A city brimming with street food, restaurants that boast long histories and more, Hong Kong’s food scene is colossal in terms of its expansive selection and years of heritage and culture (both local and foreign) injected into each dish be it the humble char siew bao or the European-influenced macaroni and scrambled eggs combo.

When in Hong Kong, eat as the locals do. Not only will you save much more on dining, but you’ll also come to realise that Hong Kong is known for way more than just dim sum and wonton noodles. Here are 16 local foods in Hong Kong to try to say that you’ve truly been there.

BEEF BRISKET

Otherwise known as “ngao lam min” in Cantonese, this dish of stewed beef brisket is delicious, tender and brimming with a number of spices. The flavour is robust and the meat is soft as butter. People typically have it with noodles alongside slow-cooked beef tendons and sometimes even tripe as well.

BO LO BUN (PINEAPPLE BUN)

This sweet, pillowy baked bun contains no pineapple or fruit of any kind, but it does have a sweet sugary crust on top shaped like the exterior of a pineapple (hence the name). At most places, you’ll find it served with a piece of butter stuffed into the middle of it. Enjoy it with milk tea for maximum satisfaction.

CLAYPOT RICE

Boasting a smoky, charred aroma and strong, meaty flavours derived from assorted waxed meats and chicken, this rice dish is a must whenever you’re in Hong Kong. Cooked in a claypot over a roaring fire, the rice on the edges of the pot get crispy and the claypot itself allows all the flavour to be locked in.

CURRY FISHBALLS

You can literally find these snacks at any street-side food stall. Swimming in a thin, spicy curry sauce, the fish balls soak in all that flavour, resulting in bouncy, flavourful balls packed with heat and lots of complex flavours. This treat is great as a snack although the portions they give are usually massive, almost as good as a meal on its own.

DIM SUM

This style of Chinese cuisine sees numerous dishes prepared as small bite-sized portions either in small steamer baskets or on a small plate, especially if it’s fried. Dim sum is usually served with tea and together form a full tea brunch. You can find dim sum literally anywhere in Hong Kong from cosy hole-in-a-walls to high-class restaurants.

Read our guide to the best dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong.

EGG WAFFLES (GAI DAN ZAI)

This traditional street side snack is sweet, crispy on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside. The classic versions call for it to be eaten plain, but there has, however, been an influx of hipsters who doll them up with all sorts of toppings from caramel to fruit.

MACARONI SOUP WITH HAM & SCRAMBLED EGGS

Every component is by no means Cantonese in origin but the combination certainly is. The place that made this breakfast set famous is none other than Australian Dairy Company, but if you’re not a fan of queuing, you can just as easily find this at any cha chaan tang. Savoury, creamy and everything you could ever want to wake up to. Period.

MILK TEA

Milk tea is what it is but somehow it tastes different in Hong Kong. Possibly due to the quality of the tea leaves and milk that they use, their version is often creamier and a lot more fragrant.

RICKSHAW NOODLES

Think of it as our local ke kou mian. This dish is essentially instant noodles served with a variety of other ingredients such as fish balls, beef sirloin, and carrots, with a variety of soup and sauces. The flavours available are massive and the price range can also be pretty wide given its sheer range of ingredient choices.

ROAST GOOSE

Ambrosial, meaty and dripping with liquified fat, roast goose is something of pure luxury. Part of the reason why it is much more delicious in Hong Kong is due to the quality of the goose used—which has a higher fat content and a slightly less gamey flavour—and the fact that Cantonese chefs are just better at preparing this dish. Period.

WANTON NOODLES

A simple dish comprising springy egg noodles, wantons, strands of diced scallions and char siew, this comfort food classic is something that can be had literally at any time of the day.

WHITE SUGAR SPONGE CAKE

Compared to egg tarts, bo lo buns and the multitude of Cantonese sweet treats, these white sugar sponge cakes, otherwise known as “pat dong gou” is hugely underrated. Considered a poor man’s snack, these cakes are chewy, sweet and perfect to have alongside a cup of milk tea.

TOMATO NOODLES

A simple concoction of egg noodles in a concentrated tomato broth made using canned tomatoes, freshly cooked tomatoes and tomato purée, this honest noodle dish has comfort written all over it. Tangy, savoury and oozing with umami, a good place to try this at (if you haven’t before) is at the famous Sing Heung Yuen.

TRADITIONAL HONG KONG BREAKFAST (YOU TIAO, CONGEE, FRIED NOODLES)

Back in Singapore, we have the tasty trinity of kaya toast, kopi and half-boiled eggs, whereas, in Hong Kong, the average person’s breakfast consists of a simple congee, fried noodles and a stick of dough fritter. You’ll find many breakfast spots selling these 3 items and while plain, is worth trying for the experience.

TONG SUI (SWEET SOUP)

Unlike Westerners, the Chinese people enjoy having their dessert hot instead of cold. To immerse yourself fully into the culture of the Cantonese people, pull up a stool at any local dessert joint and order a hot sweet soup. Common items include nut pastes such as almond or sesame.

YING YANG

Literally meaning ying and yang, this popular beverage option sees half milk tea and half milk coffee poured together in a single cup. Genius.

Proudly standing as one of Hong Kong’s oldest and most popular tea houses and perhaps one of the only few places left that still serve dim sum the traditional way—chaos, screaming old ladies and all—Lin Heung Tea House was speculated to close for good in February 2019 but has since, managed to renew its lease for another 3 years, operating under a new name, Lin Heung Tea Room, on March 1—so hoorah for that!

Hailed as one of the top attractions in Hong Kong and a tourist hot spot for those who crave the ultimate and most authentic dim sum experience, the age-old establishment is one spot to visit if you want to experience traditional Cantonese dim sum.

As authentic as a proper Cantonese yum cha experience can get, dining at Lin Heung Tea House over in Central has always been a must for us with every visit to Hong Kong. The only main difference now is that dinner services will no longer be available, so we suppose our only option is to get ourselves out of bed earlier from now on.

Granted that dining there is always one heck of an intimidating and at times frustrating experience, that’s part of the whole experience. No one is going to have their hand held here. You need to go with the flow and be as ravenous as a local.

We love everything about the place, from the ambience, the high levels of stress you experience just to have your order placed and of course, the wonderful dim sum dishes.

What’re you waiting for? Get those tickets booked and have yourselves a solid dim sum meal at Lin Hueng Tea House.

Lin Heung Tea House
162 Wellington Street,
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2544 4556
Daily: 6am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Central

Lin Heung Tea House in Sheung Wan is one of the oldest teahouses in Hong Kong and it is one of the few Chinese restaurants that serves dim sum the traditional way.

An unassuming Chinese restaurant which offers both locals and tourists the most authentic Cantonese dining experience you can get, this restaurant is definitely a place that is worth visiting—if you are willing to brave the crowd.

Lin Heung Tea House has been in business since 1889. For first-timers, get ready to fight for your food when you get to Lin Heung Tea House. You’ll find diners swarming to a pushcart whenever it gets out of the kitchen, and some dishes can get sold out within minutes so you have to be quick on your feet!

This teahouse is almost perpetually crowded, but it truly is a must-visit destination when you are in Hong Kong. What else can we say? Lin Heung Tea House may not be the best option for the faint-hearted, but it sure is one hell of an experience.

Lin Heung Tea House
162 Wellington Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 25444556
Daily: 6am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Sheung Wan MTR Exit E2

Read: 15 Best Dim Sum Restaurants in Hong Kong that offer the quintessential dim sum experience.

Talk about Roast Goose in Hong Kong and everyone would think of the usual names—Kam’s Roast Goose, Yat Lok Roast Goose, Yung Kee Restaurant etc.

But Joy Hing’s Roasted Meat is hardly at the top of mind. It is a shame because this humble eatery in Wanchai actually has one of the best roast geese in Hong Kong. And the service isn’t as atrocious as that of Yat Lok’s.

A meal at Joy Hing always pleases and it is one pit stop we’d always make in Hong Kong for an affordable and very heavenly roast goose.

Tucked away in Wanchai, Joy Hing’s Roasted Meat is a Cantonese roast stall that serves excellent roast meats—char siew, roast duck, roast goose, soya chicken and the likes.

There is nothing fanciful about this place; just your typical Hong Kong-style ”rundown” eatery with tables and chairs that are all cramped up so there is barely space to move. But hey, that’s quintessentially Hong Kong, right?

We still love a meal at Joy Hing; we always do. It has one of the most affordable prices in Hong Kong; a plate of roast goose rice is HK$47 while half a roast goose will only set you back by HK$220.

The beautiful poultry is roasted to produce a shiny, crisp skin; the inside is very tender and very fatty. Dip it into the homemade sweet plum sauce for an explosion of flavours in your mouth.

The most common order of Joy Hing’s Roasted Meat is the Three-Treasure Rice (HK$25) which comprises soya sauce, roasted duck and char siew atop steamed white rice. Three types of glorious meats all on one plate; that is sheer enjoyment.

You’d be happy to know that the staff at Joy Hing’s Roasted Meat are (mostly) friendly. You wouldn’t be subjected to verbal abuse and all that shouting like you would at the other (in)famous eateries.

Joy Hing’s Roasted Meat
265-267 Hennessy Rd,
Chong Hing Building,
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2519 6639
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Sat: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Causeway Bay