Where to Eat in Hong Kong
Dim sum at dawn, rooftop bars at dusk
Hong Kong is relentless. Michelin-starred dim sum in basement food courts. Roast goose that's worth the plane ticket alone. Cha chaan tengs serving yin-yang coffee and macaroni soup at 7am. The density of incredible food per square foot is unmatched anywhere on earth.
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Start Planning Your Hong Kong Food Trip →Neighborhoods to Know
Central
Vibe: Business district, upscale, international
Best for: High-end dining, rooftop bars, expense accounts
Mong Kok
Vibe: Chaotic, dense, street food paradise
Best for: Night markets, street snacks, local energy
Sham Shui Po
Vibe: Working class, authentic, food-obsessed
Best for: Cheap eats, old-school Hong Kong, hidden gems
Wan Chai
Vibe: Mixed, evolving, restaurant-dense
Best for: Mid-range dining, dai pai dong street stalls
Kennedy Town
Vibe: Residential, trendy, waterfront
Best for: New restaurants, weekend brunch, local vibe
What to Eat
Dim Sum
The art of small plates and tea. Har gow, siu mai, char siu bao. Push carts or order sheets.
Must try: Morning dim sum at a place with grandmas and push carts
Roast Meats
Char siu (BBQ pork), roast goose, crispy pork belly. The window displays are legendary.
Must try: Roast goose on rice — the skin should shatter
Cha Chaan Teng
Hong Kong diners. East-meets-West comfort food. Milk tea, pineapple buns, instant noodles with spam.
Must try: Yin-yang coffee (coffee + tea), butter toast, and eggs
Dai Pai Dong
Open-air street food stalls. Wok hei (breath of the wok) cooking. Endangered but essential.
Must try: Typhoon shelter crab or any wok-fried noodle
Local Tips
- →Michelin stars don't mean expensive here. Tim Ho Wan is Michelin-starred dim sum for cheap.
- →Cha chaan tengs are fastest at lunch. Point at the daily special, don't overthink.
- →The best roast meats are in nondescript shops with ducks in the window.
- →Sham Shui Po is the foodie frontier — old Hong Kong, incredible value.
- →Air conditioning is set to arctic. Bring a layer.
When to Eat
Breakfast
7-9am
Cha chaan teng for toast and milk tea, or early dim sum
Lunch
12-2pm
Office crowd floods everywhere. Go early.
Dinner
7-9pm
Dai pai dong, hot pot, or book a proper restaurant
Late night
10pm-2am
Mong Kok street food, cha chaan teng, congee
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