Hong Kong has more Michelin stars per capita than any city in the world, but the most important food is in the dai pai dong stalls and the noodle shops — dim sum at HKD 100 that would cost €40 in London, roast goose that no European restaurant has matched, and wonton noodle soup made in a process unchanged for 100 years.
Yum cha (drinking tea) is dim sum culture — the tea house ritual of ordering small plates while drinking Chinese tea. Lin Heung Tea House (Wellington Street, Central, since 1926) is the most authentic — arrive at 07:00, take your own cup of tea (tea leaves provided at the table), and flag the dim sum ladies with their carts.
Tim Ho Wan is the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world (HKD 20 per dish). The baked char siu bao (BBQ pork pastry bun — not steamed) is the signature; also order the rice in lotus leaf and the pan-fried turnip cake.
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideA roast meat (siu mei) shop lunch: roast pork belly (siu yuk) on rice with roast duck and char siu (BBQ pork). Hung Kee Roast (Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan) has the finest roast meat in Hong Kong at HKD 50/plate.
The Hong Kong egg tart (dan tat) is the greatest pastry in Cantonese cuisine — flaky shortcrust pastry with silky egg custard. Tai Cheong Bakery (Central, since 1954, the bakery that supplied the last British Governor) has the definitive version. Also try the Portuguese-style version at Lord Stow's (Macau) if you're making the trip.
The evening at Yung Kee: roast goose (the lacquered whole bird with preserved plum sauce), cold thousand-year egg with ginger, stir-fried water spinach and rice. The benchmark of Cantonese cooking.
Lan Fong Yuen (Central) or Mido Café (Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei) for the late-night Hong Kong classic: stockings-strained milk tea and a butter-filled pineapple bun. Open until 01:00.
Mak's Noodle (Wellington Street, Central, since 1968) makes the finest wonton noodle soup in Hong Kong: shrimp wontons the size of ping pong balls, in a broth made from shrimp roe and dried flounder, over thin egg noodles with the correct al dente texture. HKD 55.
The Graham Street Market in Central (the oldest street market in Hong Kong, since 1842) has fresh fish, live seafood, vegetables and the ordinary daily food shopping of Hong Kong Chinese residents. The contrast with the luxury consumption of the nearby ICC towers is complete.
Sai Kung (New Territories, 40 min bus from Kowloon) has Hong Kong's finest seafood restaurants — select your live seafood from tanks (grouper, mantis shrimp, abalone), and the restaurant cooks it immediately. Steamed grouper with ginger and spring onion, stir-fried clams with black bean.
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideThe dai pai dong (open-air food stalls) on Temple Street and the surrounding area serve the most authentic Hong Kong street food: typhoon shelter crab (wok-fried with chilli, black bean and garlic), stir-fried razor clams, and roasted salt squid.
Tong sui (sweet soups) and tofu fa (silken tofu pudding with ginger syrup) at the Kung Wo Bean Curd Factory (Sham Shui Po, since 1893) — the finest traditional Hong Kong desserts, made on the premises and sold by the bowl.
The Wooloomooloo Steakhouse rooftop (Tsim Sha Tsui) or the SKYE bar (Cordis Hotel, Mong Kok) for a final view of the lit Hong Kong skyline across the harbour from above.