Follow our Hong Kong Investment Immigration guide and Hong Kong Food Guide: When visiting Hong Kong, you cannot miss the egg tarts. So, which Hong Kong egg tart is the best? Some people prefer soft crusts, while others enjoy flaky crusts. Below, we introduce some of the must-visit famous shops for Hong Kong egg tarts.
Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts: Tai Cheong Bakery vs. Honolulu Coffee Shop
Eating egg tarts is a must-do activity during any trip to Hong Kong. The most well-known are "Tai Cheong" and "Honolulu." Tai Cheong has a longer history and became famous because former Governor Chris Patten loved them, turning it into a pilgrimage site for Hong Kong-style egg tarts. Every time I pass by the main store on Lyndhurst Terrace in Central, I see many people holding maps and roving around, capturing the spirit of the saying, "Good wine needs no bush" (its reputation precedes it). During my time living in Hung Hom, I often took the Star Ferry to work. The aroma of freshly baked egg tarts from the Tai Cheong outlet near the Wanchai entrance would always whet my appetite. Buying a 5-dollar egg tart to enjoy on the ferry, I would sigh as I ate: a new day has begun! Perhaps the busy workday left me with no time to truly focus on the food; even though the shortbread cookie crust of Tai Cheong is fragrant and crispy and the egg custard is smooth, for some reason, despite eating them many times, I never had a deep impression. Instead, I found their Sha Weng (sugar donuts) and chicken pies to be quite outstanding.
Compared to Tai Cheong, Honolulu's Hong Kong-style egg tarts left a deep impression on me. Unlike Tai Cheong, which only sells for takeout, Honolulu is an authentic "cha chaan teng" (tea restaurant) where you can sit down. Sometimes I would have lunch with colleagues at the Wanchai branch, eating the usual fare available in most tea restaurants, and afterwards, order a flaky egg tart and an iced milk tea with less sugar (since Honolulu's tarts are quite sweet) to chat about everyday life. Although the crispy, multi-layered shell would crumble a bit, the sound of the straw stirring the ice in the glass perfectly complemented our conversation. Perhaps it is this memory that makes Honolulu feel more vibrant. Apart from the egg tarts and milk tea, I do not recommend their other food, as it is quite ordinary.
Tai Cheong Address:
· G/F, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central / Shop 2, G/F, 74-80 Johnston Road, Wanchai · G/F, 42 Jardine's Bazaar, Causeway Bay / Shop KP31-32, Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui · Shop 6, Mong Kok East MTR Station · Shop 1105, 1/F, Lok Fu Plaza, 198 Junction Road, Lok Fu · Shop 2A, G/F, North Block, Kornhill Plaza, 1 Kornhill Road, Taikoo Shing / Shop 4-5, G/F, Yue King Building, 12 Wu Pak Street, Aberdeen · Shop P24-25, Telford Plaza I, 33 Wai Yip Street, Kowloon Bay / Exit A, Po Lam MTR Station, Tseung Kwan O · G/F, Happy Mansion, 222-230 Tai Po Road, Sham Shui Po / Shop UG03, Phase 1, Citygate, 1 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan · Shop 54, 1/F, Tung Chung Line Concourse, Tsing Yi MTR Station / Shop 35, 1/F, Phase 2, Tuen Mun Town Plaza, 3 Tuen Lung Street, Tuen Mun
Business Hours: Monday to Sunday: 07:30-21:00
Honolulu Address:
· G/F, 33 Stanley Street, Central · G/F & Mezzanine, 176-178 Hennessy Road, Wanchai · G/F, Maritime Bay, 18 Pui Shing Road, Tseung Kwan O
Business Hours: Monday to Sunday: 06:00-00:00