One of the world’s best food cities, Hong Kong has long been a magnet for top-notch international restaurants. But if you have to try just one type of food while you’re there, make it Cantonese.
Originally from mainland China’s Guangdong province (just north of Hong Kong), Cantonese cuisine is known for its subtle flavors and ultra-fresh ingredients. From delicately steamed fish, braised pork and barbecued meats to stir-fried noodles, double-boiled soups and universally beloved dim sum, there’s a world of delicious traditions to discover.
Whether you’re looking to close a deal over the city’s best char siu or share simmering stir-fries with the whole family, we’ve scoured the city to bring you a few of our favorite Cantonese restaurants for every type of traveler.
For corporate clients
If you’re hoping to impress a client, it doesn’t get much more prestigious than Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Lung King Heen at the Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong. With its Victoria Harbour views, elegant interiors and top-notch service, this temple of Cantonese gastronomy dances between tradition and innovation without missing a beat.
Chinese executive chef Chan Yan Tak’s artful dim sum dishes are a sight to behold and a delight to devour. If you ask for seconds of the char siu (barbecued pork) and pineapple pork buns, there’s no judgment here. On weekdays, a special lunch menu unites two of our favorite things — dim sum and champagne — while specialty dinner entrées, like the deep-fried prawns in salted egg yolk, fish maw casserole and roasted chicken, with its crackling golden skin, will leave a lasting impression. When you book (months in advance, we hope), ask for a window seat to soak up the waterfront scenery.
For some family fun
Make your way up to Sai Kung Town, a charming village about 15 miles northeast of Central, to soak up the waterfront scenery and slower pace of life. Along the promenade, right by the public pier, Sai Kung Seafood Street is a lively open-air market that’s fun for the whole family.
Pick your delicacy — be it giant mantis prawns, spiny lobsters, scallops, razor clams, abalone, squid, grouper or geoduck (an extra large saltwater clam) — directly from the fishing boats bobbing by the pier or choose your catch from one of the giant fish tanks displayed outside the many waterfront restaurants. The market fills up on weekends, so we’d recommend dining on a weekday, if you can swing it.
For history buffs
When Mido Cafe, one of Hong Kong’s oldest cha chaan tengs, abruptly shut down in July 2022 after over 70 years in business, many grieved the loss of a piece of history. Known for its wonderfully kitsch tiled walls and floors, stained glass windows and Formica tables, this retro Hong Kong-style establishment represented a genre of mid-20th-century diners.
A few months later, the café reopened in the same spot (63 Temple Street) in Yau Ma Tei, and longtime fans rushed back to see what had changed. Thankfully, not much at all. The original décor and no-fuss menu appear intact, as does the unapologetically curt service. To fulfill your Hong Kong diner dreams, slide into a booth upstairs and order a few local comfort foods, like a scrambled egg sandwich, tomato and beef soup and pineapple bun alongside a Hong Kong-style milk tea.
For lovebirds
If food is your love language, set your sights on Five-Star Man Wah at the historic Five-Star Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong for an enchanting night out. Fully renovated in 2020, the restaurant will sweep you off your feet with its rich blue walls, birdcage-inspired light fixtures and hand-embroidered silk wallpaper.
As you might have guessed, this Cantonese institution knows a thing or two about longevity. Since it opened in 1968, the restaurant has been one of the best places in Hong Kong to sample classic flavors and labor-intensive dishes. On the dinner menu, the sauteed lobster with superior fish broth, matsutake mushroom pudding and baked green crab meat in yuzu sauce offer peeks into chef Wong Wing-Keung’s vast repertoire.
There are countless dim sum dishes to pine for. We’re crazy about the black truffle crabmeat dumplings, wagyu beef puffs and barbecue Iberian pork marinated in longan honey, just to name a few.
For culture seekers
Traditional dai pai dongs (open-air food stalls) are getting harder to come by in Hong Kong. But you can still experience this quintessential outdoor dining tradition at Sing Kee. Every evening, the stall (near 82 Stanley Street) in Central comes alive with after-work chatter as clattering kitchens churn out homey dishes full of wok hei (“breath of the wok”). An essential aspect of Cantonese cuisine, the phrase refers to the charred, smoky flavor imparted by the fiery pan. You’ll understand the principle once you dig into the stir-fried dishes — try the salt and pepper squid, clams in soy sauce and bok choy with garlic.
For curious palates
Tucked between Cat Street Market’s vintage and curio stalls in Sheung Wan, Mora honors the humble soybean. Respected chef Vicky Lau, who owns Tate Dining Room around the corner with chef Fai Choi, celebrates the joys of this versatile legume, a staple in Asian cooking for millennia.
Every dish contains homemade soy products in one form or another, but it’s the opposite of one note. Lau draws from French and Chinese culinary training to layer satisfying textures and flavors in her dishes, such as soybean flour scallop ravioli, mapo tofu, uni tempura with soy sauce and silky-smooth soy ice cream.
For art enthusiasts
A cross between a restaurant, bar and contemporary gallery, Duddell’s in Central makes a solid first impression with its gorgeous, art-filled interiors. Enjoy a decadent dim sum experience on the restaurant’s main floor, or head upstairs to the sleek salon and terrace to savor elevated Cantonese cuisine alongside creative cocktails inspired by traditional Chinese medicine’s five elements (fire, water, wood, metal and earth).
Chef Chan Yau Leung excels at crafting authentic dishes with contemporary twists. Don’t miss the signature crispy fried chicken (which requires 24 hours’ notice), sautéed prawns with chicken brothand crispy local beef brisket with asparagus. Duddell’s often hosts limited-time exhibitions, lectures, screenings and talks, too, so check the restaurant’s website to see what’s on the menu before your visit.
