Have you decided where to go for your winter dinner date? If not, there’s no need to rush. Aimee Yan has curated a winter date-night restaurant list to help you out
Grissini, Grand Hyatt
Every winter, stepping into Grissini isn’t about chasing ceremony, it’s because the restaurant consistently expresses the warmth of Italian cuisine in a way that feels effortless. This season’s theme highlights Calabria, translating the region’s sunshine, citrus and seafood into more refined forms. Seasonal dinner menu starting from $1,080 per person.
Thinly sliced swordfish with Buddha’s hand and citrus oil is refreshing without feeling cold; the red prawn tagliatelle carries a gentle heat, perfect for the season. For something more substantial, the red mullet stuffed with prawn mousse and brightened with citrus is a dish whose details linger in memory. Desserts built around persimmon, chestnut and pomegranate offer a soft, wintry finish. The restaurant suits those who appreciate well-executed food but prefer a date that doesn’t feel overly formal. Comfortable spacing between tables also makes conversation flow easily.
Where: Grand Hyatt Hong Kong , 1 Harbour Road, Hong Kong
To know more, tap here.
Odds
Odds isn’t about glamour. Its charm lies in blending Japanese culinary precision with the rhythm of a city night in $1,280 for set menu. The three chefs each specialise in different disciplines – sushi, washoku and teppanyaki. Dishes come like set pieces with their own beats: seared blue lobster, spring onion wagyu, sakura ebi stone pot rice, each with a standout moment.
On winter Monday nights, Ladies Night lightens the week’s beginning with $160 sake free-flow that is casual, easy, and unpretentious. For something special, the monthly “Fenjiu × Washoku” dinner pairs two ancient culinary traditions in a slow, clean-tasting dialogue.
Where: Shop G2, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4A Des Voeux Road C, Hong Kong
To know more, tap here.
Penna, Moon Garden
Rather than presenting classic Italian, Penna, Moon Garden at Times Square leans into a more urban, visually layered style. Its outdoor garden is a rare pocket of breathing space in Causeway Bay, ideal for a winter drink with an ultimate seafood platter in $1,988.
The menu centres on seafood, from a wide selection of oysters to generous shellfish platters that are straightforward and unfussy in flavour. Dishes such as the sea urchin–scallop tartare, charred ox tongue and lobster are designed for leisurely sharing. A live band plays nightly, with volume calibrated well enough to lift the mood without disturbing conversation.
Cocktails take inspiration from ingredients rather than concepts, truffle, mala spice and even Margherita pizza fragrance form the basis of three playful creations. It’s a good choice for couples seeking a lively atmosphere without stepping into somewhere genuinely noisy.
Where: Shop 1105, 11/F, Times Square, Causeway Bay
To know more, tap here.
The Langham, Palm Court
On winter evenings, Palm Court offers a calm, measured pace which is the kind of place where you can linger over dinner and conversation. The festive menu in $798 follows familiar contours: cranberry–apple quinoa salad and cumin prawn salad give a clean, gently warming start; pumpkin soup and cheesy baked baguette create a soft, wintry prelude.
For mains, choose according to mood. The sea bass is crisp without toughness and paired with lighter flavours; the beef tenderloin carries classic Provençal herbs; and for holiday spirit, turkey roulade with chestnut stuffing and cranberry sauce is reliably festive. The ingredients are straightforward and unadorned that perfect for a date where the focus should stay on the company, not the spectacle.
Desserts come in small, classic holiday styles, ideal for stretching the conversation. If you prefer to prolong the mood even further, their mini Christmas cakes in $88 each, pistachio to white chocolate, can be taken home for a sweet end to the night.
Where: Lobby Level, The Langham, Hong Kong, 8 Peking Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
To know more, tap here.
Wakaran
At Wakaran, the first thing you notice is the rhythm. Not the usual Asian-fusion formula, but a restrained interweaving of Japanese, Korean and Hong Kong influences, framed with Western technique. Set dinner menu just in $588 per person.
Bread with pandan butter sets a relaxed tone; the crab croquette, yellow sea bream crudo and crispy crab paste bites each offer delicate little twists. Handmade pasta infused with sakura ebi oil is one of the night’s most memorable moments; the abalone porridge or seafood rice, meanwhile, is winter comfort at its best. Their MBTI-themed cocktails are worth noting, not as gimmicks, but as a conversational spark. If your date enjoys talking personality types, work or life directions, this is a natural setting for it.
Where: Shop B, G/F, Pinnacle Building, 9 Ship Street, Wan Chai
To know more, tap here.
Yūjō
Yūjō is an izakaya in Wan Chai. Set lunch menu is just $228. Chef Wai’s background is solid, with strengths in sashimi and charcoal grilling. Skewers with chicken wings, ox tongue, tail, rare cuts, are executed cleanly, and the chicken wing stuffed with foie gras is the restaurant’s signature indulgence. For a slower pace, small dishes like Velvet Tori Pâté, dumplings and yuzu-citrus tataki set the right warm tone for a winter evening.
For the new opening, dinner features $198 free-flow sake alongside with special cocktails. Happy Hour sake and beer keep the atmosphere light, and towards the end of dinner, options like risotto, sake-steamed seafood or wagyu teppan make fitting final notes. This is a place that accommodates both conversation and comfortable silence.
Where: Shop G06, G/F, Hopewell Mall, 15 Kennedy Road, Wan Chai
To know more, tap here.
Also see: 8 Thanksgiving 2025 turkey picks in Hong Kong for dine-in and takeaway
