4 Best Restaurants in Northern Kowloon, Hong Kong

This might not be the prettiest restaurant you’ve ever seen, but its pan-fried beef patties (translated as “veal goulash” on the menu) are incredibly delicious. The browned pastry packets arrive at the table piping hot and bursting with tender minced beef—good luck stopping after just one.

Lung Jie is one of the more popular Thai restaurants in Kowloon City, and for good reason—the food is excellent and the flavors are authentic. They've got two branches in Kowloon City alone, with each one attracting a line during dinner hours. The extensive menu covers all the basics, from stir-fried pad thai noodles to hot-and-sour tom yum soup. For something a little more adventurous, try the raw prawns, which are topped with garlic and chilies and served with a deliciously spicy dipping sauce on the side.

Opened by one of Hong Kong’s best-known pastry chefs, this takeaway bakery offers a gorgeous collection of French-style pastries and gâteaux (layered cakes). The most famous creation here is the Rose—an elaborate layered cake decorated with edible chocolate petals. If you don’t want to splurge on this signature creation (or if it sells out by the time you arrive), consider equally tasty treats like the eye-catching Green Apple dessert.

If you have a delicate constitution, take a pass on this home-style Cantonese restaurant. Tso Choi (which literally translates as “rough dishes”) is not everyone’s cup of tea. Offal lovers, however, might be interested in trying some of the house favorites: fried pig tripe, fried pig brain (served as an omelet), double-boiled pig brain—you get the idea. The older Hong Kong generation still likes this stuff; younger folks may demur. The wary can opt for creamy congee, fried chicken, or simple stir-fries.