What’s New in Hong Kong November 2023 Events You Should Check Out

Maybe it’s just me. But I don’t really ever get too excited for November. That may be the reason why I’m several days late with this. It’s both November and February that I always find to be two months where I mentally exist in limbo. For me, I attribute it to burnout from October festivities (I’m writing this trying to expel the liters of Oktoberfest Lowenbrau I threw back), the cold reality hitting me that November is a month of buckling down work-wise, and knowing that Thanksgiving just doesn’t taste as sweet when you aren’t sharing a green bean casserole with your mother. 

However, I’m trying to turn that around and start giving November the credit it’s due. After all, November was my month of birth on my fake Ohio ID in college (for which I chose the Greekest name possible – I’m also set to celebrate my fake 36th birthday on the 21st), the month I learned how to make a pumpkin pie courtesy of Martha Stewart tutorials when I was a stay-at-home-son (at the ripe old age of 24), and the month my ex-girlfriend gifted me the coziest flannel I’ve ever worn (only to steal it back 9 months later). 

So, let’s don our finest Guy Fawkes masks, belt out a nice turkey gobble for all in your immediate vicinity to hear, and start thinking of who and what we are thankful for. Here are several hand-picked events, festivals, restaurants, and activities to do this November 2023 in Hong Kong. 

P.S. This is also the 100th post on Pale Ale Travel. Thank you to everyone who has continued reading (and to newcomers). I have more than a couple hundred more left in me – so let’s get weird.

November 2023 Restaurant Spotlight: An Choi in HK

After taking a gaggle of photos of my banh mi and spring rolls, I realized that almost every single one of them was blurry – I’ll do better next time.

Having lived in Saigon for one year (with several month to two-month stints mixed in since), I’m always skeptical of paying Hong Kong prices for what is typically very affordable and high-quality cuisine in its respective countries. So you can imagine my hesitation when I had a friend recommend ‘An Choi’ – a popular Vietnamese restaurant in Sheung Wan. 

However, this spot is the real deal and more than passes banh mi muster.

Opened by a husband and wife duo, the latter being from Saigon herself, An Choi covers all Vietnamese classic fare basics, including banh mi, pho bo (beef pho), spring rolls, bun cha, and my personal favorite bun bo hue (a pork-based broth as opposed to pho’s beef based). This description doesn’t even do it justice as you’ll find rotating specials every single day. They also ensure you can be caffeinated to the gills and serve up sweet, aromatic, and pungent caphe sua da’s (iced Vietnamese milk coffees). 

From the metallic foldable tables, mini red plastic stools, ‘333’ beer cans by the dozen (a popular Saigonese beer), and assorted Vietnamese memorabilia (including the classic banh mi portable cart/trolley that you can find on most corners), I can’t really say that there are any places in Hong Kong that have brought me back to Saigon (or Vietnam) quite as emphatically as An Choi. 

• Website: https://www.anchoi.hk 
• Address: Shop A, 15, 17 Mercer St, Sheung Wan 
• Price: $-$$ – I ordered a banh mi, a set of spring rolls, and slugged a Vietnamese iced milk coffee and the bill came to roughly HK$220 (USD 28) with service charge, which for Hong Kong is not terrible. Granted, it is about USD 25 more expensive than what you’d pay in Saigon. 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you live in Hong Kong (or are traveling to this glorious city), and looking to get your Japanese fix, make sure to check out my article breaking down my top ramen restaurants in Central. 

November 2023 Festivals, Concerts, & Cultural Events 

While things are somewhat dialed back in November, there’s still more than a handful of concerts and events that can hold you over until it’s candy cane and Nutcracker season (which I recommend picking up your tickets for the ballet as soon as possible). 

Hong Kong Pride: LGBTQ+ Pop-Up Exhibition

Bust out your rainbow flag and head on over to Kwun Tong to support Hong Kong’s LGBTQ+ community at Hong Kong Pride’s pop-up exhibition ‘A Journey With Rainbow GPS’. Explore the journey of “coming out” in Hong Kong, reflect on past and current events in the city shaping Hong Kong’s LGBTQ+ landscape, and share experiences with fellow community members about struggles, progress, and more. 

• Where: The Wave – 8/F, 4 Hing Yip Street, Kwun Tong
• When: 12 PM – 7 PM, November 18th – November 19th, 2023
• Price: Free – you can find more information over at: https://hkpride.net 

Symphony Under the Stars (Hong Kong Philharmonic)

Stop by the Central Harbourfront for a magical night of classical music, fireworks, and collective effervescence on the 18th – all thanks to the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Having seen the Philharmonic play the Jurassic Park soundtrack live, I can attest to the timpani tingles that you’re bound to experience. Gather your friends and loved ones for some John Williams, Gershwin, and Tchaikovsky – oh and there’s some West Side Story classics, including my favorite ‘Mambo’. 

• Where: Central Harbourfront
• When: 7:30 PM, November 18th, 2023
• Price: Free (however, you do need to pre-register for the event over at: https://www.hkphil.org/concert/swire-symphony-under-the-stars_2023) 

Stanley Christmas Wonder Market

It may be premature but I’ll be frank, life can feel a bit bleak in the month leading up to Christmas and it can help to get into the Christmas spirit early. Make a day of it and head on down to the Stanley Xmas Wonder Market (one of the largest Christmas markets in Hong Kong) for Christmas-themed snacks, shopping, and games spread across their 150-plus stalls. 

• Where: Stanley Plaza
• When: 12 PM – 8 PM, November 26 – 27, December 3 – 4, 10 – 11, 17 – 18, and 24 – 25.
• Price: Free

Where to Eat & Drink This November 

It’s hard not to just list every single restaurant with a Thanksgiving special but here are three restaurants I know I’ll be dining at this November.

Kyoto Katsugyu

If you’ve read any of my Osaka posts, then you know that I have a soft spot in my heart for gyukatsu, a beef steak that is covered in breadcrumbs and deep-fried (similar to its porcine cousin – tonkatsu). So, you can imagine my delight when I found out Airside, the newly opened mall out at Kai Tak (the old Hong Kong airport), has brought over the beloved Kansai region gyukatsu restaurant (and now global phenomenon) Kyoto Katsugyu. 

• Website: https://www.cafedecogroup.com/en-us/brand/京都勝牛/ 
• Address: Shop B129, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Rd, Kai Tak
• Price: $ – $$ (gyukatsu sets start at roughly HK$150)

Frank’s

I don’t think I’ve been caught by surprise at the quality of a restaurant’s fare more than I was at Frank’s. I had admittingly written Frank’s off as a dining option due to the constant stream of late-night Betty Ford’ers and party animals found outside this Wyndham Street haunt on the regular. However, after stepping outside of my comfort zone and booking a Thanksgiving set here in 2021, I can confirm that this is a restaurant NOT to be slept on. 

I also beam with hometown (home state?) pride knowing that the head chef, Vinny Lauria, is also a “live free or die” native. Frank’s is a casual Italian-American eatery serving up everything from hearty eggplant bolognese to classic chicken parms to thin crust pizzas and everything in between. I am still known to occasionally crush a veal meatball parm sandwich or two from here. Expect exceptional hospitality, a laid-back atmosphere, and free flow and boozy brunch options. 

• Website: https://www.frankshk.com/menus/bar 
• Address: Harilela House, G/F & 1/F, 79 Wyndham St, Central
• Price: $$

Smoke & Barrel

“Never made it as a wise man, I couldn’t cut it as a poor man stealing.” What rhymes with Nickelback? Pickleback – the new shot you didn’t know you needed in your life. To be honest, I don’t even know if Smoke & Barrel has these on the menu or if it’s just my buddies and me who order a bottle or three of whiskey and ask for a jug of pickle juice to chase it down with. But this is our go-to every single time we go.

I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving, Halloween (when I went as a Russian gopnik), friends’ birthdays, and even my quinceanera at S&B (uhhh…what?). It really is the only American BBQ spot in this beleaguered city that is anywhere in the ballpark of doing it justice. Personal favorites include the Fred Flinstone-esque beef rib (this is just one of those cuts that if it’s on the menu, you can’t pass it up – even if it’ll break the bank), juicy American brisket, creamy mac and cheese (with emmental, mozzarella, and gruyere), and bone marrow with toasted bread (I still don’t know how to use the term ‘umami’). 

Frank’s offers up a formidable turkey takeaway deal (which I actually did in 2022) if you want to bust out the tablecloth, some candles, and your finest foldable table to host Thanksgiving at yours, along with a turkey and smoked meat platter dine-in set course. 

• Website: https://smokeandbarrelhk.com 
• Address: 1/F-2/F, Wyndham Mansion, 32 Wyndham St, Central
• Price: $$-$$$ (this is a splurge that is well worth it considering the lack of American BBQ options in Hong Kong)

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you and your partner are looking for some ideas to make the most of the city, make sure to check out my post breaking down my favorite Hong Kong date ideas. 

November Professional Networking Events 

If you hate your job and want a change, you actually have to take some proactive steps to put yourself out there. What better time to do so than this November. I can tell you one thing, I’m definitely at a point where I’m in need of new clients, so you can definitely catch me at one of the below networking events. 

Sustainable Connections by the Green Office Project

Emphasizing quality connections over quantity, ‘Sustainable Connections’ by the Green Office Project connects both local and international businesses (and professionals) that share a common goal – environmental, social, and governance sustainability. 

• Where: Banyan Workspace, Suite 1204, 28 Hoi Chak Street, Quarry Bay
• When: 6 PM – 8:30 PM, November 23, 2023
• Price: HK$90 – get your tickets here.

Thanksgiving Free-Flow Networking at Astra/Space

Booze, business cards, and more booze. Muster up that courage to pitch your newest venture, ask about open job opportunities, and meet other professionals over the course of this three-hour free-flow at the popular Chilean grill and bustling club. 

• Where: Shop 2, G/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central Hong Kong, HKI
• When: 7 PM – 10 PM, November 23, 2023
• Price: Tickets
  •  HK$255 (Prepaid)
  • At Door: HK$300 (Cash)

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you like to get out of the house (or the office) to get some work done while slugging a latte (or 5), make sure to check out my post tackling the top laptop-friendly cafes in Hong Kong. 

Let’s Show Some Gratitude This November

I think I’ve done a better job with this (showing gratitude) over the last year – especially after taking six months out of Hong Kong to dive into my own psyche. However, I recognize I still have a ways to go. 

It starts with expressing a little gratitude not only to friends and family but to those you see on a daily basis but to strangers or acquaintances who are one of the tiny microfibers that contribute to your daily routine and to yourself. Everyone has their own cross to bear and the older I get, I’ve found that the first person to help alleviate some of that weight on your shoulders is yourself – so treat yourself well. 

If there is an event, restaurant, or activity that you would like to add to future monthly events roundups, don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing me at info@palealetravel.com. Please make sure to include a several-sentence description of the event or activity (including dates), an original photograph (don’t worry if you don’t have one, we’ll make something work), important details you want to emphasize, and a link for readers to find out more about it!

Stay well everyone,

Big Body