72 hours in Hong Kong: What to eat and drink

Hong Kong is a city best understood one bite (and one drink) at a time: slurping brisket noodles at a dai pai dong, debating the ideal egg tart crust, then watching the skyline glitter with a cocktail in hand. This three-day itinerary stitches together the classics and the new guard – old-school cha chaan teng breakfasts, roast goose worth a cross-town cab ride, and the kind of Michelin-starred dining that feels both polished and deeply rooted in place.

You’ll spend most of your time in Central (because that’s where the after-dark energy lives), but the trail happily detours to Sham Tseng, Kowloon City, Mong Kok, Causeway Bay and Kennedy Town. Expect queues at the legends, standout Southeast Asian comfort food with Hong Kong swagger, and a serious cocktail crawl – from neon-lit wok-hei joy to minimalist, flavour-driven bars. Come hungry, pace yourself, and leave room for “just one more” stop.

DAY 1

11.30am | Shui Kee, 2 Gutzlaff Street, Central

There’s nothing that says welcome to Hong Kong than a meal at a dai pai dong (open-air food stall). This over 80-year-old institution is a firm favourite for its beef tripe and brisket noodles, and plump, handmade ‘her keow’ (fish skin dumplings). Expect queues, but you might get lucky with a lull after the lunchtime peak.

1pm | Uncle Quek, 6/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central

The new casual sibling of Singaporean chef Barry Quek’s one Michelin-starred Whey is all about Southeast Asian comfort food done the unctuous Hong Kong way. The Hokkien Mee is all about thick yellow noodles, chunky pork lard and seafood while the Lobster Laksa shines with an umami depth from prawns, coconut cream and a dash of fish sauce. Satay Skewers include Three Yellow chicken thigh, pork jowl and hanger steak paired with house-made achar and a satay sauce of coconut milk, tamarind, turmeric and peanut butter. Try the twists on classics such as roti prata with a savoury-spicy salted egg butter sauce and double-fried cereal chicken glazed in honey and curry leaf.

4pm | Egg tart time

Some like it flaky, others like it buttery, and there’s always debate on the perfect sweetness. Regardless of preferences, there’re choices for all. Gold Garden Cafe (G/F, 314 & 316 Castle Peak Road, Cheung Sha Wan) is a local favourite while it is hard to go wrong with the ones from Tai Cheong, Bakehouse or Hashtag B (multiple locations). Shun Hing Restaurant (G/F, 56–58 Nga Tsin Wai Road, Kowloon City) and San Hing Bakery & Cakes (G/F, 7 Yen Chow Street, Sham Shui Po) offer wallet-friendly options at HKD7 (US$0.90; S$1.20) and HKD4 respectively.

5.30pm | Peridot, 38/F, The Henderson, 2 Murray Rd, Central

Sunset cocktails in this new 38th floor perch is a shimmering experience. Cocktails range from the aesthetic vodka-pepper cordial Nude Study topped with a citrus cloud to the funky but surprisingly palatable Durian’s Consent that had a delicate durian scent. Noma-pedigreed chef Lisandro Illa has created a plant-based menu for Peridot that intrigues as much as it delights. Must-trys: Crispy Golden Sparassis Crispa mushroom fries and ravioli stuffed with yuba (tofu skin) and house-made almond ricotta.

7.30pm | Peng Leng Jeng, 1F, 22 Staunton St, Central

Welcome to wok-hei joy in the neon-lit interior of Peng Leng Jeng, where the menu is as “cheap, beautiful, good” as its name suggests. The sizzling aromas of Hong Kong’s vanishing dai pai dong gets full expression in dishes such as black bean and chilli clams served with mantou buns, an appetising cucumber roll drizzled in garlic, vinegar and chilli oil; and stir-fried vermicelli with lashings of salted pork and dried shrimp. Wines, gin cocktails and sakes complete a fun night out.

10.30pm | MIUS, 29 Gough St, Central

MIUS is a mid-century modern space by award-winning Hong Kong bartender Shelley Tai. Her homecoming project is all about bringing out the best in simple things, such as a highball of frozen whisky and chilled Japanese soda and a warm Matcha Mori with whisky, matcha, coconut and salted vanilla cream layers. Food is excellent too: Get the comforting chive and pork dumplings in an 18-hour boiled broth of Three Yellow chicken, kombu and sake, and crispy thick beef sukiyaki toast with confit egg yolk.

DAY 2

9am | Breakfast at a cha chaan teng

Get a taste of the elbow-to-elbow breakfast bustle in one of the many cha chaan tengs around the city. Must-trys include satay beef noodles, bolo buns and French toast at Red Tea; pork chop rice with egg and cheese-topped bolo buns at Milk Cafe; and pork chop burgers and silk-stocking milk tea at Lan Fong Yuen.

12.30pm | Amber, 7/F Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark Hong Kong

Amber, the 20-year-old French restaurant by Dutch chef Richard Ekkebus, recently achieved a very well-deserved third Michelin star. There’s no dairy, refined flour or sugar in its tasting menus, yet its dishes display elegant depth and balanced flavours with ingredients such as Ping Yuen chicken, red sea urchin and fermented kumquat. The well-paced meal includes a course taken inside the spacious kitchen and is bolstered by excellent wine pairings. Vegetarian menus are available.

3.30pm | Yue Kee Restaurant, 9 Sham Hong Rd, Sham Tseng

One of the most cited roast goose places by locals, this Michelin Bib Gourmand spot is best accessed by cab. Be prepared to wait up to 40 minutes for the goose as it is prepared on the spot. You won’t regret it: Tender-juicy meat with crackling skin is held together with the right amount of fat. The menu also includes goose offal (the goose liver marinated in Shaoxing wine is a must), seafood and stir-fries.

7pm | Dinner at Duddell’s, Level 3 & 4, 1 Duddell St, Central

After an intensive renovation, this one Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant now sports brighter, more modern-looking interiors by acclaimed Hong Kong designer Andre Fu. Taste classics and seasonal signatures all executed to flavourful precision by executive chef Chan Yau Leung and his team. Must-tries include the roasted goose pie with plum sauce, Duddell’s crispy fried chicken and char siew. It also serves forgotten recipes such as the Bird’s Nest and Partridge Porridge with Yam, which blends yam, sweet potato, minced partridge and premium bird’s nest into a congee-like mixture. For quick bites, the upper floor offers all-day dim sum, small plates and cocktails.

9pm | Gokan, 30 Ice House St, Central

Cocktails at Gokan are organised under sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and savoury profiles, each with drinks served three ways: as a highball, iced and straight up.  Enjoy the izakaya-style food menu with standout tipples like the Banana Chu-Hi using the bar’s own SG Shochu, Earl Grey kombucha and banana puree, as well as the Watermelon Coffeezz blending light roast coffee with clarified watermelon juice and almond milk.

11pm | Montana, 108 Hollywood Rd, Central

Montana is the Cuban brainwave of world-famous bartenders Lorenzo Antinori and Simone Caporale, who run World’s Best Bar Bar Leone round the corner and Barcelona’s Sips respectively. They don’t take reservations so head there early. Once in, it’s boisterous party vibes and rum-forward cocktails in equal heady measure. From daiquiris and pina coladas to hefty Rimo Cubano sandwiches and rum-marinated roasted pineapple served with coconut rum shots, it’s ‘ritmo’ time.

DAY 3

8am | The London Restaurant, 612 Nathan Road, Good Hope Building, Mong Kok

Besides the usual dim sum offerings, listen out for the daily-changing specials announced over the PA system and make a beeline for the collection counter. Rarely found dishes like sha yong (sweet, deep-fried donuts), quail egg siew mai and lotus paste sago pudding are always quickly snapped up as soon as they appear.

12pm | Roganic, 4th Floor, 33 Hysan Avenue, Lee Garden One, Causeway Bay

Roganic has moved into a new light-filled space, with interiors made from upcycled materials. The farm-to-table focus remains strong, highlighting produce from Hong Kong and its environs such as vegetables, seafood and Three Yellow chicken. The non-alcoholic pairings are stellar, enhancing the nuanced layers of each dish. The full tasting menu is generous; opt for the shorter lunch menu if you prefer a lighter meal.

3.30pm | Afternoon tea at The Peninsula Hong Kong

The Peninsula high tea has been an icon through generations and an occasion to experience at least once in a lifetime. These dainty trays of scones, savoury sandwiches and sweet desserts are now available on the World Star ferry every Saturday at two afternoon timings. Book them here.

6.30pm | Voon, 46 Forbes St, Kennedy Town

Alternatively, head to Salisterra at Upper House Hong Kong for perfectly cooked Andalusian sea bass flambed tableside, delicious house-made raviola with spinach and ricotta filling and an irresistible pineapple tarte tatin that you must order. Bonus points for the panoramic 49th floor city views.

9.30pm | Kinsman, 65 Peel St, Central

Asia’s Chinatowns are the latest inspiration for this cocktail salon with Cantonese shades from decor to drinks. Get a kick out of tipples that use ingredients like chai masala, mango, calamansi gin and Thai boat noodle reduction alongside signatures with a local spin through yuk bing siu (pork fat -macerated rice wine) and papaya wine. Still hungry? Small plates like typhoon shelter fries, salted egg yolk wings and Moutai cheesecake will hit the spot.

11pm | Bar Mind, 11 Elgin St, Central