Lai Ching Heen

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Jade Jewel Box on Victoria Harbour

Lai Ching Heen has spent four decades earning its place among the world's finest Chinese restaurants. Housed on the ground floor of the Regent Hong Kong in Kowloon, the room was conceived by Hong Kong-based CAP Atelier as a jade jewellery box — and the metaphor is carried through with care: signature jade place settings, layered glass partitions etched with Suzhou-style double-sided embroidered flowers depicting the seasons, and a darkened nook displaying rare Yixing teapots with the quiet reverence of a museum case. Through the windows, Victoria Harbour completes the picture.

The accolades are considerable. Lai Ching Heen holds two MICHELIN Stars in the 2026 Hong Kong & Macau Guide, two Black Pearl Diamonds, and a Forbes Travel Guide Recommended rating — recognition that reflects not a single inspired season but a sustained standard built over decades of Cantonese cooking.

Chef Lau's Kitchen

The heart of the menu is Chef Lau's Signature selection, which draws on the full range of the kitchen's craft: golden crabmeat served in the shell, wok-fried wagyu, and braised whole Japanese abalone. Dim sum at lunch is equally serious — steamed buns filled with cuttlefish or scallops, a crispy lobster ball with black truffle, caramelised turnip cake, and a wok-seared crab claw with crab roe. These are not passing trends but hallmarks of the Lai Ching Heen experience, refined over years.

The Peking duck demands a 24-hour advance order and rewards the planning generously: crispy skin tucked into thin pancakes arrives first, followed by minced duck in lettuce wraps, and finally more minced duck stuffed into tofu sheet rolls — a three-act structure that treats the bird with the attention it deserves.

The Art of Chinese Tea

Cantonese cuisine at this level calls for an equally considered drinks programme, and Lai Ching Heen answers with an impressive tea list overseen by a dedicated tea sommelier. Unusual finds like a Sparkling Golden Oolong with longan honey sit alongside more classical choices, each matched to the dishes on the table. It is one of the more distinctive aspects of the experience — a reminder that the restaurant treats Chinese tea culture as seriously as the food itself.

Private dining rooms are available for those who want the full experience away from the main floor.