Words by Aude Camus
I’ll admit it: traditional mooncakes aren’t really my thing. I want to love them — they’re gorgeous, meaningful, and such a big part of Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong — but my palate just doesn’t get excited about dense lotus paste and double yolks. If you’re an expat, maybe you’ve felt the same. Still, I hate the idea of skipping a tradition that’s all about gathering, sharing, and indulging under the full moon.
The good news? It’s 2025, Hong Kong’s food scene is serving up mooncake alternatives that are lighter, more playful, and definitely more appealing to international taste buds. Think bean-to-bar chocolate twists, ice cream-filled moons, or even caviar-studded creations.
Here’s my pick of this year’s most exciting mooncakes that I’ll actually eat — perfect to gift, share, or enjoy all to yourself.
Conspiracy Chocolate – Pistachio & Raspberry Mooncakes
I’ll admit it: traditional mooncakes aren’t really my thing. I want to love them — they’re gorgeous, meaningful, and such a big part of Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong — but my palate just doesn’t get excited about dense lotus paste and double yolks. If you’re an expat, maybe you’ve felt the same. Still, I hate the idea of skipping a tradition that’s all about gathering, sharing, and indulging under the full moon.
The good news? It’s 2025, Hong Kong’s food scene is serving up mooncake alternatives that are lighter, more playful, and definitely more appealing to international taste buds. Think bean-to-bar chocolate twists, ice cream-filled moons, or even caviar-studded creations.
Here’s my pick of this year’s most exciting mooncakes that I’ll actually eat — perfect to gift, share, or enjoy all to yourself.
Conspiracy Chocolate – Pistachio & Raspberry Mooncakes
Hong Kong’s own bean-to-bar mavericks, Conspiracy Chocolate, are reimagining the viral Dubai Chocolate in mooncake form this year. Their 2025 creation keeps the genius pistachio-and-kadaif combo but doubles the pistachio and halves the sugar — a treat that’s indulgent without being cloying. The shell is made of 75% single-origin dark chocolate stone-ground for five days and aged for a month, while the core holds a sharp raspberry jam (the same one used in Michelin-starred partner restaurants). The result? Light, complex, and beautifully balanced. If you’ve ever wished mooncakes were less sweet and more sophisticated, this is the one for you.
Available online
4 mooncakes per box
HKD 485 (early bird price until 10 September 2025) with pick up in Conspiracy Chocolate’s Chocolate Lab (Wong Chuk Hang) or at The Whisky Library in Pedder Building (Central)
HKD 530 (early bird price until 10 September 2025) with delivery to your door
The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. – The Gilded Straits Moon
Available online
4 mooncakes per box
HKD 485 (early bird price until 10 September 2025) with pick up in Conspiracy Chocolate’s Chocolate Lab (Wong Chuk Hang) or at The Whisky Library in Pedder Building (Central)
HKD 530 (early bird price until 10 September 2025) with delivery to your door
The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. – The Gilded Straits Moon
Sometimes Hong Kong weather just begs for something cooler, and The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. (ICC) delivers with their debut ice cream mooncake gift box. The Gilded Straits Moon is as pretty as it is refreshing: four handcrafted ice cream mooncakes in flavours like Onde Onde (pandan, coconut, mochi bits), Mango Yuzu, Chocolate, and Raspberry Biscoff. Each box comes with a gold-rimmed bone china plate and forks, so it feels like an occasion from the moment you open it. Lighter than traditional mooncakes, they’re ideal for warm autumn nights on the terrace.
4 mooncakes per box
HK$588 (HK$488 early bird until Aug 31)
Available in limited quantities at The Ice Cream & Cookie Co.’s Central flagship – G/F, 18 Gough Street, Sheung Wan
Pierre Marcolini – Moonlit Symphony Collection
4 mooncakes per box
HK$588 (HK$488 early bird until Aug 31)
Available in limited quantities at The Ice Cream & Cookie Co.’s Central flagship – G/F, 18 Gough Street, Sheung Wan
Pierre Marcolini – Moonlit Symphony Collection
Belgium’s most celebrated chocolatier has just landed in Hong Kong and of course he couldn’t resist joining the Mid-Autumn fun. The Moonlit Symphony chocolate boxes are an elegant ode to reunion, with pralines that carry whispers of almond, lemon, nougatine, and even Sichuan pepper for a subtle numbing spice. Available in 3-piece (HK$258), 5-piece (HK$338), or 9-piece (HK$498) sets, they’re luxurious without being overwhelming — the kind of gift that makes both chocolate lovers and tradition-keepers happy.
Pierre Marcolini Hong Kong, shop 1040A, ifc mall, Central
Caviar Cakery x ROUCOU – Cheese & Caviar Mooncakes
Pierre Marcolini Hong Kong, shop 1040A, ifc mall, Central
Caviar Cakery x ROUCOU – Cheese & Caviar Mooncakes
If you’re looking for a showstopper or something savoury, this is it. Caviar Cakery — the luxurious dessert concept by Royal Caviar Club, has teamed up with ROUCOU Cheese Bar & Omakase to create a mooncake unlike anything else: a white chocolate shell encasing creamy Hokkaido mascarpone, white cheddar, parmesan, and tiny bursts of caviar. The texture is luscious, the flavour is savoury-sweet, and the whole thing is unapologetically indulgent. At HK$398 (early bird until Sept 14), these mooncakes are limited edition and best enjoyed with friends who appreciate the finer (and slightly daring) things in life.
Available online
4 mooncakes per box
HKD 398 (early bird price until 14 September 2025) with pick up in Royal Caviar Club’s ifc shop (Central) or WTC mall (Causeway Bay)
HKD 458 (early bird price until 14 September 2025) with delivery to your door
The Baker & The Bottleman x Conspiracy Chocolate – Bonbon Mooncakes
Available online
4 mooncakes per box
HKD 398 (early bird price until 14 September 2025) with pick up in Royal Caviar Club’s ifc shop (Central) or WTC mall (Causeway Bay)
HKD 458 (early bird price until 14 September 2025) with delivery to your door
The Baker & The Bottleman x Conspiracy Chocolate – Bonbon Mooncakes
For something playful and artisanal, the Wan Chai bakery and wine bar The Baker & The Bottleman has partnered with Conspiracy Chocolate on a box of six handcrafted bonbons (HK$188, limited to 100 boxes). Each piece is a miniature work of art: The Moon (salted egg caramel), The Sky (coffee hazelnut), and more. Made with single-origin chocolate and creative fillings, these bite-sized moons are whimsical yet rooted in craft — a lovely nod to tradition without the heaviness.
Available online with pick-up in store
Available online with pick-up in store
