Top Must-Try Food & Restaurants - A Culinary Journey Through Cantonese Cuisine

Hong Kong's food scene is renowned around the world for its unique blend of Cantonese cuisine, Western influences, and street food culture. From dim sum to street food, Hong Kong is home to a diverse array of dishes that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. In this article, we'll introduce you to 16 must-try foods in Hong Kong that will leave you wanting more!

1. Dim Sum

Dim sum is a staple of Hong Kong cuisine and consists of small plates of bite-sized food served in bamboo baskets. Popular dim sum dishes to try include Har Gow蝦餃 (shrimp dumplings), Siu Mai燒賣 (pork dumplings), and Char Siu Bao 叉燒包(barbecue pork bun). Some of the best dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong include Tim Ho Wan, Lin Heung Kui, Maxim Palace City Hall, Yum Cha, Lock Cha, Sun Hing and Islamic Centre Canteen.

2. Roasted Goose and HK Style BBQ Meat

Roasted goose and HK style BBQ meat are the iconic dishes in Hong Kong. Roasted goose is cooked with a crispy skin and juicy meat, while HK style BBQ meat composes of BBQ pork, roasted pork (or suckling pig), soy sauce chicken, duck etc. Some of the best restaurants for roasted goose and HK style BBQ meat include Yat Lok, Kam's Roast Goose, Yung Kee, Joy Hing Roasted Meat and Goose King.

3. Hong Kong Noodles

In Hong Kong, noodles are a culinary adventure, offering endless variety from flat noodles to vermicelli, and can be enjoyed in many ways such as in a hot soup or stir-fried. For travelers exploring the different types of noodle stores, choosing a dish is akin to ordering a pizza; one selects the "dough" or type of noodle and then adds the desired "toppings" like Beef Brisket or Wonton. Some of the best beef brisket restaurants in Hong Kong include Kau Kee and Sister Wah, Mak's Noodle, Mak Man Kee, Tsim Chai Kee, Man Kee and Good Hope Noodle.

4. Egg Tart and Hong Kong Pastries

Hong Kong is also known for its wide range of baked goods and pastries, with local bakeries and snack shops showcasing flavors and textures that are uniquely Hong Kong: including egg tart, pineapple buns, wife cake, and cocktail buns. Some of the best bakeries in Hong Kong include Tai Cheong, Door Door Bakery, Kam Wah Cafe, Kee Tsui Cake Shop, San Lung Cake Shop, Tai O Bakery.

5. Dai Pai Dong (Cantonese Stir Fry)

Cantonese stir fry, also known as Dai Pai Dong, is a type of street food in Hong Kong that is cooked in a wok over high heat. Popular stir fry dishes to try include Stir-fried Beef Noodles and Salted Fish With Diced Chicken Fried Rice. Some of the best stir fry restaurants in Hong Kong include Dai Lee Dai Pai Dong, Tung Po, Gold Mui Seafood Stall, and Glorious Cuisine.

6. Cha Chaan Teng

Cha Chaan Teng is a type of Hong Kong-style diner that serves a mix of Chinese and Western dishes. Popular dishes to try include macaroni soup, French toast, and pineapple bun with butter. Some of the best Cha Chaan Teng restaurants in Hong Kong include Australia Dairy Company, Lan Fong Yuen, Mido Cafe, Wai Kee, Kam Wah Cafe, Capital Cafe, and Sun Heung Yuen (Kin Kee).

Lan Fong Yuen to famous Cha Chaan Teng in Hong Kong

7. Soy Sauce Western Cuisine

In the late 1930s, Tai Ping Koon Restaurant expanded to Hong Kong and brought along the innovative "Soy Sauce Western Cuisine". This adaption was not merely about affordability; it mirrored Hong Kong's unique identity - a fusion of Eastern and Western cultures. This cuisine is more than a delightful bite; it's a taste of Hong Kong's dynamic spirit, an embodiment of its adaptability, and a celebration of its blended heritage. Some of the best soy sauce Western cuisine restaurants in Hong Kong include Tai Ping Koon Restaurant, Golden Phoenix Restaurant and The Prime Steak Restaurant.

8. Hong Kong Street Food

Hong Kong's street food scene is one of the best in the world, with a wide range of snacks and delicacies available on the go. Popular street food dishes to try include curry fish balls, stinky tofu, and egg waffles. Some of the best places to find street food in Hong Kong include Fishball Guy, Mammy Pancake, Hop Yik Tai, King of Street Food, Lui Zai Kee, Fei Jie and Temple Street Offals.

The biggest fishball can be be found in Cheung Chau

9. Clay Pot Rice

Clay pot rice is a hearty Cantonese dish that is cooked in a clay pot over high heat and served with a variety of toppings, including chicken, sausage, and vegetables. Some of the best clay pot rice restaurants in Hong Kong include Hing Kee Claypot, Wing Kee Cha Chaan Teng, and Kwan Kee Claypot Rice.

Delicious Claypot Rice with Foie gras Sausage & Chinese Sausage（臘腸潤腸煲仔飯）, and don't forget mix it with its best partner--dark soy sauce!

10. Seafood in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is famous for its seafood, which is served fresh and cooked in a variety of styles. Popular seafood dishes to try include steamed fish, clams in black bean sauce, and stir-fried squid. Some of the best seafood restaurants in Hong Kong include Lei Yue Mun, Sam Mun Sai, Sai Kung, and Yuet Sik Sang Heung Steam Hotpot.

11. Soy Bean Factory

Soy bean factories are a type of street food stall in Hong Kong that serve a variety of soy-based dishes, including tofu pudding, soy milk, and deep-fried tofu. Some of the best soy bean factories in Hong Kong include Kung Wo Soy Bean Factory and Yan Wo Dou Bun Chong.

12. Chinese Dessert

Hong Kong-style Chinese desserts are a must-try when visiting Hong Kong. Popular desserts to try include mango pomelo sago, red bean soup, and egg white custard. Some of the best dessert shops in Hong Kong include Kai Kai Dessert, Yee Shun Dairy Company, Leaf Dessert and Chiu Chow Hop Shing Dessert.

13. Hong Kong Style Hot Pot

Hong Kong-style hot pot is a type of Chinese fondue that is cooked at the table in a pot of boiling broth. Popular hot pot dishes to try include sliced beef, fish balls, and tofu. Some of the best hot pot restaurants in Hong Kong include Rice Sweet Hot Pot, Wulu Hot Pot, Fong Wing Kee Hot Pot, and The Cosmopolitan.

Fong Wing Kee Hot Pot Restaurant, an iconic dining spot in Kowloon City renowned for its satay noodles

14. Rice Porridge

Rice porridge is a type of congee that is often served for breakfast in Hong Kong. Popular congee dishes to try include preserved egg and lean pork congee, fish congee, and century egg congee. Some of the best congee restaurants in Hong Kong include Law Fu Kee Congee & Noodle Shop, Sun Hing Chang and Mui Kee Congee.

15. Hong Kong Style BBQ

Hong Kong-style BBQ is a type of Cantonese cuisine that involves roasting food over an open fire. The unique aspect of this style of cooking is that it's typically enjoyed in a social setting, with friends gathered around the fire to cook and socialize. If you're looking to try out Hong Kong-style BBQ, some of the best places to go are Ting Kok Road BBQ site and Cheung Chau (especially if you plan to stay overnight on the island).

16. Hong Kong Extreme Delicacies

Hong Kong is also home to some extreme delicacies that are not for the faint-hearted. These include snake soup, pig's blood cake, turtle jelly and bird's nest soup. Some of the best places to try these extreme delicacies in Hong Kong include Ser Wong Leung, Kung Wo Tong, and Hoi Yuen Eggshop.