55 Best Restaurants in Hong Kong, China

Come to Bakehouse for its freshly baked egg tarts with buttery, crispy shells and creamy custard filling. Expect to stand in line whenever you go, and don't be surprised if it's sold out early in the afternoon.

Open since 1995, this Sai Kung store sells homemade traditional Chinese desserts, such as black-sesame sweet soup and the refreshing mango-pomelo sweet soup. It also does newfangled items, including durian pancakes and glutinous rice dumplings dusted with desiccated coconut and filled with fresh mango. Locations exist throughout Hong Kong and Canada.

It might look like any other tiny, storefront noodle joint, but its humble appearance belies its culinary prowess. The restaurant serves authentic Shaanxi snacks, which can be best described as some of the heartiest and delicious chow that China has to offer.

The miniature cakes here sit like jewels in the pastry case. A lot of the desserts feature Asian ingredients such as green tea and adzuki beans. Japanese-style soufflé pancakes are another house specialty. These fluffy stacks are served with toppings such as fresh strawberries, chocolate shavings, and whipped cream. Sweets aside, 100 Bites also offers pasta-based lunch sets and a tasting menu for dinner.

This café is a great spot to rest your heels after a day of shopping, and enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Some of the cakes are marked with the brand's iconic “b.” logo to reel in the fashionista-foodies. The cheesecake and the zesty lemon tart are excellent, and those looking for a light lunch can also order one of the salads or sandwiches.

Ride the Hong Kong tram to its terminus in Kennedy Town and you can reward yourself with a meticulously crafted coffee at this waterfront favorite a few steps from the tram stop. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the blue waters of Victoria Harbour just across the road; the views are even better from upstairs. A Japanese chain headquartered in Kyoto, % Arabica opened its first Hong Kong location in 2013 and now has venues all over the territory.

You can dine on a range of Hong Kong classics at this no-frills cha chaan teng. The service is curt and the turnover is fast, but the scrambled egg sandwich is moist and pillowy soft.

Chocoholics should make a beeline to Awfully Chocolate. The chocolate cake is near perfection—dark, dense, and divine, it’s cocoa at its best. The cakes are available in several flavors, including original chocolate fudge, chocolate banana, or choco with rum and cherry. The dark-chocolate ice cream also deserves special mention, especially since it contains less sugar than your average ice cream but remains as sinfully rich.

This hip, homegrown Hong Kong bakery chain has a handy branch just off the Central--Mid-Levels Escalator at Staunton Street, where you can line up to grab an order of signature sourdough egg tarts (you’ll want at least two), which pair beautifully with a single-origin coffee to go. Other treats include buttery croissants, cookies, doughnuts, savory pastries, and sourdough loaves. 

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.

Dining in Hong Kong doesn't get more local than having a meal at this open-air stall, where you'll be wedged among taxi drivers and office workers slurping up their food. The menu is full of café favorites like pork chop sandwiches and beef brisket noodles, but the most popular items by far are the thick milk tea and cloyingly sweet Hong Kong–style French toast. It's worth a visit to experience an old-school side of Hong Kong that is fast disappearing.

This blink-and-you'll-miss-it Hong Kong chain entirely focused on Thai desserts has locations throughout the city, primarily in the New Territories. Try the coconut milk pandan cake (it's neon green), the osmanthus cake, or the butterfly pea flower coconut cake.

Tucked away on a quiet corner of the Traders Hotel, this unassuming culinary gem serves what is possibly the best Malaysian and Singaporean food in town. You’ll find all the classics here, from the piping-hot fried turnip cakes with bean sprouts to spicy beef simmered in coconut milk and aromatic spices. While all dishes satisfy, the main draw is the flavorful fish soup spiked with umami shrimp paste.

The decor, staff uniforms, and—of course—the food all capture the retro vibe of the 1960s Hong Kong cha chaan teng (local café). Cantonese pop songs from that era play over the sound system while diners relish bowls of elbow macaroni served in soup and topped with ham and eggs. Other staples include spaghetti served in chicken broth with cha siu pork and green peas. But the sweets here are what really stand out. The egg tarts are rich and custardy, and the French toast is served with a giant slab of butter. Surely the best items, though, are the hotcakes topped with bananas, buttered walnuts, and soft-serve ice cream.

This cozy, Japanese-inspired diner is popular with locals for its fresh, wholesome comfort food. Its menu is packed with hearty rice bowls and flavorful curries, all made with healthy ingredients. The warm, minimalist setting adds to the charm, making it a perfect stop for a casual bite in the neighborhood.

It’s a blast from the past at this retro Hong Kong café, done up in period '70s decor, complete with autographed Cantopop idol posters from that era. The food is old-school as well, and you’ll find hearty local specialties like elbow macaroni with barbecued pork, milk tea, and toasted sandwiches filled with fluffy scrambled eggs. If you come after 3 pm, try the “principal's toast”—it’s black truffle paste and cheese smothered on thick pieces of bread. It’s delicious indulgence done the cheap and cheerful way.

You'll recognize this nondescript street stall from the others around it by the crowds in front, especially during lunchtime. The silky rice rolls drenched in a tasty peanut sauce draw Hong Kongers from across town. Best of all, a combo with siu mai—petite pork dumplings—costs less than a Starbucks coffee.

This quaint cha chaan teng has been a local favorite since it opened in 1951. You can't go wrong with one of their famous, crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-inside pineapple buns stuffed with a slab of butter alongside a cup of creamy milk tea. The retro kitchen also turns out savory cha chaan teng classics like fried noodles.

Hidden away near the old Jordan pier, this little sit-down restaurant has excellent dim sum without the insane queues that plague its more famous competitors. That’s not to say that it doesn’t get packed during mealtimes; thankfully, the venue stays open until 10 pm, so you can sneak in for a late-night dinner when the crowds have dissipated. While it does all the classics, it’s the newfangled house creations that are really worth trying. We love the crispy shrimp rice-flour rolls drizzled with soy sauce. The chefs also do black-truffle crab dumplings and golden pastries filled with a combination of apples and cha siu pork.

The dim sum menu here goes beyond common Cantonese morsels like har gau (steamed shrimp dumplings), embracing dishes more popular in the north, including chili prawn dumplings, Beijing onion cakes, and various steamed buns. Decadent dim sum options, such as abalone pastries, are particularly popular, but also extremely pricey. Lunch reservations are not taken, so there’s always a long line, especially on weekends. Arrive early, or admire the antique Chinese decor while you wait.

In the New Territories, it's uncommon to find a vegetarian restaurant not attached to a temple, but this canteen, in the same cafeteria as the Old Tai Po Police Station, is strictly a no-meat, no-eggs affair. Locally sourced, organic produce is used whenever possible; their jams and preserves, dressings, and pesto are all made fresh. A co-op shop is also located on the on-site farm, a fun choice for green thumbs.

Eaton Hotel's jazzy food hall is as hip as the hotel. The spacious and well-designed modern food court offers a handful of dining options, from Japanese curry and Cantonese beef noodles to burgers and tacos---all hearty and delicious at reasonable prices. They also host art, community, and music events regularly, so be sure to check out their event calendar beforehand.

Dundas Street in Mong Kok is filled with street vendors. The Fei Jie Snacks Stall is one of the best, with its dizzying selection of skewered choices ranging from chewy squid to duck gizzard to pig intestine (best eaten with a squirt of mustard).

The space is dingy, the tables are cramped, and the staff is brash—but the food makes it all worth it. Kam Fung has been around for more than five decades, serving traditional Hong Kong café fare such as crumbly crusted freshly baked egg tarts, and pineapple buns wedged with a thick slab of butter. Wash everything down with the velvety smooth milk tea after a meal that’s cheap, quick, and absolutely satisfying.

Tender beef with noodles in soup is the mainstay dish of this humble Hong Kong diner, which, like many similar small local restaurants, only accepts payment in cash. Choose the type of noodles you want (flat rice noodles, thin egg noodles, or vermicelli), beef cut (brisket or tendon), and consider opting for the curry soup version, which lends the dish a spicy-sweet richness. The soups pair beautifully with an iced milk tea.

This bustling, no-frills restaurant that has been around since the 1930s offers some of the best beef brisket noodles in town. Expect a line when you arrive, though solo diners can sometimes jump ahead.

You can identify Lab Made by the large crowd that’s usually gathered in front of the store. They come for the super-smooth, house-spun ice cream, which is made using liquid nitrogen. The freezing process takes only a minute, which is why everything can be made to order using the freshest ingredients. There are usually only a handful of flavors to choose from, and the menu changes on a weekly basis. If available, go for one of the Hong Kong–inspired flavors, such as bean-curd pudding or sweet red-bean soup.

Foodies were understandably excited when this iconic French patisserie set up shop in Hong Kong. Its pastel-colored macarons come in a rainbow of flavors, such as classic rose and sea-salt caramel. You can enjoy these delectable confections in the sit-down tearoom, or take them to go in one of the gorgeous pastry boxes.

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.