If you ever plan to hike to Dragon’s Back or visit the best beach on Hong Kong Island, then you should add a stop to Shau Kei Wan to your itinerary. This neighborhood in the Eastern District has become one of my favorite neighborhoods to explore for local Cantonese food, filled with long-running, highly reputed establishments. You can reach Shau Kei Wan by train on the MTR and transfer to a bus or minibus to take you to Dragon’s Back, Shek O Beach, and countless other hiking trails around the Shek O Area. Here are my favorite spots to grab a bite before or after a hike or beach day.
Master Low-Key Food Shop
This famous Hong Kong-style waffle shop has become a must-visit every time I’m near this neighborhood because it’s THAT GOOD. This unassuming spot looks like any other street food stall, though the line outside will give it away. They sell both bubble egg waffles and regular waffles, and while they don’t have as many flavors as other famous shops like Mammy Pancake, the few they do have are excellent.
If you can only try one thing, go for the utterly indulgent peanut butter, margarine and condensed milk slathered waffle. They also serve an excellent crispy outside, slightly chewy inside bubble egg waffle with salted egg for just a hint of savoriness or a richer chocolate version with hazelnut.
Kam Tung Kitchen
This family owned and operated restaurant serves the food of the Tanka people of Po Toi O Island, an indigenous people who used to live on boats, hence the specialty in local seafood that you can’t find at many other restaurants in Hong Kong. Ingredients come directly from the fisherman and aunties in Po Toi O and Lantau Island, from salted fish to shrimp paste, and the menu items are bursting with flavor. Note that your meal can add up depending on how much market price items you order (especially the lobster which is $$$$ but the best I’ve had in HK). We loved it so much we went back a week after dining the first time so you know it’s good!
EAT THIS: steamed pork patty with mud crab, stir-fried clams with pork liver and rice vermicelli, stir fried lobster with shaanxi noodles, golden shrimp toast, hand-shredded chicken and goose drumsticks
On Lee Noodles
On Lee Noodles has been serving traditional Cantonese beef brisket and fish ball noodles since 1966, plus cha chaan teng fare like Hong Kong French toast and kaya toast. The perfectly QQ stirred noodles coated in a flavorful soy sauce go perfectly with beef brisket and bouncy fish balls. It’s incredibly popular with locals, so you may have to queue for a table (we waited 30 minutes at peak weekend lunch hour so I’d recommend going off-peak).
Hung Sing Cake Shop
My new favorite cookie crust egg tart comes from this long standing local bakery. They come fresh out of the oven every hour, with a super buttery shortbread crust and jiggly, not-too-sweet egg custard for less than HK$5 a piece. They also have a nice and squishy pineapple bun, though they sadly do not offer it with butter.
A One Pork Chop
While I haven’t personally been to the Shau Kei Wan location, I love frequenting this chain for spicy and sour Yunnan-style noodle soup and stirred noodles (the potato starch noodles are my favorite). It’s topped with a tender, seasoned pork chop, with zha cai (pickled mustard tuber) and peanuts to amp up the addictive flavors.
Check out my other guides on Things to Do in Hong Kong and Where to Eat in Hong Kong for more tips.
