This Hong Kong post was so delayed, and all I can say is that life got in the way! Today we’re talking about my favorite food in Hong Kong!
Demystifying Local Dining Advice
When experts say to eat where the locals do because it’s always good… that’s not always true. First—some locals have BAD TASTE. Second—locals often go where it’s cheap and/or convenient. Those two things don’t always equal a good meal. So take that advice with a grain of salt, and if you see somewhere YOU want to eat, do it. Is it for tourists? Who cares! We’re tourists. My mother grew up in Hong Kong, and when we return, we are TOURISTS.
Navigating Hidden Dining Costs
Also—unlike in Western culture, napkins and take-out boxes aren’t free. We brought our own bags, boxes, and tissues so we wouldn’t have to pay extra. Restaurants also typically charge for tea now, so if you don’t want tea, tell them no before they pour it, or it WILL show up on your bill!
Island Side Food in Hong Kong
I honestly prefer the food on Hong Kong’s Kowloon side. On the Island side, you’ll find lots of Western-style cuisine because there are often more expats here, and it can be a bit more popular with Western tourists because of the shopping and attractions. We also ate a lot of great food on the Island side, of course. We had a phenomenal meal at Lung Kee, which had a huge variety and was pretty packed. The service was friendly, the food came out quickly, and we actually wanted to come back for a second meal. We don’t do that often.
We also went to Kuen Kee Won Ton Noodle for wonton noodles. I really loved my food. It came out hot and fast and fresh. The service was… not the best. Would I put up with it again for those noodles? Unfortunately, I probably would.
After this, we hit up Chicken Egg Boy for the viral pineapple bun egg waffles, and they were definitely worth the hype! The service was outstanding. There’s often a line—we walked by it several times over a couple of days, and the only times we didn’t see one were in the evening. Go closer to closing, and they still come out hot and fresh!
We also stopped by the legendary Yung Kee for roast goose. This restaurant is known for impeccable service, high-quality entrees, and historic accolades. It is definitely pricier than you’d expect elsewhere, but it’s worth it. We stopped in for lunch, and the service and food were more than up to par. One thing I hadn’t expected was the serving size—consider getting multiple items to share. We had goose leftover, and I felt really bad.
Singaporean Favorites on Kowloon
The first restaurant we hit on the Kowloon side was one of my favorite spots from my last visit. Toast Box is a Singaporean chain that specializes in Singaporean cuisine. The chain is known for their coffee, kaya toast, and Hainanese chicken. Prices are super affordable, and the set menus are a great deal. Make sure to get a side of kaya toast with whatever you eat! It’s the perfect sweet bite to top off your meal.
We also hit up Chatterbox Cafe, a more upscale chain from Singapore. They’re renowned for having some of the best chicken rice in the world. We got the set menu for two with a papadum appetizer, bok choy, char kway teow (noodles), and the Mandarin chicken rice. Everything was delicious, but I have to say, I honestly liked the chicken itself at Toast Box better. I don’t know if arriving close to closing had anything to do with it, but the Toast Box chicken’s flavors and textures were actually better (we went back for one more round on our last day; we liked it that much).
Tokyo Chains and Quick Breakfasts
I may not get to take my mom to Tokyo, but fortunately, Hong Kong has several chains directly from Tokyo. One of my favorite breakfast spots, Sukiya, is right across the street from our hotel in Mong Kok. Sukiya opens super early, so it’s a great option if you’re jetlagged and need a quick breakfast. We get the gyudon with miso soup, rice, and a soft-boiled egg. While this clearly isn’t Chinese cuisine, it’s still part of the food in Hong Kong and thought I should note it. You’ll also find Japanese chains like Ichiran and Genki Sushi here.
Trendy Outlets and American Classics
We also hit up a couple of the trendier, more well-known spots. Ho Hung Kee was great but kind of overpriced and overhyped (especially the airport location). Tasty Congee was similar (I think they might be the same company), and we went to the Citygate Outlets location. On that note, Citygate Outlets is an amazing spot to try a variety of food brands from around the world. The Shake Shack here had a really cool mango popping boba shake that’s Hong Kong-exclusive!
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but my general rule for eating when I travel is to NOT eat at places I can enjoy back home, with two exceptions. Starbucks and McDonald’s in other countries often have some pretty amazing specials, and I’m always down to check those out. You can actually check the international sites ahead of time to see what’s on the menu (the pages are in English)! We missed the Lunar New Year special at McDonald’s on our visit, but we did get to enjoy a red bean Frappuccino at Starbucks! We also grabbed breakfast at Cafe de Coral and Mido Cafe (this one doesn’t allow photos). Some of the best food in Hong Kong can be found in spots that are not particularly social media friendly.
Unexpected Gems and Midnight Bites
The biggest surprise of the trip was the Old Fung Tea House. There are reasons not to love it—it is a chain, and it is in a shopping center. That said, it was amazing. The restaurant is designed to look like old Hong Kong storefronts, and the dim sum menu was fantastic. You order from a QR code, which makes things fast and easy. Honestly, this was some of the best dim sum we’ve ever had, and it was definitely one of our favorite meals of the entire trip. A Sushi Express right by our hotel reminded me of the sushi spots in Tokyo train stations. Great prices and great snacks for the room when you’re awake at 2 AM.
Right around the corner from our hotel was a 2 Cafe. While this is a chain, we found the bakery window to be SOLID, especially first thing in the morning when the goods are fresh. We stopped by two to three times for bao and egg tarts, and they were all outstanding. We also hit up a couple of other hole-in-the-wall joints, but I cannot for the life of me remember what they were called or where they were.
Most of the time, any bakery you hit up will be pretty good—or at least better than what you’d find outside of Asia! Many local hole in the wall spots are great too—with some exceptions. Google Maps reviews are fairly reliable; however, keep in mind the tips I mentioned here, and be warned that a lot of the reviews don’t necessarily talk about the service. Despite that, the food in Hong Kong is usually worth the crowds, the lines, and the questionable service.
Read more Hong Kong posts here!