Following the opening of its first location in Central's Exchange Square last December, Rise by Classified has hopped across the harbour for its second location at H Zentre in Tsim Sha Tsui. Apart from the usual line-up of black and white coffee drinks made using Classified's signature house blend by Urban Coffee Roaster, the cafe also offers a range of viennoiseries and French pastries like chocolatines, Paris-Brests and mille-feuilles, as well as the croffle (a hybrid of a croissant and waffle) exclusive to this store only. Protein-infused smoothies and cold-pressed juices are also available for those looking for healthier beverage options.

Rise by Classified, Shop 05, G/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Related: The Peninsula Boutique & Cafe Opens, Offering A Contemporary Alternative To The Historic Afternoon Tea

Taking over the helm of the much-loved Haku, newly-appointed executive chef Rob Drennan is putting his mark on the restaurant with a new seasonal omakase menu for the summer. Trained by way of three-Michelin-starred Oslo restaurant Maaemo and progressive Portland, Oregon restaurant Castagna, the Oklahoma native is staying true to Haku's ethos of contemporary omakase that blends diverse global influences, as expressed in new dishes such as Japanese fish soup served with asparagus, radish, and curry leaf oil; lobster with salmon roe, smoked fennel, and tomato; and Kagoshima A4 wagyu with tamarind and sweet potato. The dishes will change constantly with the season to ensure the optimal freshness of each ingredient. The 11-course menu is priced at HK$1,880 per person and comes with two optional wine pairings.

Haku, Shop OT G04B, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong; +852 2115 9965

Famed for its elevated Cantonese cuisine and Joyce Wang-designed interiors, Central mainstay Mott 32 is shining the spotlight on its three in-house wine experts this season with the introduction of the Sommelier Sessions. Slated to take place every Monday and Tuesday evening, the sessions will allow diners to enjoy a 50 percent discount on a selection of bottles from the restaurant’s wine list, with the guidance of the restaurant's three sommeliers: Noma and El Bulli alum Marie-Paule Herman, Hong Kong-born Ben Mok and long-term staffer Rin Mohamad. 

The sessions will also allow the sommeliers to draw the attention of diners towards different producers and grape varietals, such as in June when the restaurant celebrates Wines of Germany's Riesling Weeks, where four Rieslings will be offered by the glass and by the bottle.

“We’ve put together a carefully curated wine list at Mott 32, and the Sommelier Sessions is a chance for diners to taste a of few of these and explore how they enhance our food,” says Herman. “Pairing Chinese food and wine is a challenging art, but incredibly rewarding when a customer values my recommendations and feels my information is useful," continues Mok.

Sommelier Sessions are available at Mott 32 from 6pm-10pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and applies to all wine bottles up to HK$2,000. 

Mott 32, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4A Des Voeux Road Central, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2885 8688

See also: How To Drink More Consciously In The Age Of Covid-19

A 15-year veteran of the culinary trade, Julien Gourmelon has joined Island Shangri-La as the executive pastry chef. Holding qualifications in chocolaterie and pastry-making, Gourmelon has notched his experience at Kerry Hotel and Aberdeen Marina Club in Hong Kong, and before that, at The Dorchestor and Ladurée in London. To mark the occasion, Gourmelon is unveiling 12 new cake creations available from the Island Shangri-La's Island Gourmet patisserie. These range from the puff pastry-based Saint Honoré Mocha chocolate sponge cake and the Clementine Mont Blanc almond sponge cake, to the Mango Coconut cake, comprising of aromatic mango jelly, coconut mousse and coconut dacquoise—all of which are available in pastry format, too.

Island Gourmet, Level 5, Island Shangri-La, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Admiralty, Hong Kong; +852 2820 8550

Ever popular for its handmade pasta and agreeable prices, Pici has opened up its sixth and newest branch in Kennedy Town. This latest addition joins existing locations in Central, Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui, Lai Chi Kok, and Sha Tin, as well as two delivery kitchens in Quarry Bay and Wong Chuk Hang, all of which serve almost 2,000 guests daily. Mirroring the neighbourhood-friendly design of the original flagship on Star Street, the Kennedy Town location opens up to the street with its large French windows, allowing guests to be seated both indoors and out. Alongside longtime favourites like orecchiete ‘nduja, hand-cut pappardelle lamb ragu, and cacio e pepe, Pici Kennedy Town will also feature a new exclusive dish, the ravioli codfish with capers, olives, and silky potato mousse.

Pici, G/F, 45-55 Cadogan Street, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong

Related: Grain, A New Beer Hall By Gweilo Beer, Takes Over The Former Little Creatures Space In Kennedy Town

• The Best Restaurants To See And Be Seen During Art Basel Hong Kong 2021
• Chaat's 'Cook For India' Charity Dinner Brings Together Hong Kong's Leading Indian Chefs For A Great Cause
• Man Wah’s Wong Wing-Keung On Why Young Ginger Is An Oft-Overlooked Local Delicacy
• Graham St Food Hall, The Latest In Hong Kong's Trend Of Millennial-Oriented Food Courts, Opens
• Sézanne And Maison Marunouchi By Ex-Belon Chef Daniel Calvert To Open In Tokyo This June