In part one of our “Hong Kong Eats” series we highlighted seven privately owned restaurants serving delicious dishes to locals and tourists alike. In part two we explore eating options of restaurant chains and street vendors. As the restaurant chains have multiple locations throughout Hong Kong you will want to consult the restaurant’s websites for the location closest to you.
Front entrance to Ippudo
Ramen at Ippudo
Ippudo
In 1985 Ippudo’s first restaurant served tasty ramen dishes to customers in Japan. Ippudo grew in popularity and expanded with restaurants now open in fourteen different countries. In Hong Kong alone you will find six Ippudo restaurants. Ippudo is most famous for its ramen, having won multiple awards for the delicious broth. The menu at Ippudo has a variety of broths you can select from such as tonkotsu, shoyu, and miso. Along with the broth you’ll find various ingredients such as pork, egg, bamboo, seaweed, and noodles. The flavor combinations of the broth and ingredients make a bowl of Ippudo ramen very satisfying and one of the best ramen bowls you can get without traveling to Japan.
A cup of coffee at Pacific Coffee
Logo for Pacific Coffee
Pacific Coffee
Pacific Coffee has coffeehouses not only in Hong Kong but Macau, Mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Cyprus. Hong Kong alone has over 100 Pacific Coffee locations so chances are you’ll pass by one of these coffeehouses during your visit. When entering a Pacific Coffee you may get a distinct United States Pacific Northwest vibe from the decor. This is because the founder of Pacific Coffee was from Seattle, Washington. Similar to coffeehouses in the United States or Europe you can come to a Pacific Coffee and buy a cup of java and a pastry or sandwich. If you need caffeine to start your day or need somewhere where you can recharge after sightseeing, the place to go is Pacific Coffee.
Fish balls in sauce sold by a street vendor
Eggettes from a street vendor
Street Vendors
Throughout the streets of Hong Kong you will find food stands selling local snacks. These food stands are saviors if you need a quick bite to eat on the go. A variety of foods sell at these stands, such as chicken skewers or skewers with fish balls slathered in curry sauce. You can buy steamed buns filled with BBQ pork or steamed buns filled with lotus paste for those with a sweet tooth. There are carts that sell mochi that you can buy filled with fruits such as mango, kiwi, or durian. Other desserts include the Hong Kong style waffle snack called eggettes, or the dim sum favorite of egg custard tarts. Vendors may sell fruit juices made of real fruits such as peach, orange, and pineapple. These same vendors will sell milk teas filled with red bean, grass jelly, bubble tea pearls, or taro. Please note that the above-mentioned food stands will most likely only accept cash as payment.
Baked buns with BBQ pork at Tim Ho Wan
Ha Jiao (steamed fresh shrimp dumplings) at Tim Ho Wan
Shao Mai (steamed pork dumplings with shrimp) at Tim Ho Wan
Tim Ho Wan
A trip to Hong Kong isn’t complete without at least one dim sum meal. Dim sum refers to bite sized food portions served on small plates or in steamer baskets. Places that serve good dim sum can get crowded in particular on the weekends so arrive early if you don’t want to wait for a table. A well-liked dim sum chain is Tim Ho Wan. Tim Ho Wan has locations in seven countries. Hong Kong alone is home to five Tim Ho Wan restaurants. You can’t make reservations for Tim Ho Wan and the lines form the moment they open their doors. So if you plan to eat at a Tim Ho Wan arrive early. Once seated, you will find a paper menu with boxes you check next to the dishes you want to order. Steamed and deep-fried selections tantalize your taste buds and make choosing what to order very difficult. Popular dishes include the baked buns with BBQ pork, Ha Jiao (steamed fresh shrimp dumplings), and Shao Mai (steamed pork dumplings with shrimp).
Front entrance to Triple O’s
Hamburger at Triple O’s
Triple O’s
Triple O’s hails from Canada and is the place to visit if you’ve got a craving for Western style fast-food restaurants. Six Triple O’s are located throughout Hong Kong. The Triple O hamburger is bursting with a large beef patty, lettuce, tomato, and their signature sauce. On top of the hamburger bun you’ll find a thin slice of pickle. Just as any other fast-food restaurant you can order sodas and french fries to go with your hamburger. Unlike other fast-food joints Triple O’s will sometimes serve specialty burgers such as one filled with peanut butter, bacon, and jalapeno. If you’re feeling adventurous try one of the specialty burgers!
Breakfast at Tsui Wah
Front entrance to Tsui Wah
Tsui Wah
Tsui Wah is a Hong Kong style cafe serving traditional Hong Kong dishes. Established in 1967 Tsui Wah now has over thirty locations throughout Hong Kong. Tsui Wah’s dishes include roasted and barbeque meat selections, vermicelli soups, traditional Asian fried noodles and rice dishes, and grilled steak or pork. Tsui Wah is a great place to go to for breakfast with popular breakfast items such as crispy buns with sweet condensed milk and pineapple bun with butter. Both breakfast options come with your choice of coffee, tea, or milk tea. Besides locations in the city Tsui Wah is found within the airport terminal. Out of the food options at the airport Tsui Wah is one of the busiest and most popular but the order line moves at a quick pace. Tsui Wah at the airport is a great place to grab a snack or a meal before your flight. The eatery is near other dining options so plenty of seating is available. Keep in mind that you can ask for your food to go if you want to take it on board the plane.
