Hong Kong people rightly have a reputation for being food lovers\u2014at any time of the day, anywhere, anyhow, they\u2019ll always manage to eat, whether it be a full blown lunch or dinner or, perhaps, a snack. For sure, you\u2019ll never go hungry in Hong Kong and, whilst your favourite restaurant might be closed, there will always be a corner or street side restaurant as an alternative, offering mainly local delicacies or even ubiquitous dishes like spaghetti or macaroni (local style).<\/p>\n
Probably the best way to start your culinary adventure in Hong Kong is to simply wander the streets looking for restaurants, caf\u00e9s, coffee shops which catch your eye; or you can ask your colleagues and friends for some recommendations or even start by looking at a food\/restaurant guide<\/a> or two.<\/p>\n Restaurants and other eateries come and go at an astonishing pace in the city although, of course, perennial favourites such as certain hotel restaurants enjoy amazing longevity.<\/p>\n Hotel coffee shops or restaurants are favoured places to both eat and meet for a catch up on topics of the day for the local population, tempting palates with extensive buffets and flamboyant desserts; as are western style faster food restaurants such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut or Starbucks.<\/p>\n No doubt, not long after your arrival, you\u2019ll be trying \u201cdim sum\u201d the Cantonese take on Chinese cuisine, with its vast variety of things to eat, some not so tempting to the western palate and others which become firm favourites<\/a> after only eating them one time; items such as \u201ccha sui bao\u201d, spring rolls (\u201ctsun guen\u201d), \u201csui mai\u201d and \u201char gau dumplings\u201d are forever popular with foreigners.<\/p>\n Cantonese style food is mainly steamed but also offers a variety of deep fried dishes, especially from the ubiquitous street stalls which adorn the city. Besides pork, beef and chicken, Cantonese cuisine incorporates almost all edible meats, including offal<\/a>, chicken feet, duck’s tongue, snakes, and snails. Yet the cuisine also includes a wide variety of vegetables such as \u201cbok choi\u201d a green leafy vegetable<\/a> and a timeless favourite \u201ctofu\u201d with the aptly named \u201cstinky tofu\u201d being a less widespread favourite, but a favourite nonetheless.<\/p>\n Other favourites include steamed fish, most varieties of sea food, especially hairy crabs in the winter months, chow mein (pan fried crispy thin noodles).<\/p>\n Rather than try to list names and names of popular restaurants, just a few samples of the types of cuisine available are shown, with the reader, hopefully being able to enjoy and adventure to two simply by getting out to the various districts.<\/p>\n Caf\u00e9 de Coral and Fairwood Restaurants<\/a> are two major local chains which offer relatively cheap local food, mainly rice, congee (a popular breakfast, rice based dish with is served with a variety of other ingredients according to the eater\u2019s requirements) and various styles of noodles.<\/p>\n Almost every retail centre seems to have a food court; small local bakeries, cake shops, sandwich shops, delis compete for business with restaurants offering Peking, Hunan, Shanghai, Sichuan or Mongolian restaurants all being representative of China\u2019s varied cuisine. Other Asian cuisines are well represented with Korean and Japanese food available in a number of popular restaurants such as the popular Genki Sushi chain<\/a>, but also available to buy and self cook, perhaps, in most larger supermarkets.<\/p>\n Indian and Nepalese<\/a>, European and Middle Eastern dining establishments all abound and, as we said, one thing that won\u2019t happen in that you\u2019ll go hungry in Hong Kong!<\/p>\n Two supermarkets dominate the market, namely Supermarkets: Wellcome Supermarket<\/a> or Park\u2019N\u2019Shop Supermarket but there also Taste and City Super<\/a>, slightly more upmarket establishments with the latter having a renowned deli section.<\/p>\n In almost every neighbourhood, you will find, more often than not, a government established wet and dry market where locals tend to buy their fruit and vegetables, their meat and fish, seeking the ultimate in freshness; the noises and smells are not, initially, always for the faint hearted but you\u2019ll get used to the \u201catmosphere\u201d in time and come to appreciate the cheaper prices!<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t face shopping in the markets or don\u2019t feel like carrying your weekly groceries back on the bus (assuming you have not car) both Wellcome Supermarket<\/a> and Park\u2019N\u2019Shop Supermarket will deliver providing you order more than a set amount. Also, many restaurants offer delivery services directly or through specialised providers<\/a>, many of whom work with dozens of restaurants to give you almost unlimited choice<\/a>.<\/p>\nLocal favourites<\/h2>\n
Supermarkets and government run wet\/dry markets<\/h2>\n
Food deliveries<\/h2>\n
Cooking courses<\/h2>\n