Celebrate winter solstice at Summer Palace

A Tatler Best Recommended Restaurant and Michelin-starred institution, Summer Palace has been a benchmark of refined Cantonese dining since 1991. Its Beijing-inspired interiors: intricate wood carvings, lantern light and views of a quiet internal garden, create a setting that feels both polished and comfortable, ideal for multi-generational gatherings.

Summer Palace highlights seasonal ingredients through dishes rooted in tradition yet presented with contemporary clarity. It’s an apt choice for Winter Solstice, a moment when families come together to welcome the lengthening days, often over Chinese tea or a glass of wine in one of the restaurant’s private rooms.

Begin with dim sum, even for an early dinner. The barbecued pork with honey sauce remains a signature: tender, lightly caramelised and balanced. Paired with the crispy pork briskets, light and crackling, it makes an assured start to the meal.

Summer Palace (Photo: courtesy of Summer Palace)

Barbecued pork with honey sauce (Photo: courtesy of Summer Palace)

For a family-style dinner, the signatures speak for themselves. The braised abalone, slow-cooked to a smooth, almost custard-like texture in oyster sauce, captures the season’s themes of care and renewal. The Peking duck, carved tableside with its lacquered, crisp skin, remains a centrepiece of any celebration.

For something more delicate, the steamed fresh crab claw with egg white in Huadiao wine offers gentle textures and clean sweetness, with the warmth of the rice wine lifting the dish’s subtle aromatics. These plates are more than festive staples—they are longstanding rituals delivered with the precision that has defined Summer Palace for decades.

Summer Palace shows how tradition, when thoughtfully executed, creates meals that linger well beyond the moment. For winter solstice, booking ahead is essential.