Forty-seven floors above Tseung Kwan O, a new rooftop terrace has opened with sunset views over the harbour and a menu built around Italian coastal cooking. Ponentino, the newest restaurant from The Royal Garden Hotel Group, has taken over the top floor of The Royal Garden Kowloon East, bringing Sabatini-style Italian dining to Kowloon East for the first time.
In This Guide
What is Ponentino?
Ponentino (龐特尼諾) opened in July 2026 on the rooftop of The Royal Garden Kowloon East, the Sun Hung Kai-owned hotel formerly known as Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Kowloon East. Rather than a standalone concept, Ponentino is styled as the Royal Garden Hotel Group's "contemporary ode to coastal cuisine," drawing on the enduring appeal of the group's long-running Italian restaurant Sabatini. Executive Chef Joe Wat Kai Chung, whose background includes stints in Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe, leads the kitchen, according to a report from The Loop HK on the opening.
The name nods to "ponente" — Italian for west, and the direction the sun sets — and the restaurant leans into that with an expansive outdoor terrace overlooking Tseung Kwan O. It's a rare rooftop dining option on this side of the harbour, joining the area's small but growing dining scene alongside hotel openings like The Royal Garden Kowloon East itself.
Ponentino (龐特尼諾)
Booking is recommended, particularly for terrace tables around sunset. Contact the restaurant directly at ponentino@rgke.com.hk or call the number above; opening hours had not been fully published at the time of writing, so confirm lunch and dinner sittings when you book.
What's on the menu?
Expect seasonal antipasti, handmade pasta and charcoal-cooked mains built around an ingredient-forward, coastal Italian style. Reported highlights include linguine with Spanish red prawn, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, fig stracciatella, and botan ebi carpaccio finished with salmon roe and caviar. The kitchen offers both a tasting-menu format at lunch and dinner and a more flexible semi-buffet and à la carte selection, alongside an "AI-guided" cocktail pairing gimmick designed to match a bespoke drink to your palate.
Getting to Ponentino
The Royal Garden Kowloon East sits directly above Tseung Kwan O MTR Station on the Tseung Kwan O line, connected via the Popcorn shopping mall, so the walk from the platform is largely indoors and under five minutes. If you're coming from Hong Kong Island or Kowloon, it's a straightforward interchange via Yau Tong. For more of the area's dining options, see our roundups of Hong Kong's best cha chaan teng and the wider restaurants section.
Rooftop dining is still relatively rare outside Hong Kong Island, which makes Ponentino's arrival notable for anyone based in Kowloon East or Sai Kung. Book ahead for sunset sittings, and pair a visit with a stay or spa treatment at The Royal Garden Kowloon East downstairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Book a sunset table
Ponentino is open now on the 47th floor of The Royal Garden Kowloon East — call +852 3983 0638 or email ahead for terrace seating around sunset.