The Hari Hong Kong has introduced a new à la carte menu at its signature Italian restaurant, Lucciola, celebrating Italy's regional flavours through premium ingredients, traditional recipes, and contemporary culinary techniques.
Located in the luxury hotel in Wan Chai, Lucciola has built its dining experience around authentic Italian cuisine, with its latest menu placing greater emphasis on ingredient provenance, regional specialities, and relaxed, communal dining.
Led by The Hari Hong Kong's Director of Food and Beverage, Francesco Gava, who originates from Italy's Piedmont region, the new offering draws inspiration from northern Italy through to the country's southern coastline.
The menu features ingredients sourced from across Italy, including seven-year-aged Acquerello Carnaroli rice from Piedmont, Parmigiano Reggiano from Emilia-Romagna, Apulian burrata and Sardinian fregola. Southern Italian produce, including Vesuvian Datterino tomatoes, Pantelleria capers and Amalfi lemons, also features prominently.
Gava said the menu balanced fine-dining precision with the warmth and familiarity of traditional Italian cooking, encouraging guests to share dishes and enjoy a more convivial dining experience.
Among the starters, Il Vitello Tonnato Piemontese combines veal tenderloin with a creamy tonnato sauce, aged Modena balsamic vinegar and Pantelleria capers. La Burrata Pugliese features Apulian burrata served with Vesuvian Datterino tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil.
The pasta selection includes Le Pappardelle Scampi, Caviale e Cipollina, featuring homemade pappardelle with scampi, chives and Ossetra caviar. Another addition, Cavatelli al Granchio, Limone e Zafferano, combines Alaskan king crab with Amalfi lemon, saffron and red chilli.
Traditional Italian favourites remain central to the offering, including Spaghetti alla Carbonara prepared with guanciale and Pecorino Romano, alongside Cotoletta alla Milanese, a breaded, pan-fried milk-fed veal cutlet served on the bone with tartar fennel sauce.
The restaurant developed several dishes in response to guest preferences, reflecting its approach to personalised hospitality.
The Acquerello Risotto Astice e Piselli Novelli originated during a private tasting dinner, when the culinary team prepared a risotto using aged Carnaroli rice, Boston lobster and fresh green peas. Following positive feedback and continued requests from regular diners, the dish became a permanent menu addition.
"Guests were so taken with its richness and texture that they asked for full portions to take home that night," said Gava.
"Word spread among our regulars, who began requesting 'the lobster and aged rice risotto' before even opening the menu, so the dish is now officially theirs to order."
The restaurant has also introduced a dedicated sharing section, Da Condividere, designed to encourage a more informal dining experience.
One featured dish, La Spadellata di Cozze e Vongole Veraci, was similarly inspired by guest requests. Originally prepared for regular diners seeking a comforting late-night meal, the dish combines mussels and clams with garlic bruschetta, bringing a relaxed coastal Italian influence to the menu.
"The ethos behind the new menu is authentic regional Italian comfort food reinterpreted through a contemporary lens," said Gava.
"Hong Kong has a sophisticated dining audience that values provenance and the story behind what they eat, so the quality and origins of our ingredients are incredibly important to us."
The dessert selection includes the restaurant's signature traditional tiramisu, alongside La Torta Caprese Bianca, an almond and lemon cake served with mascarpone and white chocolate. The Affogato al Bicerin combines double espresso, artisanal vanilla gelato, Bicerin chocolate liqueur, whipped cream and white chocolate.
Situated on the first floor of The Hari Hong Kong, Lucciola features amber and green tones, leather furnishings, and dark timber finishes. Geometric floor tiles, brass lighting, and expansive windows create a contemporary dining environment that complements the hotel's broader luxury hospitality offering.
The updated menu further strengthens The Hari Hong Kong's food and beverage offering, positioning Lucciola as a destination for both hotel guests and local diners seeking an authentic Italian dining experience.
