If you ask us, Hong Kong’s street food culture is pretty dang good. From Causeway Bay to Mong Kok, Kwai Fong, Sham Shui Po, and beyond, you’re bound to find some tasty snacks on the side of the street.
The scrumptious morsels, whether they are skewered curry fishballs or crispy eggettes in a variety of flavors, are also budget-friendly, and you can easily fill up your stomach for just a few dollars for each serving. Some of them aren’t even actual street food stalls in the traditional sense.
They’re recommended by Michelin Hong Kong as part of the guide’s first-ever street food section, which seems to be reserved for smaller places that haven’t done enough to earn a real star yet but haven’t done enough to be overlooked.
Many of these dishes are available at the Tsim Sha Tsui. Tsim Sha Tsui is a retail and entertainment area in Kowloon that is home to many international brands. A smorgasbord of casual cafes and eccentric local stores fill the neon-lit Nathan Road, while upscale shopping complexes line the adjoining Canton Road.
The Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, which runs along Victoria Harbour, is a popular site to take in the city’s skyline views, while the Hong Kong Cultural Centre is a famous venue for mainstream concerts and musicals being staged. See our list for the best street food.
Curry Fishballs
Curry fishballs are undoubtedly Hong Kong’s most famous street snack, and you can get them at practically every savory food cart on the island. Despite the fact that they are now largely manufactured from flour and contain little or no fish flesh, the appeal of the snack has not waned.
Springy in texture, the bite-sized spheres bob around in a pot of spicy curry sauce before being impaled on a bamboo stick or ladled into a takeout dish for consumption on the roadside. Recognized by the Hong Kong government as traditional street food.
Egg Tarts
Egg tarts are most strongly connected with the neighboring Chinese territory of Macau, where this Portuguese-inspired pastry has become something of a cultural icon. However, they are also quite popular with Hong Kongers, and you will be able to get them almost anyplace in the territory.
Egg tarts are a delicious delicacy that is sweet and creamy, with a flaky pastry shell that you will not be able to resist. One of the top contenders for the best dish on the street food scene.
Stinky Tofu
Stinky tofu, despite its foul odor, is one of the most delectable foods you can get on our city’s streets. The bean curd derives its characteristic smell from a long fermenting process, which is frequently carried out in a brine of milk, vegetables, or even animal products.
After that, it’s deep-fried and frequently served with a spicy dipping sauce. The outer layer is crisp and golden and gives way to a soft and creamy center. As long as you can get over the odor, this foul snack will satisfy your cravings.
Hing Kee
Cheung Hing Kee is well-known for its sheng Jian bao, which are pan-fried buns from Shanghai that are served hot. They are similar to their more well-known relatives the xiao long bao in that they are filled with pork and hot soup, but their coating is thicker and their bottoms are scorched and crunchy.
Both the shrimp and the black truffle were delicious, so we sampled them both. I believe you are aware of where this is going.
Cheung Fun
In Guangdong Province in southern China and Hong Kong, a rice noodle roll is a Cantonese cuisine that is usually served as a snack, a light lunch, or a kind of dim sum.
It is a thin roll-formed from a broad strip of shahe fen that may be filled with shrimp, meat, veggies, or other things, and it is traditionally served in China. One of the more unique Hong Kong food on our list. Can be found also in any Chinese restaurant around. A direct contender to curry fish balls.
Chestnuts
In order to enjoy them, you must know what are they. Chestnuts are deciduous trees and shrubs that belong to the genus Castanea, which is a member of the beech family Fagaceae.
They are endemic to temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere, where they may be found in large numbers. The edible nuts that they produce are also referred to by this name. People tend to enjoy them with a cup of milk with a finish of sesame seeds on top.
Beef Brisket Noodles
Hong Kong is home to a plethora of noodle meals, but one that should be towards the top of your list is the version made with beef brisket, which can be found here.
This traditional Hong Kong favorite, which is served with slow-cooked chunks of beef in a hearty and comforting broth, is a typical affordable Hong Kong favorite that everyone should have at least once while in the city. One of the more enjoyable street snacks in Hong Kong.
Tonkla Thai Snack
Found in every street address across Hong Kong. Many Thai foods are available on the streets but based on what we’ve read, they’re particularly well-known for their tom yum noodles, pad Thai, and green curry chicken.
Some of the greatest pad Thai noodles people tasted in a long time were served up in the streets of Hong Kong. Can be found also in the Wan Chai. Wan Chai is a bustling business district that is crowded with office employees and people shopping.
Toy stores can be found on Tai Yuen Street, vintage shops can be found on Queen’s Road East, and the Wan Chai Computer Centre is where you can get your computer fixed. Noodle shops and informal cafés conduct good business around lunchtime, while the pubs and nightclubs on Lockhart Road attract a throng of people once the workday has ended.
The Golden Bauhinia Square is the site of a daily flag-raising ceremony, which takes place at noon. Can be found at the Chin Sik restaurant in Hong Kong.
Eggettes
After a long walk the best local take would be the Eggettes. It’s hard to resist the sweet, heavenly smell of eggettes, known as gai daan zai in Cantonese.
These are produced by putting egg batter onto a griddle pan and heating until the exterior is crisp and the interior is soft and fluffy.
The majority of merchants will provide a no-frills, basic egg flavor with curry sauce, while some may also offer chocolate, sesame, soy sauce, and green tea flavors, among other more bizarre variations. Dim Sum restaurants tend to serve this dish frequently.
Tea Eggs
Many people in Hong Kong like tea eggs, which are a typical street delicacy in the city. These strange-looking objects are prepared by hard boiling eggs, gently fracturing their shells, then soaking them in tea for many hours.
It produces an egg that, after the cracked shell is removed, displays a gorgeous, marbled egg white that seems more like a work of art than a snack fit for a street vendor.
Toss back a mouthful and savor the mild tea flavor in this unusual street cuisine that is perfect for those on the move. Tends to be enjoyed with sweet potatoes. Check them out in the Joyful Dessert House.
Lei Keung Kee
Hong Kong Lei Keung Kee is a typical Hong Kong street dish that originated in the city’s North Point neighborhood. Many broken eggs are unable to be sold due to the fact that they do not want to go to waste.
So some individuals decide on a whim to mix flour, butter, and other ingredients to form an egg paste, which they then pour into a mold and bake. Keung Kee North Point Egg Waffles was a finalist in the Michelin Guide’s street food recommendations for the month of September. opened its doors in 1991 and began operations in North Point.
There are now at least 7 branches. It extends across Hong Kong, Kowloon, and the New Territories. The picture of the boss and a star, which has been loved by celebrities such as Su Shihuang, Chen Hao, Zheng Zhongji, and others, has been crowded with people for a long time and has gained widespread recognition in the community.
Roasted sweet potato and chestnuts
Mobile street carts (which are generally situated around major MTR exits) sell roasted sweet potatoes and charcoal-cooked chestnuts, which are both seasonal sweets that start to appear around the time of the year’s first snowfall.
These delectable items are only available from a few of street sellers in Hong Kong, who may be distinguished by the peculiar perfume they emit as well as the cloud of smoke that surrounds their stall. The majority of these sellers also offer quail eggs that have been salted and baked.
Make a point of grabbing a bag if you see one. A smooth texture and delicious wares make this dish a perfect breakfast food to start your day in Hong Kongs busy streets.
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The bottom line
You should attempt not to be overwhelmed by the wide diversity of culinary options available when you first arrive in Hong Kong; instead, simply dive in and sample as much as you possibly can while there.
While you may discover that there are certain things you don’t really like, at the very least you’ll have something interesting to tell your friends and family when you return home.
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