8:30am Breakfast at Australia Dairy Company
You haven’t gotten a taste of Hong Kong until you sit down at a cha chaan teng — a traditional Hong Kong-style cafe. And any Hong Konger you ask will point you to Australia Dairy Company (澳洲牛奶公司) for the quintessential local dining experience. Founded in 1970, Australia Dairy Company is one of the oldest restaurants in the city. Indulge in a plate of soup macaroni topped with shredded ham (a city breakfast staple), which comes with a side plate of fluffy scrambled eggs and thick buttery toast that will leave you smacking your lips. But once you sit down, order quickly — or else you’ll get a real taste of Hong Kong diner hospitality (iykyk).
9:30am Shing Wong Temple
Built by local fisherman in 1865, Shing Wong Temple honours a peace-keeping deity who protects the cities.
10:00am Coffee Break At Tai On Coffee and Tea Shop
Meet the predecessor of the cha chaan teng: the bing sutt — the OG of Hong Kong diners. Bing sutt – meaning “ice room” in Cantonese, arose in the 1950s and 1960s, providing light meals and cold drinks to the Hong Kong working class. Opened next to the historic Yau Ma Tei Theatre in 1969, Tai On Coffee and Tea Shop is the last bing sutt standing on Canton Road. After being brought back to life by young entrepreneurs, Tai On is now a destination for traditional local dishes that are lent a modern twist. Think Ovaltine egg tarts, HK lemon tea cookies, Chinese sausage risotto and moreV
10:30am Head West Kowloon: M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum
The city’s hub for global arts and culture, the harbourside West Kowloon Cultural District is home to a spacious outdoor park, various performance venues, and both the M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum. Walk off your hearty morning feast and learn a thing or two about fashion history at the latest ongoing exhibitions: “Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination” at M+ (the Chinese couturier’s first major showcase in East Asia) and “The Adorned Body: French Fashion and Jewellery 1770–1910 from the Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris” at Hong Kong Palace Museum.
12:30pm Dim Sum Lunch
Tin Lung Heen, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s a place of folklore and legends, so it’s no surprise that we have our own roaring dragon. Tin Lung Heen, meaning ‘celestial dragon pavilion’ in Chinese, is perched on the 102nd floor of one of the tallest buildings in the world. Dim sum and char siu at this two Michelin star Cantonese joint is an elevated experience.
Spring Moon, The Peninsula Hong Kong
Within these stained-glass windows of Spring Moon, Chef Lam Yuk Ming serves both classic and novel Cantonese dishes alongside tea of more than 30 varieties. The one-Michelin star restaurant is famed for its braised bird’s nest soups, roasted peking duck, dim sum lunch and world-famous XO chilli sauce.
Hutong, H Zentre
Venture down the red lantern road for a contemporary Northern Chinese meal with a serious view of the city. Make your way to the intimate Moon Terrace for signature Chinese cocktails to get the day started.
2:00pm K11 MUSEA and Avenue Of Stars
A cultural-retail concept encompassing all things fashion, food and art, K11 Musea sits on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, making a trip to the Avenue Of Stars just a short stroll away. See if you can spot statues of Hong Kong’s biggest stars like Bruce Lee, Anita Mui and Hong Kong’s most famous cartoon pig — yes, pig.
3:30pm Star Ferry to Central
The green and white Star Ferry is part and parcel of Hong Kong’s harbour. This short 10 minute ferry ride promises panoramic views of Hong Kong’s skyline as you journey from the Kowloon peninsula to Hong Kong island.
If you see this truck, stop for a soft serve! These red, white and blue Mister Softee trucks rolled into Hong Kong and straight into people’s hearts in 1970, serving a signature vanilla flavour that has stood the test of time.
4:00pm Egg Tarts, Milk Tea and Coffee
Egg Tarts at Bakehouse
There’s a good reason that Bakehouse’s egg tarts continue to draw lines of customers even 6 years down the line. These eggy delights are a play on Hong Kong’s classic egg tarts, replacing the pastry or tart shell with a flaky sourdough croissant crust that can only be described as heavenly.
Milk Tea at Lan Fong Yuen
Legend has it that Hong Kong’s iconic yuen yeung milk tea and silk stocking milk tea were born at Lan Fong Yuen. If your go-to drink is English breakfast tea with a splash of milk, you’re in for a decadent surprise.
Coffee at Halfway Coffee
Nestled between the antique shops on Upper Lascar Row, Halfway Coffee – like its name suggests – is a great place to stop for a cuppa halfway through your busy day. Fragrant rose lattes and creamy matcha lattes are served in vintage porcelain cups. A variety of vibrant, porcelain pieces are also displayed in their Halfway Museum space right next to the coffee shop — a time capsule of sorts.
5:00pm PMQ and Hollywood Road
Situated in the heart of Soho, PMQ is the place for all things indie design. Rows of what once were married police quarters now house various gift shops, boutiques, and craft workshops. Here, you’ll find one-of-a-kind leather crafts, sustainable handmade home goods, and a whole host of local labels like Harrison Wong and KOWLOONCITYBOY. Those with a penchant for antiques and contemporary art can also venture beyond the walls of PMQ and onto Hollywood Road, a historic street situated just below the complex.
6:00pm Dinner
The Chairman
Presenting: your favourite chef’s favourite restaurant. Opened in 2009 by food connoisseur Danny Yip, the one-Michelin starred The Chairman is the first and only Hong Kong restaurant to have won the title of The Best Restaurant in Asia. Notoriously difficult to book but wholly worth the wait, The Chairman is an exemplar of Chinese fine dining. The team is unparalleled in both their mastery of traditional techniques and hunger for innovation, producing faultless signatures such as the iconic “Steamed Flower Crab with Aged Shaoxing Wine, Fragrant Chicken Oil & Flat Rice Noodles.” There’s nothing like it.
Ho Lee Fook
With its flashy mahjong-tiled exterior and gleaming army of golden Chinese lucky cats, Ho Lee Fook by Blacksheep Restaurants is Chinatown kitsch in all its brazen glory. Its heart, however, is Hong Kong through and through. Led by Executive Chef and Hong Kong native ArChan Chan, Ho Lee Fook champions authentic Cantonese flavours with a punchy fusion menu starring the likes of Kurobuta charcoal-grilled char siu and steamed razor clams with wok-fried glass noodles and aged garlic—mastered elevations of Hong Kong food favourites.
8:30pm Peak Tram
Looking for this iconic snapshot of Hong Kong? Head for The Peak. To get there, hop on the historic Peak Tram at the Lower Terminus in Central and enjoy a breathtaking (and impossibly steep) 8-minute ride past towering buildings and lush greenery. The Peak Tram first opened in 1888 to serve the British governor and residents of The Peak, and stands as one of the oldest funicular railways in the world.
9:00pm See Hong Kong From Above
Dazzling skyscrapers, indigo blue waters, and the distant silhouette of mountains— that’s Hong Kong’s cityscape and a panoramic night view like no other. Take it all in from The Peak’s Sky Terrace 428 viewing platform, or whilst strolling along the trail that loops around the hill.
10:00pm Drinks
Bar Leone
Bar Leone is not only the best bar in Hong Kong, it’s the best bar in Asia. Officially ranked No.1 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars and No.2 on The World’s Best Bars 2024 list, this charming Italian-style nieghbourhood watering hole pays tribute to the traditional Roman bars of founder Lorenzo Antinori’s hometown. Think AS Roma football jerseys on the walls, legendary mortadella sandwiches, and classic ‘cocktails popolari’—for the people.
Kinsman
If you’ve ever dreamt of living in a Wong Kar-Wai movie, all you have to do is step into Kinsman. This Cantonese cocktail salon pays homage to the city’s lost distilling traditions by crafting cocktails that incorporate locally sourced ingredients and showcase spirits such as Moutai, Yuk Bing Siu, and Baijiu.
Editor
Vogue Hong KongCredit
Lead image: Getty Images
