Last Updated on September 22, 2026 by Sammie
You Need to Explore the Hong Kong Food Scene
Being based in Macau means Hong Kong is literally an hour ferry ride away for me. Macau is incredible and has its luxuries, but Hong Kong is a food lover’s paradise. No matter the cuisine or the budget, Hong Kong food is in a level of its own—if you know where to look.
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Hello everyone! I’m Sammie, and I’m a millennial. But I work in a circus with plenty of Gen Z’ers and I’m hip and happening with the TikToks, the viral dances, and the legendary Hong Kong food spots that have hour-long lines posted on IG. Let me be quick; we all know attention spans are dwindling these days.
The good shit isn’t the viral spots; it’s the 3.5-star reviewed spots.
(By the way, if you’re in the midst of planning your Hong Kong trip, make sure to check out my guides on Where to Stay in Hong Kong, the ultimate Hong Kong Market Guide, how to conquer Hong Kong at Night, and, of course, simply, all the Things to do in Hong Kong! But if you’re somehow already over Hong Kong, I’d highly suggest a day trip to Macau!)
When I first moved to Macau from Chicago, every time I had visitors we would undoubtedly head to Hong Kong for some incredible big city dinners (we had to compare to our Midwestern roots). The first stop on the list was Tim Ho Wan- “the world’s most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant”. I will save you some time and give you much better and *gasp* even more affordable spots. Unless you want to say you went to a Michelin-starred restaurant in a metro station to all your friends, which I will never judge you for.
Tim Ho Wan Alternatives
Sun Hing Restaurant (新興食家) — Kennedy Town
Try Molten Salted Egg Custard Buns (流沙包): Widely praised as some of the best in Hong Kong—fluffy white dough filled with hot, grainy, liquid salted egg yolk. These are my favorite snack they give us at the canteen in Macau. Think of the filling more as custard than egg if liquid egg freaks you out.
London Restaurant (倫敦大酒樓) — Mong Kok
Try Steamed Malay Sponge Cake (馬拉糕): Light, airy, caramel-brown cake cooked in giant bamboo steamers. Don’t feel bad if you get handed a piece the size of your head. The cake is extremely light and easy to eat.
Luk On Kui (六安居) — Sheung Wan
Try Ham Soi Gok (咸水角): You have to try these! They’re fried, chewy, and ever so slightly sweet with an incredible pork and mushroom filling
My day-to-day job is being an acrobat, but one glorious day a month, I get to step in for the main character as a backup. And on that special day, I get to wear a giant cape that makes me feel superhuman.
Rules of HK Dining
1. Cash or Octopus Card is King: Keep those HK Dollars or your Octopus card handy.
2. Service with a Scowl: High efficiency > polite small talk. Expect daap toi (table-sharing with strangers) and fast ordering. Also, don’t be surprised if you have to flag someone over for something. Servers “checking in” here is not a thing how it is in the States.
3. Skip the 5-star Google-reviewed hot spots for an authentic experience: Walk around Central, Wan Chai, Sheung Wan, or Mong Kok and find a spot that has a queue for the lunchtime crowd. That’s when you know it’s good.
Wan Chai is my favorite neighborhood to grab a bite to eat, and it’s a bit hard to wander around and not find something delicious.
Local Delicacies
(That Are Surprisingly Delicious)
For the adventurous eater who wants to skip the basic Instagram egg waffles and try some real local delicacies.
Cold Sesame Jellyfish (Sik Hai Zai):
🤔 What it is: Shredded, chilled jellyfish tossed in sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and chili oil.
❤️ Why locals love it: It has an addictive, snappy crunch with zero fishy taste and acts as a refreshing palate cleanser.
⚖️ The Verdict: It’s a great cold appetizer! I had this last time when my dad and step mom visited me in Hong Kong. Before realizing what I was eating, I took a bite. I only stopped to ask what it was because I had never eaten something so crunchy before. You’d never believe the texture from the name of it. There’s nothing jelly about it, but it is an experience that tastes delicious and is pure Hong Kong.
📍 Where to try: Traditional Cantonese Restaurants in Mong Kok or Central. I tried it first at Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hotel.
My jellyfish experience is on the left. It was nothing like I was expecting. Like I said before, crunchy. Not jelly-y…
Beef Offal Stew (Ngau Zap):
🤔 What it is: A steaming pot of braised beef intestines, tripe, lungs, and sweet radish simmered in a fragrant five-spice, star anise, and chu hou paste master broth.
❤️ Why locals love it: It’s not my preferred meal, but they serve a version of it a lot in my canteen at work and the locals adore it. The beef offal stew made the list because it’s my physio at work’s favorite dish. It’s a highly sought after comfort street food, very savory and aromatic. Served in a cup on a skewer with a dash of sweet sauce and yellow mustard.
📍 Where to try: Neighborhood street stalls in Mong Kok or Sham Shui Po.
Century Egg (Pei Dan):
🤔 What it is: Duck eggs preserved in clay, ash, salt, and quicklime for weeks until the egg white becomes dark amber jelly and the yolk becomes a rich, creamy, dark green.
❤️ Why locals love it: It’s good! Though it looks like something that has been left in my fridge since last Christmas, I genuinely encourage you to try it. It’s earthy, rich, and full of umami. Commonly eaten sliced with pickled ginger or cooked into hot pork congee (Pei Dan Sau Yuk Zuk). I ate it by itself, and I loved it.
📍 Where to try: Any neighborhood, but you’ll have better luck in Central or Sheung Wan (check on this shop specifically: Li Huan Tang Preserved Egg Specialty Store)
Terrifying, yes. But worth the try.
Breakfast & Cha Chaan Tengs
(Local Tea Cafes)
What is a Cha Chaan Teng? The ultimate hybrid of British colonial influence and local Hong Kong comfort food. But literally, it translates to “tea restaurant.” It’s budget friendly and has great local food options, always.
Must-Order Staples:
- Bo Lo Bao (Pineapple Bun with Butter): Fresh, hot, crunchy top with a thick slab of cold butter melting inside. Everyone has their own version and it’s hard to go wrong but I personally love the ones that have a pineapple compot in the middle.
- HK-Style Milk Tea or Yuenyeung: Strong, silky black tea mixed with evaporated milk, or a 50/50 coffee-tea mix (Yuenyeung). This is a no argument must try if you’re visiting Hong Kong.
- Hong Kong “french toast”: Thick cut pillowly pieces of bread, dunked in egg and fried. So delicious and also sometimes comes with filling like peanut butter between the pieces of toast!
Hong Kong Milk Tea!
📍 Cha Chaan Tengs to try:
Kam Wah Cafe (Mong Kok) for classic Pineapple Buns.
Australia Dairy Company (Jordan) for high-speed, military-precision scrambled egg service.
Red Tea chain for solid, reliable daily milk tea.
My personal favorite for Hong Kong breakfast is My Cup of Tea, it’s in Wan Chai. Which also happens to be one of my favorite neighborhoods for getting any food in Hong Kong. It’s a nieghborhood that feels homey and cozy. If you go for My Cup of Tea, try their milk tea, it’s not overly sweet and for me is one of my favorites. Also, their scrambled egg sandwich is a delicious no frills breakfast staple.
Dim Sum:
The Classics and Some New Kids on the Block
If you want good dim sum you’re going to have to endure some loud chatter, yelling aunties, and lot of tea.
Must-Order Staples:
- Har Gow (Crystal Shrimp Dumplings) & Siu Mai (Pork/Shrimp Dumplings). Crystal shrimp dumplings are SO good, very simple, I could eat kilos of them.
- Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns). BBQ pork buns are a classic and I have yet to meet anyone who does not enjoy them.
- Cheung Fun (Steamed Rice Roll with crispy shrimp or beef). Rice rolls are the best! Sometimes they are served with hoisin and peanut sauce. And my opinion…that’s the best way.
New Ideas To Try:
- Baked Snow Mountain Char Siu Bao: The sweet, crumbly-topped baked pork buns (made famous by Tim Ho Wan, but elevated at spots like Dim Sum Square).
- Malaysian Sponge Cake (Ma Lai Gao): Ultra-fluffy, brown sugar steamed sponge cake served piping hot out of the basket. This cake is loved by everyone. Even my picky partner was okay to try it with some tea. It’s like eating a brown sugar cloud. Not too strong but sweet enough to satisfy a sugar craving.
📍 Best HK Dim Sum Spots to try:
Luk On Kui (Sheung Wan): Skip the sterile modern spots and go here for authentic cart-pushing “trolley aunties” and old-school noise.
Sun Hing (Kennedy Town): Open at 3:00 AM—great for late-night post-show/post-party dim sum.
I love dim sum, it’s one of my favorite meals over here. But I’m embarrassed to say it was years after living in Macau that I went to my first true dim sum establishment with dim sum cart aunties. I bring my visitors to Lin Heung Lau simply to watch these incredible older women work. They mean no business except dim sum business. You don’t want a shrimp dumpling, get the hell out of line lady.
The first time I went to Lin Heung Lau, I was very overwhelmed. But you quickly settle in and the clash and clatter of plates and bowls quickly lead to a beautiful tapestry of a cultural staple of Hong Kong.
Siu Mei
(Cantonese Roast Meats)
Succulent meats hanging in glass storefront windows dripping with glazes and spices. A health inspectors’ nightmare, but what my dreams are made of.
Top Three Siu Mei Dishes (Plus One New Add):
- Char Siu (Honey-glazed BBQ Pork). CLASSIC.
- Siu Yuk (Crispy Pork Belly with crackling skin). Even if you’re not a “skin” person, you should try it because it completely changes the flavor.
- Siu Ngo (Roast Goose with plum sauce). The plum sauce is so good!
- NEW IDEA TO TRY: Soy Sauce Chicken (Si Yau Kai): Often overshadowed by roast goose, but tender, poached in sweet spiced soy sauce, and served with a ginger-scallion oil that you’ll want to drink.
📍 Best HK Siu Mei Spots to try:
Joy Hing (Wan Chai) or Dragon State (Sheung Wan) for legendary Char Siu.
Yat Lok (Central) or Kam’s Roast Goose (Wan Chai) for Roast Goose.
When my adventure eating friend, who also happens to be a beastly Red Bull Cliff diver, Kaylea, came to visit, we were all over these hanging meats. We got a plastic carry-out container filled with any meats that looked the most appetizing, got ourselves a fresh juice, and made a little park picnic.
You could equate these hanging meat stalls to a salumeria in Italy or a deli in the USA. Same same but different. I promise it’s more sanitary than it looks.
Noodle Bowls, Claypots & Open-Air Dining
(Dai Pai Dongs)
Noodle Culture: Fast, hot, comfort in a bowl.
Classics to Try:
- Give Wonton Noodles or Beef Brisket Noodles a try while you’re exploring the city. Both are delicious and easily adored by most. Wonton noodles are wheat noodles with shrimp dumplings placed on top, whereas the beef brisket noodles have, you guessed it, beef on top.
I prefer beef brisket noodles cuz I’m a midwestern girl, but I’ll take either if they’re served to me.
New Ideas to Try:
Not exactly “new” ideas, but potentially something you haven’t thought to try before.
- Claypot Rice (Bo Chai Fan): Rice cooked over charcoal in a clay pot, topped with preserved sausage (Lap Cheong), minced pork, or salted fish, drizzled with sweet soy sauce. The sweet and salty combo is really good. But the best part is scraping the crispy, burnt rice (fan ziu) off the bottom.
- Cart Noodles (Che Chai Men): The ultimate customizable HK street noodle bowl where you pick your noodle, broth, and anything else you can point at. I’d suggest going at this with an open mind. They’ll probably be able to tell you generalities like “BEEF” or “FISH” but don’t expect anyone to tell you if they have gluten-free options.
📍 Dai Pai Dong to try:
Check out Sing Kee in central and try their lemongrass pork with rice at lunchtime or Temple Spice Crabs in Jordon on Temple Street for a seafood Dai Pai Dong. No matter what, be prepared for the elements. You won’t be enjoying your food with any aircon if you visit in the middle of August.
Street Food & Desserts
This section is all about grabbing a skewer on a busy street corner in Mong Kok or Sham Shui Po. So many sticks to try, so little time…
Must Try Street Food:
- Curry Fishballs: Springy, spicy, and addicting. They don’t have a great name, but they are really delicious and I’m not even a big seafood lover.
- Gai Daan Jai (Egg Waffles): Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. A visitor staple of HK. They can be quite boring but if you’re looking for an egg waffle with a bit more spunk, check out Mammy Pancake. The mochi one is delicious but you’ll need to share it with a friend because it’s very filling.
- Sheng Jian Bao (Pan-Fried Soup Buns): Cheung Hing Kee in Wan Chai/TST for crispy-bottomed buns full of piping hot broth. These are God’s gift to the world. I could live off of these soup buns.
Must Try Dessert:
- Mango Sago Pomelo Soup (Yeung Chi Kam Lu): A cold, refreshing Cantonese dessert soup made with mango puree, coconut milk, sago pearls, and fresh pomelo segments. I promise it’s more delicious than how it looks.
Sago pomelo soup is shockingly good. It’s a bit of a concoction in a cup but it works. I first tried this on my premier night of the House of Dancing Water. It was in Macau but I promise it’s a Hong Kong thing. I was genuinely disappointed to have gotten some stupid soup after being a part of creating the new version of the world’s largest water show but then i tried it… no words.
The stupid soup was worth it.
Final Thoughts
Hong Kong food is both expensive and divine and cheap and accessible. Both sides incredible and both worthy of trying if possible. But what I love so much about this city is its ability to create such exotic dishes that are accessible for a western palate.
Don’t get me wrong, I love trying things that make my tatebuds questions what is going on but also Im not afriad to say I get excited when I can try a dish that is so different than what is available back home and not freak out because somehow in someway it still feels exotically familiar??
If I had the chance I’d head to Hong Kong every weekend for a bite to eat but when I don’t get the opportunity, there’s always Macau. What I consider the weird little brother to Hong Kong.
If you make it to Hong Kong, check out my favorite restaurants I bring my family to…
- FRANCIS- Great cocktails and really good Middle Eastern food
- The Pizza Project– because everyone needs a really good pizza spot that doesn’t disappoint and sometimes that craving happens on vacation.
- Hoo Lee Fok– Really creative chinese an asian dishes in a funky atmosphere to bring guests.
- ChullsChick– Fantastic Peruvian food in the middle of the city. Who knew?
What’s your favorite Hong Kong eat, or do you prefer grabbing street noodles over on Macau side? Drop a comment below!
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