Cantonese food is loved around the world, and there’s arguably no better place to try it than Hong Kong. Ahead of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 returning to the city on 16 July, we asked a Hong Konger to share their favourite restaurants and must-order dishes
The beauty of Cantonese food in Hong Kong lies in its diversity. From dai pai dong stalls to cha chaan teng teahouses and dim sum halls, hopping from one spot to another is a rite of passage. Think: cash-only, formica tabletops, sharing tables, lazy susans and dim sum trolleys. This is the real Hong Kong – the vibrancy, the bustle and the humble yet delicious food served at every hour of the day. Here are eight restaurants to feast your way around the city like a local.
1. Macaroni soup and milk tea at Australia Dairy Company
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Sample Cantonese-Western fusion at Hong Kong institution Australia Dairy Company
Queues snake down the street outside this cash-only cha chaan teng, a Hong Kong staple that has been operating since the 1950s. Known for its lightning-fast, sometimes curt service, this no-frills diner offers affordable Canto-Western fusion breakfast sets and single main items. Its incredibly fluffy and moist crustless scrambled egg with corned beef sandwich is a classic. Pair it with a big bowl of comforting macaroni soup in a chicken broth fizzing with MSG and wash it down with a cup of silky Hong Kong milk tea. Don’t expect five-star service here and be prepared to share a table during peak times. The mantra is: eat swiftly, savour intensely and depart promptly.
47 Parkes St, Jordan, Hong Kong
2. Wontons galore at Ten Noodle Shop
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Stop by Ten Noodle Shop in Prince Edward for a bowl of plump wontons
In Hong Kong, wontons reign supreme as they are quick, budget-friendly and always reliable. Ten Noodle Shop, a beloved second-generation noodle joint in bustling Prince Edward district, draws crowds for its plump wontons. Each delightful, wrinkly ball of joy is filled with minced pork with a whole prawn nestled within. Slurp the handmade, satisfyingly springy noodles that are perfectly paired with the aromatic flounder fish and shrimp roe broth. Elevate your bowl with a variety of condiments, complimentary pickled daikon radish and crispy deep-fried fish skin for added crunch.
45 Yu Chau St, Prince Edward, Hong Kong
3. Jet-fuelled wok cooking at Oi Man Sang.png)
This dai pai dong is one of the last to still use jet fuel to superheat its woks
One of the few places still using kerosene for wok cooking, your first impression of Oi Man Sang will likely stem from the flaming kitchen on the street as its chefs whip dishes out at warp speed and high temperatures. Oi Man Sang is as unfussy and unpretentious as it gets, but arrive early as it packs out with tourists and locals. Take a paper ticket, wait until your number gets called, sit on plastic stools among the sea of round wooden folding tables and order a round of Blue Girl beer. Established in 1956, it's among Hong Kong's oldest dai pai dongs, offering unchanged Cantonese classics like fragrant aubergine, sweet and sour pork and salt and pepper tofu. Thanks to the jet fuel, anything stir-fried gets the smoky wok-hei treatment and will be a true delight. Sadly, dai pai dongs (outdoor dining street food stalls) are a dying breed due to government regulations making it almost impossible to get a new licence unless passed down through generations. But Oi Man Sang is holding the fort strong. It’s worth noting that it’s cash only here, too.
Sham Shui Po Building, 1A-1C Shek Kip Mei St, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
4. Egg tarts at Sun Wah Cafe
Get lost in the nostalgic charm of Sun Wah Cafe with its comforting egg tarts
Established in 1966 in the residential district of Cheung Sha Wan, Sun Wah Cafe is a two-storey, old-style cha chaan teng that is a rare find these days. The café has retained much of its original features and layout, including an on-site bakery that makes its own pineapple buns, egg tarts and other baked goods, filling the space with an intoxicating aroma of hot sugar, butter and coconut. From the compact booths and colourful tiled walls to the old Ovaltine containers holding chopsticks and silverware atop every formica tabletop, the space retains a nostalgic charm that holds a special place in Hong Kongers’ hearts. Try Sun Wah Cafe’s signature egg tart, served piping hot. The beautifully golden 200-layer, flaky puff pastry with a perfectly gooey egg custard filling tastes incredible.
334 Castle Peak Rd, Cheung Sha Wan, Hong Kong
5. Crispy vermicelli at Ju Xing Home
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Order the crispy vermicelli nest with stir fried prawns to eat like a local chef
Ju Xing Home is a place you'll visit once and immediately want to return to. Always jam-packed with the city’s top chefs on their days off or after service, it owes its popularity to the exceptional cooking of chef Ng Kong Kiu and his wife, who he co-owns the restaurant with. The interior is simple, with a large table in the back storage room among cardboard boxes. Expect homely Cantonese cooking with top-end techniques, focusing on stir-fries and seafood, plus some spicy options. The must-order dish is the showstopping prawn and spring onion pan-fried vermicelli noodle nests, expertly fried in a wok to create the base of an impressive display. These sell out early, so reserving a table and pre-ordering certain dishes is recommended.
418 Portland St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
6. Roast goose at Kamcentre
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Make sure to pre-order a glossy roast goose from Kamcentre
Hidden behind a bowling alley in the South China Athletic Association in Causeway Bay, this spot offers a unique dining experience. Front tables provide views of serious bowlers and even the private rooms have bowling-themed decor. Gather a group to tackle the extensive menu and pre-book dishes, as some require days to prepare. Roast goose is an archetypal Cantonese staple in Hong Kong, so it’s a given to opt for goose served every way. Here, it’s available in multiple styles, including pipa (spread open before being roasted), whole roasted, thinly sliced skin and steamed with aged tangerine peel. Don’t miss the beautifully roasted cha siu, offered in both fatty and lean cuts. Other rare, labour-intensive Cantonese dishes include tangerine peel stir-fried ho fun, deep-fried pig intestines, pig aorta and chicken feet and fish maw soup.
Floor 1, South China, Athletic Association, 88 Caroline Hill Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
7. Steamed fish at Ap Lei Chau Market
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Choose your catch at a traditional wet market (image courtesy of Exploringlife)
Hong Kong’s traditional wet markets are the city's beating heart, where locals haggle for fresh poultry, live seafood and vibrant vegetables. For the freshest seafood, visit Ap Lei Chau Market and Cooked Food Market. This large fish market lets diners choose their catch, buy it downstairs and bring it to the food court upstairs to be cooked to order. Chan Shun Kee, a seafood teahouse run by a husband-and-wife duo, offers fair prices and expertly prepared dishes. Spring onion, soy sauce and sizzling neutral oil is the holy trinity, and this flavour combination highlights each chosen fish’s natural flavours. It doesn’t get fresher than this.
8 Hung Shing St, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong
8. Hakka delicacies at Sun Hon Kee
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Venture outside of central Hong Kong for a taste of Hakka cuisine at Sun Hon Kee
Dubbed ‘The Chairman of The New Territories' by locals, this informal Fanling spot is helmed by charismatic chef So Wai Hon. Don’t be alarmed by the trek for visitors coming from south of the Island or Kowloon – it's worth the journey. Sun Hon Kee draws locals, politicians and celebrities alike with hearty Hakka dishes like mui choi kau yuk (slow-braised pork with pickled vegetables), river shrimp with chives and oyster pancakes using local Starling Inlet oysters. Visit with a group to sample the extensive menu and don’t miss the steamed black sugar cake with Guinness for dessert. Book ahead as reservations fill up months in advance.
Shop G01, G/F, 28 Wo Fung Street, Luen Wo Hui, Fanling, Hong Kong
Hungry for more? Browse 50 Best Discovery for more dining and drinking inspiration in Hong Kong ahead of the upcoming edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 on Tuesday 16th July. Follow 50 Best on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube for the latest news, features, videos and stories from the best chefs and bartenders across the world, and use 50 Best Discovery for all of your dining, drinking and destination planning.
