Image courtesy of Cafe Roma

Having more or less successfully navigated long-haul flying with two children this summer, I’m back and ready to NEVER LEAVE HONG KONG AGAIN. EVER.

With that in mind, here’s three great beachfront restaurants for the cooler months ahead that allow you to pretend you’re off somewhere glamorous, with no more packing than a beach bag required.

Mavericks
(Kids’ menu, highchairs, baby changing)

Image courtesy of Mavericks

Now the weather’s cooling down from blast furnace levels, it’s time to head to the Great Outdoors. Call me biased, but as a Lantau-dweller myself I think the big island has more to offer than most when it comes to enjoying some (ahem)fresh air. So, next time you’re heading for a day of sun and sand, ditch the Shek O sardines for a day out at Pui O, followed by a barefoot dinner at Mavericks.

This surf-skate-sand shack sits right on the beach and offers a casual menu of fresh burgers, sausages and salads, using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. The kids’ menu is well thought-out, with healthy takes on classic kid food – think nuggets made from organic chicken breast, sustainably caught halibut “Fush and Chups” and wild Hereford beef burgers. Buy yourself the time to enjoy a craft beer with a couple of N*Ice Pops as a bribe, then watch the kiddos dodge the wild buffalo that meander lazily along the sand as the sun sets. Who needs a flight to Phuket?

(Read my full review of Mavericks here!)

Mavericks, Pui O Beach, Lantau, Hong Kong; +852 5662 8552
www.mavericks.hk

Cafe Roma
(Kids’ menu, highchairs, baby changing)

Image courtesy of Cafe Roma

Cafe Roma is another very solid beachside dining choice, this time on Park Island, and their newest promotion – marketed predominantly as a romantic meal à deux (I vaguely recall this concept in the dim and distant past) – is actually completely perfect for kids who can’t sit still.

The Summer Picnic Basket costs $488 and includes a whole load of kid-friendly eats – a cold cut platter with cheese, olives and other nibbles, a whole Camembert and a baguette, nachos with dips, a Caesar salad, a pizza or pasta from the menu, chocolate cookies and mineral water – basically a great selection of picky little bites for picky little people. You get a beach mat to take home with you, and you can also order wine and beer at 50% off standard prices. I recommend slugging this back and enjoying the Tsing Ma Bridge view as your little treasures bury you up to your neck in sand. Book your basket 24 hours in advance at the number below.

L1, Shop 7-8, Beach Commercial Complex, Ma Wan/Park Island, New Territories; +852 3446 1226
www.caferoma.com.hk

Hotshot
(Kids’ menu, highchairs, baby changing)

Image courtesy of Hotshot

Situated in super-convenient beachside development The Pulse, this Repulse Bay resto is great if you’re planning a day at the beach without any of the associated hassle. The entire development is uber family-friendly and opens out right onto Repulse Bay Beach, with its changing facilities, playground and safe, patrolled swimming.

This “New American” joint (seriously, what is it with beaches and burgers?) dishes up Cali classics surrounded by cool modern art and vintage surfboards. The kids’ menu is small but perfectly formed, with grilled cheese, a burger, mac and cheese and a cowboy potato pie (essentially sausage and mash), while parents get a few grown-up extras like lobster, surf and turf and a hefty Texas BBQ platter. Another great spot to kick back with a cocktail while the kids run off lunch, you’ll definitely need to book ahead at weekends.

G/F, Shop 114-115, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay, Hong Kong; +852 2515 1661
www.hotshot.hk