Look & Feel: Located on the Kennedy Town waterfront, GRAIN sports Barbie-pink neon lighting its entrance—but don’t be put off. Step inside and you’ll find an expansive space with industrial-esque cement floors and walls, and a sprawling restaurant with simple tables. At the front of the restaurant, there’s a massive 66-seat “brewlab” which will be producing small-batch experimental brews for punters to try. The simple backdrop leaves the focus firmly where it should be–the food and drinks.

On the Menu: GRAIN is all about kicking back and having a good time, so grab a pint and get ready to tuck into some pub grub. There’s an extensive drinks list here, focusing on 24 beer taps that include Gweilo signature brews and some choice selections from other great breweries. We’re particular fans of the robust Rocky Ridge Custard Tart Stout and Sudoku Golden Stout. If beer’s not your thing, GRAIN also has some unique cocktails on tap—try the Gin & Tonic made with Gweilo Gin, or for the sweet-toothed, the Pampelle Spritz.

You’ll want some good comfort food to soak up all that booze, and there’s certainly a good selection coming from GRAIN’s kitchen. The kicker? All dishes here incorporate some type of beer or brewing by-product, just to keep the theme going.

Start with a Roman-style Pinsa Pizza, a rectangular varietal with fluffy, chewy dough and focaccia base. The Carbonara ($190) is solid, but the more simple Margahrita ($160) hit the spot a bit better. The Buffalo Halloumi ($80) is even more satisfying, deep-fried and served with lager hot sauce and buttermilk dressing; while the Salmon Pastrami ($130) is a fresh, Japanese-inspired surprise. For a light bite, though, you can’t go past the Scotch Egg ($90) with beer mustard.

For mains, we sample the Fried Pigeon ($120), which turns out to be the weakest dish of the night. Inspired by Hong Kong’s famous grilled pigeon dishes, it seemed somewhat out of context with GRAIN. Luckily, the Steak and Chips ($330) featuring a 280g Ranger’s Valley Hanger Steak is the ultimate comfort food and more than makes up for the pigeon. We finish on a high note with two thoroughly decadent desserts—the Sour Cherry and Porter Bakewell Tart ($80) and Broken Tiramisu ($85) are both delicious.

Overall, GRAIN is exactly what you expect from a gastropub. Great beers, and upscale pub grub that satisfies.

Jeng: The beers and the buzzy vibe. We like GRAIN for a casual night out.

Not So Jeng: There was nothing to spoil the experience, exactly, though the Fried Pigeon dish could probably be refined.

Meet the Chef: Matthew Ziemski plied his trade at big-name London institutions such as Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Town Hall Hotel, Princess of Shoreditch, and Smokehouse Islington before coming to Hong Kong to take over Woolly Pig’s Big Sur in 2019.

Great For: Casual catchups, a cheeky pint, and group dinners.

FYI: GRAIN regularly hosts 20-people workshops and tastings, so keep an eye out for these events.

Check out Hong Kong’s newest restaurants and bars here.

This writeup was based on a complimentary media tasting. The Loop HK doesn’t guarantee/sell restaurant review coverage. See our editorial policy here.