The Quinary

Applying El Bulli-style food science to cocktails in a bid to engage all five of your senses, the recently opened Quinary shakes up some pretty impressive concoctions. The decor juxtaposes comfy leather sofas with a never-ending, sleek, black bar and shelving units crammed with a menagerie of trophies, books and knick-knacks. Mixologist Antonio Lai creates drinks using an arsenal of high-tech kit including a rotary evaporator and a centrifuge which are proudly displayed at the end of the bar. I highly recommend their take on the Earl Grey Martini which comes topped with a swirl of foam and laden with pea-sized spheres of Earl Grey infused "caviar" (much nicer than they sound). The Touch of Rose and the Oolong Tea Collins are also delicious.
• 56-58 Hollywood Road, Central, +852 2851 3223, quinary.hk

City Hall Maxim's Palace

Before arriving in Hong Kong I'd eaten plenty of dim sum in London but the slightly gummy, insipid little parcels I was used to bore no resemblance to the real deal served up here. Eating dim sum at a restaurant is known as "going to drink tea", or yum cha in Cantonese – and is a must-do. While I make no claim that the Yum Cha at Maxim's Palace is the best in Hong Kong (I'll keep you posted on my quest), the dim sum's very good, you get great harbour views and it's one of only a handful of restaurants in the city which still uses the old-school dim sum trolleys. Come at lunchtime but be prepared for a wait – they don't take bookings and it gets pretty hectic, particularly at weekends when it's customary for Cantonese families to eat dim sum together.

Take your seat in the large red and gold dining hall and keep a close eye on the trolleys being wheeled between the tables. When you spot something you fancy, stop the waitress and grab a basket. I suggest that you try a little bit of everything but my top dim sum picks are: har gau (shrimp dumplings), char sui bau (steamed barbecue pork buns), cheung fan (rice paper rolls which come with various fillings aka Chinese ravoili), sui mai (pork dumplings), and Xiaolongbao (steamed pork soup dumplings originating from Shanghai). If you're feeling brave, try the chicken's feet – they don't taste as bad as they look.
• City Hall Maxim's Palace, 2/F, City Hall Low Block, +852 2521 1303

Happy Valley races

Gambling is a national obsession in China. In Hong Kong it's illegal to gamble unless it's through the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Unsurprisingly then, Hong Kong's largest single tax payer, largest private charity donor and largest employer is the Hong Kong Jockey Club. If you want to see Hong Kong doing something it really loves, head to Happy Valley Racecourse on a Wednesday night between September and June. The racecourse itself is pretty impressive. The floodlit green track has a dramatic backdrop of towering apartment blocks glittering against the night sky. For a bargain HK$10 entrance fee (about 80p) you get access to the public stands and betting hall. Tourists can present their passport and pay an extra HK$100 (about £8) for entry to the Members' Enclosure, but for atmosphere and value for money the stands can't be beaten. Tourists and expats tend to gather by the beer tent next to the course. For a glimpse of the locals at play and a superb bird's-eye view of the action head further up the stands. Races run approximately every 30 minutes from 7.30pm. Get there early, grab a good spot by the railings and place your bets.
• 2 Sports Rd, Happy Valley, +852 2895 1523 or +852 2966 8111, happyvalleyracecourse.com

Tai Long Wan

A short hop outside the urban centre you find green country parks, walking trails and pretty beaches. Some of Hong Kong's more accessible beaches can get a little dirty and crowded but Tai Long Wan in the New Territories is harder to get to which means that it's often almost deserted. The sand is fine and buttery yellow, the water's clear and clean; you could easily mistake it for a beach on one of the calmer Thai islands. Head here first thing and when the sun gets too much enjoy lunch at one of the rustic beach bars which serve up cold beers to wash down noodles, fried rice and basic seafood (don't expect lobster and scallops). While a day trip is entirely possible, for a real getaway you can rent camping equipment for a reasonable price from one of the beach bars and pitch up on the sand.
• How to get there: A speedboat taxi from Saikung harbour takes around 30 minutes. If the water's too rough, the boats won't go. The more energetic route is to take a taxi to Saikung Country Park and hike in (a hilly, 1½-hour walk). For the high rollers, there are helipads on the beaches and there are always a couple of Sunseekers moored just off the shore

Yardbird

This is one of my favourite spots for a laid-back evening with great food, strong cocktails and a bit of light bar-staff ogling. Yardbird yakatori restaurant opened late last year and was an instant hit. Located on the edge of Soho, the restaurant's USP is nose-to-tail Izakaya-style dining of the chicken variety. You can't make a reservation, so head down early and while you wait for a table get stuck into a bowl of edamame and a cocktail. The bar staff (who all look like off-duty models) mix seriously strong cocktails while knowledgeably guiding you through the menu. From your standard chicken cuts to the more unusual like knee and tail, all items on the menu are made from birds delivered fresh that day. My top picks are the salty, lemony oysters (the fabled circular nuggets of meat from just beside the thighs) and the moreish chicken meatballs. The KFC on the menu is not chicken related – it stands for Korean fried cauliflower, the perfect accompaniment to the chicken.
• yardbirdrestaurant.com, 33 Bridges Street, +852 2547 9273

Gao's Foot Massage Co

Stuck in Hong Kong during the humid typhoon season, or just in need of an hour's break from sightseeing? A foot massage is the perfect solution. The city has numerous reflexology shops which can be spotted by the flashing neon feet signs above the doorways. After rigorous trials (it's a tough job but someone had to do it) I can confirm that Gao's is one of the best. Don't expect a sleek spa interior – Gao's looks a little like your Chinese grandmother's sitting room with a bit of Ikea thrown in – but the focus isn't on decor but on the blissful foot rubs. Choose how long you want your reflexology to last, settle into one of the reclining leather armchairs and let the therapists work their magic. Wrapped in blankets, resting on a warm, cinnamon scented neck pillow and sipping on rose petal tea, it's the little extras that make Gao's special. I guarantee that after an hour you'll feel like you're walking on clouds.
• 15/F, Century Square 1-13 D'Aguilar Street, Central, +852 2810 9289, gaoshk.com

Posto Publico

This restaurant works for any occasion: I head to this open-fronted American-Italian for after-work prosecco with the girls, long lunches, late night suppers and morning-after, hangover-busting brunches. Even if the food was average, the atmosphere would still keep me coming back. And the food's anything but average. Creamy, homemade mozzarella (and if you get in very quickly, incredible Burrata – so legendary that it sells out almost instantly every day), crusty ciabatta served with peppery, green olive oil and rock salt, homemade pastas and slabs of mouth-watering pizza. But my top picks are the veal meatballs and the arancini. All ingredients are organic, of the highest quality and where possible, sourced locally.
• G/F, 28 Elgin Street, Central, +852 2577 7160, postopubblico.com

The Peak

Victoria Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong Island which means 360-degree views of the island and a breathtaking harbour vista as you look across to Kowloon side. Hong Kong's most popular tourist attraction is a must-see, but instead of taking the Tram Peak funicular railway to the top (avoid the queues and save that for the journey down) take a cab up and ask your driver to drop you off outside the Peak Tower and take a stroll along the Hong Kong Trail, a route which loops for about an hour around the top of the Peak through lush greenery that chirrups with cicadas. You'll get beautiful views across the city and wind past some of Hong Kong's most luxurious houses (prices of the real estate up here exceed even those of Monaco's mansions). This is a perfect walk to take during late afternoon so that you end up back at the Peak Tower just before sunset. Head to the viewing platform in time to watch the sun sink below the skyscrapers and stay until the city's kaleidoscopic lights come up.
• 128 Peak Road, The Peak, thepeak.com.hk. The Hong Kong Trail

China Club

This private members' club, owned by Sir David Tang, is housed over three floors in the former Bank of China building. Usually you have to be, or know, a member but most hotels should be able to get you a booking with enough notice. The restaurant is designed to resemble a decadent 1930s Shanghai club, and everything from the ceiling fans to the lamps conjures up a bygone colonial era. Start with aperitifs up on the 14th floor in the glamorous art deco Long March Bar, then head to the main dining room, slip into one of the red leather booths and get your chopsticks at the ready for the Cantonese feast to follow. Be sure to order the Peking duck, I think it's the best in Hong Kong. If people-watching doesn't keep you entertained (Victoria Beckham visited on her recent trip to Hong Kong), be wowed by the chef who spins ribbons of noodles right in front of your table. After dinner, decamp to the elegant terrace for nightcaps under the stars overlooking the city lights.
• 12/F, The Old Bank of China Building, Bank Street, Central, +852 2521 8888

001

For arguably Hong Kong's best cocktails head to 001. That's if you can track it down. Hidden away in the Graham Street wet market, this speakeasy is accessed via an anonymous black door sandwiched between a fruit stall and a paper lantern seller. I should warn you that a prior booking is essential, and once you've made it in, you're greeted with a moodily lit bar full of shadowy nooks which hint at secret liaisons. Jazz hums while waiters glide around proffering silver trays of cocktails and bowls of nuts. The Earl Grey martinis are legendary. The elderflower caipirinha and the strawberry blonde come a close second but be warned, the pear side car is deadly. For an elegant evening of liquor and lounging, 001 can't be beaten.
• LG/F Shop G1 Welley Building 97 Wellington Street, +852 2810 6969

• These are edited tips from the Guardian's Been there site