Food of Hong Kong

Hong Kong cooking is rooted in Cantonese traditions that favor fresh ingredients, steaming and quick stir-frying, with a lively street-food and cafe culture. Dim sum, roast meats, wonton noodles and silky congee are everyday meals. Tea-house and cha chaan teng cafes serve local favorites such as milk tea and egg tarts. Diners often eat together at round tables, sharing dishes.

Dim sum
National dish

Dim sum

Bamboo steamers of dumplings, buns and rolls shared over tea.

How to make Dim sum

Staples

  • rice
  • egg noodles
  • pork
  • shrimp
  • greens
  • tea

Signature flavors

  • ginger
  • scallions
  • oyster sauce
  • soy sauce
  • white pepper
  • five-spice

Main dishes

Char siu
Char siu

Honey-glazed roast pork from the roast shops, sliced over rice.

Key ingredients: pork, honey, hoisin, five-spiceFull guide →
Roast goose
Roast goose

Crisp-skinned roast goose with plum sauce.

Key ingredients: goose, five-spice, plum sauce
Soy sauce chicken
Soy sauce chicken

Silky chicken poached in a sweet soy broth.

Key ingredients: chicken, soy sauce, rock sugar, ginger
Salt and pepper squid

Crisp-fried squid with chili, garlic and scallions.

Key ingredients: squid, chilies, garlic, cornstarch
Steamed fish with ginger and scallions

Fresh fish steamed and finished with hot oil and soy.

Key ingredients: fish, ginger, scallions, soy sauce
Beef chow fun
Beef chow fun

Wok-seared flat rice noodles with beef and bean sprouts.

Key ingredients: rice noodles, beef, bean sprouts, soy sauce
Fried rice
Fried rice

Wok-tossed rice with egg and scallions.

Key ingredients: rice, eggs, scallionsFull guide →

Breakfast

Dim sum
Dim sum

Bamboo steamers of dumplings, buns and rolls shared over tea.

Key ingredients: shrimp, pork, rice flourFull guide →
Congee
Congee

Smooth rice porridge with century egg, pork or fish.

Key ingredients: rice, ginger, porkFull guide →
Hong Kong-style French toast

Thick bread slices filled with peanut butter, fried and topped with butter and syrup.

Key ingredients: bread, egg, peanut butter, butter
Pineapple bun
Pineapple bun

Sweet bun with a crackly sugar crust, often served with a slab of butter.

Key ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, egg

Street food

Egg waffles
Egg waffles

Puffy, round-bubbled egg waffles sold hot from street stalls.

Key ingredients: egg, flour, evaporated milk
Curry fish balls
Curry fish balls

Springy fish balls in a mild, fragrant curry sauce on skewers.

Key ingredients: fish paste, curry sauce
Siu mai
Siu mai

Open-topped pork and shrimp dumplings.

Key ingredients: pork, shrimp, wonton wrapper
Cheung fun
Cheung fun

Silky rice noodle rolls with soy sauce and sesame.

Key ingredients: rice flour, shrimp, soy sauce

Soups

Wonton noodles
Wonton noodles

Thin egg noodles with shrimp wontons in a clear broth.

Key ingredients: egg noodles, shrimp, pork, chicken stockFull guide →
Beef brisket noodle soup
Beef brisket noodle soup

Tender stewed brisket on noodles in a spiced broth.

Key ingredients: beef brisket, noodles, star anise, daikon
Double-boiled soup

Slow-simmered soups with herbs, pork and vegetables.

Key ingredients: pork, dried scallops, goji, ginger

Salads

Pickled cucumber

Crisp quick-pickled cucumber to refresh the palate.

Key ingredients: cucumber, vinegar, sugar, chili

Breads

Pineapple bun
Pineapple bun

Fluffy bun with a sweet, crisp topping, unrelated to the fruit.

Key ingredients: flour, sugar, butter
Cocktail bun
Cocktail bun

Soft bun filled with sweet coconut paste.

Key ingredients: flour, coconut, sugar

Desserts and sweets

Egg tart
Egg tart

Small custard tart in buttery pastry; a bakery classic.

Key ingredients: eggs, sugar, butter, flourFull guide →
Mango pomelo sago
Mango pomelo sago

Chilled dessert soup of mango, pomelo and sago.

Key ingredients: mango, pomelo, coconut milk
Tofu pudding
Tofu pudding

Silky tofu pudding with ginger syrup.

Key ingredients: soy milk, ginger, brown sugar
Double skin milk
Double skin milk

Creamy steamed milk custard with a thin skin on top.

Key ingredients: milk, egg whites, sugar

Drinks

Hong Kong milk tea
Hong Kong milk tea

Strong black tea blended with evaporated milk, silky and smooth.

Key ingredients: black tea, evaporated milk, sugar
Yuenyeung
Yuenyeung

Drink combining coffee and milk tea.

Key ingredients: coffee, black tea, milk
Lemon tea
Lemon tea

Black tea with fresh lemon slices, served iced or hot.

Key ingredients: black tea, lemon, sugar
Sugarcane juice
Sugarcane juice

Fresh pressed, naturally sweet juice.

Key ingredients: sugarcane

Fruits and produce

Lychee
Lychee

Sweet floral fruit enjoyed fresh in summer.

Key ingredients: fresh, dessert soupsFull guide →
Longan
Longan

Small sweet fruit used in desserts and sweet teas.

Key ingredients: fresh, dried
Pomelo
Pomelo

Large mild citrus used in desserts.

Key ingredients: fresh, dessert soups
Mandarin orange
Mandarin orange

Easy-peel citrus, eaten fresh and dried for cooking.

Key ingredients: fresh, dried peel

Dish guides from Hong Kong

Char siu
Char siuMain dishes
Congee
CongeeBreakfast
Dim sum
Dim sumBreakfast
Egg tart
Egg tartDesserts and sweets
Fried rice
Fried riceMain dishes
Lychee
LycheeFruits
Wonton noodles
Wonton noodlesSoups
Explore Hong Kong on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Eastern Asia

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • Charsiu: Simon Shek, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Roasted goose: Romi, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Soy Sauce Chicken: Dennis Wong from Hong Kong, Hong Kong, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Beefchowfoon: stu_spivack, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Koh Mak, Thailand, Fried rice with seafood, Thai fried rice: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Chinese DimSum (9023590541): LeonardKong, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Chinese rice congee: Daiju Azuma, CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Pineapple buns: Party Lin, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • HK Lower Wong Tai Sin Eatate Tung Tau Tsuen Road n Ching Tak Street 雞蛋仔: Morsesp3, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Processed seafood clipped: Wee Keat Chin, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Yellow dim sum in steamer basket: Mshuang2, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • A Steam White Rice Noodle Rolls from KC Chinese Restaurant: Peachyeung316, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • HK SW 上環 Sheung Wan 皇后大道中 303 Queen's Road Central 權記雲吞麵 Wonton noodle soup shop June 2020 SS2 10: Gadium irggvbobjv, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Brisketphoto: Josh Evnin from Chicago, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cocktail Bun fancy: Jp384, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • HK SSP 長沙灣 Cheung Sha Wan 深盛路 Sham Shing Road 泓景滙商場 Banyan Mall shop 蛋撻王 King Bakery Studio December 2019 SS2 egg tarts: LNAM Haoi, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mango pomelo sago: relgar, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • David enjoying Dòuhuā: David, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Double skin milk: Guanlin (Gary) He, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Hong Kong Milk Tea, Cha Chaan Teng-style with Black and White cup: Nikoletic126, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Yuanyang (drink): OhanaUnitedTalk page, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Japanese tea ceremony 20100502 Japan Matsuri 02: Georges Seguin (Okki), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Sugarcanejuice: Food Trails, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Litchi chinensis fruits: B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Longan tree at Pine Island Nursery: Pouletic, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Pomelo fruit: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Citrus reticulata April 2013 Nordbaden: 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)