8 Must – Try Traditional Hong Kong Foods
They say, the way to an Asian’s heart goes through their tummy. They live for a good time and good food. Asia offers uncountable cuisine options to anyone who wishes to indulge in the world’s finest culinary experiences. The diversified cuisines of Asia are synonymous with delectable flavors and vibrant colors. Common ingredients which the various cultures share are rice, ginger, sesame, chilies, and soy.
The most preferred methods of cooking Asian food include steaming and deep frying to make the most mouthwatering dishes.
The reason why Pan- Asian curries are considered such a huge success is because of the slow cooking process in coconut milk. Coconut milk is what makes the curries rich and enhances the flavors of spices. If Pan- Asian food is your favorite and you live in Hong Kong, scroll down for some of the best traditional dishes to try in Hong Kong.
Well known around the globe as the “World’s Food Fair”, if indulging in exceptional food is your hobby, Hong Kong is the place for you.
There is no doubt when someone says that Hong Kong is a heaven for foodies. It not only hosts a multitude of local cuisines but also offers a wide range of international dishes with a twist of its own. With a street food stall at every corner, you can choose from a variety of foods to make your tummy and heart happy. This is the best time to visit Hong Kong and explore your favorite places and street food. Let's plan your next trip and take have a taste of 8 Must-Try Traditional Hong Kong foods and historical places.
Street Food In Hong Kong
For those who want a quick guide to the street food in Hong Kong, here are some of the to-die-for dishes you must try:
Fish Balls
A classic Hong Kong staple snack, these delicious fish balls are made from fish meat, cooked in a pot of piping hot curry. You can find these amazing balls at any local street stall vendor. If you are short on time you can also order online through foodpanda app and get great discounts by applying the foodpanda Promo Code HK.
Egg Waffles
Locally known as gaidaanzei or “mini chicken egg” treat yourself to the Hong Kong version of a waffle.
This crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, sweet and spongy waffle can be either enjoyed with toppings such as caramel, maple syrup, or even chocolate or without any add-on, just served plain with a side of freshly cut fruits slathered in yoghurt. Now, doesn’t that sound like a tempting brunch plan with your group of friends.
Pineapple Buns
Don’t let the name trick you, you won’t find any pineapple in these buns. It is called so because of the crumbly and crispy sugar coating on top of the soft and sweet bread roll, which pretty much resembles a pineapple. Affectionately called a bo lo bao, this sugary bun is made of sugar, eggs, flour, and lard. After being cooked, the top cracks and looks like a pineapple.
Milk Tea
A creamy drink made traditionally with condensed milk and Ceylon black tea, Hong Kong milk tea is a must-try.
Chinese Barbeque
Also known as siumei, Chinese barbequed meats are a delicacy in Hong Kong, with char siu or barbequed pork, barbequed goose, and roasted pork as favorites among the locals.
Dim Sum
And who doesn’t know about the dim sum? The Hong Kong version of dim sum includes the classic hargao or steamed shrimp dumplings wrapped in a thin and transparent flatbread, char scuba, or the barbequed pork buns and shumai or the Chinese dumpling version.
As a Special Administrative Region of China, Hong Kong is an interesting blend of ancient Chinese culture and its own history independent from that of the Chinese mainland. Whether you are a tourist visiting Hong Kong or are a local craving some Chinese food, here are a handful of places you can get the best Chinese food in Hong Kong:
Human Garden
The Hunan Garden gains it name after a Chinese province and is popular for its exclusive Hunanese cuisines.
Most of the chicken and fish dishes available here are spicy, which are clearly marked on the menu. Located in the of the city’s major shopping plazas, the overall ambiance is friendly and welcoming. If you are unable to understand the dishes, the staff is more than welcome to help you out. It is recommended you make reservations before visiting.
Spring Deer
One of the most oldest and reliable dining spots in Hong Kong in the Spring Deer—which is operating for decades.
The restaurant packs crowds of locals and foreign tourists who have previously dined here. A group-friendly dining spot ratchets up with noise during peak mealtime. Décor isn’t very descriptive, but who needs décor when you have amazing food at your table. The favorites among the people are seafood, chicken dishes, and the Peking Duck.
Wu Kong
Rated as one of Hong Kong’s best restaurants by the Hong Kong Tatler magazine, Wu Kong specializes in Shanghai cuisines.
Shanghai cuisine is a style of cooking that amplifies the dishes from its neighboring provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Often cooked with wine or liquor and slightly on the spicy side, the restaurant’s best menu items include pigeon in wine sauce, braised crab with bean paste sauce, and prawn balls cooked in garlic chili sauce.
Canton Room
If you are craving authentic Chinese and Cantonese dishes, then Canton Room is your place to be.
Located in the beautiful Luk Kwok Hotel in the Wan Chai neighborhood of Hong Kong, the restaurant welcomes its visitors to the splendid Eastern setting and menu. For the health-conscious but not- compromising- on- taste kind of people, this restaurant cooks low-calorie and low-oil Chinese dishes. If you want to avoid the rush it is advised to make reservations before visiting.
Tsui Wah
To grab a quick delicious bite on your busy day, visit TsuiWah in Hong Kong.
TsuiWah is one of the most successful “cha chanting” chains and serves and a delectable mix of Asian and European cuisines with a local twist. The Chinese bun, which is an extremely popular dish, is fried and topped with cream and peanut butter. Relatively cheaper than most of the food joints, but not compromising on the taste and quality, TsuiWah is a must-visit.
Traditional Food In Hong Kong
Nothing tastes better than the food which is rooted in tradition and culture. Scroll down for some of the traditional food in Hong Kong:
Sweet & Sour Pork
Probably the most famous food in Hong Kong, sweet and sour pork is also known locally as “gu lo yuk”. It is a comfort food which is widely craved by the locals. Traditionally made with vinegar, preserved plums, and hawthorn candy, which gives it an orange-ish color and the sweet-sour tang; now-a-days it is mostly made with ketchup and food coloring. Add it to your dinner or lunch table by ordering from your favorite restaurants through UberEats and you can save on your first order and repeated orders with Uber Eats promo code hk.
Wantons
Locally called by the name of Chaozhou, meaning “crossed hands” in English, these thin-skinned dumplings are made with assorted meat fillings, made to float in a bowl of clear soup with other ingredients. The soup is either made of chicken, duck, or pork, simmered for a long time. The popular ones are Sichuan- style Wontons.
Rosted Goose
This local dish can be made perfectly only with a specially raised goose breed, indigenous to that region.
The whole goose is smothered with a mix of secret ingredients and roasted, later cut into smaller, meal-sized portions with skin and meat attached to the bone. It is served with plum sauce. Now if you are not drooling at the thought of this delicious roasted goose dish, you are definitely lying!
Wind Sand Chicken
Originating from Guangdong, wand sand chicken is one of the most favorite and popular dishes in Hong Kong.
Preparation of this cuisine involves putting a whole chicken, flavored with spices and sauces into the oven for about 20 minutes, till the time its skin turns brown. The unique name for this dish is because of the garlic pieces which are added to look like wind-blown sand when cooked. The roasted chicken is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Shrimp And Chicken Ballas
Known as “dragon and phoenix ball” in Chinese, it is one of the best delicacies of Hong Kong.
Finely chopped chicken and shrimp are kneaded into balls, then rolled onto the bread crumbs and deep-fried. The balls have a crispy texture on the outside and the insides are soft and tender. The name dragon and phoenix relate to the Chinese royalty, where dragon (or shrimps) represents the king and phoenix (or chicken) as the queen.
Pheoenix Talons (Chicken Feet)
Not at all appealing to the eyes, but once you get past the visual imagery, these fried chicken feet are favored by locals all over Hong Kong.
The feet or chicken are cut off, nails clipped, these are deep-fried and later lathered in copious amounts of sauces and spices and garnished with sesame seeds and spring onions. Though the overseas visitors might feel a bit intimidated by this dish, it is consumed with extreme satisfaction among the older generations.
Steamed Shrimp Dumplings
Harrow or steamed shrimp dumpling is a kind of dim sum that is generally expensive.
You get three or four dumplings in a bamboo steamer, each dumpling stuffed with one or two small shrimps with a little amount of pork wrapped in a thin and translucent flatbread wrapper. When served, the outer wrapper shines like a crystal. It is served in bite- sizes, so you can gulp it in one single swallow. It tastes best if the shrimp is a little juicy.
Snake Soup
Feeling queasy at the mention of eating a snake? Snake soup is a popular delicacy in Hong Kong.
Famous due to its reputed medicinal and healing properties, snake soup is the perfect dish for cold seasons. You won’t see anything in your soup which resembles a snake, it tastes more like mushroom and chicken soup. This brothy mixture of snake meat, mushrooms, pork and ginger warms up the body better than your conventional chicken soup.
Hong Kong is the home to some of the greatest foodies in the world, it hosts a wide array of food items which range from those stubbornly traditional dishes to unconsciously invented fusion foods. These dishes compete with each other, leaving the food enthusiasts confused yet determined to try each and every one of them. Make sure to try some of these dishes when you are dining at an Asian, especially Hong Kong, restaurant.