Indulge in sizzling Cantonese fare with HELLO!'s Foodie Travel special

If you’re visiting Hong Kong for the first time, it doesn’t get any more cosmopolitan than Qura Bar at the newly revamped Regent hotel. Perched on the harbour on the Kowloon side, it has the most spectacular view of Victoria Harbour and the city’s neon skyline.

Often, the Star Ferry or the Aqua Luna – with its striking red sails – will float by, adding to the drama. Be warned, the cocktails are as devilish as the decor: a smoky old fashioned, tequila-based negronis and pretty-as-a-petal raspberry daiquiris.

At 8pm each night, the harbour comes alive with lasers, strobes and music. Seen it all before? Join the Hong Kong elite at Lai Ching Heen, the hotel’s two-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, for impeccable steamed crab dumplings, Peking duck and suckling pig.

Visit hongkong.regenthotels.com

The chirpy Canadian Hong-Konger, Virginia Chan, gives “off-the-eaten-path” tours of the lesser-trodden corners of the city, such as Mong Kok. Wear comfy shoes. She walks fast and talks even faster.

A typical day might start with raucous dim sum shared with what feels like half the senior population of Hong Kong, followed by barbecued Chinese pork at a five-table hole-in-the-wall smoke joint, rounded off with eggettes (like waffles but bubblier) from a funky little street stand.

Virginia will guide you through some of the oldest markets in the city: the wet market for fish, the veggie market and even the bustling ladies market, where bags and jewellery come at rock-bottom prices (bring cash).

The final flourish? Hong Kong’s most-queued-for dessert: black sesame ice cream – dark as the night with a tahini flavour. It tastes better than it looks.

Visit humidwithachanceoffishballs.com

RouCou in Central is a quirky new Japanese-French fusion destination. Those in the know head straight to the sealed-off dining room at the back where an eight-person counter offers a cheese omakase experience. Yes, you heard right: eight (or 12) courses of fromage, each one a masterclass in the good stuff.

The fragrance hits the moment you walk in, but don’t worry, it’s all high quality and heavenly: French, ripe and perfectly aged with everything from a triple-cream cheese from Burgundy wrapped in nori seaweed, to a punchy artisanal Roquefort paired with palate-cleansing sake.

The beef tartare on potato mille-feuille sprinkled with aged Comté is a standout. Expect tattooed bar staff, glowing interiors and a terrace heaving with Hong Kong’s cool crowd as the evening wears on.

Visit roucouconcepts.com

There’s elegant dining, then there’s Louise. Stylish and intimate, with interiors by acclaimed designer André Fu, the restaurant occupies a stunning heritage building (formerly a police headquarters) off Aberdeen Street.

The chef Loïc Portalier, who cut his teeth at Le Bristol in Paris, brings a type of louche elegance to the Michelin-starred menu: beef tartare tossed tableside, clear robust consommes and the juiciest crisp-skinned roast chicken you’ll ever sink a fork into.

Save space for dessert: crepes Suzette and madeleines still warm from the oven deserve your undivided attention. The service is impeccable. The ambiance is sublime. Frankly, there’s nothing to fault here. Top tip: ask for a table on the first-floor terrace, where glittering views dictate romance.

Visit louise.hk

From burnt ends to brisket, Kansas City has long been a mecca for meat lovers – even Barack Obama is a fan, swearing by the ribs at Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque on Brooklyn Ave. Now, the soon-to-be Mr Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and his friend Patrick Mahomes are adding a dash of celebrity spice to the scene with the opening of 1587 Prime, a sleek two-floor steakhouse named using a combo of their jersey numbers.

Go for the American wagyu – with a side of twice-baked potatoes loaded with smoked gouda, creme fraiche, beef bacon, chives and black truffle – and stay for the cocktails. The Alchemy, a zippy vodka-based cranberry concoction is a nod to track 15 on Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department (if you know, you know).

Meanwhile, local institution Gates Bar-B-Q, which is set to appear in the upcoming fourth season of Ted Lasso, is a must-visit for its signature sauce honed in the 1940s.

Visit 1587prime.com and gatesbbq.com

Nestled in the heart of Tuscany’s most picturesque hills, an under-the-radar hotel is quietly becoming the A list’s best-kept secret. Formerly owned by Massimo Ferragamo (a descendent of the Italian fashion house), sources reveal that the Rosewood Castiglion Del Bosco is Justin Timberlake’s chosen location to store his impressive wine collection.

Beyond its celebrity wine cellar, the hotel has two sublime restaurants, a Tuscan cookery school, an organic kitchen-garden and a vineyard producing what many consider to be the finest Brunello di Montalcino in the world.

Let's be honest: no one does food quite like Mexico. From late-night street tacos to six-course tasting menus, the country has one of the most diverse and dynamic culinary scenes in the world – especially for those who like a little heat.

For a taste of Mexico's vibrant food culture, Banyan Tree Mayakoba deserves a spot on your list. Set within the Riviera Maya, this luxury resort brings together international and local cuisine. You can start the day at Oriente, where breakfast is served with a buffet that features a huge selection of pastries, tropical fruit and Mexican classics.

The standout? The chilaquiles – tortilla chips simmered in red or green tomato sauce, topped with sour cream, cheese and pickled onions. Comforting and full of flavour, they're worth returning for every morning.

For lunch or dinner, Cello delivers elegant Italian cuisine in a relaxed setting, while La Copa Mexican Terrace Bar offers a whole host of small Mexican plates and sweeping views of the hotel's mangroves. Ideal for an afternoon unwind.

Known as the “Spice Isle”, Grenada is as popular for its thriving culinary scene as it is for the world-class beaches, and nowhere is the foodie reputation more apparent than at the locally owned hotel, Mount Cinnamon Beach & Wellness Resort.

Situated right at the end of the famous white sand Grand Anse beach, the hotel boasts a red carpet-worthy list of former guests, including Jerry Hall, Steven Spielberg, Morgan Freeman and Robert Downey Jr.

The quietly elegant spot offers both Caribbean cooking classes (you'll never forget learning to make the island's traditional callaloo soup under the watchful eye of chef Janice), and a chef’s table experience, where course after course of mouth-watering Grenadian cuisine is served by the executive chef Jason Joseph. Order the freshly caught mahi-mahi, if it's available – you won't regret it.

Elsewhere on the island, join a local tour guide for a cuisine-centric drive around the lesser-known spots of Grenada, stopping at roadside corn stalls, off-the-beaten-track restaurants loved by locals and traditional food markets where you can sample Caribbean cuisine cooked in front of you.

Find out more at mountcinnamon.com

There is only one place in the UK for the most elegant of foodie celebrations at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, which is hitting a new chapter of its own.

Raymond Blanc’s iconic Oxfordshire hotel will soon be closing in January for refurbishment so there’s still time to enter through those legendary doors and enjoy the incredible gardens, lavish bedrooms and, of course, the food.

Le Manoir has held two Michelin stars for the past 40 years and Raymond is the pioneer for garden-to-plate philosophy. With zero waste, foraging and seasonal eating, it’s been ahead of the curve for decades and has not lost its magic.

Guests can enjoy a pre-dinner drink in the bar or head straight to the restaurant for tasting menus or three-course a la carte by the chef-patron himself, Raymond Blanc OBE, and the chefs Luke Selby and Benoit Blin.

We had been pre-warned that the bread basket was like nothing we would ever experience, and to go easy on it to keep space for the actual meal, but we ended up trying four different sorts of dream carbs.

Next up were some amuse-bouches including a French onion soup, which was utterly divine, and beef tartare, among other sensational morsels.

For our starter, we shared the risotto of garden vegetables and herbs, and garden beetroot terrine and horseradish sorbet. So simple, but so chic, and flavours like we have never had before.

For our mains, we had the Devonshire Creedy Carver duck, fennel, poached blackberry and fig and the handmade gnocchi, sweetcorn, hazelnuts and girolles.

Also on offer were poached Cornish turbot, peas and lemon verbena, assiette of Middle White suckling pig, turnip, mustard and garden quince or A4 Kagoshima Wagyu, miso, onion and pickled kohlrabi, for a supplement.

Desserts are to die for – especially the raspberry souffle, sakura tea and raspberry sorbet and the apricot almondine, caramel croustillant with almond milk ice cream.

If you still have space by breakfast, a major tip is the homemade hash browns.

For those who want to indulge, there is even a bloody mary station to make your own morning tipple…

Le Manoir may be about to close to prepare for the next chapter, but there is still time to experience such a timeless, chic and utterly magnificent grande dame.

Accommodation at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, a Belmond Hotel, in a deluxe room costs from £980 for one night, including breakfast (based on two sharing).

Anyone who embarks on a trip to Sri Lanka is likely putting food extremely high on their priority list. While nature-spotting and surfing the golden beaches lined with bobbing palm trees are obvious ways to spend time in the “Teardrop of India”, exploring the culinary delights of this beautiful island is the best way to truly “get” Sri Lanka.

Monsoon is a restaurant-bar in the heart of Colombo and is partnered with the stellar Teardrop Hotels group, which has stunning properties all over the island offering an authentic and unique experience in five-star service and traditional Sri Lankan dishes.

Monsoon brings visitors a dining experience they're not likely to forget.

The fusion menu is stacked with a combination of traditional Southeast Asian-influenced dishes, all of which are mouthwateringly stunning. Both conveniently and charmingly, the menu also has flags of origin next to each dish, giving diners an opportunity to travel by plate.