The 16 best cha chaan teng in Hong Kong

This cha chaan teng has been a longstanding institution in Happy Valley since 1951, and is one of our must-visits when we’re in the area. Weathered wooden booths and patterned floor tiles provide old-school charm, as do the many pictures of celebrity customers who’ve dined here over the years. Their egg tarts and pineapple buns are famously in demand, with customers waiting to snag them fresh out of the oven – we’d always recommend the warm pineapple bun with a chunky slab of cold butter inside. Not the cheapest option for “just” a cha chaan teng, but we think it’s pretty worth it.

Anyone can cook eggs, but no one does it better than the Australia Dairy Company. The breakfast set consists of fluffy and moist scrambled eggs served with rich buttery thick toast, and comes with a plate of macaroni along with char siu in chicken broth. Australia Dairy Company also specialises in steamed milk pudding and custard dishes. Whatever you choose, just make sure you order fast, eat fast, and leave fast as there’s almost always a long queue of people waiting, no matter what time you go.

If you’ve ever wanted to step back into 1960s Hong Kong, then take a trip to Causeway Bay for this charming cha chaan teng bursting with retro vibes. From the row of dining booths resembling a Hong Kong minibus to plastic light fixtures from the iconic Red A brand, almost everything here is a kitschy, fun nod to the Hong Kong of old. The dishes served are standard, if nothing to write home about, but the local comfort foods like noodles or macaroni, fresh egg tarts, and ‘black cow’ ice cream floats sure do add to the nostalgic vibes. 

For Kee has long been a classic staple in Sheung Wan’s local food scene. The popular cha chaan teng establishment is most famous for their signature pork chop rice set, which perfectly combines a juicy marinated piece of pork loin with the sweet and savoury flavours of soy sauce. Place all this on top of some fluffy white rice, and voila, you’ve got yourself an unmatched authentic dining experience. If you’re still craving more, try their other crowd favourites such as pork chop bun and satay beef toast.

Founded in 1968, Sun Heung Yuen, aka Kin Kee, is famous for its egg and beef sandwich which attracts hordes of people to come. The beef is marinated and then fried with eggs, so the sandwich is full of fillings. For a bit of texture, you can also add $1 to have the bread toasted. The restaurant is very popular among locals in the area, so expect a bit of wait if you visit.

Kam Wah Cafe is a regular haunt for many Kowloon residents. Its famous pineapple bun stuffed with a thick wad of butter has crowds queuing up all day long. The contrast of the crisp, sweet, crumbly top and pillowy bread underneath paired with the cold, salty butter is like heaven in your mouth. Kam Wah also serves a superb version of Hong Kong-style French toast.

Head inside Sheung Wan Market and Cooked Food Centre to find Shui Kee Coffee, a casual joint that offers light bites as well as chilled milk tea served in glass bottles. While their menu may be limited in terms of variety, Shui Kee specialises in scrambled egg sandwiches, which can be enjoyed between hotdog buns or white bread, and can come with add-ins like ham, corned beef, or spam. But if you care for something sweet instead, Shui Kee does a mean French toast that comes generously slathered in butter for an extra indulgent touch.

Hidden within a factory building in Kwun Tong is Hoi Chiu Canteen, a popular cafe serving creative twists on cha chaan teng classics that can’t be found anywhere else: condensed milk toast sprinkled with Ovaltine powder; scrambled egg sandwich stuffed with an ample amount of scallion. Don’t think it’s imaginative enough? Then go ahead and order their signature macaroni dish. Instead of serving it in a classic chicken broth, the macaroni is wok-fried with spicy mala sauce and topped with shredded chicken, spicy pork cubes, and scallion oil.

Wah Lap Restaurant is a popular dining venue based in Tai Po. This spacious eatery serves all kinds of cha chaan teng classics on their menu, as well as a variety of baked goods churned out of their in-house bakery. You can enjoy all sorts of Hong Kong-style baked goods like bread, cakes, pastries, and cookies, but Wah Lap’s egg tarts are a definite must-try. Their bakery offers egg tarts in both cookie and flaky pastry crust, so you can try out both kinds and compare the difference.

Despite being a classic, Lan Fong Yuen can be easy to miss. A shack that’s half photo-op for tourists, half station for preparing food and drinks blocks the entrance to the restaurant. To enter, customers must pass through a small space around the side. Treat yourself to a cup of Lan Fong Yuen’s famous ‘silk stocking milk tea’ paired with French toast or a bun with condensed milk.

This cha chaan teng has been around for about 30 years, and has an old-school, no-pretence setting serving up traditional cafe fare like their headliner salt-baked chicken. For an even more authentic local flavour, order your chicken paired with its giblets – this is one of the oldest and best-kept recipes of its kind around town – and don’t forget to dip everything into the sand ginger sauce. If you’re after a nostalgic, no-frills, Hong Kong experience sitting amongst the locals at the light-lime green seating booths, this is the place.

Established for more than 60 years, family-run Sing Kee started as a cha dong – a cha chaan teng that operates in a dai pai dong style. Since then, it has moved into the hawker centre of Smithfield market in Sai Wan. Although the location and chef have changed, Sing Kee still preserves its old-school layout, and has been serving the same delicious Hong Kong eats since its very first day. Everyone comes here for the famed satay beef noodles, but really, it's their golden-brown french toast filled with peanut butter and slathered with syrup and butter that will make you fall in love with this place.

Star Cafe has been around for over 50 years, sitting quietly in the basement of an old residential building next to the Mira Hotel. They’ve moved locations in 2024, and while some diners might prefer that they’re not eating in a literal corridor next to stacks of cardboard boxes and the occasional alley cat, other locals in the know will mourn the loss of its ghetto 70s charm. However, one thing that remains the same is its menu of hearty tomato soup noodles, which you can customise with beef, luncheon meat, cheese, and more.

Looking for some authentic chinese-style noodles? Wai Kee has got you covered. For more than 60 years, the local cha chaan teng has refined their craft of making pork liver noodles and beef noodles down to a tee. You will probably struggle to find another place that matches their light yet subtly sweet broths, and we think the long daily queues outside agree with us. If you’re still hungry after that, Wai Kee also serves a sweet kaya French toast that will never let you down.

While most recognise Mido Cafe for their Instagrammable appearance, this Yau Ma Tei-based venue also dishes up mean cha chaan teng classics that keep peoples’ bellies full as they snap pictures inside of the restaurant. Mido’s menu has plenty of dishes to choose from, but they’re best known for their baked spare rib rice that comes generously smothered in a thick and creamy tomato sauce.

If you’re looking for some good ol’ comfort food that’s quick and filling, Swiss Café is the place to go. It offers a full cha chaan teng menu with your usual instant noodles and macaroni served with different types of toppings, a large variety of sandwiches and different rice dishes. The star attraction, though, are the Swiss wings – braised chicken wings marinated in a divine sticky, sweet soy sauce.