a pleasant sense of space. Taking a closer look at the food display area, although it consists of just one large table in the atrium and a small corner, there is a good variety on offer.
Sunday lunch features an all-you-can-eat roast beef buffet, and for an additional charge, you can enjoy unlimited refills of champagne, red wine and white wine. From Thursday to Saturday evenings, there are live musical performances. Must-try recommendations include Cova’s signature cake, the Mango Cream Dome, featuring fresh, sweet mangoes with a rich, fruity flavour, smooth cream and a light, fluffy sponge. The tiramisu is rich with the aroma of coffee and liqueur, featuring a smooth, layered cheese filling. There’s also the ‘Gold Leaf Chocolate Cake’, which has a texture remarkably similar to Ferrero Rocher chocolates, as well as countless other desserts – making it the perfect spot for a girls’ outing.
It turns out that COVA also serves an elegant, great-value Sunday lunch buffet.Sunday Lunch Buffet 。There’s quite a wide variety on offer, with the focus on starters and salads; there are fewer hot main courses, but desserts are their speciality, so there’s a bit more choice there.

Address: Shops 116A & B, 1st Floor, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2992 0720
Opening hours: Monday–Saturday 08:00–22:00; Sundays and public holidays 10:00–22:30
Transport: Ocean Centre entrance on the middle section of Canton Road

(5) *The Art Museum*: The catalyst for Hong Kong’s art boom

Harbour City is one of the few shopping centres in Hong Kong to house an art gallery; this unique seaside art gallery is situated on the second floor of the Ocean Centre. Although small, it serves as a charming little space for leisurely appreciation of art. This means that Harbour City is associated not only with shopping and fine dining, but also with good taste. Various exhibitions are held here from time to time.
In 2015 alone, the gallery invited the renowned Singaporean artist Kumari Nahappan to collaborate on an exhibition featuring a series of stunning sculptures and paintings, and partnered with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to promote Hong Kong’s outstanding original designs. Art exhibitions have also been held here featuring Dutch artist Hofmann’s rubber duck, Japanese master artist Yayoi Kusama’s large polka dots, and works by the renowned American artist KAWS.
When it comes to this year’s most popular attraction, it has to be the giant picture book art installation based on the classic treasure hunt series *Where’s Wally?*. Harbour City invited social media influencers with massive followings to launch a massive promotional campaign, sparking a city-wide craze for *Where’s Wally?*.

Address: Shop 207, Level 2, Ocean Centre, Harbour City
Tel: 2118 8666
Opening hours: Monday–Sunday, 10:00–22:00
Transport: Ocean Centre entrance on the middle section of Canton Road

(6) ‘Cucina’: Unforgettable Italian cuisine

Located on the sixth floor of the Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel, it was selected as a Michelin-recommended restaurant in 2009. Both lunch and dinner menus focus on Italian cuisine, complemented by Chinese and Western dishes, with nearly 100 dishes on offer. The afternoon tea features a selection of savoury and sweet Western-style pastries, served on a three-tier stand. The top tier comprises five savoury items, with the smoked salmon rolls and mango and prawn rolls being the most popular.
There are also five desserts on the middle tier; whilst the light and fluffy lemon-flavoured madeleine shells, macarons and fruit tarts are my personal favourites, it is the Zhenzi chocolate crisp cake that is truly unforgettable. I must also mention the strawberry marshmallow lollipops—everyone simply must give them a try!
The restaurant’s décor is also sophisticated, with black-dominated walls and furnishings complemented by subdued lighting, giving it a particularly stylish and elegant feel. The restaurant is divided into a terrace, a bar area and the main dining area, and features several open-plan cooking stations where diners can watch the chefs at work. From inside the restaurant, you can enjoy distant views of the opposite shore of Victoria Harbour, or why not take a stroll out to the outdoor car park, which offers the best vantage point for photographing Victoria Harbour? If you’d like a window seat at the restaurant at the weekend, be sure to book in advance.

Address: 6th Floor, Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel, Harbour City, 3 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2113 0808
Opening hours: Monday–Saturday 12:00–01:00, Sunday 11:30–01:00
How to get there: Go to the entrance of the Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel at Harbour City, then take the lift to the 6th floor of the hotel

(7) ‘SportX’ – A paradise for sports enthusiasts

SportX on the second floor of the Ocean Terminal is a paradise for sports enthusiasts, brimming with specialist shops from various sports brands, where you can find the latest and trendiest sportswear and sports equipment in Hong Kong, such as Hong Kong’s largest GigaSports flagship store and Callaway Golf Appeal, amongst others. It also features some unique shops, such as adidas’s first-ever NBA-themed basketball shop in Hong Kong, designed to attract basketball fans. In fact, SportX also features an indoor basketball court, which is occasionally transformed into a football pitch or table tennis court to complement the shopping centre’s events!
What’s more, the Second Floor regularly hosts a variety of youth-oriented events on different themes, such as book fair talks and travel exhibitions, as well as celebrity reading and writing sessions at Harbour City’s Book Café; even the celebrity Angelababy has hired the venue for a photo book launch! It’s definitely a hotspot for young people to hang out.

Address: 2nd Floor, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City
Tel: 2118 8666
Opening hours: Monday–Sunday, 10:00–22:00

(8) Mai Sheng Wonton Noodle House

If you’re looking for authentic and delicious wonton noodles in Hong Kong, you simply must visit ‘Mak Man Wonton Noodles’, This noodle shop was established by the descendants of Mai Huanchi, the renowned ‘Wonton Noodle King’ from Guangzhou. Mai Huanchi fled to Hong Kong to escape the turmoil of war, where he opened a noodle shop to carry on his father’s traditional craft, bringing this traditional culinary culture to Hong Kong. Although the portions of wonton noodles here are quite small, they insist on preparing the dish using traditional methods. The wontons are filled with fresh prawns, the broth is simmered from flounder, and the noodles are made using whole duck’s eggs. The combination of all these ingredients results in a delicious and appetising dish, and the ingredients are fresh.

Address: Shop OTG02, Ground Floor, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852 3102 3862
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday: 11:00–23:00

(9) ‘August House’. The dim sum and light meals at Harbour City’s tea house are also of a high standard.

When visiting Hong Kong for a shopping trip, many people head to Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui, as it is home to a wide range of well-known brands. But what if, whilst shopping, you also fancy sampling some of Hong Kong’s signature dim sum? What options are there at Harbour City?
‘August House’, boasting unrivalled sea views, is a restaurant under Hong Kong’s Maxim’s Catering Group and a popular venue for wedding banquets amongst many Hong Kong residents. Firstly, it is conveniently located; secondly, the interior is particularly spacious and comfortable. The prices are relatively affordable, so even if you visit regularly, it won’t break the bank. The dim sum and small dishes are generally of a high standard, whilst the dessert we’d particularly recommend is the Napoleon cake – it’s beautifully presented and quite unique, and not something you’ll find in every restaurant.

August Residence
Address: Shop 401, 4th Floor, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2992 0232
Opening hours: Monday–Sunday, 10:00–23:00

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(10) Vietnamese cuisine in Nha Trang

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There aren’t many restaurants in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Harbour City that are both affordable and delicious, but ‘Nha Trang’ is definitely on my list. Specialising in Vietnamese cuisine, ‘Nha Trang’ boasts an elegant, white-themed interior, and the prices are very reasonable. Seats by the window offer stunning views of Victoria Harbour. The restaurant serves a variety of Vietnamese dishes, with my personal favourites including tomato and crab soup with rice noodles, beef pho and Vietnamese iced coffee. What’s more, ‘Nha Trang’ is a regular on the Michelin Guide’s list of recommended restaurants.
Tomato Crab Món – This is arguably Nha Trang’s signature dish; many of my friends keep coming back just for this bowl of Món noodle soup. The tomato flavour isn’t overly strong but has a slight tang to it; there’s a generous amount of tomato purée, and the dish is infused with the fresh, sweet flavour of crab meat. The rice vermicelli is silky smooth, generously topped with coriander and bean sprouts, and there are two slices of pork belly on top as well – just looking at it makes my mouth water.
Hanoi-style Beef Noodle Soup – The broth is simmered from beef bones, offal, onions, carrots and other seasonal vegetables, with Thai basil added for flavour. It boasts a rich, meaty aroma yet is surprisingly light and sweet. The rice noodles are smooth rather than chewy, with just the right texture. The beef is tender and succulent, with a rich, meaty flavour.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee – In Vietnamese coffee culture, to balance the distinctive bitterness of Vietnamese coffee, condensed milk is added to the cup before pouring the hot coffee through the filter. For iced coffee, milk and ice cubes are added as well. The combination of condensed milk and black coffee gives Vietnamese iced coffee its unique, sweet aftertaste, which also carries the sweetness of the condensed milk.

(11) Be On Canton

‘Be on Canton’ offers Happy Hour deals at sunset, with a wide selection of cocktails available on a ‘buy one, get one free’ basis. That evening, I tried three cocktails, and my favourite was the Japanese Martini – made with Japanese sake and Martini, it retains the ricey aroma of the sake whilst offering the robust alcohol content typical of a Martini; it’s a cocktail that men would also enjoy. If you visit at midday, you can enjoy the warm sunshine whilst leisurely savouring a rich coffee; ‘Be on Canton’ is the perfect spot for a group of friends to take a break after a spot of shopping at the mall.

As ‘Be on Canton’ is situated outdoors, guests can enjoy cigars and smoking to their heart’s content; when the mood takes you, it’s also great fun to share a ShiSha hookah ($200) with a few friends. The shisha comes in several fruit flavours, and if gentlemen prefer, there is also a mint flavour available. For a healthier option, you might also try their newly launched e-shisha, which offers quite an interesting experience.

(12) ‘Aoma Portuguese Cuisine’: Savouring Portuguese tarts whilst gazing out over Victoria Harbour

With blue, white and yellow forming the main colour scheme of its décor, O’Ma specialises in traditional Portuguese cuisine. Led by a chef from a one-Michelin-starred restaurant in Portugal—making his debut in Hong Kong—the menu features nearly forty dishes with rich and robust flavours. Highlights include the Portuguese-style roast suckling pig, with its crispy crackling and tender meat, as well as the signature charcoal-grilled ‘Thunderbolt’ spring chicken—a must-try dish featuring tender, juicy meat with a spicy, savoury flavour. Other dishes worth savouring include the bacalhau potato balls, charcoal-grilled octopus and sausage and egg omelette.
In particular, the method used to make Portuguese egg tarts here differs significantly from that of Macau’s famous shops; it is said to adhere more closely to traditional Portuguese methods. A limited number of Portuguese egg tarts are made each day; the pastry is thin and crisp, whilst the custard is soft, smooth and sweet, with a flavour that is slightly sweeter than usual. As well as dining in, there is a takeaway counter at the front of the shop. Ao Ma offers affordable prices; a serving of spring chicken costs less than 100 patacas, and with the stunning views of Victoria Harbour, you can enjoy your meal whilst watching the ‘A Symphony of Lights’ show – it’s excellent value for money!

Address: Shop OT310, 3rd Floor, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 3188 3668
Opening hours: Monday–Sunday, 11:00–23:00
Directions: From MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Exit A1 onto Haipang Road; walk straight ahead for 8 minutes until you reach the end, then turn left onto Canton Road and walk straight ahead for 8 minutes to the Ocean Centre entrance in the middle of the street.

Also on the programme

(13) ‘The Millionaire’s Ice-Cream Van’ is not just about ice cream; it is a collective memory for Hong Kong people

When asked what constitutes the collective memory of Hong Kong people, the ‘tycoon’s ice-cream van’ is bound to feature in the answer. As a child, whenever I heard the music coming from the ice-cream van in the distance, I would eagerly ask my mum for some pocket money to buy a cup of ice cream; I particularly miss that sense of innocent childhood joy.
Fortunately, I still spot it from time to time at a certain spot in Tsim Sha Tsui; it has retained its original design—a blue roof, red front, white bodywork and that jingle that brings back memories for Hong Kongers—a tune that must be the sweetest music to any child’s ears. The only thing that’s changed is the price of the ice cream.
When it comes to nut cones, vanilla soft-serve, Treasure Orange ice cream and Lotus cups, I’ve always gone for the ‘Food Tycoon’ soft-serve. It’s smoother and creamier than ordinary ice cream, with a richer milky flavour. Just one bite takes me back to those days when I used to jostle with other children to be the first to buy ice cream—I miss those days terribly.

Address: Most commonly found in Tsim Sha Tsui, at locations such as the Star Ferry Pier, Haiphong Road and Peking Road
Opening hours: Vary, mainly during the day