Hong Kong's dining scene rarely pauses for breath, and the first week of July is no exception. A cult barbecue name is planting a second flag, a comfort-food newcomer has landed on Central's gallery row, and there is fresh matcha, Beijing hotpot and affordable steak to work through too. Here is our quick, verified hit-list of the openings worth knowing about this week — with a full guide behind every entry.
1. Smoke & Barrel — Sai Ying Pun
Hong Kong's best-known Texas barbecue joint finally has a second address. After years as a Wyndham Street one-off, Smoke & Barrel holds the grand opening of its Sai Ying Pun branch on Friday 3 July, bringing its 16-hour smoked brisket to the western district. The new site adds a branch-exclusive smoked cumin lamb rib, a free-flow weekend brunch at around HK$300 per person, and tableside smoked cocktails.
Smoke & Barrel (Sai Ying Pun)
Communal, sharing-plate barbecue with a deep whisky list. Reservations are wise for launch week and the weekend brunch. Read our full Smoke & Barrel Sai Ying Pun guide →
2. Avalon — H Queen's, Central
Elite Concepts has opened a "sanctuary for recovery and recharge" on Central's art-gallery tower. Avalon, on the second floor of H Queen's, serves elevated American-European comfort food and wine — think a Boston lobster and crab roll (around HK$188) and a sticky toffee pudding (around HK$98), plus a weekday Blue Plate lunch and Seafood Wednesdays. It runs Monday to Saturday, 11:30am to 10:30pm, and is closed on Sundays.
Avalon
A polished, all-day comfort-food room from the group behind Yè Shanghai and Duck de Chine. Read our full Avalon guide →
3. Ditto — Sai Wan
A serious specialty-drinks café has quietly soft-launched on South Lane. Ditto is the work of coffee sensory judge Sophie Chan Hin-ki and tea, water and olive-oil sommelier Alky Ma, in collaboration with R&D collective Commons Lab. The signature is a matcha coconut cloud — coconut water crowned with whisked matcha — alongside pour-overs made with Hong Kong roasters. For now it is open weekdays from 9am to 6pm, with mocktails and cocktails planned.
Ditto
A calm, sommelier-led café for people who take their coffee and matcha seriously. Read our full Ditto café guide →
4. Xinjingxi — Tsim Sha Tsui
Beijing's copper-pot hotpot has a second Hong Kong home. Xinjingxi (新京熹), which traces its roots to Beijing's Sanlitun, has opened at H Zentre in Tsim Sha Tsui to join its original Central branch. The draw is old-Beijing instant-boiled lamb — thin-cut slices quick-swished in a clear, aromatic broth and dipped in sesame sauce — served in handmade cloisonné enamel "warm pots" inspired by the Kangxi era.
Xinjingxi 新京熹
A refined, single-broth take on hotpot that is a world away from the fiery Sichuan style. Read our full Xinjingxi guide →
5. Flat Iron Steak — The Langham, TST
Hong Kong's most accessible steakhouse has crossed the harbour. Flat Iron Steak has opened its first Kowloon outlet in the Lower Lobby of The Langham, taking over the hotel's former Main St. Deli. The one-cut format keeps things simple and cheap: the signature Australian Black Angus flat-iron is HK$168 at lunch and HK$238 at dinner, with weekday deals such as Wagyu Monday and half-price Tomahawk Thursday.
Flat Iron Steak (The Langham)
A single-cut steakhouse with triple-cooked chips and unbeatable weekday promotions, now in TST. Read our full Flat Iron Steak guide →
This week's openings at a glance
| Venue | Area | Type | Nearest MTR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke & Barrel | Sai Ying Pun | Texas BBQ & bar | Sai Ying Pun |
| Avalon | Central | Comfort food & wine | Central |
| Ditto | Sai Wan | Coffee & matcha café | HKU |
| Xinjingxi | Tsim Sha Tsui | Beijing hotpot | Tsim Sha Tsui |
| Flat Iron Steak | Tsim Sha Tsui | Steakhouse | Tsim Sha Tsui |
Details verified against official venue sites, SCMP, Tatler Asia, Sassy HK and Foodie. Opening hours can settle in the weeks after launch — confirm before you go.
Where to find more openings
This hit-list is the fast version; the deep dives live elsewhere on the site. For the full month's intake, see our running round-up of new restaurant openings in Hong Kong, and catch up on last month's weekly openings if you missed them. To go deeper on any neighbourhood, our Hong Kong venue directory covers hundreds of restaurants, bars and cafés with new arrivals added all the time.
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Follow our running guide to new restaurant openings in Hong Kong, updated as the city's newest tables land.