Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival kicks off at Central Harbourfront with over 340 booths

The annual Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival opened on Thursday at the Central Harbourfront Event Space and Tamar Park, transforming the waterfront into a major culinary destination against the Victoria Harbour skyline.

Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board under the theme “Taste the World’s Best,” the four-day event runs through Sunday, 1 November. It features more than 340 booths — an increase of over 10% from last year — showcasing wines and gourmet creations from around 31 countries and regions. New pavilions from Australia, Canada and South Korea are among the debuts this year. Opening hours are 7:30pm–midnight on 29 October, 1pm–1am on 30 and 31 October (extended for the first time on the weekend nights), and 1pm–midnight on 1 November.

The festival draws large crowds of wine enthusiasts and tourists. Exhibitors reported introducing more premium products to meet rising demand and expressed optimism about higher visitor numbers, citing factors such as the Halloween period and improved border crossings via the new Huanggang Port.

Long-time exhibitor Yuki Wong said: “We have been joining the event for more than 10 years. And this year because of the Halloween and the new port, so we expect to have a 10 to 20% increase in the people visiting the fair and our business. Because I know that Chinese people… like something sweet and more fruity. So we recommend them to try our Riesling.”

Wine experts highlighted the growing popularity of Burgundy wines over the past decade, noting their strong affinity with Cantonese cuisine. Master of Wine Jeannie Cho Lee explained: “Burgundy wine’s been really popular over the last 10 years in Hong Kong because it’s a wine that people are discovering goes really well with Cantonese food. It’s a wine that’s more versatile. As you know, the whites are Chardonnay, and the red is Pinot Noir, and so it has very good acidity. It has a refreshing character, and so in a city like Hong Kong, where we love to eat, a lot of what we enjoy goes really well with Burgundy wine.”

This year’s edition emphasises local creativity through “Only in Hong Kong” flavours that reimagine heritage ingredients in modern ways. One standout example is a salted-fish cheese foam cocktail inspired by local culture, finished with crushed salted fish on top. Other inventive offerings include sparkling teas, low-alcohol craft beers, Asian wines and artisanal cocktails alongside classic international vintages, with a special focus on Bordeaux.

The event also serves as a launchpad for Hong Kong Gourmet Month in November, offering ticket holders access to further citywide dining promotions. Visitors can enter via the Admiralty gate next to Tamar Park or the Central entrance beside Central Pier No. 10.

The festival continues to reinforce Hong Kong’s reputation as a dynamic East-meets-West culinary hub.