The charming seaside town of Sai Kung offers Hong Kong’s best hiking and nature activities, which are sure to kick up an appetite. Luckily, it’s also filled with excellent eateries, including its own seafood street, bakeries, and more. So here are my favorite places to grab a bite in the “backyard of Hong Kong.”
Sai Kung Cafe & Bakery
You’ll find one of my favorite local bakeries in all of Hong Kong just past the taxi and green minibus drop off in Sai Kung Town, making it a perfect stop to carbo-load before a hike. They are constantly churning out freshly baked bolo bao, known as pineapple buns in English since the sugary, crackled coating on the fluffy, squishy buns resembles the outside of a pineapple.
I recommend ordering a bolo yao, aka a pineapple bun with butter, so you can watch them cut your pineapple bun with scissors to add a big fat pat of butter for the ultimate indulgence. The Portuguese egg tarts here are also excellent, with a not-too-sweet, creamy caramelized custard and flaky, buttery crust. Just get everything takeaway as sitting down requires a minimum order, and the coffee and tea here is not great.
On my list of the Best Pineapple Buns in Hong Kong
Chuen Kee Seafood
If you want to dine on fresh, affordable seafood with a view, this Michelin bib gourmand pick is our go-to spot since it’s right along Sai Kung Pier with waterfront views. You might even see local fisherman pulling up on their boats to dump their fresh catch directly into the tanks.
We usually just order from their set menus for 2 or 4, where you can choose 4-5 entrees for a reasonable HK$298 per head. My favorite options are the scallops with garlic and vermicelli, an indulgent high-brow meets low-brow lobster noodles coated with processed cheese sauce, salt and pepper squid, black bean clams, and a whole steamed fish with ginger and scallion. They serve dim sum if you’re here during the day, and the outdoor tables are also dog-friendly though the service is the typical gruff Cantonese “service” of many local restaurants.
Chuen Kee has 2 locations—the first one is usually more crowded since it’s closer to the public pier and taxi dropoff, so I recommend going to the location on Sai Kung seafood street that’s just a block further down the pier for slightly better service.
Sing Kee Seafood Restaurant
For a higher quality seafood experience that’s off the beaten path, check out my favorite seafood spot Sing Kee tucked in the back of Sai Kung Town. They only have a few outdoor tables so you won’t get as much of a seaside view, but the food and service more then make up for it.
Their signature tasting menu for 2 comes with more dishes at a higher price of $549 per head instead of $298 at restaurants on the pier, but every single dish exceeds Chuen Kee in flavor and execution, especially the scallops with vermicelli in a red wine and dried shrimp sauce and their big juicy lobster with e-fu noodles in cheese sauce. You also get more food variety since the set also comes with their crispy sweet and sour pork, and the astonishingly crispy yet tender and perfectly chewy deep fried abalone.
Loaf On
For an even more refined indoor seafood experience, head to the Michelin-starred Loaf On. While you’ll find a lot of the same dishes as Chuen Kee and Sing Kee, they take everything up a notch in terms of the cooking, presentation and service.
For example, their signature mantis shrimp with fried garlic is cut open tableside by your server, and their excellent sweet and sour pork is served in a pineapple. Don’t miss their mixed seafood fried rice and clams in spicy red wine sauce as well.
Thai Dao
Pictured at the top of this post, this sprawling Thai restaurant with a covered, astroturfed terrace is located on Sha Ha Beach a short walk north of Sai Kung Town. Serving authentic Thai dishes overlooking the beach, this is a great option for a relaxed meal with a view as you can also watch people kayaking and paddle boarding. It’s part of a massive Beach Club complex that includes a dog-friendly-patio that serves both Thai and Western dishes.
Skip the pad Thai (it’s just ok though it’s loaded with prawns) and go for the flavorful fried rice with shrimp paste, Chinese sausage, and pork floss, along with the rich massaman curry with roti.
CUÍT
This tiny bakery and cafe specialized in handcrafted sourdough, which is artfully displayed on the walls and wooden counter alongside other baked goods like chewy cookies (the passionfruit mango was divine) and banana bread. Reservations are recommended to sit down to try their full menu that includes sandwiches, open faced toasts, and other ways to enjoy their seriously delicious sourdough, though you can also order takeaway for the sandwiches and baked goods. We loved their mortadella and stracciatella sandwich with scallion ginger sauce on sourdough studded with cloves of garlic.
Momentai
If you’re looking for burgers and beers, then check out Momentai, which is run by the same folks as Mong Kok favorite Graceland. They’ve got a waterfront location just past the aforementioned Chuen Kee Seafood, but here you can find hearty burgers, burritos and crunchwraps along with a rotating selection of craft beers.
