Italian food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world.
Many dishes have become people’s favorites and this is especially thanks to Italy’s fresh and tasty ingredients.
Who doesn’t like some fresh burrata, some melon with parma ham, some buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil?
There are some dishes for which you don’t need to be a great cook or have a lot of time to make them yourself. You just need great Italian produce.
In Hong Kong Italian products are widely available in high-end supermarkets like Great Food Hall and City Super and at Italian grocery stores like Mercato by Giando and il Bel Paese. But the produce can be expensive and with the current Covid-19 situation people are less willing to enter supermarkets or travel across Hong Kong to reach those places (some of which do online delivery too).
A new wave of Italian online grocery stores have appeared in Hong Kong to make it possible to buy Italian food at more reasonable price and have this delivered to your doorstep.
Bella Ciao – this is the newest entry on the private market but it already stands out for great variety of products at competitive prices.
Products vary from Fresh and hard cheese to cold cuts and fresh vegetable and fruits, and even frozen pizzas from Naples. The Burrata is the best in Hong Kong at a great price price. Many products have DOP, IGP denominations and they taste just like you’d get in Italy. All fresh products are imported weekly to Hong Kong. Plus all the staple Italian food: fresh and dry pasta, Mutti tomato sauce and so on. It’s a website to explore to find all your favorite products.
You can pay directly online with credits cards, Paypal, Apple or Google Pay. They deliver between 24 and 78 hours after an order is placed. They deliver with a thermal bag to your door or building reception. They will tell you the delivery day but not the time of the delivery. If they don’t find anyone at home they will leave it outside your door or at the reception. The minimum order to qualify for free delivery is HK$788 anywhere in Hong Kong (where they deliver).
Borgovivo is also another new entry in the Hong Kong market but it has been around for years in Italy. They import fresh products from Italy and have a vast selection of items. Their cold cuts are made to order, just like in Italy. And food lovers will appreciate the difference between freshly cut ham rather than packaged. They sell a big selection of fresh and hard cheese including some Italian favorites: stracchino, formaggini Bel Paese, pecorino, robiola and Parmesan. Price are competitive. They do have an express delivery service with same day delivery, at a charge but it s good to know that it’s possible.
For Hong Kong island they offer deliver the day after (if order is confirmed before 2pm of the day before). Delivery to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon is free for orders above HK$500, for the New Territories is free from HK$700 and for Discovery Bay/Tsing Yi/ Tung Chung is free from orders of HK$800. They don’t tell you the exact delivery time but only give you these timeslots: 10am–1pm or 2pm–6pm.
On the market for about a year they sell a big varieties of Italian products including meat that are usually difficult to find in Hong Kong (ossobuco, veal, lamb and meat for tartare). They also sell a big selection of cheese (both Italian and French), cold cuts and Italian rice and pasta. Plus a selection of eco-friendly house products and a selection of gluten free items. Prices are good and they offer a 15% discount for first time clients.
For orders from placed before 2pm delivery is the following day. Delivery is free for orders over HK$800, otherwise a HK$140 charge applies.
This is the shop that has been trading for the longest in Hong Kong. They sell everything, from Fiesta, mulino bianco to breasola, olives, porcini and many other Italian favorites. In Hong Kong island are the ones that deliver for free for the lowest minimum order (HK$350) and they deliver the next working day. They are well organised and deliver in polystyrene boxes with packed ice to keep things fresh.
The minimum order for Kowloon is still competitive (HK$500 ) but for Clearwater Bay and the new territories it is HK$1500, which is okay sometimes but it makes it difficult if you don’t need a lots of things.
It was an online only shop but in July 2020 opened its first shop to the public. Among those above it’s it’s probably the most expensive but it is also because some products are niche and more high-end brands. The shop specialises in Truffle (also fresh, not just in jars) and and sells a huge selection of extra virgin olive oil and chocolate specialties from the north of Italy. But also cheese, pasta and all you would expect from a grocery store.
The minimum order to qualify for free delivery in Hong Kong island is 500 HKD, while for Kowloon the minimum order is 700 HKD. For the New Territories they don’t usually send a driver; they advise customers to get a Lala van to collect the order and pay for that.
You can find more details about the Legoland Discovery Centre here.