24 hours in Hong Kong: Fiona Xie and Loui Lim discover the city’s best culinary and cultural gems

The dynamic duo answer the city’s beckon once more and, together with Tatler, embark on a whirlwind 24‑hour jaunt across Hong Kong to rediscover the best it has to offer.

Hong Kong is a charming place of contrasts: where East meets West, bustling local markets are nestled amidst towering skyscrapers, and neon‑lit streets coexist with serene parks. This mesmerising mosaic of contradictions is the very thing that draws visitors from every corner of the globe—especially those seeking a taste of the arts and culture. 

This is on full display at K11 Musea, one of the city’s glitziest malls located at Victoria Dockside. Blurring the lines between shopping, art and culture, it has contemporary art pieces, conceptual cafés, a rooftop farm and even a biodiversity museum scattered throughout its 1.2‑million‑square‑foot space.

K11 Musea is Xie and Lim’s first stop of the day, where they spend a leisurely morning admiring the mall’s arresting centrepiece: a 10‑metre‑wide spherical chamber, christened the Gold Ball, made up of triangular lattices with carved glass panels and set with LED lights. Xie also makes a detour at the MoMA Design Store—the largest one in Asia—to check out its arresting array of artsy homeware, design books and quirky curios. On her shopping list? The Andy Warhol skateboard decks featuring the iconic Campbell Soup motifs, which will make “awesome gifts” for her art-loving friends, as well the MoMA edition sweatshirts by Champion in a kaleidoscope of hues.

Next on their itinerary is M+, Hong Kong’s global museum dedicated to the visual culture of the 20th and 21st centuries. At this museum for aesthetes with specially designed interactive spaces and experiences at every turn, our dynamic duo enjoys an afternoon of artful discovery. 

Some of the exhibitions and installations they visit include Things, Spaces, Interactions, a presentation of some 500 design and architecture objects that have impacted the world over the past 70 years, and Yayoi Kusama’s Dots Obsession—Aspiring to Heaven’s Love, an immersive mirrored space decked in the artist’s signature polka dots.

Located a stone’s throw away is the Hong Kong Palace Museum, a stunning edifice perched on the western tip of the West Kowloon Cultural District. It is home to more than 900 priceless treasures on loan from Beijing’s Palace Museum, along with art and other fine objects from around the world. 

There, the duo take their time exploring the sprawling site—from the towering ceilings of the three atriums to the From Dawn to Dusk: Life in the Forbidden City exhibition, which offers a glimpse into court life in the 18th century. 

“Finally, we get to eat!” exclaims Lim as he and Xie meander through the crowd at the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, an annual celebration of epicurean delights held across four days around October every year. The 2023 edition had more than 300 booths featuring food, wine and spirits from all over the world—including Japanese sakes and French wines—as well as programmes such as cocktail masterclasses, culinary showcases and exclusive tasting menus. 

Mood buoyed by the delectable wines and cocktails, the pair then head to dinner at the one‑Michelin‑starred Tirpse, which serves French‑Japanese cuisine made with seasonal ingredients and a delicate Eastern touch. There, they tuck into the signature seven‑course dinner, featuring finely crafted plates—from uni to crab, caviar and Ōmi Wagyu—complemented with a selection of Japanese sake and wines.

Gazing out once again at Victoria Harbour—this time ablaze with twinkling lights—Lim and Xie take in the beauty of the city and reflect on the day they've had. From cultural expeditions to shopping jaunts and exploring the best gastronomic delights of the city, their 24 hours in Hong Kong was brief yet certainly action-packed.

“Hong Kong has so many diverse experiences that simply cannot be recreated anywhere else,” Lim says. Xie echoes his sentiment: “This city is a kaleidoscope of unique experiences. The intricate tapestry of history, progress and culture makes it a simply unparalleled destination.” 

The 413‑key Rosewood Hong Kong is a beacon of luxury and tranquillity in the heart of the Victoria Dockside arts and design district. Designed to resemble an aristocratic manor, it offers guests a five‑star experience with exceptional facilities—its 25-metre-long outdoor infinity pool with spectacular sunrise and sunset views comes to mind—and 12 restaurants and bars. 

Notably, The Legacy House, which pays homage to Cheng Yu‑Tung, patriarch of the Rosewood Hotel Group’s Cheng family, is a fine example of refined Cantonese cuisine. It is helmed by executive chef Li Chi Wai, who employs farm‑fresh ingredients to create a delicate balance of taste and texture.

Also worth a mention is DarkSide, which made the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list for three consecutive years. The parlour is a sophisticated throwback to the good ol’ days with a menu of rare aged spirits, classic cocktails and vintage cigars, as well as live jazz.