1 Central Restaurant

When I walked into Central Restaurant in Sham Shui Po, I knew immediately I had just stepped into a gem. It was packed with elders, absolutely no tourists, and no one spoke any English. To me, that’s when you know the food is good. And bonus, this could be the cheapest dim sum in Hong Kong! I ordered 6 dim sum steamers for a little over 100 HKD ($12)!

Even with no English menu, you’ll have a ton of fun. The dim sum push carts come by you can simply ask to see inside the steamers and choose whatever looks good. I enjoyed the har gao shrimp dumplings (虾饺), the beef balls (牛肉丸) with cilantro and water chestnut, the chicken feet (凤爪) in black bean sauce, and the tofu wraps with chicken and taro (鲜竹卷 ).

RECOMMENDED DISHES:

There’s a lot of food to try. There’s 5 different main carts rolling around; dim sum steamers, fried dim sum desserts, rice bowls, porridge, and a special cheong fun rice noodle roll and radish cake cart.

I spent most of my stomach space on the traditional dim sum steamers, but you can also try the others or order stir fried classic Cantonese dishes from the menu as well. Make sure to order their special sago dessert pudding 西米焗布甸 ximi buding, it’s caramelised on top and is so satisfying and sweet! If you come early enough, you’ll also be sure to get their monster pork bao, the dabao 大包.

Central restaurant is a 5 minute walk from Sham Shui Po exit B2, on Tai Po road, not far from Tim Ho Wan! You can follow the Hong Kong dim sum map above to find it.

• Name: Central Restaurant 中央饭店
• Address: G/F, Tung Lo Court, 140 Tai Po Road, Sham Shui Po 深水埗大埔道140號東盧大廈地下
• Price: From 15 HKD and up per steamer (CHEAP!)
• Hours: 06:00 – 23:00

2 Fung Shing Restaurant

After spending hours on other Hong Kong food blogs and trying out their recommended dim sum places, Ting and I became disappointed with dim sum in Hong Kong. It seemed much better in Guangzhou. After explaining our situation to my local friend Joni, she explained how most of the good dim sum in Hong Kong is not commonly found on food blogs. For some reason, tourists in Hong Kong only go to a few places for dim sum. The famous ones serve OK dim sum, she explained, but for the good stuff, you need to go to the local spots with less tourists. She recommended Fung Shing.

So we set out to explore Fung Shing, just a short walk away from our hotel in Mongkok. Walking up the stairs, you could hear the loud and happy atmosphere of a traditional Chinese jiulou dim sum place. Little did I know, I just walked into one of the most humble yet delicious dim sum places in Hong Kong.

RECOMMENDED DISHES:

I tried the classic dim sum dishes like har gao (虾饺) shrimp dumplings, siu mai pork dumplings (烧卖), and char sui bao BBQ pork buns. My favourite dish from the menu that I tried was the steamed squid in garlic (蒜蓉蒸鲜犹 Suàn róng zhēng xiān yóu), absolutely fantastic! They are also known for their plump soup dumpling, the guantangjiao 灌汤饺!

The har gao were excellent as were the BBQ pork buns, but the siu mai were just so-so. If you arrive after 11:30 AM, you can order their roasted suckling pig, which is their true specialty! The food here is also amongst some of the cheapest dim sum in Hong Kong!

COME EXPERIENCE THE CLASSIC “JIULOU” ATMOSPHERE!

Come to Prince Edward station on the Tseun Wan line and get off at exit C1, take a right and cross the street. Fungshing restaurant will be on your right up the stairs.

• Name: Fungshing Restaurant 鳳城酒家
• Must Order: The steamed garlic squid are fantastic (蒜蓉蒸鲜犹)!
• Address: 1/F-2/F, European Asian Bank Building, 749 Nathan Road, Prince Edward 太子彌敦道749號歐亞銀行大廈1-2樓
• Price: Expect to pay around 18-26HKD per steamer, cheap!
• Hours: 09:00 – 23:00

3 Saam Hui Yaat

This is a place I had heard a lot about and was eager to try for a long time. So I made the journey out to Sai Ying Pun with Ting to try it out. Even from across the street, you can see the giant towers of dim sum steaming away in the doorway ready to eat.

LIKELY WILL DISAPPEAR SOON.

Nowadays, the owners are ageing and likely won’t keep this shop open much longer, as they work so hard, getting up at 3AM every morning just to prepare dim sum! Come try this dim sum quick before it goes! Saam hui yaat 叁去壹, meaning three minus one, gets it’s name from the three family members who originally planned on opening a dim sum restaurant together. After one backed out, they called it three minus one!

RECOMMENDED DISHES:

They offer an English menu to help you order as well. I found the shrimp rice noodle rolls (虾肠粉) and the sweet lotus seed paste bun (莲蓉包) to be very delicious! The dim sum is cheap, about 16-25 HKD per item! Pork fillings and shrimp fillings are juicy and fresh. Their steamed rice series is also quite popular. I tried the beef and egg over rice, which was delicious and juicy and very filling! It’s only a couple stops away from Central station. Come to Sai Ying Pun station on Island line and get out at exit B1, take a left, and walk straight for 2 blocks. Saam hui yaat will be right opposite you.

• Name: Saam Hui Yaat 叁去壹點心粉麵飯
• Address: 11 Pokfulam Road, Sai Ying Pun, Western District 西環西營盤薄扶林道11號
• Price: 15 – 25 HKD per steamer
• Hours: 05:30 – 14:30

4 Dao Heung Dim Sum

I was brought to Dao Heung by Ting’s parents’ friends in Hong Kong. Located upstairs in a mall, I was completely blown away by the atmosphere as we walked in. It was absolutely huge, sprawling across nearly the whole floor of the mall. And it was packed with locals too! And not only that, there’s a whole seafood section with giant fish tanks ready to order live fish from too!

CHEAP AND GOOD!

I came back solo one day, and I paid barely over 100 HKD and got STUFFED! The dim sum may not be 10/10 quality (it’s more like an 8.5 or 9), but the atmosphere and the fun traditional vibes make this worth visiting! Even though it’s in a shopping mall, it still feels like a traditional Hong Kong “chalou” dim sum restaurant! Get out at Mongkok E1 and take the elevator up to the 3rd floor. You won’t be disappointed!

DISHES ORDERED:

Below are some of the dishes that I enjoyed on my visit to Dao Heung dim sum restaurant.

Shown above are some of my favourites. I really enjoyed the siu mai pork dumplings, the extreme fatty pork foot, and also not shown here were the fantastic durian puffs, another must order!

• Name: Dao Heung Dim Sum – 稻香漁港市集
• Address: Exit Mongkok E1 and go into the grand tower mall on the left. Take the elevator up to the 3rd floor and enjoy!
• Price: Cheap!
• Hours: 07:00 – 00:00, come for early breakfast if you want cheap dim sum

5 Late night dim sum in Cheung Sha Wan

If you’re into late night eating, this place is for you. It was recommended to me by our friend Joni, who swears by the food in Cheung Sha Wan area. And she is right. The food in this area is 100% purely local. We knew it as soon as we stepped into the neighbourhood. There are tons of late night places operating into the night serving everything from street food to desserts and dim sum.

Little did we know, we had just walked into one of the DEEPEST and most LOCAL style dim sum places in Hong Kong. During the day time they serve wok cooking and some seafood, but starting at 9:30 PM, the dim sum steamers come out and the cheong fun rice noodle rolls start getting made!  This late night no-frills dim sum joint is packed with locals feasting on dim sum and drinking beer, a rare combo in Hong Kong. When you walk up into this steamy street side shop, you’re greeted by huge towers of dim sum and the friendly but busy staff.

COME AFTER 9:30PM.

Open 24 hours, the dim sum only starts at 9:30pm to 7am, so make sure not too come too early. We came at 10PM and it was just getting warmed up.

DISHES ORDERED:

From top left: 1. Steamed beef tripe in black bean sauce (金钱肚) 2. Steamed chicken feet in a black bean sauce (凤爪) 3. Pork ribs and mushroom in metal bowl (排骨饭) 4. Steamed pork and shrimp ball on melon 5. Har gao shrimp dumplings (虾饺) 6. Siu mai pork dumplings (虾饺) 7. Shrimp cheong fun rice noodle roll (虾肠).

The food was good. It hits your dim sum craving and puts you right into the dim sum atmosphere!

• Name:洪慶海鮮燒臘飯店
• Address: 303 Castle Peak Road,, Cheung Sha Wan 長沙灣青山道303號 (近發祥街)
• Price: Steamers starting at 16 HKD and up.
• Hours: 21:30 – 07:00 for dim sum

6 Muslim Dim Sum in a Mosque!

When I first heard about a halal dim sum restaurant in Wan Chai, I was super excited to go try it out. And after eating dim sum for the last 10 years, I was curious to see how it would compare. To be completely honest, I was unsure whether it could match the standard dim sum which uses pork. After walking in and being greeted with huge towers of beautiful dim sum, we ordered some classics. It was incredible!

GREAT SPOT TO MEET PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Located up on the 5th floor of the Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre, theres huge stacks of dim sum steaming away ready to devour as soon as you walk in. I was very impressed with the flavours, maybe even better than some of the touristy dim sum locations in Hong Kong! Pork is substituted with chicken, but you barely taste any difference! One of the coolest things about this place is how we met people from all over the world on our visit. People from Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Singapore were all here enjoying the dim sum!

My favourite dim sum was the tofu puff with the chicken balls on top (shown bottom left). It was juicy and very satisfying!

COME BETWEEN 12 AND 1 PM.

If you come any later, you might not have much selection.

• Name: Islamic Centre Canteen 伊斯蘭中心餐廳
• Address: 5/F, Masjid Ammar And Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre, 40 Salvation Amy Street, Wan Chai 灣仔愛群道40號伊斯蘭中心5樓
• Hours: Come for lunch around 12:30 or 1. Finishes at 2:30, so don't come after 2pm or you will miss the good stuff.

7 Luk Yu Teahouse

Luk Yu Teahouse is perhaps the most iconic and most colonial style style dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong. Open since the 1930’s, the atmosphere gives you a peek into old Hong Kong. On my visit, I personally found the dim sum underwhelming, but I still believe it could be worth a visit for the rare colonial atmosphere.

COME HERE FOR THE ATMOSPHERE.

If your hotel is in Central, then visiting Luk Yu teahouse or Lin Hang Lou is a good option. It’s very close to the famous Yat Lok Roast Goose restaurant, and in the same area as Mak’s noodle and Tsim Chai Kee noodle restaurants, so the location is excellent.

The Michelin guide recommends ordering fried prawns on toast, but I just ordered a bunch of steamers of dim sum, like char siu bao BBQ pork buns and har gao shrimp dumplings. Visiting once was enough.

• Name:Luk Yu Teahouse 陸羽茶室
• Address: G/F-3/F, 24 Stanley Street, Central 中環士丹利街24號地下至3樓
• Price: Expensive. I paid about 400 HKD for 5 steamers.
• Hours: 07:00 – 22:00

8 Michelin Star Dim Sum at Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan is the most famous dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong. It’s put at the top of everyones list. I’ve visited numerous times.

To be honest, I find it completely overrated. It’s commonly referred to as the world’s cheapest Michelin star restaurant. Maybe they used to be a lot better and deserved their Michelin star, but when we visited, the dim sum was just regular, not much different than the other dim sum restaurants on this guide. If I may be honest, I’m not exactly sure how Michelin guide chooses their places in Hong Kong. Some places are fantastic, and others are a complete miss.

It’s still delicious, but when the restaurant is packed with 95% tourists, I have a feeling their dim sum isn’t favoured by the locals as much as it used to be. I’m also biased to eat where the locals and elders eat. Going deep is always a much better experience!

RECOMMENDED DISHES:

I really enjoyed their radish cake, which had a slight smoky, bacon like flavour (萝卜糕 Luobuogao). The sticky rice with chicken and mushroom was also very delicious (糯米鸡 nuomiji). As always, we ordered har gao shrimp dumplings, which were good. The Chaozhou style fun guo mixed dumplings  (潮州粉粿) were also very delicious!

• Name: Tim Ho Wan
• Address: Shop 12A-12B, Hong Kong Station Podium Level 1, IFC Mall, Central OR 9-11 Fuk Wing St, Sham Shui Po

9 Trendy Dim Sum at Dim Dim Sum

Like Tim Ho Wan, Dim Dim sum is another one of the highly recommended dim sum restaurants on many Hong Kong food blogs. It’s a chain that has branches in Wan Chai, Mongkok, and Jordan, and is packed with young people and tourists. I found the dim sum to be pretty good.

You will likely have to lineup if you come during standard lunch or dinner time. We came around 9pm and didn’t need to lineup.

ORDERED DISHES:

The most unique dim sum that we tried was their seafood stuffed eggplant with teriyaki sauce. The xiaolongbao were also satisfactory. I also really enjoyed their cheong fun rice noodle rolls with shrimp. Although we didn’t try it, they are famous for their piggy custard buns, which are served with an oozing hot egg custard inside a piggy bun.

• Name: Dim Dim Sum 点点心点心专门店
• Address: 旺角通菜街112號地下 G/F, 112 Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok. Also have chains in Jordan and Wan Chai.
• Price: Steamer cost averaging around 25HKD.

1 BEST Local Style Daipaidong in Hong Kong at Siu Choi Wang

This is my go to daipaidong to bring visitors to Hong Kong to. It is always packed and the chefs are absolute experts. Ting’s cousin Crystal recommended this place to us, and it’s become our favourite daipaidong in Hong Kong! Thanks Crystal for the awesome spot!

Along with the nearby Aiwensheng 爱文生 (featured below as #2), you can visit two of Hong Kong’s oldest and best daipaidong restaurants. You could literally alternate between these two restaurants for dinner for your entire trip to Hong Kong and not run out of delicious food to try!

IN THE BUSTLING SHAM SHUI PO

If you’re wondering where to stay in Hong Kong for the best food, you can’t go wrong choosing anywhere near Mongkok. You can walk to Sham Shui Po in 10 minutes and feast on super local food. Hundreds of local restaurants are around, giving you access to the real deal Hong Kong. Whenever I come to Hong Kong, I usually stay in Mongkok and walk over to Sham Shui Po for the best dai pai dong action.

PICK YOUR SEAFOOD AND COOKING STYLE AND EAT!

When you walk up, you’ll immediately see the wok station with 2 woks and expert Cantonese chefs constantly churning through dish after dish. There’s a row of seafood to choose from and a number of different cooking styles for each dish. Siu Choi Wang also offers most classic Cantonese dishes as well, all on their menu, but when we visited both times, we ordered their seafood.

THE ESSENTIALS:

1. Curry mud crab 咖喱炒蟹 .
2. Salt and pepper mantis shrimp 椒盐濑尿虾.
3. Stir fried razor clams in black bean sauce 豉椒炒圣子王.
4. Deep fried “noodle fish” with “cheese” that are eaten whole and taste like french fries! 芝士牛油白饭鱼

They are all excellent! Especially if you’re looking for a curry crab, come here instead of the famous Under the Bridge Spicy Crab in Wan Chai. There, you won’t be able to choose your crab, and you won’t be given a full crab, they will just weigh the pieces until you’re given your chosen weight, and it’s super expensive! Here, you can choose the biggest ones right out front too! That’s part of the fun! The menu is MASSIVE, so it’s better to come with more people to try more food.  Order more! You can’t go wrong!

• Name: Xiaocaiwang 小菜王 – EXPERT Street-side Seafoodo and Wok Cooking
• Address: 43 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po 深水埗福榮街43號
• Hours: 18:00 – 02:00

2 The most famous daipaidong in Hong Kong at Aiwensheng

This is the true OG daipaidong of Hong Kong. I’ve been eating here for years, and swore by it stubbornly every time I would bring visitors to Hong Kong. It really is fantastic. But I needed a change, so Ting and I decided to try some other places as shown above, and found them to be just as good. Still, here is guaranteed delicious!

You’re treated to a bustling atmosphere full of locals feasting on a huge variety of classic Cantonese dishes, a high speed wok station right in front of you to watch, and some of the best food in Hong Kong.

AMAZING CHOICES.

Below are my 5 favourite dishes at Aiwensheng. The salt and pepper squid is fantastic, especially when dipped in the vinegar. Ordering the beef he fen is also a must! The chefs know how to control the heat of the wok perfectly and the noodles have a slight smoky “wok hei” breath of the wok flavour! AMAZING!

ORDER THE PORK HOCK

Just like Sio Choi Wong, the menu here is very extensive. You’re given a huge selection of dishes to try and coming with more people will allow you to do that. All of the dishes are good! If you look around at the tables and what people are eating, you’ll see almost everyone orders the black pepper pork hock. The pork hock, the piece and bone right above the foot, is extremely tender and juicy and is cooked in a black pepper gravy! It’s absolutely fantastic!

• Name: Aiwensheng 爱文生
• Address: Shop B-C, G/F, 1 Shek Kip Mei Street, Sham Shui Po 深水埗石硤尾街1號地下B-C號舖
• Hours: 17:30 – 00:45

3 Tung Po Kitchen – Exciting indoor daipaidong

I didn’t know the first time we came, but coming to Tung Po is an absolute party! The music is going and people are having a good time, and the food is excellent too! Upbeat music, cheers all around with beer served in tea cups, and with the co-owner Robby Cheung dancing away, it’s a lot of fun!

AN INTRODUCTION TO INDOOR DAI PAI DONGS

All throughout Hong Kong, there are “food centres” that are found on the top floor of local wet markets.

These have replaced the traditional street side daipaidong restaurants like the ones mentioned in #1 and #2. They are quite similar to the hawker centres in Singapore and Malaysia.

This one, found on the top floor of the Java Road Municipal Services Building in North Point, along with the Bowrington Road Cooked Food Centre, are two of the busiest. The top floor here is packed with locals and expats all feasting on the good stuff! Tung Po has been called “Hong Kong’s wildest dining experience!” by CNN, so you will likely have to line up because this is a very famous restaurant!

IT’S ALL SERVED HERE!

The menu is very extensive. A huge variety of different cooking styles of seafood, chicken, pork ribs, duck, fish, and beef is best enjoyed with a large group of friends.

Tung Po is famous for it’s black ink cuttlefish balls with spaghetti (墨汁鱿鱼), which were surprisingly very delicious! They tasted just like a creamy seafood pasta! Other favourites are fried duck egg yolk shrimp (黃金蝦), deep fried pork ribs with mayonnaise sauce (沙拉骨), salt and pepper fried bombay duck fish with salt and chili (椒鹽九肚魚), and the huge deep fried pork knuckles (南乳炸豬手). I always like to look at other tables around and see what looks good too because there are hundreds of different must try foods at Tung Po!

You can make reservations any time from 2:30 – 7:30 PM. Otherwise, you’ll likely have to line up.

• Name: Tung Po 東寶小館
• Address: 2/F Java Road Municipal Services Building, 99 Java Road, North Point 北角渣華道99號渣華道市政大廈2樓
• Phone: +852 2880 5224
• Hours: 17:30 – 00:30

4 Sing Kee Daipaidong in Central

I was looking for daipaidongs in Central to recommend for this blog, and found Sing Kee in a famous lunchtime alleyway near Wellington street. Over the years, this alleyway has changed rapidly. The food is getting more and more trendy and less local style, making this one of the few remaining Daipaidongs in Central.

That being said, out of all the things to do in Hong Kong, eating in Central is one of my favourites. There is such a unique energy in Central area that isn’t matched anywhere in the world.

COME EXPERIENCE THE BUSY HONG KONG LIFESTYLE – EAT AND GO

Located in the heart of Central near Wellington street, these two little alleyways host a few different stalls serving hungry patrons for lunch and dinner. For lunch, expect to eat quickly and leave, as restaurants are dependant on a high turnover. Beef organ noodles and beef brisket noodles are on at the top of the hill at Shui Kee 水記, and for dinner, Sing Kee 盛記 is the top choice.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

I enjoyed their sweet and sour pork, razor clams with vermicelli (one of the BEST Cantonese dishes to order anywhere!), and their omelette.

To be honest, I would recommend spending the extra 20-30 minutes from Central on the subway and visiting one of the first 3 daipaidong restaurants above. However, if you’re staying in Central district and want a true taste of the busy lifestyle, come check it out.

• Name: Sing Kee Daipaidong – 盛记
• Address: 82 Stanley Street, Central – 中環士丹利街82號舖
• Hours: 11:00 – 15:00, 17:00 – 23:00

1 Hong Kong's Most Famous Beef Brisket Noodles at Kau Kee Cafe

When it comes to beef brisket, the noodles at Kau Kee restaurant in Sheung Wan are consistently ranked as the best noodles in Hong Kong.

PREPARE TO LINEUP, BUT IT’S WORTH IT!

Kau kee is extremely famous, with massive queues down the street with tourists. You will probably share a table with others as per custom in Hong Kong. If you come during off hours around 3 or 4pm, it’s much better.

TWO SPECIALTIES: BEEF BRISKET AND BEEF CURRY NOODLES.

Opened over 90 years ago, Kau Kee restaurant in Sheung wan is famous for their tasty beef beef brisket noodles with clear broth and their rich beef curry noodles.  I ordered the beef brisket rice noodles, a classic Hong Kong style noodle. The beef curry noodles are also very famous and rank very highly for noodles in Hong Kong, but I ended up going on a curry journey to Kowloon for those (#4).

The broth was fantastic! It had an ultra rich and soothing beef stock combined with the extremely tender beef brisket.

• Name: Kau Kee Restaurant 九記牛腩
• Address: G/F, 21 Gough Street, Central 中環歌賦街21號地舖 walk from Sheung Wan exit E1
• Hours: 12:30 – 22:30

2 Mak's Noodle

Even with small bowls and a packed atmosphere, there’s a reason why so many people come in every day to eat, the wontons are awesome!  Apart from their signature wonton noodles, other popular choices are the beef brisket wonton noodles (shown below), and the stirred noodles with beef brisket.

LEGENDARY HISTORY

Wonton master Mak Woon-Chi brought the recipe from Guangzhou, the true home of Cantonese food. Anthony Bourdain ate at the Central branch, and is the same branch where Mak An worked at, the son of the wonton master Mak Woon-Chi. Chiang Kai Shek also ate here!

If you’re staying in Central, it’s a short walk from all the major hotels. Come try them out! Whenever Ting and I are in Central, we always stop for a bowl at Mak’s!

• Name: Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家
• Address: G/F, 77 Wellington Street, Central 中環威靈頓街77號地下
• Price: 11:00 – 21:00

3 Hong Kong's Best Roast Goose Noodles at Yat Lok

Unfortunately, the goose legs were all sold our for my visit, but it was still fantastic! These are definitely some of the best roast goose noodles in Hong Kong! Make sure to order with the leg if they have them!

YOU WILL ENJOY THESE GOOSE NOODLES!

I walked in for a relatively early lunch, and they were already sold out of goose leg, so arrive early! I personally enjoyed the bowl, and would recommend it if you want to eat roast goose with noodles. If you want to order a whole roast goose or eat it over rice, go to Kam’s or Ki’s.

• Name: Yat Lok Restaurant 一樂燒鵝
• Address: G/F, 34-38 Stanley Street, Central 中環士丹利街34-38號地舖
• Hours: 10:00 – 21:00

4 Tsim Chai Kee Noodle

These may be the best fish ball noodles in Hong Kong. Ting and I always visit here when we are in Central, rotating between here and Mak’s. It’s not just their home made fish balls, made from Chinese mud carp, it’s the stock. Made from pork bone broth, monk fruit, and fish, it’s fantastic combined with their plump and springy large wontons!

THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS, BUT MY FAVOURITE IS THE THREE TOPPING NOODLE.

The three topping noodle comes with homemade springy wontons, homemade massive fish balls, and fresh sliced beef. The most important thing  is to take the pink vinegar, put it in your soup spoon, mix with chili oil and dip your wonton into your spoon. This is the way that was taught to me from the friendly lady at the till.

The wontons are commonly referred to by the locals as “ping pong” sized. While no Michelin star has been awarded here, I personally prefer these wonton noodles over Mak’s noodle across the street. Tsim Cha Kee has been recommended every year on the Michelin Guide.

• Name: Tsim Chai Kee 沾仔記
• Address: Shop B, G/F Jade Centre, 98 Wellington Street, Central, 中環威靈頓街98號地舖
• Hours: 09:00 – 21:15

5 Beef Curry Brisket Noodles at Kun Kei Ngau Lam

As soon as you walk in to Kun Kei beef brisket, you’ll understand why these beef brisket curry noodles are so good. They are definitely worth the trek out to Kowloon for. All over the walls are stories from local newspapers about their beef brisket and how rich and tender it is. They truly have mastered the art of making tender beef brisket.

AMAZING CURRY

You can order the brisket with a few different variations of noodles;

1. Yimian 伊麵 – Flat Cantonese egg noodles made from wheat flour.
2. Hefen 河粉 – Flat rice noodles.
3. Mifen 米粉 -Rice vermicelli noodles.
4. Youmian 幼麵 – Thin egg noodles.
5. Cumian 粗面 – Thick wheat flour noodles.

It really is up to you. Yimian are classic, but I prefer hefen. Order an extra bowl of gravy if you want it really saucy!

• Name: Kun Kei Ngau Lam – 坤記牛腩
• Address: G/F, 2B Hau Wong Road, Kowloon City 九龍城侯王道2B號地下
• Hours: 12:00 – 22:00

6 Mutton Curry Noodles at Wai Kee

This may just be the best curry in Hong Kong! Found at the top floor of the Bowrington road market, Wai Kee halal restaurant has incredibly addictive mutton cury. I think I chose incorrect by ordering it with noodles. I should have eaten it with rice.

YOU’LL BE BLOWN AWAY BY THE RICHNESS OF THE CURRY.

The mutton flavour is infused into the curry and it’s so potent and flavourful! Wai Kee also specializes in roast duck, soy sauce chicken, and steamed chicken. If you come with a group of friends, you can order a little bit of everything and enjoy the variety!

• Name: Wai Kee 清真惠記
• Address: Shop 5, Bowrington Road Cooked Food Centre, 1/F, Bowrington Road Market, 21 Bowrington Road, Wan Chai 灣仔寶靈頓道21號鵝頸街市1樓鵝頸熟食中心5號舖
• Hours: 11:00 – 18:00

7 Cart Noodles at Car Noodle's Family

One of the many types of Hong Kong style noodles, the cart noodle is one of the most authentic and traditional. Starting in the 1950’s, street hawkers would sell noodles from little carts, letting the customer choose all their toppings. Here at Car’s Noodle Family in Wan Chai, the broth is strong with a slight curry flavour, yet still very smooth.  And the toppings selection is huge!

LOAD IT UP!

The best part about eating cart noodles is choosing your ingredients. There truly is something for everyone. I always love ordering sausage, beef brisket, tofu puffs, intestine, and fish balls. You can also choose from other more exciting ingredients like blood cubes, chicken wings, and more organs.

BASK IN THE JOY OF THE BROTH

The broth is really amazing. It has a light curry flavour but is also quite herbal and has a pork stock flavour as well. Combined with the noodles and all the toppings, it’s served as a unique custom bowl just for you.

• Name:Car Noodle's Family 車仔麵之家
• Address: 灣仔晏頓街1號A Shop A, 1 Anton Street, Wan Chai
• Hours: 07:00 – 18:00

8 Excellent beef and gravy lunch noodles at Kwan Kee

If you’re on a 2 or 3 day itinerary of Hong Kong, one of the best restaurants to visit is Kwan Kee Claypot Rice. Highly recommended. Pure local style. And they are excellent not only for the noodles, but for the variety of dishes to try as well. Their true specialty is claypot rice in the evening (more on that below), but if you come for lunch, you can enjoy  their special beef gravy noodles. These are an amazingly sloppy and satisfying mix of beef, gravy, and onions, all poured over top of freshly boiled thick and chewy noodles.

You can also try their crispy fried Singapore rice noodles with sweet and sour pork:

• Name:Kwan Kee Claypot Rice 坤記煲仔小菜
• Address: Shop 1, Wo Yick Mansion, 263 Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Western District 西環西營盤皇后大道西263號和益大廈地下1號舖
• Hours: 11:00 – 14:30 and 18:00 – 22:30

9 Lobster Noodles at Tai Woo Seafood Restaurant

Hong Kong is a seafood lover’s paradise. It’s also a noodle lovers paradise! At Tai Woo Seafood Restaurant, you can have the best of both worlds, with lobster noodles!

EXTREMELY DELICIOUS LOBSTER NOODLES AT TAI WOO SEAFOOD RESTAURANT.

Ting and I came here and were very impressed. They have consistently earned recommendations in the Michelin guide year after year. And their lobster noodle is fully customisable. You can choose both the type of lobster and the type of noodle.

The cheaper lobsters run about 300 HKD and the more expensive ones can get pricy really quick. We ordered with egg noodles and a cheaper lobster. The lobster flesh was still very succulent and the sauce was nice and creamy, garlicky and smooth. I was very impressed with the quality of their cooking and all the different seafood they served as well.

• Name: Tai Woo Seafood Restaurant 太湖海鮮城
• Address: 9/F, Causeway Bay Plaza 2, 463-483 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣駱克道463-483號銅鑼灣廣場二期9樓
• Hours: 10:30 – 03:00

10 Beef Hefun Noodles at Aiwensheng

In order to achieve “wokhei”, the slightly smoky, subtle flavour that comes from the “breath of the wok”,  chefs usually need decades of experience. Many say that a chef’s skills is shown by their hefen, and whether there is a good wokhei.

It’s all about perfectly controlling the heat, the speed, and the oil. More on wokhei here.

Ordering their hefen with beef is evidence of their mastery. The rice noodles are slightly smoky, the beef is tender, and the aroma is so nice.  I order this dish every single time I visit aiwensheng. It is so delicious I can’t stop eating!

• Name: Aiwensheng 爱文生
• Address: Shop B-C, G/F, 1 Shek Kip Mei Street, Sham Shui Po 深水埗石硤尾街1號地下B-C號舖
• Hours: 17:30 – 00:45

11 Hong Kong Style Zhajiang Noodles at Good Hope

Another long time contender in the Hong Kong noodle scene is Good Hope. Along with Mak’s Noodle and Tsim Chai Kee, Good Hope is consistently put on many wonton noodle addict’s lists. I personally enjoyed the noodles.

I CAME TWICE. ONCE FOR WONTON NOODLE, AND ONCE FOR ZHAJIANG NOODLE.

I found their wonton noodles to be average. Not fantastic, but still quite enjoyable. What I enjoyed even more was the shredded pork zhajiang noodles. Kind of like a Hong Kong style zhajiang sauce noodles, originally from Beijing.

The best part is watching the chefs at work. There is a noodle station in the front, so you can smell the broth boiling away and watch the whole process while you wait and while you slurp!

• Name: Good Hope Noodle 好旺角粥麵專家
• Address: Shop 5-6, G/F, 18 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok 旺角花園街18號地下5-6號舖
• Hours: 11:00 – 01:00

12 Famous Wonton Noodles at Mak Man Kee

After researching all the famous wonton noodle shops in Hong Kong, I kept coming upon Mak Man Kee.  So I delved a little deeper into its history and found that the legend himself, Mak Woon-chi, the true “wonton master”, founded Mak’s noodle in the 1920’s.

His family members went out to start their own shops too. His uncle starting Mak Man Kee. His oldest son opened Mak An Kee. And his  granddaughter opened Mak Siu kee.

This means that no matter where you are in Hong Kong, chances are you’re near a legendary wonton noodle shop.

PURE SHRIMP WONTONS.

I really enjoyed their wontons. They are plump and full of only pure shrimp. The noodles are springy, and the broth is quite rich as well, stewed for over 5 hours. I ordered the wonton noodles (上湯雲吞麵), a plain bowl of extra wontons, and a bowl of pure stewed pigs feet (猪手), all of which were fantastic! They are also famous for their zhajiang ground pork over egg noodles (京都炸酱面).

• Name: Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop 麥文記麵家
• Address: G/F, 51 Parkes Street, Jordan 佐敦白加士街51號地下
• Hours: 12:00 – 00:30

13 Sister Wah Beef Brisket

I would put Sister Wah beef brisket in the top 3 beef brisket noodles in Hong Kong. The brisket is extremely tender, and their curry is very smooth and flavourful as well.

VERY TIGHT, SMALL RESTAURANT, BUT SO WORTH IT!

Sister Wah has only 6 tables that fill up very quickly. Their beef is prized as purely local and their beef stock famously uses over 10 herbs to give it a uniquely rich flavour.

I really enjoyed the brisket, it was very soft and flavourful. I also ordered a standalone bowl of beef curry, which was also extremely delicious. When I came for a late dinner, there was a 20 minute lineup, so you’ll be sharing the tables with others.

• Name: Sister Wah 華姐清湯腩
• Address: G/F, 13A Electric Road, Tin Hau 天后電氣道13號A地舖
• Hours: 11:00 – 23:00

1 Hong Kong's Best Roast Goose Restaurant – Kam's Roast Goose

Kam’s Roast Goose has absolutely mastered the art of Cantonese roast goose. It is often said to be the best roast goose in Hong Kong, and I would have to agree. The hour long lineup pays homage to this. The goose flesh is absolutely BURSTING with juice!

EXTREMELY DELICIOUS WITH THE PLUM SAUCE!

Every time we visit Hong Kong, we always go to Kam’s to get a roast goose.

It’s just so good. The incredibly soft and succulent flesh. The plum sauce. The slight smokiness. The crispy skin. It’s all perfect!

The first time I tried Kam’s roast goose, I was blown away with the perfection, and it’s remained the same each time we visit. You can order a whole goose, half goose, or leg piece, and it’s also available on top of noodles. If you’re coming with a friend, I recommend ordering a whole or half goose and sharing.

THE BBQ PORK IS ALSO EXCELLENT.

Order up the honey BBQ pork (蜜汁叉烧) and you can bask in the joy of incredibly juicy and fatty cantonese BBQ pork. It is another must try dish, but I would rather visit Joy Hing (#4 down below) for that.

• Name: Kam's Roast Goose
• Address: G/F, Po Wah Commercial Center, 226 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai 灣仔軒尼詩道226號寶華商業中心地舖
• Hours: 11:30 – 21:30

2 Excellent Suckling Pig at Ki's Roast Goose

Ki’s Roast Goose has absolutely perfected their suckling pig.

PERFECTLY JUICY AND CRISPY!

I was unsure of how it would compete with Kam’s above, but still eager to try it out. The star dish turned out to be the suckling pig!

This is what suckling pig should taste like! Perfect skin! Perfect juices! And a nice selection of sauces to dip it in. There is a nice fatty meat underneath the skin, giving a nice contrast between crispy and fatty.

I ordered a whole plate of the suckling pig, and finished it all!

• Name: Ki's Roast Goose
• Address: G/F, Man Man Building, 45 Jardine's Bazaar, Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣渣甸街45號人人商業大廈地下
• Hours: 10:30 – 23:00

3 Roast Goose Leg Noodles at Yat Lok

Yat Lok is perhaps the best places in Hong Kong to try roast goose noodles. I’ve visited a few times over the years because it’s so good. Make sure to order with the leg piece.

STICK WITH THE GOOSE LEG DRUMSTICK OVER RICE OR NOODLES.

If you like, you can order a whole goose and share with friends, but that’s best to do at Kam’s.

Yat Lok also has cha siu BBQ pork and soy chicken and steamed chicken.

• Name: Yat Lok Restaurant
• Address: G/F, 34-38 Stanley Street, Central 中環士丹利街34-38號地舖
• Hours: 10:00 – 21:00

4 Cha Siu BBQ pork and Roast Goose Rice at Joy Hing

Joy Hing is a pure hole in the wall style cantonese BBQ restaurant. They are famous for their char siu, roast goose, roast duck, and soy sauce chicken.

Ordering a combo plate over rice and topping it with the famous ginger scallion sauce is life changing! Make sure to order the fatty cha siu, not the regular one! Fatty = “fei cha siu 肥叉烧).

CHOOSE YOUR MEAT AND ENJOY!

I was really tempted by all the meats hanging in the window. There’s roast goose, cha siu BBQ pork, roast duck, and soy sauce chicken, all hanging and waiting for you to order! I ordered the roast goose and bbq pork combo (烧鹅叉烧双拼饭 ).

• Name: Joy Hing Roast Meat 再興燒臘飯店
• Address: Block C, G/F, 265-267 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai 灣仔軒尼詩道265-267號地下C座
• Hours: 09:30 – 22:00

5 The Roast Goose Empire – Yung Kee

Started as a simple daipaidong long ago in 1938 in the hands of roast goose master Kam Shui Fai, Yung Kee quickly rose up to become one of Hong Kong’s biggest and most profitable roast goose restaurants, with an estimated net worth of HK $1.5 billion just a few years ago!

But the massive success that Yung Kee enjoyed has been riddled with drama. The sons of the master began a lengthy court battle over the direction that the restaurant should take after his passing. In the end, the grandchildren decided to step away from drama and start their own restaurant, Kam’s Roast Goose. In my opinion, Kam’s has nailed their goose down and is the best bet for your first try in Hong Kong, but Yung Kee is still good.

I ordered the roast goose leg and rice combo with plum sauce. It was juicy and the skin was crispy, but maybe not quite as tender and juicy as the goose at Kam’s. It’s worth visiting if you want to feel the history and walk into an old roast goose empire!

• Name: Yung Kee Restaurant 鏞記酒家
• Address: 32-40 Wellington Street, Central 中環威靈頓街32-40號
• Hours: 11:00 – 23:00

1 Seafood Heaven at Lamma Rainbow Seafood Restaurant

You can combine this wonderful seafood restaurant with a nice hike on Lamma island. Or you can just come straight to eat. Both are worth the journey out.

There’s giant displays of live seafood in the front, ready to pick and cook in your chosen style! There’s literally hundreds of different things to choose from! And they have become so successful! In 2 decades, they have increased their seating capacity from 40 to 800!

Lobster, crab, abalone, oyster, mantis shrimp, razor clams, geoduck, and much more is available to choose from.

The best way to order is to walk up to the displays and speak with one of the helpful servers. They all speak fluent English and know their specialties very well.  They will be able to tell you all the cooking styles available for each type of seafood and what is freshest.

The clear winner for me was the salt and pepper giant mantis prawns. It’s  very important to get the extra large ones because they are too much work otherwise. (椒盐濑尿虾). Make sure to get the silken tofu douhua 豆花 for dessert!

MUST ORDER SEAFOODS AND DISHES:

1. Salt and pepper mantis prawns (娇艳赖尿虾)
2. Salt and pepper squid (椒盐鱿鱼)
3. Lobster noodles (龍蝦伊麵)
4. Typhoon shelter crab (避风塘蟹)
5. Baked butter lobster (牛油焗本地龍蝦)
6. Steamed scallops with garlic and rice noodles (蒜蓉粉丝带子蒸)
7. Pineapple sweet and sour pork (菠蘿咕嚕肉)
8. Fried rice noodles with beef hefun (干炒牛河)
9. Cheese baked lobster (芝士焗龍蝦)
10. Stir fired razor clams in a black bean sauce (豉椒炒蟶子)
11. Golden Prawns with salted egg yolk (黄金虾).
12. Plain boiled prawns (白灼虾).
13. Classic Hong Kong style steamed fish (清蒸鱼).

And BONUS, visiting Lamma island is like going back in time, it’s one of the very few local style fishing places in hong that still holds on to their customs and traditions, making it a must visit destination in Hong Kong. TripSavvy wrote a great article on how to get to lamma island.

• Name: Lamma Rainbow Seafood Restaurant 天虹海鮮酒家
• Address: 23-27, Sok Kwu Wan First St, Lamma Island, Hong Kong
• Hours: 10:00 – 23:00

2 Sai Kung Promenade and Seafood Street

This promenade along the water in Sai Kung is packed with seafood restaurants. It’s well worth it if you’re a seafood lover, but you need to be careful about prices. It’s best to come with a large group of friends and split the price, because it’s a little expensive here. You can watch the traditional fishing boats, junk boats, and sampans  constantly moving in to drop off their catch to the restaurants.

HUGE SELECTION OF SEAFOOD!

Some of the seafood is GIANT! There is so much on offer! You can find lobster, scallop, clams, octopus, massive mantis shrimp, prawns, crab, sea snails, jelly fish, sea slugs, bread crabs, and more!

BUY FROM THE BOATS OR THE RESTAURANTS, YOUR PICK.

If you come early enough around lunch time, you will be able to purchase seafood directly off the boats and bring it to the restaurants and just pay the cooking fee. All the boats are along the water. If you come for dinner, the seafood will be in the cages ready for you to point and choose and cooking will be included in the price. When we came we visited with local friends who warned about being extra careful of the vendors overcharging you for seafood, or even for switching out the seafood you purchase for smaller ones when you’re not looking, so be careful! There are many restaurants along the water, and I believe all will be similar in quality, so choose the busiest one! The journey is about 45 minutes to an hour outside of Central Hong Kong, but it makes a wonderful seafood quest with your friends and a great evening!

• Name: Sai Kung Promenade and Seafood Street
• Comments: Go to MTR Choi Hung Station Exit C2, after, take minibus route 1A
• Address: Sai Kung Promenade, Hong Kong

3 Other Famous Seafood Restaurants in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has many other famous seafood restaurants. Apart from the 2 listed above, Tai Woo seafood (featured in noodles for Lobster noodles) is fantastic for other varieties of seafood, and is found in Hong Kong itself so you won’t have to take a huge journey out to Sai Kung or Lamma island. The dai pai dong’s above also serve a lot of fresh and delicious seafood. I’m also listing a few other options that are great to eat the best seafood in Hong Kong below:

1. Lei Yue Mun
2. Under the Bridge Spicy Crab (but it’s too touristy and you can’t purchase whole crabs, they sell by weight)
3. Aberdeen Seafood

NEXT UP ON THE HONG KONG FOOD GUIDE, MICHELIN STAR  RESTAURANTS IN HONG KONG YOU NEED TO VISIT (SPLURGE ON!)

UPSCALE IN HONG KONG

One of the best parts about eating in Hong Kong is the abundance of Michelin star restaurants to visit.  Each year, Michelin gives out new stars and puts out a Michelin guide with their top recommended restaurants and street food in Hong Kong. While I sometimes find their recommendations to be off, I still believe their guide is a good resource to understanding and finding the most famous restaurants in Hong Kong.

1 (3) Star Michelin Splurge at T'ang Court

This is perhaps the best restaurant in Hong Kong. 3 Michelin Stars. You won’t believe how incredibly delicious the food is here! It is definitely a little expensive, but if you want the best of the best, it’s worth it. We payed around 3000 HKD for a big lunch for 3 people, and we were careful with our spending.

12 MUST ORDER DISHES AT T’ANG COURT (6 SHOWN ABOVE).

Here are 12 of the best dishes that you need to order on your visit to T’ang Court.

1. Roasted “Lung Kong” Chicken 龙岗鸡
2. Cantonese style bbq pork  秘制饯叉烧
3. Braised dried abalone with fish maw,  beche de mer (sea cucumber) and black mushroom 一品溏心鲍鱼
4. Steamed diced lobster,  asparagus, and shrimp hagao dumplings 鲜露荀龙虾饺
5. Pan fried rice flour roll with sliced pork and BBQ sauce – XO 酱煎肠粉
6. Baked pastry filled with abalone and fish maw原只鲍鱼花胶酥
7. Peking duck 北京片皮鸭
8. Birds nest soup 官燕
9. Steamed shrimp and bamboo shoot  hargao dumpling 笋尖鲜虾饺
10. Steamed shrimp and pork siumai dumpling, topped with black truffle  黑松露滑烧卖
11. Baked pastry filled with abalone and fish maw 原只鲍鱼花胶酥
12. Roasted suckling pig 乳猪片皮件

They are extremely famous for their Lung Kong chicken (#1 above), which many guests come solely to eat! I really liked their BBQ pork, imported from England, and their lobster hagao! All of the dishes above are worthy of ordering, especially the abalone! If you want to splurge, T’ang court is the best option! A meal here will likely cost you $300+ USD for 3 people!

OTHER FAMOUS MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS IN HONG KONG:

Other options for the best restaurants in Hong Kong include The Chairman, one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants,  and Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hong Kong.

• Name: T'ang Court 唐閣
• Address: 1/F and 2/F, The Langham Hong Kong, 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 尖沙咀北京道8號香港朗廷酒店1樓及2樓
• Hours: 12:00 – 15:00 and 18:00 – 23:00

1 Best Claypot Rice in Hong Kong

After a disappointing visit to the famous four seasons claypot rice and to Hing Kee claypot rice, I was a little disappointed in Hong Kong’s claypot rice quality. But I knew there there had to be a place to visit. After chatting with my friend Joni, a true local food lover in Hong Kong, she recommended a visit to Kwan Kee. It turned out to be one of my favourite restaurants in Hong Kong. We came back a couple times to sample their different offerings for lunch and dinner. For lunch, they serve amazing noodles and stir fry dishes, and for dinner, offer a huge menu of claypot rice and wok cooking. I truly believe this is a must visit restaurant of Hong Kong.

Their claypot rice was fantastic. Both the rice and the meats are cooked perfectly, making this a favourite spot amongst locals.Here are a few of their most famous claypot rice dishes to order:

1. Tender beef and raw egg yolk 窩蛋牛肉煲仔飯
2. Chinese sausage and raw egg yolk 腊味窝蛋堡仔饭 (shown above)
3. White eel with spare ribs 白鱔滑雞煲仔飯

But it’s not only the claypot rice dishes:

THERE’S SO MUCH MORE!

If you only have one or two days to spend in Hong Kong, coming here is an absolute must! There is so much to try!

Other favourite dishes that I tried:

1. Stir fried shrimp with egg 虾仁炒蛋
2. Salt and pepper bombay duck or squid椒鹽九肚魚/ 椒鹽鮮魷
3. Stir fried Singapore rice noodles with sweet and sour pork(星洲炒米）
4. Fried beef rice noodles from noodle section above (lunch only)

• Name: Kwan Kee Claypot Rice 坤記煲仔小菜
• Address: Shop 1, Wo Yick Mansion, 263 Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Western District 西環西營盤皇后大道西263號和益大廈地下1號舖
• Hours: 11:00 – 14:30 18:00 – 22:30

2 Best Minced Beef and Raw Egg Claypot Rice in Hong Kong

I had heard from other blogs that this was the undisputed champion of beef and egg claypot rice in Hong Kong. So Ting and I took the journey out to western district, just a couple stops from Central, to see whether the rumours were true. After ordering up a bowl and waiting a few minutes, the shiny and steaming bowl of aromatic joy arrived. Mixing it up, I could already tell that this was going to be good. The egg yolk was mixing through perfectly and the rice on the edge of the pot was perfectly crispy as it should be. It was an absolutely enjoyable dish, and I can confirm that this baozaifan is definitely one of the best in Hong Kong.

It’s also customisable, you can order Chinese sausage to go with it as well! Order the Wodan Niurou baozaifan 窩蛋牛肉煲仔飯 with lachang 腊肠.

• Name: Wing Hop Sing 永合成煲饭
• Address: G/F, 360 Des Voeux Road West, Shek Tong Tsui, Western District 西環石塘咀德輔道西360號地舖
• Hours: Open from 7am to 4pm

1 Best Pineapple Bun in Hong Kong

Kam Wah Cafe and Bakery is an incredibly famous cha chaanteng in Hong Kong with the widely regarded best pineapple bun in Hong Kong.

JUST COME FOR THE PINEAPPLE BUN.

Kam Wah has a large menu, as most cha chaantengs do, but you really only need to lineup outside and get the pineapple bun to go. Get it with cold butter! It’s much more satisfying! I came to eat inside and found the other food to be satisfactory, with the french toast not bad (西多士), but I think you really only need to try the pineapple bun.

• Name: Kam Wah Cafe & Bakery 金华冰厅
• Address: 47 Bute Street, Prince Edward 太子弼街47號地下
• Hours: 06:30 – 23:30

2 Delicious Hong Kong Desserts in Jordan

After exploring around Jordan and walking through the Temple street night market, I opened up my Hong Kong food map above to find Kai Kai Desserts. Although I’m not a huge fan of the temple street night market (very touristy and not as good), it’s very close by. The shop has been in operation for over 50 years, evolving slowly from a simple street stall into a now very popular dessert shop. My favourite was the tangyuan sticky rice and black sesame dumplings in ginger soup, which were slightly spicy from ginger.

After revisiting a couple times, here are my recommended desserts to order:

1. Black sesame paste (芝麻糊 – Ji Ma Wu)
2. Glutinous rice dumpling tangyuan in sweet ginger soup
3. Traditional mango dessert with pomelo
4. Sweet potato soup (番薯糖水 –  Fan Xu Tong Sui)
5. Almond Dessert ( 杏仁露 – Han Yan Lo)
6. Red Bean dessert (红豆沙 – Hong Tau Sa)

• Name: Kai Kai Dessert 佳佳甜品
• Address: G/F, 29 Ning Po St, Jordan 佐敦寧波街29號地舖
• Hours: 12:00 – 03:30

3 Delicious Trendy Desserts at Cong Sao

When I first visited Cong Sao dessert, it was after exploring Hong Kong’s dessert scene for over a month and eating at mostly old style dessert shops. I was eager to try some newer style stuff. And Cong Sao Star dessert offered a lot! They are famous for their iced longan, mango, and of course, durian desserts. I ordered the durian, which came with a rich durian cream, durian ice cream, and a lot of jelly pearls which add a nice crunch to each bite! If you’re a durian lover, or if you want to try it for the first time, this durian dessert will give you a great intro!

• Name: Cong Sao Star Dessert 聰嫂星級甜品
• Address: G/F, 21-23 Tai Wong Street East, Wan Chai 灣仔大王東街21-23號地舖
• Hours: 12:00 – 23:30

4 Delicious Traditional Dessert Shop in Mongkok

After exploring around Mongkok for a few days, I found a place that seemed almost always busy with locals eating desserts. It’s a classic liangcha place, serving up guilingo “turtle jelly” desserts and liangcha bitter medicinal Chinese tea. Even at 2am in the morning, this place has a diverse clientele of dessert lovers who come to order off a giant menu. I came back a few times to try different desserts and they were all exceptional. One of the most enjoyable is their zapguo saimai lo, a mix of fresh fruit including mango and watermelon over top of cold jelly pearls. I went outside for the good light to capture the photo.

They also feature a huge tray out front of different Chinese dessert pastes to try. My favourite was the warm black sesame paste dessert, the jimahu 芝麻糊.

• Name: 泰和堂凉茶馆
• Address: G/F, No. 96 Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok 旺角通菜街96号地下
• Hours: 10:00 – 06:00

5 Famous Egg Tart at Tai Cheong

There are many famous egg tart places in Hong Kong. Ting and I explored many of them. Tai Cheong was our favourite. The egg custard was very creamy and smooth and sweet. It was really nice!

It makes a nice snack after a bowl of beef brisket noodles!

• Name: Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌蛋挞
• Address: 35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong (10 min walk from Exit C, Hong Kong MTR Station) 中環擺花街35號地下
• Hours: 08:00 – 20:30

6 Double Skin Milk at Yee Shun

When I first heard of double skin milk, I was a little confused by the name. But after tasting it, it makes perfect sense. A bowl of cold and velvety smooth milk custard is served with a slightly firmer top layer. When you scoop it out, you get a little bit of the firm layer on the top and a little bit of the smooth custard. It’s really enjoyable! There are a few famous places for double skin milk in Hong Kong. Australia Dairy Company is famous, and Yee Shun is as well. Ting and I visited Yee Shun and really enjoyed it!

Come out and try a bowl! A nice modification to their original double skin milk is their ginger boiled double skin milk.

• Name: Yee Shun Dairy Company 港澳義順牛奶公司
• Address: 佐敦庇利金街63號 63 Pilkem St, Jordan, Hong Kong
• Hours: 08:00 – 00:00

1 Curry Fish Balls at Chun Mei Mei

Ting and I spent 6 weeks in Hong Kong just to write this guide. Out of all the street food we tried, this was one of my favourites. The curry fishball!

There are many locations serving these curry fishballs. Most of them are good. This one was my favourite though! It’s in Mongkok, the street food capital of Hong Kong! There are also many other little street snacks to try here. Mixed organs, fried tofu, little wontons, you can sample a ton of Hong Kong specialty street foods! If you’re coming out to Mongkok for street food, you can sample the other street foods listed below too, many of them are in Mongkok!

• Name: Chun Mei Mei 真美味
• Address: Shop 7A, G/F, Kai Yin Mansion, 12-26 Nelson Street, Mong Kok 旺角奶路臣街12-26號啟賢大廈地下7A號舖

3 Braised Offal at Feijie

If you’re into braised organs, this is your shop! I always stop for a plate whenever I pass through this area. Braised intestines, offal, heart, octopus tentacles, it’s all here!

They are definitely chewy! The shopkeeper will ask you if you want mustard. It’s quite hot, so I recommend only taking it if you like spicy. Anthony Bourdain filmed here in 2007 for No Reservations, and since then this shop has got more and more popular!

If you order a jumbo box for HKD 113, you can skip the line, which is often very long and weaving around the corner! Only do that if you truly love trying the organs. Otherwise, you can just point at what you like and they will serve it to you.

• Name: Fei Jie 肥姐小食店
• Address: Shop 4A, 55 Dundas Street, Mong Kok 旺角登打士街55號4A舖

3 Cheong Fun Rice Noodle Roll

My good friend Rayfil Wong brought me here. It’s a classic Hong Kong style street food place offering cheong fun rice noodle rolls. They were absolutely amazing!

I was impressed with the delicious sauce combo. The sesame paste combined with the sweet sauce was really enjoyable. It was nutty and almost tasted fruity too. And the rice noodle rolls are very soft yet still have a slight chewiness to them. I would definitely revisit this place again and again!

Order the “hunjiang changfen” for the basic one like I got. Or you can also get it was steamed siumai dumplings as a combo. They also have the famous Hong Kong egg waffle!

• Name: Lama ? Meishi 辣嗎?美食
• Address: Shop C, G/F, Pao Woo Mansion, 177-179 Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai 灣仔灣仔道177-179號保和大廈地下C舖
• Hours: 10:00 – 22:00

4 Egg Waffle in North Point

There are many famous egg waffle shops in Hong Kong. Found on nearly all street corners, you just have to spot the egg waffle maker and you know you can order one up.

The most famous is Lee Keung Kee in North Point. So Ting and I took the subway over to come try it out. I must say it was pretty good. I’m not sure if it was worth coming to North Point for, but still delicious regardless. It had a slight smokiness to it and was very fluffy and satisfying. I would probably just get a normal one in Mongkok street food area next time.

• Name: Lee Keung Kee North Point 利強記北角雞蛋仔
• Address: 492 King's Road, North Point 北角英皇道492號
• Hours: 07:00 – 23:00

5 Bitter Liangcha in Central

One of the most polarising street drinks in Hong Kong is liangcha. You either love it or hate it. I can’t personally say that I’m a huge fan, but I don’t mind having a cup once in a while. The same goes for guilingo, a bitter and sweet brown jelly served in most traditional dessert shops. If you’re walking around Central, there is a very convenient liangcha shop near the midlevels escalators.

It’s a order and go type place. There are also some sweet versions available too if you’re not a fan of bitter. But I recommend for your first time to try the real thing. It’s the only way.

• Name: Chun Hui Tang Yao Hang 春回堂藥行
• Address: 8 Cochrane St, Central, Hong Kong 中環閣麟街8號地下
• Hours: 09:00 – 20:00

6 Special tofu stall

My buddy Rayfil Wong also brought me here. It’s a specialty tofu stall serving all varieties of tofu. Their two most famous options are fried tofu along with their Hong Kong style silken tofu.

I really enjoyed their regular style fried tofu dipped into a chili sauce. It was delicious. Next time I’ll definitely order the fried tofu with ground fish meat.

• Name: Yan Wo Dou Bun Chong 人和荳品專門店
• Address: 55 Jardine's Bazaar, Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣渣甸街55號