11 Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has long been a major food hub in the world. It’s a city awash with good eats for every budget and dining style - from traditional tea houses, food stalls, hole in the wall eateries to white-linen-tablecloth restaurants. But how do you sieve out the best if you’re a traveler like Debbie or Radhina?

Debbie asked:

Its been a good few years since I've been in Hong Kong and I'm itching to get back, especially for the food! Besides dim sum (I've got my favorite places), any recommendations for anything else across the board?

Meanwhile, Radhina is more concerned about what to eat. She asked:

I know this is a difficult question to pose for a foodie city like Hong Kong but what are your top 5 must-try dishes in the city? I am very keen to try really local, hawker-style food and would love to know what are the quintessential Hong Kong delicacies (savory or sweet) that I have to try.

Here are 11 places to eat in Hong Kong recommended by the Trippy community:

1. Kau Kee Restaurant

For a century, Kau Kee Restaurant has been serving beef brisket noodle soup to win the hearts of thousands upon thousands of customers from around the world. It started as a roadside food stall, and in the last few decades, Kau Kee Restaurant set up shop at the current location on Gough Street in Central Hong Kong. Andrew from Minneapolis spoke highly of Kau Kee Restaurant. He commented:

If I had one meal in all of Hong Kong, it would be at Kau Kee. All they serve is braised beef over noodles for a few dollars a bowl. I usually eat two or three at a sitting (small portion) but it's 100-years old, and my favorite place in town and it will BLOW your mind. Seriously...it will change how you think about simplicity forever. Every chef I send there goes back again while there so try to stop there on one of your first days in town. It's a life changer.

It is affordable, and the service can be faster than your local fast food restaurant.

2. Mak’s Noodles

Wonton noodle soup is comfort food for locals. It is a dish of egg noodles, vegetables, wonton filled with shrimp and pork served in clear broth. Mak’s Noodles started in Guangzhou before the Second World War, and a second stall was established in 1968 by one of Mr. Mak’s son. Today, the third generation Mak family runs the Mak’s Noodles on Wellington Street.

Zac from Dubrovnik highly recommended Mak’s Noodles. He wrote:

If you like noodles, stop along the Central-Mid-Levels Escalators and tuck into a bowl Mak's Noodle. For a drink, you can't miss out on The Woods. For shopping, you have to check out the small designers Bonham Strand which is across the street from the bun bao Little Bao. As for coffee, try Common Ground or 18 Grams Specialty Coffee.

3. Yat Lok Barbecue Restaurant

When in Hong Kong you must try barbecue pork, duck or goose. One such place to try is Yat Lok at Stanley Street. This hole in the wall eatery serves the best roast goose in Hong Kong. You get roast goose with crispy skin and juicy meat. There’s always a line and don’t expect excellent service. It’s just great food at an affordable price. Trippy user Kit from Hong Kong loves the roast duck.

Nan from Perth made this comment:

Its too hectic for me as in you have to fight a bit to get food, but it is authentic.

4. Lan Fong Yuen

Lan Fong Yuen is known for its signature Hong Kong-style milk tea and pork buns. It’s the best place for breakfast or a quick snack. This establishment has been using pantyhose to strain their brewed tea since the 1950s. You can find Lan Fong Yuen at Tsim Sha Tsui and Graham Street Market.

5. Luk Yu Teahouse and Restaurant

Trippy user Dada from Hong Kong preferred Luk Yu Teahouse over thousands of other teahouses for dim sum. She wrote:

Good selection of tea, dim sum is good but expect to pay a hefty premium for its fame. (Average around USD 40 per person from my multiple visits).

Likewise for Leonid but he also had other recommendations. This was his comment:

The classic and easiest to visit is Luk Yu (Luk Yu Tea House & Restaurant) Try the goose - its quite something! But depending on what you would like to get from your tea house experience, I would suggest going to some of the more traditional dim sum places for more of a real HK feel. I am thinking Tim Ho Wan (Tim Ho Wan, the Dim-Sum Specialists) or even my local Lin Heung (Lin Heung Tea House).

Located and established on Stanley Street since 1933, Luk Yu is fitted with tables dressed in white tablecloths, antique wooden furniture, and stained glass windows. You won’t be disappointed if you go for the food and not the service.

Dada from Hong Kong also recommended other teahouses besides Luk Yu. Here are two more from her list:

Lin Heung Tea House - Very traditional, almost historic and it's just a usual chaotic environment in old fashioned dim sum restaurants.

Ding Dim 1968 - Definitely serve the best dim sum in town, but they only serve Jasmine Tea provided by famous Ying Kee Tea House.

6. Dai Pai Dong (Open-air food stalls)

There are thousands of dai pai dong throughout Hong Kong. Timeout has a list of dai pai dong that you can check out.

Best dishes to try at these open-air food stalls are fish balls, oyster omelet, Cheung fun (rice noodle sheets) and deep fried food.

7. Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan is one of the cheapest Michelin-star restaurants in the world. It’s the place to get the world’s renowned baked roast pork (char siu) buns. Anthony highly recommended Tim Ho Wan. He suggested going early if you plan to eat there:

The unbelievably inexpensive Michelin starred new dim sum place that everybody is talking about. Arrive early and be prepared to wait on line. First come first served.

8. Yee Shun Dairy Company

Hong Kong has its version of dessert like “tong sui” (Cantonese sweet soup dessert), red bean milk pudding, tofu pudding, egg tarts and more. Tong sui and tofu pudding (served hot or cold) are some of the favorite desserts to try.

Ying Liang recommended Yee Shun Dairy Company. She said:

Try the steamed milk pudding from Yee Shun Dairy Company. Silky smooth milk pudding that is eaten as a dessert. They've got lots of varieties of milk pudding served cold/hot and with chocolate, ginger, red bean, etc. flavors. Hot steamed milk pudding is usually the original or traditional flavor. Warms up the tummy on cold days.

9. Hing Kee Clay Pot Rice

For the unique taste of Hong Kong-style rice, try the Hing Kee Clay Pot Rice on Temple Street in Kowloon. The rice and fresh ingredients are added to the clay pots and cooked over charcoal stoves. It’s often busy, and you might have to share a table with strangers when dining at Hing Kee. Choose the traditional bowl of chicken and Chinese sausage clay pot rice.

10. Islam Food

Those looking for restaurants that serve halal food will be happy with Island Food. Islam Food on Lung Kong Road in Kowloon serves halal beef burgers, dumplings, beef buns, curry, and beef brisket noodles. You get a combination of Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern flavors when you dine at Islam Food.

11. Wong Nai Chung Market Cooked Food Centre

Nan from Perth recommended Wong Nai Chung Market Cooked Food Centre. It’s located on the second floor of a wet market in Happy Valley. In Hong Kong, wet markets are markets that sell fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish. It’s the place to join the locals for a fast and affordable meal.

Wong Nai Chung is one of the best places for seafood dishes in Hong Kong. Nan wrote:

Go to one of the wet markets; Happy Valley has one Shop 2, 2/F, Wong Nai Chung Market Cooked Food Centre, 2 Yuk Sau St., Happy Valley, 2882-2994. Go to the second floor, and you will see the "hawker style" restaurant with plastic tables and chairs.