What to Eat in Hong Kong: Best Food + Must-Try Restaurants

The local food in Hong Kong was so absolutely delicious. I can’t stop thinking about all the food here. So in this guide, I go into what to eat in Hong Kong. I had a local friend take me around and show me some of the best food and must-try restaurants. If you’re a foodie like me, you’ll want to pay close attention to this one! I spent 3 weeks eating my way through the city as a digital nomad. From the amazing dim sum to the most tasty sweet desserts, I tried it all!

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Quick Facts before visiting Hong Kong:
💱 Currency: Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) $
💶 Budget for a trip to Hong Kong: The average daily cost for a trip to Hong Kong is around HKD 1,200–2,500 ($150 – $319 USD) per day depending on your style of travel, covering food, transport, and accommodation.
💜 Is tipping required in Hong Kong? Tipping is not required in Hong Kong, but it’s appreciated. Many restaurants already include a 10% service charge, and small tips or rounding up are common for good service.
☀️ Best time to visit: The best time to visit Hong Kong is October to December when the weather is cooler. Spring (March–April) is also a good option before the summer heat – it gets hot!
🏥 Travel insurance in Hong Kong: I recommend SafetyWing which can cover you in case of trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or accidents during your travels.
📱 eSIM for travel: I used Airalo (you can save 15% with code joujoutravels and the link referenced) in Hong Kong to stay connected. it’s an easy way to get mobile data instantly without needing a physical SIM card, and you can install it before you arrive.

Dining in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, most of the good restaurants will have a queue out the door, especially those Michelin-rated ones! So be prepared to wait at a lot of these places. It does typically go fast, as they have you seated, and most people don’t linger around after they have eaten.

Some of the traditional restaurants will seat you with other strangers to maximize space. It is usually communal style seating since the restaurants are usually on the smaller side. I traveled as a solo traveler and often would be seated with others.

At one place, it was a 2 seater table and I shared directly with another stranger. It feels a bit funny at first as it’s like you’re on a blind date (if you even speak to the other person, hahaha). But when I was seated at the small table, I couldn’t help but chat with the local across me. He was super kind and offered me to try what he got as well. Giving me some nice tips on Hong Kong.

👨‍🍳 If you’re into food like I am, I’d recommend taking a cooking course! It’s such a fun activity to do anywhere you travel. I browse on GetYourGuide or Cookly for the best cooking classes. You can also find street food tours like this one!

Where to Stay in Hong Kong for the Best Food

If you’re goal is food when coming to Hong Kong let me tell you my favorite neighborhoods to stay in so you’re not only by the good food, but also in a convenient spot to tour around HK.

My personal favorite is Sheung Wan and Wan Chai. Central of course, has the most options, but it will be more expensive here. And if you want a bit of a cheap street food eat, head to Mong Kok or Jordan.

Where to stay by area:
Wan Chai: The Hari ($$$)
Sai Ying Pun: Weave Living ($)
Sheung Wan: The Figo ($$)
Kowloon: The Kowloon Hotel ($$)

I personally stayed at Weave Living in Sai Ying Pun. It was close to the cafe culture I love and easy to get to central. Plus, rooms were affordable and catered to a digital nomad like myself. I also spent 2 nights in Wan Chai at The Hari. I loved being so close to many amazing restaurants when I was in this area.

Best Local Food to Try in Hong Kong

1. Dim Sum

Dim Sum is the number one food you will need to try during your visit to Hong Kong!

The best place to try it is at Lin Heung Lau for a unique experience! Ordering is simple; you just head up to the trolley full of bamboo steamer baskets and grab what catches your eye. The servers also go by with carts offering different side dishes or specialty items. You can take what you want from them, too. This place is really busy, but so fast because everything is already prepared. Don’t worry about it not being fresh; things get turned over so quickly here.

Traditionally, locals will rinse their teacups and chopsticks with hot tea before eating (it’s a quick way to clean them), but most tourists skip this, so don’t stress if you don’t do it. My local friend did it and it was cool to see the process.

Did you know you can actually take a Dim Sum cooking class? I’d 100% do it to learn more about this traditional meal, and if you’re solo, it’s solo-friendly! But if you don’t fancy cooking, just eat your way through Hong Kong with a local street food tour. You’ll try wontons and dim sum!

🍴Where to try it: Lin Heung Lau | Duddels

2. Roast Goose

Roast goose is another must-try food in Hong Kong. It’s got perfectly crispy skin with juicy meat inside. You’ll see whole geese hanging in the windows of local roast meat shops everywhere.

I tried mine at Kam’s Roast, which has a one Michelin Star. To be honest, I saw the long queue and decided to order mine for takeaway to skip the line. I got it in 10 minutes tops! It was cool to try, but in my opinion, it’s super bony. The best part for me was the skin. I missed out and should have ordered it with rice or noodles to balance it out (which a local friend told me later to do).

🍴Where to try it: Kam’s Roast

3. Pineapple Bun

If you’re still wondering what to eat in Hong Kong, you can’t go wrong with a pineapple bun, especially for breakfast. It’s a simple thing to try, and it’s so soft and fluffy. It actually has no pineapple in it, funnily enough. The reason it has this name is that the bun is topped with a crispy, sugary crust that looks like pineapple. I tried this on my last day in Hong Kong, but I wish I had ordered it sooner because it was so good! You can get them at any local bakery or diner. I tried one near my hotel at Luen Way Cafe. There was no queue here, and it was a basic place. Which I loved because it gets tiring queuing up for those viral spots! That would be like the Australia Dairy Company. I didn’t go here, but I did hear it was good.

🍴Where to try it: Australia Dairy Company | Luen Way Cafe

4. Char Siu (BBQ Pork)

Char Siu is a sweet, savory BBQ pork, roasted until caramelized. I had it in a few different style dishes, but the best meal I had in all of Hong Kong was at Po Kee BBQ (first photo above). I actually ordered it with Pork belly, too. It was the most insanely good meat I’ve ever had, really! It was just so juicy, and my jaw literally dropped when I tried it.

I went to Mon Kee Cafe as well in Wan Chai, home to lots of delicious restaurants in Hong Kong. I got the meat over some egg, and it was so good! This was the restaurant I sat at with a stranger, as they pack as many people in here as possible. So solo diners might have a surprise solo date (hahah, kidding!) But it did kind of feel like I was on a blind date, hehe. The guy was nice and let me try his toast, which was so good! It was insanely soft.

🍴Where to try it: Po Kee BBQ | Mon Kee Cafe

5. Clay Pot Rice

Another famous dish in Hong Kong is rice cooked in a clay pot with toppings like meat or sausage. I tried mine at Kwan Kee Claypot Rice. It was near my hotel. I waited in line for almost an hour, and then I waited another 45-1 hour for the food. I’ll be honest, not sure if I went wrong with what I ordered, but I found the meat to be a bit dry and tasteless. After waiting this long, it felt a bit disappointing. Despite others who showed great reviews at this place, I’m not sure if it’s one of those overhyped places. I saw Hing Kee Restaurant also being recommended a lot!

🍴Where to try it: Kwan Kee Claypot Rice |  Hing Kee Restaurant 

6. Hong Kong-style Milk Tea

Hong Kong-style milk tea is another staple. Black tea is strained through a cloth “sock” filter and paired with condensed milk. Lan Fong Yuen is one of the most famous places to try it. You can actually see the process being prepared with the sock at their iconic stall located in Central Hong Kong. Another place to try it is My Cup of Tea, along with some traditional breakfast or lunch. But of course, you can get it just about anywhere!

🍴Where to try it: Lan Fong Yuen | My Cup of Tea

7. Egg Tarts

A buttery pastry shell filled with smooth egg custard, inspired by Portuguese egg tarts but lighter. It’s another food in Hong Kong that locals love.

There are two main styles, one is the Cantonese-style egg tart which is smooth and glossy, or you can get one more like the Portuguese-style pastel de nata. This kind has a caramelised top. I tried it at Bakehouse and King Bakery. Loved both! Bakehouse is super popular and has many locations across Hong Kong. They also have coffee and lots of lunch style food you can order.

👨‍🍳 Take a cooking class to make Egg Tart and other Hong Kong Street Food!
🍴Where to try at: Bakehouse | King Bakery | Tai Cheong Bakery 

8. Mango Mochi

A soft, chewy rice cake filled with fresh mango. I was so obsessed and actually had a hard time finding a REALLY good one. I tried one near my hotel in Sai Ying Pun, and it was ok. But the one I tried near the Temple Street Nightmarket at 206 Temple Street was insane! We got to talking to the sweet owner, who said he’s been recognized by the Tourism Board for his delicious mango mochi.

I’d advise you to get there early because he runs out of it and only has what he makes for the day. We showed up around 3 or 4 pm and got some of the last mochi. I showed up one time in the evening, and sadly, he was closed. The hours seem a bit odd, I think he opens in the morning and maybe again in the afternoon.

Be sure to get the larger mochi too, you will definitely want it!

🍴Where to try it: 206 Temple Street

9. Tofu everything!

Tofu is a staple in HK, served in many forms like Pan-Fried Stuffed Tofu and Tofu Pudding. I wasn’t a huge fan of the pudding, but it was good to try. It’s very big, so you will want to share it as it’s very rich. You can order it cold or hot and add sugar on top. The pan-fried tofu was absolutely delicious! The best local place to try it is Kung Wo Beancurd Factory in Sham Shui Po. A local friend showed me this place and says she comes here all the time with her family. It’s a very cheap eat, so you can order and try lots of things. We also had the fresh soy milk, and it paired great with everything we tried.

The restaurant extends outside to a market where you will find them selling fresh and huge chunks of tofu. You can sit outside on the street or inside the cozy restaurant to enjoy your meal. This spot is a true local’s hidden gem!

Try at: Kung Wo Beancurd Factory

10. Hong Kong Traditional Desserts

⁠⁠Kai Kai Dessert, located in Jordan, is one of the best places to try traditional Hong Kong Sweets. They have a Michelin Bib Gourmand award Michelin-recognized for great food at affordable prices).

We ordered Black Sesame Soup, Mango Sago with Pomelo, and Ginger Soup with Rice Balls. My favorite was the Mango – it tasted like bubble tea almost! The black sesame was also really good, and we added mochi to it, which I’m really obsessed with! Finally, the ginger soup with rice balls was my friend’s favorite, but it felt a bit too strong and gingery for me.

Where to try it: Kai Kai Dessert

11. Black Sesame

Black Sesame is another staple food to try in Hong Kong. It comes in so many forms: cake, soup, rolls, and even ice cream! I was honestly OBSESSED with the black sesame ice cream. Everyone raves about Heartwarming (pictured first). I loved it, but I actually loved Messina’s even more. Usually, I’m a proponent of eating at local places and not chains. Messina does come from Australia, but the black sesame ice cream was out of this world. It had chunks of mochi inside, which is why I was so obsessed. I loved the chewy bits inside, and I definitely came here at least 3 times! They also have tofu-flavoured ice cream. You can try the flavours before you commit!

Where to try at: Heartwarming | Messina (my fav)

11. Egg Waffle

Another must-try food in Hong Kong is egg waffles.

They’re made from a sweet batter and taste crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Such a good snack!

🍴Where to try it: We tried ours at a vendor in Kennedy Town, but you can get them anywhere you see! Other spots include Lee Keung Kee North Point Egg Waffles and Mammy Pancake

12. Lemon Tea

I also tried lemon tea right next door from a stall near Smithfield Street, I believe. I don’t know the exact name of the place, but it was right in this area.

Hong Kong-style lemon tea is delicious, so be sure to try it – it’s a drink most locals love to drink daily.

That’s the end of my post on what to eat in Hong Kong. I hope it’s helped you plan your foodie adventure a little better!