Homeslice: Hong Kong’s Newest Neighbourhood Pizzeria

Homeslice in Sai Ying Pun serves up Neapolitan pizzas loaded with unique and artisanal toppings alongside craft beers, cocktails and wines.

District: Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
Cuisine: Neapolitan pizzas and internationally-inspired plates
How much: Starters range between $75 and $140; pizzas range between $125 and $180; “Not Pizzas” range between $140 and $190; desserts range between $70 and $75
Must Order: Spicy Sausage pizza, Salty Dog shake
The Best for: Casual group dinner or late-night dining
Sassy Tip: During happy hour (Monday to Friday, 4pm to 7pm), glasses of house wine are just $40 and craft beers and cocktails are buy one get one free! Perfect for building up an appetite.

Everyone has their favourite pizza joint, and though some purists may argue that it’s hard to get a decent slice in Hong Kong, we have a few favourites that we head to time and time again. From casual spots, to fancier options and even award-winning pies, we’d argue that our city does pizza pretty well, and the latest restaurant that we’re adding to our list of favourites is Homeslice in Sai Ying Pun.

Found in Sai Ying Pun, Homeslice is the perfect place to head to if you’re looking to enjoy a casual and lively dinner with friends, accompanied by plenty of food that’s made for sharing. Although the main draw here is the pizzas, the menu also offers a range of globally inspired-dishes, with starters including the likes of the “Katsu” Sando, Burrata, Fried Squid and Sticky Lamb Ribs, and the “not pizzas” section of the menu featuring everything from Bowl o’ Clams, to Tagliolini, Braised Oxtail and more. We loved the Sticky Lamb Ribs ($140) with kewpie, togarashi and lime, which were full of meaty flavour and fell off the bone, but for a veggie option, we recommend the Burrata ($135), served with amaro poached radicchio and toasted pepitas. The burrata itself was as creamy as we hoped, with a slight sweetness and bitterness added from the liqueur-soaked radicchio.

From the bigger “not pizza” plates, we also sampled the Braised Oxtail ($170) with garlic shoots, crème fraiche and fried pizza dough. If (for some bizarre reason!) you’re not a pizza fan, this is the dish to go for. The meat was soft, tender and juicy and was accompanied by parmesan encrusted taco shells made from fried pizza dough, which offered up a much-needed crunch of texture. Though we loved this, and are sure that the other plates on offer are of the same high standard, it’s the pizza here that we’ll be coming back for. The range of toppings for the Neapolitan-style bases made it hard to choose just one, so we eventually opted for two and tried the Spicy Sausage ($180) and the Gorgonzola ($165). Sure to be a crowd favourite, the spicy sausage pizza consists of a red tomato base with fermented chillis, spicy sausage, crème fraiche and buffalo mozzarella. The perfectly charred base was fully loaded with flavourful toppings, and had just enough kick from the fermented chilli. As a total contrast, our second pizza was topped with gorgonzola, walnuts, pear and honey and, although a tried and tested flavour combination I love, it wasn’t something that I had tried on a pizza before. The soft texture of pear was a little odd, but coupled with the salty and sweet flavours of blue cheese and honey, and the added crunch of the walnut, it was an enjoyable bite. As a blue cheese fan, I would have loved just a little more of this to make the flavours even punchier.

If you need something sweet to end your meal Homeslice won’t disappoint with its dessert selection. Although tempted by the Tiramisu and Nutella Calzone, we opted for the Doughnuts ($70), which are served with a white chocolate and earl grey sauce. The doughnuts were soft, doughy and coated with anise and cinnamon flavoured sugar. Paired with the sweet sauce, it was a heavenly end to the meal, but we recommend sharing as the doughnuts come in twos. If you’re looking for a different kind of sweet treat to end your meal, Homeslice also serves up a range of shakes, which we couldn’t resist trying. The Salty Dog ($80) made with peanut butter and salted caramel was salty, sweet and creamy – exactly what we want from a good shake.

Our verdict: If you’re looking for a late-night bite in the area, this is the place to come. Along with a diverse food menu, the restaurant also serves a unique selection of cocktails, as well as wines and local beers. The 12-inch pizzas are perfect for sharing, and if you can’t choose just one, we can vouch for the fact that the leftovers are just as good cold the next morning! Plus, you’ll get to carry your takeaway home in the restaurant’s on-brand (and very Instagrammable) pink pizza boxes.

Homeslice, Shop 3, 321 Des Voeux Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, www.homeslice.com.hk