Hong Kong is a world-renowned shopping paradise and a "pilgrimage site" for food lovers. Beyond traditional Cantonese cuisine, tea restaurants, and street snacks, it offers a vast array of international delicacies. Some affordable gems hidden in the streets and alleys are so popular that even A-list celebrities are willing to queue for them. Friends immigrating to Hong Kong, join us as we explore these celebrity-favored, budget-friendly eats!
Hong Kong is a captivating shopping paradise and a mouth-watering culinary heaven. In addition to traditional Cantonese cuisine, tea restaurants, and street snacks, it offers a vast array of international delicacies that even celebrity foodies are willing to queue for. Join us as we explore Hong Kong's affordable and amazing food! !
1. Under Bridge Spicy Crab, Hong Kong
Under Bridge Spicy Crab is known as a celebrity canteen, and its spicy crab is incredibly famous, Ayumi Hamasaki makes it a must-visit spot when in Hong Kong! You can often see paparazzi and groups of screaming fans here.
The Typhoon Shelter Spicy Crab is made primarily with mud crab and a sauce mixture of garlic, fermented black beans, chili, and lemongrass. The fried garlic bits on the side are not only very fragrant but also very spicy; by the end, you realize you are essentially eating the garlic bits, which is incredibly satisfying despite making your nose run.
The stir-fried clams with black bean sauce have a bold flavor, making them the perfect appetizer. The fermented black bean and garlic aroma is very rich, and the taste is on the saltier side. Most of the clam meat has detached from the shells, but the cooking time is perfectly controlled, leaving the meat tender, juicy, fresh, and delicious.
The stir-fried string beans with olive vegetables are fresh, juicy, and offer a chewy texture. They are vibrant green, crisp, and flavorful, with the unique sweet juices of fresh string beans bursting in your mouth. Combined with the savory minced meat and the seasoning of the olive vegetables, it is truly excellent!
Average cost per person: $150-$300
Must-try dishes: Typhoon Shelter Spicy Crab, Typhoon Shelter Mantis Shrimp, Stir-fried Clams, Mantis Shrimp, Razor Clams, Typhoon Shelter Mantis Shrimp, Spicy Crab, Bombay Duck Soup, Seafood Fried Rice, Steamed Scallops with Garlic and Vermicelli, Stir-fried String Beans with Olive Vegetables, Roasted Pigeon.
Transportation: Take the MTR to Causeway Bay Station, exit at Exit C, and walk to the right for 5-10 minutes to reach the second branch of Under Bridge Spicy Crab at 421-425 Lockhart Road.
Payment methods: Visa, Master, cash, online payment supported.
2. Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodles
Viewers of Nicholas Tse's "Chef Nic" will surely remember the traditional snack, bamboo noodles, filmed in Hong Kong. Using a bamboo pole, a master presses the dough; this is the only shop in Hong Kong where customers can watch the bamboo noodle pressing process in the shop. It received a Michelin recommendation just one year after opening, and most importantly, it is delicious and reasonably priced.
The signature shrimp roe lo mein is generous in portion, with a light-colored noodle served with two pieces of lettuce. A handful of shrimp roe is sprinkled over the noodles, and you can smell the savory aroma as soon as you take a bite. The oyster sauce is exceptional. As for the noodles, they have no alkaline taste, are very chewy, firm, and have a great texture.
The flounder soup served with the lo mein, sprinkled with a few shrimp roe, is clear and sweet with a strong, fresh flounder flavor. It contains no MSG and is a bowl of soup made with heart.
The wontons are also outstanding, with plenty of filling. Michael Tao has also visited Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodles to learn the art of wrapping wontons!
Tips: Average cost per person: $30
Restaurant address: G/F, 1E Wing Lung Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong (MTR: Cheung Sha Wan Station, Exit C1, walk straight along Wing Lung Street for 300 meters)
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Roe Wonton Noodles, Shrimp Roe Lo Mein, Shrimp Roe Beef Brisket Lo Mein, Wonton Oyster Sauce Shrimp Roe Lo Mein, Signature Shrimp Roe Oyster Sauce Lo Mein or Noodle Soup, Stir-fried Bamboo Noodles with Shredded Meat.
Payment methods: Cash, online payment supported.
3. Hong Kong Star Seafood Restaurant
Star Seafood Restaurant focuses on quality, with fresh and creative food. Their stonefish and butter crab were once all the rage. With branches all over Hong Kong, their afternoon tea is quite popular and attracts many celebrities.
Stonefish is a signature dish of the Star Group, with an extremely fresh and delicious taste that makes it hard to stop eating!
The crab body is infused with butter, and the crab roe becomes soft, smooth, and rich. Star has launched various butter crab dishes, which are quite unique, making it a specialty store for butter crab.
Cartoon dim sum is a classic series pioneered by the Star Group, including stonefish dumplings, Antarctic penguin dumplings, seahorse dumplings, and cotton-white rabbit buns. We can hardly bear to eat them!
Tips:
Average cost per person: $129
Restaurant address: 1/F, Wah Yuen Building, 83-97 Nathan Road, Kowloon. (Tsim Sha Tsui Branch)
Recommended dishes: Stir-fried Wild Mushrooms with Begonia, White Jade Crab Fried Rice, Drunken Crispy Duck, Flower Cluster.
Payment methods: Visa, Master, cash, online payment supported.
4. The Sweet Dynasty, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
One of our favorite tea restaurants. The environment is spacious, the desserts are exquisite and diverse, the ingredients are generous, and the taste is authentic, sweet but not greasy, with a high price-performance ratio. If you are shopping nearby, you might as well sit down for a while.
The Mango Pomelo Sago with Tofu Pudding is visually striking. To maintain the consistency of the tofu pudding, it is served in a bowl placed inside another bowl for cooling, and it arrives with a mystical mist. The mango pomelo sago is sweet and refreshing, and the tofu pudding is delicate and smooth; the deliciousness speaks for itself.
The shrimp roe in the shrimp roe siu mai is authentic and visible, and every bite offers a wonderful sensation of the roe popping.
If you also order the mango pancake, you will surely agree with us: it is simply too delicious! The skin is filled with cream, and the cream is packed with mango flavor.
Tips
Average cost per person: $50-$120
Restaurant address: Shop A, Basement, Pacific Centre, 28 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
Recommended dishes: Almond Soup, Mango Pomelo Sago, Mango Pancake, Mango Pudding, Crystal Shrimp Dumplings, Sweet Dynasty Signature Congee, Signature Wooden Bucket Tofu Pudding.
Payment methods: Visa, Master, cash, online payment supported.
5. Hong Kong Hee Kee Crab General
Hong Kong Hee Kee Crab General is very popular among local diners and tourists from home and abroad, attracting many celebrities; Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Tony Leung, etc., are all frequent guests, hence the reputation of [Celebrity Canteen].
The selection of ingredients for Hee Kee's authentic stir-fried crab is spot on. The crab meat is fresh and sweet, stir-fried with garlic, fermented black beans, and chili. The color is golden, the garlic aroma fills the air, and the taste is spicy and fresh.
The salt and pepper mantis shrimp feels big and long, and it is not too difficult to eat. Stir-fried with salt and pepper, it is fragrant and savory, with tender, sweet, and chewy meat that leaves a lingering aftertaste.
The scallops and oysters are both huge. Besides the mouthful of garlic, you can still taste the high quality of the scallops. The restaurant also thoughtfully adds small crabs as a garnish to enhance the freshness.
Tips
Average cost per person: $200
Address: Shop 602, 6/F, iSQUARE, 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Reservation phone: 2366-7565
Recommended dishes: Hee Kee Authentic Stir-fried Crab, Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp, Signature Crab Oil Fried Noodles, ? Gold Medal Beef Ribs, Thick Soup with Vegetables and Eggs.
Payment methods: Visa, Master, cash, online payment supported.
6. Tajima Teppanyaki
One of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in Hong Kong, naturally attracting many celebrities! The environment is comfortable and spacious, with an open kitchen where you can enjoy the master's culinary skills. Direct consumption is a bit expensive, so group buying is a good choice!
If you love Western-style steak, don't miss the thinly sliced Angus beef. The meat quality is truly excellent, paired with green onions, garlic, and onions, the aroma is mouth-watering.
The large shrimp with cheese sauce tastes great. The chef specially extracts the shrimp roe beforehand and mixes it with butter and white wine, creating a red shrimp sauce, which is more fragrant and delicious than cheese!
Tips
Average cost per person: $201-$400
Address: Entire 6/F, Ashley Centre, 23-25 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
Business hours: Monday to Sunday: 12:00-15:00; 18:00-23:30.
Recommended dishes: Angus Beef, Tiger Prawns, Alaskan Crab, Foie Gras, King Scallops, Teppanyaki Kobe Beef.
Payment methods: Visa, Master, cash, support