A soft-sleeper train now runs direct from Hangzhou to Hong Kong — leave after work on Friday, climb into a proper bed, and wake up at the border.
I had 48 hours. Not enough to see everything, but enough for six meals that reminded me why Hong Kong has always been vivid in my mind since those movies I watched as a kid.
If you’re planning a quick trip, here’s where to eat — no tourist traps, just the places I’d go back to tomorrow.
Before You Go
- Bring cash. Many of the best places don’t take cards.
- Share a table. It’s normal here, and it’s how you end up eating next to someone who’s been coming to the same spot for forty years.
- Get an Octopus card at any MTR station. You’ll use it for the train, the Star Ferry, and even some convenience stores.
Casa Lisboa — Portuguese Brunch in Central
Most people come to Hong Kong for dim sum. I came for the Portuguese.
Casa Lisboa is tucked away on Wyndham Street in Central — tiled floors, soft lighting, the kind of place where the staff seems happy you’re there. Their weekend brunch is HK$398 + 10% per person, and it’s the best deal I found all trip.
It opens with a welcome couvert — olives, pâté, garlic butter with bread — and then comes a parade of shared starters: 36-month cured Iberico ham with honey and balsamic figs, red prawn carpaccio with green apple and lime, piri-piri cauliflower on saffron chickpea purée, garlic octopus with chili, clams Bulhão Pato in white wine and lemon. Five plates before the mains arrive. Each one was well-executed.
For the main, I chose the Leitão à Bairrada — slow-roasted suckling pig. The skin shatters when you tap it with a fork. The meat pulls apart with a gentle twist. My companion ordered the codfish caldeirada — flaky salted cod in seafood sauce with shrimp, clams, and mussels.
Desserts are unlimited. The Serradura (Portuguese sawdust pudding) and Pera Bebeda (port-poached pear) rounded off the meal beautifully.
Lan Fong Yuen — The Original Milk Tea
After that lunch, I needed something to cut through the richness. Five minutes from Casa Lisboa, on Gage Street, Lan Fong Yuen has been making milk tea since 1952.
This is the shop that invented “silk stocking” milk tea — the name comes from the tea bag strainer, which looks like a woman’s stocking after years of use. The stall still operates from its original spot next to a fruit stand, just steps away from Central’s colonial-era landmarks. The contrast between those grand buildings and this narrow alley is what Hong Kong feels like to me.
The milk tea is smooth, strong, with a caramel undertone that no chain has ever replicated. One cup, standing at the counter, like everyone else. HK$25.
Tip: Cash only. Don’t expect a seat — this is a stand-and-drink experience.
Mak Man Kee — Nine Years of Michelin Noodles
Mak Man Kee on Parkes Street in Jordan has been here since 1950. The Michelin Bib Gourmand stickers on its front window, nine years running, say more than any review.
The signature is the 全虾云吞 — whole shrimp wonton. Unlike the standard wontons you find elsewhere (a mix of pork and shrimp), these are packed with nothing but shrimp. Three or four whole shrimp per wrapper, plus dried flounder powder for extra umami. The broth is light and sweet. You finish it before you realize you’ve drunk it all.
I also tried the 南乳猪手面 — pork knuckle braised in fermented red bean curd, served over noodles. HK$38. The meat falls apart. The sauce is deeply savory with a hint of sweetness. There’s no better value in this city.
The shop seats about 20 people. You’ll share a table with strangers. That’s part of the deal.
Tip: Cash only. Go off-peak (3 PM) to avoid the queue.
百寶茶檔 — Breakfast with the Neighbourhood
Sunday morning, I walked through the Yau Ma Tei wet market — vendors selling fresh vegetables, live seafood, cuts of meat on hooks, elderly women carrying bags of produce. It’s not a tourist attraction. It’s daily life.
Across from the market, 百寶茶檔 (Tea Master) on Battery Street opens at 6:30 AM. It seats about ten people. Cash only.
I sat at a table with an elderly local who scrolled on his phone while eating, occasionally looking up to give me a small nod. I ordered the signature toast with lemon tea. The bread was thick-cut, toasted golden, butter melting into every crevice. The tea was sharp and just sweet enough. Total bill: around HK$30.
A weekend in Hong Kong, six meals, and I barely scratched the surface. That’s what I love about this city — you can come back a hundred times and always find something new to eat. Next time, I’m going for the street food I missed, the cha chaan teng I walked past, and the dai pai dong that only opens at midnight. See you soon, Hong Kong.