The World’s Most Beautiful Cities for Culinary Excellence | Part Two

Hong Kong's towering skyscrapers rise dramatically from Victoria Harbour, creating a glittering metropolis framed by verdant mountains. This former British colony's unique position as Asia's financial gateway has attracted world-class chefs who blend authentic Cantonese traditions with international techniques.

Just across the Pearl River Delta in Macau, 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana has earned one Michelin star. Opened in 2015, it's the third location of Bombana's 8½ Otto e Mezzo concept. Chef Marino D'Antonio hails from the same hometown as the eatery's founder, Umberto Bombana—Bergamo, a city in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.

Bombana is known as "The King of White Truffles" for his innovative use of the ingredient. The restaurant's classical Italian approach—built around premium ingredients and a strong pasta course—has been a through-line of its award-winning cuisine for more than a decade. The bread basket, with its artisanal focaccia, is worth lingering over. A tasting menu centers around Sicilian cuisine and hand-rolled pasta. Other favorites mentioned by Forbes Travel Guide include a tartare served with a basil emulsion and oscietra caviar, or homemade tagliatelle paired with a bright mushroom and herb sauce.

The 5,000-square-foot restaurant is located inside the Galaxy Macau Phase II development. Sparkling abstract chandeliers hover over white linen tablecloths and bright red seating in a smaller room, while blue seating defines the larger dining room. On the walls: artworks by the Italian Gianluca Miniaci along the themes of love, life and passion.

Caprice has held three Michelin stars for numerous years as of the 2026 Guide, making it one of Hong Kong's most consistently decorated French restaurants. Located in the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, the restaurant is led by Executive Chef Guillaume Galliot.

One of Chef Galliot's defining dishes is a cold starter of Alaskan king crab with crustacean jelly and Osciètre Prestige caviar. The caviar's accent—briny, buttery, faintly nutty—pairs well with the silky, cool jelly and the firm, nearly springy bite of the king crab. Overall, expect premium imported ingredients and classic French technique with occasional global touches folded in.

The wine program is a considerable draw on its own. Senior Sommelier Floriane Hureau oversees more than 1,200 labels. Her pairing work earned her the Michelin Guide's Sommelier Award in 2026.

The dining room combines clean, tailored materials with an exposed kitchen, giving the space an approachable look and feel. Large windows bring in Victoria Harbour light, especially during weekend lunch seatings. Next door, a connected wine bar gives guests a place to extend the evening with a curated aged cheese selection and additional pairing options.

Lung King Heen made history in 2009 as the first Chinese restaurant to receive the Michelin Guide's maximum three-star rating, which it retained until 2023, when it was awarded two stars. The restaurant sits inside the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, where Executive Chinese Chef Chan Yan-tak has built a reputation for exquisite seafood and dim sum. Reviewers consistently single out the dim sum service and the restaurant's soups as highlights.

"Lung King Heen" translates roughly as "View of the Dragon," a reference to the harbour panorama that the dining room was built around. The crowd is mixed, and includes local families, business clientele, and travelers.

Recent reviews point to a combination platter of crispy suckling pig, roasted goose, and barbecue pork as a current favorite, alongside dim sum items like baked whole abalone puff with diced chicken. The crispy suckling pig is all about contrast, the skin roasted to a delicate crunch. The flavor is rich and faintly sweet from the glaze. Diners describe the overall cooking as understated rather than showy. The ingredients speak for themselves, without fancy plating tricks.

Some recent reviewers have also noted the menu has narrowed over time and prices have risen, with a few older favorites dropped in recent years, so it's worth checking the current menu directly before finalizing any specific dish list.

The interior is subdued, bowing to the spectacular Victoria Harbour views. The refined dining room pairs dark woods with mauve accents and contemporary furnishings.

Abu Dhabi's gleaming towers rise from the Persian Gulf, marked by landmarks like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque's pristine white domes. For nearly a decade, the Louvre Abu Dhabi's geometric dome has appeared to float above the water. As the UAE's oil-rich capital and cultural hub, the city has attracted internationally renowned chefs who blend traditional Emirati flavors with global culinary techniques.

Erth, meaning "legacy," explores the region's deep culinary heritage through contemporary techniques and presentation.

Erth sits within the Al Hosn cultural district in the shadow of the historic Qasr Al Hosn, a gleaming white building that began as a 1761 watchtower. The setting reinforces the restaurant's bent for storytelling: dining alongside historic buildings dating to the emirate's pre-oil era, while the kitchen reinterprets the dishes of that period.

The food is "anchored firmly in Emirati traditions," according to the Michelin Guide. It made history in December 2023 as the first restaurant serving Emirati cuisine to earn a Michelin star; it has retained the star through 2026. That's a rare feat for a cuisine that Michelin has noted was, until recently, "a best-kept secret."

The kitchen is led by executive chef Arivu Ravikkumar. Dishes reported during recent visits include a beetroot and chami salad (a traditional Emirati cheese made from buttermilk), as well as seasonal vegetable margouga (a comforting Arab stew), Al Ain Hewar meatballs, and an Emirati ghee chicken Salona. Menus are seasonal and change with what local farms are producing.

For the decor, expect polished concrete and handcrafted furniture as well as a modern majlis. The eatery is built across different levels with the added intrigue of sunken seating, patterned carpets, luxurious drapes, and a palette ranging from soft brown to beige.

99 Sushi Bar brings the artistry of Japanese sushi to Abu Dhabi, offering an authentic omakase experience. The restaurant, a Michelin Guide Selected establishment, focuses on premium seafood and meticulous preparation. Its sushi creations have earned widespread acclaim among critics and diners.

The restaurant is located on Level 1 of The Galleria at the Four Seasons Hotel Al Maryah Island. Don't expect a minimalist experience, decor-wise. Hints of glamor can be found in gold detailing that contrasts with the black interior, along with velvet Chesterfield couches.

The intimate counter seating allows diners to observe the skilled craftsmanship of the sushi chefs. 99 Sushi Bar is known for its 99 Jewel sushi (toro, akami, and black truffle). It is topped with beluga caviar and set with an edible gold leaf. The truffle layers in an aromatic earthiness against the toro and akami. The dish perfectly reflects the restaurant's high-glamour aesthetic. Seasonal tasting menus are largely created around fresh fish and rice dishes.

Hakkasan Abu Dhabi combines the mainstays of modern Cantonese cuisine with the restaurant group's elegant atmosphere. The restaurant was the first Hakkasan location to open in the Middle East, arriving in 2010 as part of a global brand founded in London in 2001.

The Michelin-star restaurant's striking interior design includes carved lattice screens made of American red oak and embroidered furniture. The main dining area is surrounded by backlit blue glass outlined with a stainless-steel frame. It's a bold look, but also manages to be cozy. Outside, a 108-seat terrace overlooks the grounds of Emirates Palace, one of the best views in the city.

The Saturday dim sum lunch is named the "Cantonese Treasure"—for the gold-leaf har gau (steamed shrimp dumplings). Other choices include scallop chicken shui mai, Alaskan king crab dumplings and Szechuan-style wontons.

London's architectural tapestry spans centuries, from the medieval Tower of London and Westminster Abbey to the modern Shard and the London Eye. This historic capital's position as a global financial center and cultural hub has attracted world-renowned chefs. They honor British culinary traditions while pioneering inventive techniques.

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea has maintained its three Michelin stars for a quarter of a century; it's one of the longest-running three-star restaurants in Britain. The location is Chef Ramsay's flagship and his first wholly owned restaurant, established in 1998.

The restaurant's look has evolved over the decades. An early refurbishment in 2006 was costly and moved the space toward a neutral palette of white and caramel hues. An Art Deco redesign by Fabled Studio was unveiled in 2013 using a palette of pale grey and lilac. The intimate 45-seat dining room is slightly moody with soft lighting, with crisp white linens adding polish.

Chef Kim Ratcharoen's menu centers on elevated modern French cuisine framed by seasonal ingredients. Many single out the lobster ravioli and roast veal sweetbread. Expect thin, delicate egg pasta meant to nearly blend into the filling—a rich, sweet-savory and luxurious taste built around indulgence and comfort. The roast veal sweetbread has a crisp and caramelized outside from searing and roasting with a soft, nearly custard-like interior. The flavor: faintly nutty and mild, paired with a delicate texture.

This three-Michelin-starred restaurant reopened in February 2022 after a two-year pandemic closure and regained its stars in 2023 before being promoted to three stars in 2024.

Located on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, The Ledbury was redesigned by designer Rose Murray, creating an airy space of organic, sculptural forms. A centerpiece wall made from mycelium, a fungus-based material, reflects chef Brett Graham's deep affinity for mushrooms. The new design is less monochrome than its predecessor, with a more artful, sophisticated feel.

The restaurant serves chef Graham's signature wild turbot paired with rich smoked eel, N25 caviar, and nashi pear, adding hints of acidity. The luscious texture of the eel, the salinity of the caviar, and the bright crunch of pear balance well against the turbot's delicate flesh. Graham's dishes draw heavily on his close relationships with suppliers. The restaurant even maintains an on-site mushroom cabinet, where fungi are nurtured and then prepped for Graham's renowned dishes.

At 92 Kensington Park Road in Notting Hill, Core opened in 2017 after chef Clare Smyth spent 13 years under Gordon Ramsay's tutelage. At Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, she became the first UK female chef to run a three-star kitchen. Clare's restaurant earned two Michelin stars in October 2018, and a third in early 2021. She remains the first and only British female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars for her own restaurant.

One of her menus, called Core Classics, is a review of established signature dishes. The other, Core Seasons, changes with what's currently available from local farmers and producers. Many cite her creation, "Potato and Roe," with its base of potato topped with trout caviar and smoky herring in a dulse beurre blanc, a modern twist on classic French white butter sauce. Resembling a small boat decorated with sorrel and wild rocket flowers (adding a peppery note), the dish was inspired by Smyth's Northern Ireland childhood. The dessert menu's star is the Core-teser, a sculptural delight made from malt and roasted hazelnut with a creamy chocolate center.

A 2023 redesign of the dining room introduced a softer, warmer feel in contrast to its original minimalist look. The look's centerpiece is a reimagined cocktail bar—the Whiskey & Seaweed—which has a lustrous palette of sea greens, deep coppers and rich purples. A display of 300 whiskies, collected from across the British Isles, is reached by ladder.