Jumbo Kingdom seafood restaurant in Hong Kong’s Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter was an iconic restaurant that served customers for over 46 years. The floating restaurant, largest in the world in its heyday, was a must see for tourists.
Visitors to Hong Kong would make it a point to have a meal at this restaurant and its customers have included Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip, Jimmy Carter, Chow Yun Fat, Elizabeth Taylor and Tom Cruise to name a few.
Yet this iconic restaurant is no more. On June 14th, the iconic restaurant barge was towed away. A relic of the past, the restaurant was a victim of Hong Kong government’s plan to modernize the seascape. Hundreds of locals gathered to bid farewell to the legendary local icon.
When it was still in service, the 260 feet long massive three storey Jumbo Floating Restaurant welcomed visitors with its gigantic green and red neon sign saying “foon ying gwong lam” which means ‘welcome’ in Chinese.
For nearly half a century, it was the main boat of Jumbo Kingdom. The restaurant also included the older and smaller sister restaurant boat Tai Pak. A barge for seafood tanks, a 130-foot-long kitchen boat and eight small ferries to transport visitors from two nearby piers made up its complement.
Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises Limited, the company that owns and runs Jumbo Kingdom said in a statement that, “Jumbo Floating Restaurant has left Hong Kong today. A unique icon for residents and tourists alike, Jumbo Floating Restaurant has stood proud in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island for the past 46 years. Throughout this journey, it has been a great honor for us to share beautiful collective memories with local and foreign visitors.”
“We sincerely thank you all for your love and care. We take this opportunity to send you our best wishes for a brighter future,” added the company in its official statement.
