Working closely with Yenn Wong, the Italian chef’s first solo restaurant follows shortly after a months-long pop-up at Tatler Dining Kitchen
Having helmed the inaugural chapter at Tatler Dining Kitchen from March to mid-May, Italian chef Antimo Maria Merone has opened Estro, his first solo restaurant in collaboration with Yenn Wong of Jia Group. Taking its name from the Italian word for 'inspiration', Estro is can be found just one floor below Duddell's in a space designed by André Fu to be reflective of a Neapolitan luxury salotto (drawing room).
Arriving in Hong Kong in 2012 to work alongside chef Philippe Leveille of the highly regarded L’Altro, Merone moved to Macau in 2014 to open 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Macau with Umberto Bombana. After a six-year stint in which he led the restaurant to its first Michelin star, Merone returned to Hong Kong amid the pandemic last year to develop the concept for Estro.
While Merone's creations at Tatler Dining Kitchen explored the intersection of Italian cooking with both Chinese and Japanese cuisines, his launch menu at Estro is unapologetically Italian—specifically, an ode to his hometown of Napoli and its storied local flavours.
See also: A Taste Of Home: Restaurateur Yenn Wong’s Top Spots For The Local Singaporean Fare She Loves