Catharina Cheung
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i write things and order too much food. section editor at @timeouthk | previously @journoresources, @bustle, @localiiz | catharina.cheung@timeout.com
Articles by Catharina Cheung
The Peninsula Sunset Cocktail Cruise returns for a beautiful way to enjoy Victoria Harbour at golden hour
When you pair the natural beauty of golden hour with Hong Kong’s internationally iconic harbourfront cityscape, it’s always going to be an unbeatable combination. The Peninsula Hong Kong is taking the enjoyment of Victoria Harbour to the next level with the return of their Sunset Cocktail Cruise and the Peninsula Afternoon Tea on the Harbour.
The new Huanggang Port checkpoint opens with a joint clearance system and new bus routes
Arguably the worst parts about making a trip up to mainland China from Hong Kong are the long slog through the unnecessarily large checkpoint spaces and queuing up to go through immigration twice. Shenzhen daytrippers will be glad to know that things have now been streamlined with the opening of the new Huanggang Port on October 12.
The new Huanggang Port checkpoint opens with a joint clearance system and new bus routes
Hong Kong 2 hours ago Hong Kong police ramp up investigation into Anita Mui’s missing ashes with unit upgrade South China Morning Post - Simpson Cheung • 2h Hong Kong police have stepped up their investigation into the disappearance of the ashes of late Cantopop diva Anita Mui Yim-fong by committing more … Finance 2 hours ago Jardine Matheson Takes Full Control of Gammon Construction Bloomberg - By Dong Cao • 2h Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. took full control of Gammon Construction Ltd.
Ladies Who Pink Vol. 6: Fight Like a Girl
In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this charity bar takeover is back for its sixth edition, and officially moving to The Pontiac. Expect a lineup of the city’s best female bartending talents, including Nishma from Socio, Katherine Leung from Crushed, Crystal from Snack Baby, Nic Ho from Dead Poets, Chloe Rose from Call Me Al, and Yuki Leung of HK Bar Guide.
Feuille’s new head chef revamps its nature-inspired fine-dining menu
For some reason, there’s a common misconception that French fine-dining destination Feuille is a vegetarian restaurant. Their previous plant-driven dishes may have contained a surprising amount of green – both the colour and the leaves – but Feuille has never been just about vegetarianism or veganism, and new head chef Léo Daull’s menu changes narratives for good.
Museum of Illusions brings infinity mirrors, vortex tunnels, optical illusions, and more to Hong Kong
If you haven’t made your way up to The Peak for a while now, there will soon be a fantastic reason to do so: the Museum of Illusions is opening in Hong Kong. This brand-new entertainment destination marks the museum’s biggest location in the Asia region, with over 11,000 sq ft to play around in.
Swim Club bar at Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui
Head up to the 50th floor of the Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong for a taste of Southern California, right here in Hong Kong. Swim Club is the hotel’s rooftop bar with an indoor area that is all warm terracotta and tiles, while the outdoor pool is circled with plush deck chairs. It’s perfect for some laid-back tanning by day, followed by sultry drinks by night, sometimes bolstered by live DJ sets.
Standard Chartered Arts in the Park returns next month for its biggest edition yet
Hong Kong’s annual outdoor youth arts festival, the Standard Chartered Arts in the Park, has confirmed its return to Causeway Bay in November. This year, the carnival will be themed after fairytales and we can’t wait to see magical characters from our cherished childhood tales take over the streets.
Bar Leone is crowned the World’s Best Bar for the second year in a row
There was a bit of a furore among the F&B and hospitality industry in July when the results of the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list dropped and Hong Kong’s Bar Leone, which won the title of the World’s Best Bar in 2025, slipped slightly down the list to third place – but our city has come out swinging once again, as Bar Leone has just been named the World’s Best Bar for the second year in a row! The 18th edition of The 50 Best Bars’ live awards ceremony was held in Milan on October 7, with a list...
Clockenflap confirms Hayley Williams, Keshi, Slowdive, Queens of the Stone Age, and more for the 2026 lineup
As we edge closer to the end of the year, there always comes a growing swell of excitement for the arrival of our large-scale music and culture festival Clockenflap.
MGM Reserve Zhuhai review: Find a luxurious garden mansion escape just under two hours away from Hong Kong
When Hongkongers think of going up to mainland China, we tend to immediately envision huge malls that take hours to shop through, restaurants with prices at a fraction of Hong Kong’s menu listings, and cheap massages all day – in other words, all city-based activities. We don’t usually consider our neighbouring Chinese cities in the Greater Bay Area when it comes to quiet retreats, but in nearby Zhuhai, there is definitely one such urban oasis that’s perfect for unwinding in nature.
New Central bar Patina merges three nightlife concepts into one venue
While the Central and Soho nightlife district couldn’t be easier for bar and club hopping, there’s something to be said about staying in a single venue that you don’t even feel the need to leave because the experience stays fresh. Central’s newest bar addition Patina is designed as a multi-concept destination that combines three bar experiences into one space.
Sincere Department Store to close down their century-old Central location in December
In a fast-paced city like Hong Kong where businesses seem to change up every time you walk down the street, it’s rare for a shop to keep their foothold long enough to be considered historic, but Sincere Department Store is one such name. Unfortunately, this century-old brand, one of Hong Kong’s oldest department chains, has announced that it will close its Central store at the end of 2026.
The Big Picnic festival returns to Discovery Bay next month after seven years away
After wrapping up for a long seven years, Discovery Bay’s music festival The Big Picnic is returning to treat Hongkongers to a full day of live music performances, drinks at a beach bar, food vendors, and a market full of creative goods. For 11 straight hours on Saturday, November 21, festival-goers can chill on the beach, dance to music, take it easy with food and drinks, do some early Christmas shopping, or all the above in one convenient location.
M+ explores 200 years of Asian fantasy and pre-modern mythology in their newest exhibition
Fantasy and folklore has always been central to cultures all over the world, but any Hayao Miyazaki fan will be able to tell you that Asian fantasy is a whole other beast that has had a major global impact on visual culture. M+ is soon unveiling a special exhibition that explores the role of fantasy in Asia against the shifting socio-political realities of the past two centuries, and how artists have been using contemporary visual culture to navigate the times they live in.
The Big Picnic festival returns to Discovery Bay next month after seven years away
1 day ago It's easy to take nature for granted when you're lucky enough to be surrounded by it. But for those living in the big city, green spaces aren't always so easy to find. Even when you make it to the local park, it seems like half the city had the same idea, and dreams of a peaceful escape soon …
The CCDF 2026 is back bigger and better to tackle the concept of linear time
Time is such an inescapable part of existence that it’s easy to not think about, marked only by the sun’s rising and setting and the minutiae of our daily routines. But how we experience time can open up a lot of interesting debates and imaginations, and this grey area is what the City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) is attempting to explore with their dance festival this year.
Four Hong Kong bars have been named in the global 50 Best Bars 2026 list
Ahead of the World’s 50 Best Bars 2026 rankings being unveiled in Milan on October 7, The 50 (formerly known as 50 Best) has dropped the extended list of global bars ranked 51 to 100 – and four Hong Kong watering holes have made the cut. Our highest entry on the extended list is Coa at No. 54, which is an agave haven that needs no introduction for lovers of tequila and mezcal.
Ne-Yo and Meovv to headline the Spooky Halloween music carnival this year
Hong Kong’s first-ever carnival that melds scares and tunes is back for its second edition this year! Spooky Halloween 2026 returns to the waterfront in Wan Chai for three nights, with a line-up of talents performing on a stage with classic Hong Kong neon and retro lighting. Look out for cool installations like a towering nine-metre Colossal Titan from Attack on Titan, Godzilla, and plenty of custom giant inflatables.
Four Hong Kong bars have been named in the global 50 Best Bars 2026 list
World News Now Djokovic defeats top seed Zverev to reach China Open semifinals Al Jazeera - By Reuters • 48m Novak Djokovic to face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals in Beijing after the Russian defeats Francisco Cerundolo.
Gossip cocktail club launches a new menu perfect for spilling the tea over
Cocktail bar-nightclub hybrid Gossip may be a popular spot for weekend dancing, but we hope you haven’t been too busy during your visits to try their drinks because they’re not just one of those clubs serving boring mixers and shots. Their whole deal is that quality cocktails come first; they just also happen to open up a banging dance floor.
Ocean Park celebrates Halloween with thrilling scares and a spooky Jackson Wang collab
If you actively enjoy horror movies and jump scares, then Ocean Park’s Halloween festivities will just right up your alley. From now until November 1, the entire park has been transformed into a dark playground of terrifying sensory experiences with scares around each corner that will send your pulse racing or freeze the blood in your veins in turn. Head to Thrill Mountain to find the Under the Castle Haunted Experience, created in collaboration with Jackson Wang’s original fantasy IP.
Ciao! Gelato Fest 2026
Hong Kong’s largest gelato market has taken over PMQ, with 20 brand stalls bringing together artisanal gelato crafted by master gelatiers from Hong Kong, Macau, Italy, and Portugal. This edition debuts over 30 event-exclusive and brand-new gelato flavors, so have fun ordering cup after cup. Interesting treats include Kai’s Gourmet caviar gelato, garlic and cilantro flavours from Dino Gelato, and The Frozen Club x Kwan Hong Bakery’s Hong Kong-style French toast gelato.
Y2K Junk Party
Say goodbye to the summer by hopping onto this party across two boats decked out in your best Y2K look – we’re talking cargo pants, mini skirts, and possibly even a Juicy Couture velour tracksuit. The same fashion rules apply to swimwear so there’ll probably be plenty of halter necks and bandeau tops. DJ Crystal will be spinning a mix of the biggest names from 2000s airwaves such as Britney Spears, Rihanna, and Destiny’s Child, while Y2K props will be dotted around the junk for photo opps.
Disgusting Food Museum
Hailing from Malmö in Sweden, this museum famously gathers over 80 of the world’s most polarising foods for your multi-sensory (dis)pleasure. Expect a real assault on your senses with a combination of real foods, models, photo and video archives, scent installations, and interactive displays.
Hong Kong cigarette packaging will no longer show branding and colours from March 2027
In an attempt to decrease the appeal of smoking, the Hong Kong government has announced earlier this month that cigarettes will all adopt uniform packaging from March 2027 onwards. Brand logos, signature colours, and other defining physical features of different tobacco designs will be eliminated to ensure that there is no design element that holds appeal to smokers.
‘Hamilton’ the musical might be coming to Hong Kong on tour
Theatre kids, we might be getting ahead of ourselves but how can we be calm when there’s a possibility of Hamilton coming to our shores?? Eagle-eyed netizens have spotted that Crossroads Live UK, who are general managing the Hamilton World Tour, have posted a job listing for automation, lighting, and wig roles for the musical’s multi-year world tour.
This Y2K junk brings a full day of partying to Hong Kong in October
We’ve been going to a fair few Y2K parties at Aer over the past few months, but there’s now an elevated version from Midnight Espresso and The Blended Agency. For the first time ever, we’re getting a full day of partying in low-rise jeans, double denim, and trucker hats while Justin Timberlake blasts over the speakers.
Bar Leone’s Lorenzo Antinori and Justin Shun Wah are opening a new bar in Rosewood Hong Kong
Okay, we had heard about this back in August and were going to break the news in our upcoming Time Out Bar Guide 2026, but the cat’s out of the bag now! The great minds behind successful watering holes Bar Leone and Montana are cooking up something new – they’re opening a new bar in Rosewood Hong Kong. Bar entrepreneurs Lorenzo Antinori and Justin Shun Wah are working on a brand-new concept that will take over the space where XX used to be.
Alo Yoga opens Hong Kong’s first flagship store at K11 Musea
You may remember earlier this year when the city’s yoga-loving crowd were all buzzing about Alo opening in Hong Kong. Well, the LA-based fashion and lifestyle brand has finally reached our shores, unveiling its first Hong Kong store in K11 Musea. This flagship is massive, taking over the space that used to house Fortnum & Mason, which means more than 7,000 sq ft across two floors with a fantastic view of Victoria Harbour.
WestK Picnic Fest
Launching for the first time this year, the Harbourside East Lawn will be taken over by al fresco fun over four consecutive weekends, conveniently spanning the Mid-Autumn Festival, Golden Week, and the Hong Kong Cyclothon. 16 vendors will offer food and drinks, ranging from Lau Kee Boat Noodles, Asian-French from Pano, vegan and vegetarian fare from Play with Years and Yau Veggie Truck, to coffee from Cupping Room.
The Good Bottle Club: Catena Zapata
Don Pedrop has recently launched The Good Bottle Club, a recurring dinner series built around an invited sommelier or a standout winery. The idea is for each featured winery or sommelier to share their favourite wines, while the kitchen whips up a five-course menu to match the bottles. The first dinner will highlight Catena Zapata, Argentina’s oldest family-run winery that was named the World’s Most Admired Wine Brand 2025 by Drinks International.
Urban Brew Summit
For two weekends, The Mills is bringing together over 50 standout coffee brands from Japan and Hong Kong. The exclusive Overseas Coffee Experience Zone spotlights 11 premier independent roasters and specialty coffee spots from across Japan.
Michelin Keys 2026 awards 10 hotels in Hong Kong and nine in Macau
Several of our cityβs hotels shone brightly during the second edition of Michelin Keys, collecting keys like restaurants collecting stars. 10 Hong Kong hotels were listed, as were nine hotels in our neighbouring Macau, totalling one more property between the two cities than last yearβs list. Rosewood Hong Kong has retained its three-key status, making it the only three-key hotel in Hong Kong.
Urban Brew Summit brings global coffee brands under one roof at The Mills
Caffeine fiends, we have a weekend activity you’ll love! For two weekends, The Mills is collaborating with BGBMHK again to present the Urban Brew Summit, bringing together over 50 standout coffee brands from Japan and Hong Kong. The exclusive Overseas Coffee Experience Zone spotlights 11 premier independent roasters and specialty coffee spots from across Japan – spanning Tokyo, Kyoto, Okinawa’s Iriomote Island, Hayama in Kanagawa, Yokohama, and Kanazawa.
Disney Halloween Time brings wicked fun, new shows, and fresh characters to Hong Kong Disneyland
If you’re not up for squeezing among the hordes of costumed revellers near LKF nor having the bejeesus scared out of you at haunted houses, perhaps Hong Kong Disneyland provides a nice alternative this Halloween. From the looks of the giant Mickey pumpkin head at the park entrance and Maleficent’s dragon breathing smoke at Castle Hub, Disney is not playing about spooky season, but they’re still keeping things fun.
Don Pedro creates The Good Bottle Club dinner series to spotlight amazing wines and makers
Don Pedro may be a steakhouse, but if you’ve dined there or even peeked through the window you’ll know that the wine here is just as important to them as the steak. That’s why they’ve recently launched The Good Bottle Club, a recurring dinner series built around an invited sommelier or a standout winery, with pours paired with each course. The idea is for each featured winery or sommelier to share their favourite wines, while the kitchen whips up a five-course menu to match the bottles.
Enjoy four weekends of outdoor picnics with the WestK Picnic Fest
With the weather finally cooling down a tad, we can actually hang around outdoors in Hong Kong without melting into a puddle. Autumn is the perfect time to sprawl out on a nice warm patch of grass with snacks and a good book, and the West Kowloon Cultural District is making the most of it with the WestK Picnic Fest.
The best things to do in Hong Kong this week (September 21-27)
The city’s crowd-favourite mid-week party, Happy Wednesday, is back and better than ever this month. On September 16, international songstress Natalia D will deliver back-to-back renditions of chart-topping songs, followed by powerhouse vocalist Rechelle Mansour, who will wrap up the Fashion Wednesdays series with a spectacular performance on September 23.
The Disgusting Food Museum comes to Hong Kong with over 80 gross foods from all over the world
When a museum hands you a vomit bag along with your entry ticket, you know things are going to be seriously gross – and if that tickles your fancy, then the Disgusting Food Museum is definitely for you! Hailing from Malmö in Sweden, this museum famously gathers over 80 of the world’s most polarising foods for your multi-sensory (dis)pleasure. Expect a real assault on your senses with a combination of real foods, models, photo and video archives, scent installations, and interactive displays.
Chill Hill serves up froyo inside a self-service coin laundry shop
There must be something about watching clothes spin in a self-service laundry shop that makes you want to get on with doing something else, because how else do you explain the fact that we have a bar hidden behind a laundromat and what used to be one of the best cafés in Sai Ying Pun (RIP Clean) also coexisting with a laundry shop? Here’s another dual-concept to add to the list, as Chill Hill opens as a frozen yoghurt store tucked inside a coin-operated laundromat.
Your complete schedule for Negroni Week in Hong Kong and Macau
If you don’t like Negronis, close this tab because you don’t belong here! This month sees the return of the 14th edition of Negroni Week, featuring a global series of events in bars and restaurants that is the most extensive programme to date. Acclaimed bartenders from globally recognised bars will be doing guest shifts, collaborations, and exclusive events across Asia, and Hong Kong, along with our sister SAR Macau, is of course on the schedule.
Soho’s hidden ‘sul jib’ alcohol house Obp closes to close permanently on September 19
For six years, foodies and drinkers in the know have been ducking into a dodgy alley along Old Bailey Street to get to Obp, a casual spot for plenty of soju, beer, and Korean bites. However, those times are coming to an end as staff have confirmed the eatery’s imminent closure this month. Obp’s final day of service will be on Saturday, September 19, so pop by one last time to enjoy mandu dumplings, their crispy-bottomed ChiBap rice pot, and plenty of soju before they shutter for good.
Pour for Nepal Charity Guest Shift at Gossip
Bar-nightclub hybrid Gossip is hosting a one-night-only charity guest shift to raise funds in response to the devastating floods that swept through parts of Nepal, leaving more than 1,400 dead with over 6,000 still missing even after three weeks.
G-Dragon collaborates with McDonald’s to launch a new Gochujang Butter series
Ahead of BigBang’s upcoming world tour concert in Hong Kong, fans in the city can already get a taste of G-Dragon with his brand-new collaboration with McDonald’s. The Korean musician is launching this time-limited menu and periphery merchandise across 13 markets in Asia, and for the first time ever, Hong Kong will get our drop at the same time as the launch in South Korea. Starting from September 17, a new series of Korean-inspired food items will be available at McDonald’s across Hong Kong.
No Curfew: Riot Act Edition
No Curfew Club is back with a night for the revival of punk rock and we’re already shaking. Each hour of the event will focus on a different genre to cater to everyone’s mood.
Negroni Week 2026
Zuma will be hosting a double guest shift on September 21, with a Negroni Week opening party helmed by Matteo Cadeddu from Opium Bangkok (recently named No. 25 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026) and Michele Montauti, director of beverage and bars at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok. The speakeasy-style Opium is no stranger to guest shifts in our city, always serving liquid hits, but this is a great chance to also try drinks from Bangkok’s ultra-luxurious Aman Nai Lert hotel and residences.
Wan Chai’s Starstreet Precinct is officially one of world’s coolest neighbourhoods
A truly cool neighbourhood is one that feels alive, with an ease that’s unmanufactured, a sense of the local spirit and culture, while still containing great things to see, eat, and enjoy. Sounds like a tall order? Not according to global travel experts! Time Out gathers a worldwide network of people who know their stuff in their respective cities, and gets their opinions on what they think the best city of the year is.
Rosewood Hong Kong wins No. 1 in The 50 Best Hotels 2026 for the second year in a row
They’ve done it again: Rosewood Hong Kong just got ranked No. 1 at The 50 Best Hotels 2026 awards ceremony in Paris, holding onto its crown for the second consecutive year. For those who might be slightly confused, this awards list was renamed from what was previously known as The World’s 50 Best Hotels, as the hospitality media company rebrands itself from 50 Best to simply The 50.
What you need to know about BigBang’s 2026 XX: Cosmos concerts in Hong Kong
OG K-pop fans will have been eagerly awaiting news ever since it was announced that BigBang will be coming to Hong Kong in concert later this year. Since this year celebrates the second-generation K-pop music act’s 20th anniversary, read on for everything you need to know about their concert here. When and where are BigBang’s Hong Kong concerts? Hong Kong is getting three nights with G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung. They will be performing at the Kai Tak Stadium on November 13 to 15.
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