From bustling street markets to high end dining, Hong Kong offers an endless supply of foodie favorites that encompass its diverse cultural makeup. Locals and tourists alike can indulge in the city's hidden gems – from succulent roasted meats to comforting wonton noodles, from the iconic pineapple bun to cha chaan teng soft scrambled eggs and bursting French toast – all while discovering the stories behind these beloved culinary traditions. 

After visiting Hong Kong more than 20 times over the last 10 years, I can confidently say this is one of the city's top curated food and beverage lists of the best restaurants and bars Hong Kong has to offer. And because no one's got time these days to sift through a wordy, long-form article to find the necessary details, I've boiled down the cream of the crop into an easily digestible list, with must-order suggestions. From local eats to fine dining, from smashable cocktails to crafted libations, this tried-and-true lineup has got you covered for all your Hong Kong foodie-focused travel needs. 

Local Eats

Roasted Meats (Siu Mei)

Yung’s Tangerine Peel Goose

Yat Lok Roast Goose

Dragon State Kitchen Restaurant

• Chukfo Taipan: A popular Hong Kong-style roast meat joint, Chukfo Taipan is a top choice amongst both visitors and Hong Kongers. Famed for their succulent goose leg, crispy pork belly, and smarmy char siu, all siu mei is best enjoyed over noteworthy long-grain rice, each individual kernel glistening with fat from the roasted meat. Bonus points for the sweet plum sauce on every table, so you can slather it across everything (not just the goose!) Chukfo Taipan also offers HKD10 discounts on all rice sets between 2:30-5:30pm, a deal that keeps the queue snaking out the door at all hours.
  • Must order dishes: char siu, goose, crispy pork belly, and the best milk tea in the city
  • Shop 3, G/F, Wah Yan Court, 2-3 Triangle Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
• Joy Hing: The main draw to this humble eatery is the char siu, boasting some of the stickiest, sweetest glaze in the city and perfectly crispy edges. While quality can sometimes vary, and the pork belly is noticeably leaner than other shops, when it hits, it truly hits. The milk tea is also a must.
  • Must order dishes: char siu rice and milk tea
  • Block C, G/F, 265-267 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong
• Dragon State Kitchen Restaurant: This wallet-friendly eatery specializes in roasted meats, particularly crispy skin chicken, soy sauce chicken, and char siu. Despite the brusque service and dated décor, it is still a popular lunch and take-away spot.
  • Must order dishes: crispy skin chicken and char siu
  • 38 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
• Fat J Char Siu: The newest kid on the block, this roasted meats outpost in Wan Chai is equally popular for its thick-cut char siu, baijiu-marinated chicken, and roast goose. While prices are a bit higher, each meal comes with homemade soup.
  • Must order dishes: Maotai chicken, char siu
  • Rialto Building, Landale St, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
• Yung’s Tangerine Peel Goose: A favorite lunch haunt, Yung’s Tangerine Peel Roast Goose is most beloved for – you guessed it – their roasted goose, the restaurant’s namesake dish, served with a zippy tangerine peel sauce that cuts through the richness of the crispy, taut skin and juicy goose flesh. Other classic roast meat options are always available, and discounts are honored between the lunch and dinner hours.
  • Must order dishes: succulent goose and char siu
  • 48 Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Pineapple Buns & Sandwiches

Honolulu Cafe

Shun Hing

Guzzle

Java Cafe

My Cup of Tea

• Honolulu Cafe: A cha chaan teng must-visit, this Wan Chai café serves Hong Kong diner classics all day long, plus a myriad of freshly baked confectionaries, like fantastic pineapple buns, Mexican custard buns, stuffed French toast, and more.
  • Must order dishes: super club pineapple bun sandwich with spam and egg, Mexican custard
  • Luen Sen Mansion, 176-178 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
• Java Cafe: A classic Hong Kong diner with a daily rotating menu, I suggest stopping in between 2-5pm, when Java Cafe offers an afternoon tea menu. All meal sets come with diner’s choice of Hong Kong milk tea or coffee.
  • Must order dishes: satay egg sandwich and the fried chicken + Hong Kong French toast combo
  • 82 Java Rd, North Point, Hong Kong
• Guzzle: A popular takeaway sandwich shop known for its budget-friendly, cha chaan teng-style sandwiches, Guzzle has multiple branches, including Central and Yau Ma Tei, and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner at pocket-friendly prices. Plush, crustless white bread is stuffed with all manner of luncheon meat and soft-scrambled eggs, satay beef, and more.
  • Must order dishes: Saty beef sandwich, luncheon meat and scallion-scrambled eggs
  • Shop A2, G/F, Khuan Ying Commercial Building, 85-89 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
• Shun Hing: Another standout cha chaan teng, this Causeway Bay diner does one of the best pineapple bun breakfast sandwiches in the city, stacked two-layers tall with pads of melting butter and scrambled eggs. The fluffy omelette rice adorned with dealer’s choice of roasted Cantonese meats, the DIY cart noodles, and crispy pork chop are all viable contenders, best enjoyed with a milky tea.
  • Must order dishes: pineapple bun egg sandwich, cart noodles, and milk tea
  • 5 Ormsby St, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
• My Cup of Tea: A popular tea shop known for its award-winning, rich, and smooth Hong Kong-style milk tea, brewed by master brewers, My Cup of Tea also offers classic cha chaan teng snacks like pineapple buns with butter and various sandwiches, making it a go-to spot for an authentic and affordable local experience.
  • Must order dishes: Char siu or beef satay and scrambled egg pineapple bun sandwich, triple egg  sandwich (century egg, salted egg yolk, and scrambled egg)
  • G/F, Wing Hing Building, 6 Spring Garden Lane, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Brisket Noodles

Kau Kee

• Eight Treasures: Boasting a slightly herbal, almost medicinal flavor, the brisket noodles at Eight Treasures are beyond satisfying, with melt-in-your mouth chunks of beef brisket and braised daikon radish.
  • Must order dishes: brisket noodles with radish
  • G/F, Wing Wah Building, 124 Electric Road, Tin Hau, Hong Kong
• Kau Kee: This long-standing noodle house has been doling out piping bowls of brisket and tendon noodles to the Hong Kong’s foodie loving masses for more than 90 years, with a variety of noodle options – e-fu, spring, or flat – in either a braised beef flank soup or a richer curry broth with beef tendon. Do note that Kau Kee requires one noodle purchase per person and is cash only. Pro tip: Do not skip the neon-orange hot sauce, one that delivers on both flavor and heat.
  • Must order dishes: Flat noodles in curry broth with beef and tendon
  • Ground Floor, 21 Gough St, Central, Hong Kong
• Ying Kee: A neighborhood hangout in Sai Ying Pun, this noodle and roasted meats shop serves up fried wontons swimming in a meaty broth, topped with diners’ choice of oven-grilled BBQ pork, overnight-stewed beef brisket, springy honeycomb tripe, and more.
  • Must order dishes: char siu and fried wonton noodles
  • 28 High St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
• Sister Wah: While Sister Wah is a fan favorite, we found the meat to be inferior to Eight Treasures, and the unfriendly service off-putting. The broth is stellar however.
  • Must order dishes: brisket noodles, braised radish
  • 13 Electric Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

French Toast

Hon Fat

Man Wah

Chau Kee

• Hon Fat: Distinguished for its famous liver noodles, Hon Fat’s French toast truly steals the show. Round and fluffy with a thick eggy center, the cloud-like toast is doused in condensed milk.
  • Must order dishes: French toast
  • 192 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
• Man Wah: An OG Hong Kong diner on the Kowloon side of the city with everything from scrambled eggs and toast to macaroni noodle soup. But the standout is the Hong Kong-style French toast with condensed milk, nostalgia-inducing in every sense of the meaning.
  • Must order dishes: French toast
  • G/F, Wah Hung House, Shop no. C & D, 153-159 Tung Choi St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
• Chau Kee: At Chau Kee, diners find a riff on the classic French toast, stuffed "lava" style with fun flavors like black sesame, salted egg yolk and taro.
  • Must order dishes: black sesame French toast
  • Tung Lee Mansion, 1C-1K Water St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
• Honolulu Cafe: A cha chaan teng must-visit, this Wan Chai café serves Hong Kong diner classics all day long, plus a myriad of freshly baked confectionaries, like fantastic pineapple buns, Mexican custard buns, stuffed French toast, and more
  • Must order dishes: peanut butter French toast with condensed milk
  • Luen Sen Mansion, 176-178 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Wonton Noodles

Ying Kee

Tsim Chau Kee

Kau Kee

• Tsim Chai Kee: A Michelin-recommended eatery, Tsim Chai Kee serves up a streamlined menu of behemoth shrimp-stuffed wontons and QQ dace fishballs in a warming, bamboo noodle-filled broth.
  • Must order dishes: wonton noodles and dace fish balls
  • Shop B, G/F, 98 Wellington St, Central, Hong Kong
• Ying Kee: A neighborhood hangout in Sai Ying Pun, this noodle and roasted meats shop serves up fried wontons swimming in a meaty broth, topped with diners’ choice of oven-grilled BBQ pork, overnight-stewed beef brisket, springy honeycomb tripe, and more.
  • Must order dishes: char siu and fried wonton noodles
  • 28 High St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
• Samdor: A beloved Hong Kong diner serving noodle dishes and wontons, Samdor boasts lines out the door at all meal times. Aside from wonton noodles, there’s also beef brisket noodles, and fried wontons. The often-overlooked fried fish balls are served with a pungent fermented clam sauce, a sleeper dish that steals the show.
  • Must order dishes: ahrimp wonton and fish ball noodles, and if you're still hungry spring for the fried fish balls with fermented clam sauce
  • 28 Pottinger St, Central, Hong Kong
• Mak An Kee: 60-year-old Mak An Kee’s handmade squiggly duck egg noodles can be savored dry or in soup, further amped with all manner of brisket, pork knuckle, wontons, prawns, and roe. The claim to fame is in the technique, with translucent skinned wontons brimming with snappy shrimp, tossed simply in oyster sauce.
  • Must order dishes: brisket wonton noodles
  • 37 Wing Kut St, Central, Hong Kong
• Ten Noodle Shop: A newer spot that’s still dedicated to preserving traditional flavors, Ten Noodle Shop serves all manner of prawn wontons, fish balls, and tofu in a delicate broth. The shop is also famed for its silky rice noodle rolls, made using a secret family recipe, prized for its signature bouncy mouthfeel.
  • Must order dishes: fish balls and fish tofu
  • 45 Yu Chau St, Prince Edward, Hong Kong

Other Must Eats

Shun Hing

San Hang Yuen

Shari Kakigori

Sun King Yuen Curry Restaurant 

華輝小食

Bakehouse

Keung Kee

• Sun King Yuen Curry Restaurant 新景園咖喱小: If you’re willing to battle the lines, this Hong Kong institution is worth the wait. Renowned for its monster size portion of fried hor fun (rice noodles with beef) laced with that savory wok hei (breath of wok) char, the overflowing plate of fried noodles is only overshadowed by the colossal fried pork chop served alongside a pleasantly aromatic curry dipping sauce.
  • Must order dishes: hor fun, curry pork chop
  • G/F, 20 Spring Garden Ln, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
• Australia Dairy Company: A mainstay in the Hong Kong diner scene, this casual cha chaan teng is deserving its usual line down the street. A seemingly simple menu, every bite always delivers on both quality and nostalgia.
  • Must order dishes: soft poached eggs on toast, milk pudding, milk tea
  • G/F, 47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong
• Hop Yik Tai: This Michelin-rated storefront is famous for one thing: silky rice rolls smothered in both sweet and chili sauces, finished with a liberal sprinkle of sesame seeds. Other Hong Kong snack favorites, like fish balls, braised radish, or pork skin are also available.
  • Must order dishes: rice rolls
  • 121 Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
• 豐味車仔麵 : A popular joint for cart noodles with all the fixings, 豐味車仔麵 near Ladies Market serves up fantastic build-your-own noodle bowls, ideal for anything from a snack to a filling meal. Don't skip the sweet and sour tofu puffs either.
  • Must order dishes: cart noodles, sweet and sour tofu puffs
  • Hong Kong, Mong Kok, Tung Choi St, 2J號, Hung Kwong Building, 鴻光商場號鋪
• 華輝小食: A bit outside the city, this small shop is worth the extra jaunt for their spicy peanut sauce slathered pulled chicken above a bed of squishy rice rolls, an unexpected yet perfect pairing.
  • Must order dishes: rice rolls with pulled chicken
  • G/F, 4D Chik Sau Lane, Chik Fuk Street Tai Wai
• San Hang Yuen: One of the oldest cha chaan teng’s in Sham Shui Po, this friendly eatery offers hearty mains, like beef tongue in black pepper sauce, and their signature lip-tingling Sichuan beef and egg sandwich, stacked two layers high. Wash it down with a creamy milk tea.
  • Must order dishes: Sichuan beef and egg sandwich
  • 38 Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
• Shari Kakigori: When Hong Kong summers become unbearable, Shari Kakigori has got the ideal hot weather treat: Japanese style shaved ice in all manner of flavors
  • Must order dishes: matcha kakigori
  • G/F, 14 Haven Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
• Bakehouse: Celebrated for its artisanal pastries, breads, quiche, and – most of all – sourdough egg tarts, Bakehouse is a must during any Hong Kong visit. There are currently eight locations around the city.
  • Must order dishes: sourdough egg tarts
  • 5 Staunton St, Central, Hong Kong (plus seven other locations)
• Pak See Kut Cake Shop: A traditional Cantonese bakery, this Wan Chai outpost pumps out all things bready, carby, sweet, and delicious.
  • Must order dishes: Mexican milk bun, char siu pineapple bun, and coconut
  • G/F, 67 Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
• Dough Bros: A chain that has since expanded to Bangkok and beyond, Dough Bros serves pizza and donuts until the wee hours of the morning. More of a guilty pleasure, these donuts are fried to order and stuffed, via a syringe, with the fillings of your choosing, resulting in a molten lava center.
  • Must order dishes: Biscoff donut
  • G/F, 151-155 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong
• Vission Bakery: An internet famous pastry shop in Central doling out an endless sugar trail of baked confectionaries. There are so many options, you can't go wrong.
  • Must order dishes: monkeybread, pistachio tart, stuffed donuts
  • LGF, 7 Staunton Street, Central, Hong Kong
• Danish Bakery: Despite the name, there is nothing Danish nor bakery about this literal hole-in-the-wall. The couple that owns it serves up some righteous fried hot dogs, fish fillets, pork chops, and the like, swaddled in mayo and ketchup on a toasted bun.
  • Must order dishes: fried fish sandwich
  • G/F, Leishun Court, 106 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
• Little Bao: After opening eight years ago by Asia’s 2017 Female Chef of the Year, May Chow, Little Bao puts a one-of-a-kind Chinese spin on American diner fare.
  • Must order dishes: fried chicken bao, fried fish bao, green tea dessert bao
  • 1-3 Shin Hing St, Central, Hong Kong
• Keung Kee: A historic, family-run Wan Chai restaurant famous for its signature sticky rice with Chinese sausage and other preserved meats, congee, and rice rolls.
  • Must order dishes: crispy fried egg rice rolls, sticky rice with Chinese sausage  
  • 406 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Splurge-worthy Fine Dining

Vea

Mono

Prince and the Peacock

The Chairman

• Wing: Boundary-less Chinese heritage cuisine by Chef Vicky Cheng that serves as an homage to the Eight Great Chinese cuisines, innovatively respecting tradition through a “no-rules,” contemporary interpretation.
• Vea: A Michelin-starred venue by Chef Vicky Cheng and mixologist Antonio Lai, that serves a unique "Chinese x French" tasting menu.
• Mono: A 30-seater by Chef Ricardo Chaneton focused around a chef's table tasting menu that bridges Latin American ingredients and French techniques.
• The Chairman: An acclaimed Cantonese homecooking-style restaurant founded by owner and chef Danny Yip. The restaurant is known for its focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and traditional Cantonese cooking with a modern twist.
• Caprice: A blend of classic French fare with global accents in a three-Michelin star setting, backed by esteemed chef Guillaume Galliot
• Prince & The Peacock: Celebrating the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent inspired by India's royal courts and helmed by Michelin-starred chef Palash Mitra.

Bars

The Savory Project

Gokan

Orchard

The Opposites

• Argo: The Four Seasons Hotel's bar features futuristic libations and a focus on sustainability
• Artifact: Situated in Baseball, this subterranean speak-easy cocktail bar is all about celebrating the diversity of HK.
• Bar Leone: The No.1 bar in Asia for two years running, Bar Leone orbits around the concept of ‘cocktail popolari’ – or ‘cocktails for the people’ – inspired by the neighborhood bars of Rome’s backstreets
• The Aubrey: A sophisticated Japanese izakaya and cocktail outpost on the 25th floor of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
• Bourke’s: An homage to the wine bars and pubs of Melbourne, the re-branded Shady Acres features wine, cocktails, and good vibes
• Call Me Al: A cozy, neighborhood resto-bar with a laid back atmosphere and an extensive wine and cocktail list plus comfort bites
• Coa: A temple to the agave gods, and a bar that claims the most accolades in Hong Kong, this bar features agave, mezcal, and the like in all cocktail forms
• Courtroom: Hong Kong’s most sensibly contradictory bar, backed by Saan Dhakal. The bar embodies the dichotomy between a sense of mischievous eccentricity and the formality of legal proceedings
• Darkside: A sophisticated hotel bar at the Rosewood with a focus on rare aged spirits, vintage cigars, and classic cocktails coupled with live jazz performances
• Dead Poets: Barbershop by day and cocktail bar by night, Dead Poets pays homage to a collection of late musicians and artists in an offbeat, hip space.
• The Diplomat: A mainstay in the HK bar community, Diplomat is all about reimagined cocktails, Pro tip: make sure to visit at midnight for freshly baked cookies!
• Gokan: Meaning ‘5 Senses,’ Shingo Gokan's latest outpost boasts a menu divided into 5 categories (sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and savory) plus an equally extensive bar menu.
• Green Door: Hidden in the middle of a bustling wet market, the green door draws inspiration from Alice in Wonderland via playful riffs on classics
• Honky Tonks: A lively American-style gastropub that channels the spirit of a Nashville saloon with a focus on smashable drinks and American comfort fare
• Mizunara: A Japanese-style whiskey and cocktail lounge with one of the widest selections of Japanese spirits & Japanese-inspired drams
• Mostly Harmless: An intimate farm-to-glass bar where each day sees just four cocktail options, rotating daily based on what is the freshest. Strong zero-alcohol program here as well.
• The Opposites: A collaboration between Samuel Kwok and Antonio Lai, the menu presents artistic juxtaposition through a series of paired cocktail offerings
• Orchard: Hong Kong’s first fruit spirit cocktail bar
• Penicillin: Recognized in the global drinks industry for pouring up “mad scientist” cocktail creations
• Pontiac: An energetic, queer-friendly dive bar celebrated for its community-first approach and love for all things rock and roll
• Quinary: Innovation and theatrics is what you'll find at this multi-sensory mixology bar by famed barman Antonio Lai
• The Savory Project: Award-winning culinary-inspired cocktails that focus on earthy and umami flavors, backed by Jay Khan and Ajit Gurung
• Socio: The experimental menu is named after the HK restaurant from which Socio uses repurposed ingredients, while the menu background is a map routing imbibers way to those venues
• Tell Camellia: A tea-inspired cocktail bar, Tell Camelia bridges tea culture and modern mixology in the tastiest of ways

Not sure where to stay? Check out my review of the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong here.

Got a recommendation for me to try out next time! Please share in the comments below, or DM on Instagram @steinersophshanghai

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