11 Best Restaurants in Central, Hong Kong
One of Hong Kong's busiest areas, Central is particularly crazy at lunchtime, when office workers crowd the streets and eateries. Most restaurants have set lunches—generally good values—with speedy service, so everyone gets in and out within an hour. At night the norm is either a formal dinner or a quick bite followed by many drinks, especially in Central's nightlife center, a warren of cobbled backstreets called Lan Kwai Fong. Mostly known as a drinking hole with mediocre dining options, LKF has stepped up its game in the last few years with some serious restaurants, most of which are tucked away in commercial buildings, away from the hustle and bustle of the street-level bars.
For a wider array of choices, head up to SoHo, but be wary of where you go: a lot of these places are average in terms of food and service quality. NoHo is a bit more bohemian, with some excellent hidden, independent culinary gems, especially along Gough Street.
Admiralty, wedged between Central and Wan Chai, is home to large shopping malls, and much of the food is aimed at meeting the lunch needs of workers and shoppers. It's also home to several large hotels and their respective high-end restaurants.
Once a mainstay of the Hong Kong streets, there are now only a little more than 20 licensed dai pai dongs—that is, open-air food stalls specializing in various types of local dishes. These outdoor eateries are popular for their dirt-cheap prices, minimal service, and—of course—their awesome food. There's usually no English menu, so be prepared to point to the dishes at neighboring tables.
Ball Kee
Despite its unassuming location in an alley, this dai pai dong (outdoor food stall) remains immensely popular due to its delicious stir-fried dishes. The wok-cooked noodle dishes are especially good—thin noodles are cooked until crispy and topped with strips of pork and bean sprouts.
Kau Kee
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Leaf Dessert
Visit this retro outdoor stall for authentic Chinese desserts. Sweet soups made with red bean or ground black sesame are served in both hot and chilled versions. Warmed, chewy, glutinous rice balls heaped with sugar, crushed peanuts, and desiccated coconut are messy but delicious.
Mak's Noodles
The real test of a good Cantonese noodle shop is its wontons, and at Mak's they’re fresh, plump, and generously filled with whole shrimp. What started as a stall in Central in 1968 is now a small Hong Kong chain, selling not only wonton noodles but noodles with beef brisket, fish balls, and dumplings in soup.
Petite Amanda
For western-style treats, head to Petite Amanda, opened by model-turned-pastry-chef Amanda Strang. The sweets shop sells traditional French cakes and pastries such as the layered hazelnut-and-chocolate plaisir sucré.
Shui Kee
Fold-up tables and stools are scattered around this small stall, which specializes in cow offal served with noodles in broth. Tender beef brisket and deep-fried wontons are also popular options.
Sing Heung Yuen
This outdoor stall has been in operation here since the 1970s and the canopied tables are pretty much always packed from 8 am to 3:30 pm. The iconic dishes are the instant ramen noodles or beef and macaroni served in a sweet tomato broth, as well as the toasted, crispy buns drizzled with condensed milk.
Sing Kee
This is one of the rare dai pai dong food stalls in the area that stays open late into the evening. Cheap and cheerful, the seafood-centric menu is nevertheless pretty extensive. You can't go wrong with an order of salt-and-pepper squid and a cold bottle of Blue Girl beer.
Tai Cheong Bakery
Tsui Wah Restaurant
Finding a hearty meal in Central doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune—especially not if you head to this famous 24-hour eatery. Join the locals and the late-night party crowd and order milk tea, then move on to the extensive menu, which ranges from toasted sandwiches to noodles, fried rice, and Malaysian curries. Although it’s not quite what typical Hong Kongers would make at home, this definitely qualifies as Chinese comfort food. Noodles and fried rice are some of the safest bets for timid palates. There's also a wide range of set meals at very reasonable prices.
