Hong Kong Street Food - The Top 20 Snacks to Try in 2027
Curry Fish Balls, Egg Waffles etc and the 10 Best Places to Find Them
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Hong Kong Street Food - The Top 20 Snacks to Try in 2027
Foreword by Jamie
Hong Kong Legendary street food items to indulge in
Let me make it clear. I do not do food tours in any shape or form and I will also make clear just how popular street food is in Hong Kong, me being the fussy sort I will turn down an offer on street food despite people claiming that all the dishes are amazing world beating snacks, I know my food and generally when people try to hard to sell a particular dish my alarm bells start ringing, but that is just me, it does not bother me that people think I am a wimp not willing to try local food, been there, done that and wore a hundred t shirts,
After more than 50 years of living in Hong Kong, since arriving on 2nd January 1972, I have walked these streets in every season and every type of weather. Street food is one of those subjects that locals argue about endlessly, and visitors often ask me about on tours. I do not run food tours myself. I leave that to the specialists who know the stalls the way I know the history and the culture. For the record I generally stay away from most street food, with two clear exceptions. Egg waffles and egg tarts I could munch on all day. Everything else I usually leave to other people, and yes I get grief from family and friends who cannot understand why I am so boring when it comes to food.
I am fussy. I will not eat offal, I will not eat meat or fish with bones, I cannot stand spicy food, and I absolutely hate stinky tofu. I have written about pineapple buns before and I still avoid them. That is just me. Most people who visit Hong Kong fall in love with the street snacks, and that is as it should be. This list is for them. It is updated and expanded from my earlier post for 2026, because the scene keeps shifting, especially around Temple Street where the government finally added a proper street food section that should have been there twenty years ago.
So do not mind me. When you are here, indulge in whatever takes your fancy. Even better, book a food tour with one of the local specialists. They will take you to the right places, tell you the stories, and you can eat until you cannot move. That is what my friends do, and they do it far better than I ever could.
The History and Evolution of the Street Food Culture in Hong Kong
Hong Kong street food grew out of necessity and habit. After WW2, as the population swelled with refugees from Mainland China going into the 1950’s and 1960’s hawkers set up on the pavements selling cheap, filling bites that could be eaten while walking or standing. Fish balls came from the fishing communities. Egg waffles appeared in the 1950s as a sweet treat that used simple ingredients. Dai pai dongs, the open air cooked food stalls, were once everywhere. Licensing and hygiene rules thinned them out over the decades, and many moved indoors into cooked food centres. What remains is a mix of mobile carts, fixed stalls in markets, and the occasional outdoor survivor. The flavours are Cantonese at heart, with influences from elsewhere that locals have made their own. Prices stay low because the portions are small and the turnover is high. In 2027 the scene will still be lively in Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po, and the newish food stretch at Temple Street, even if the classic outdoor dai pai dongs are rarer than they were when I first arrived.
The name itself is straightforward and yes it is totally obvious, It is called street food because that is exactly where it started and where most of it is still sold: on the pavement, from a cart, under a canopy, or at the edge of a market. There was no need for a proper shop front or a dining room. You bought it, you ate it standing up or walking, and you moved on. In the dense neighbourhoods of the 1950’s and 1960’s that made perfect sense. Space was limited, rents were high even then, and people worked long hours. A quick snack from a hawker filled the gap between meals without the time or the money required for a restaurant.
That practicality is still why it remains popular. It is cheap, it tastes good if you pick the right stall, and it takes only a few minutes. You do not need to sit down, order from a menu, or wait for a table. In a city where everyone seems to be in a hurry, that matters. Locals grab curry fish balls or an egg waffle between errands. Visitors try a few things because the portions are small and the risk is low. The best stalls also carry a bit of history and a bit of theatre. You can watch the food being made, chat with the vendor if the language works, and move on to the next thing. It is everyday eating rather than an occasion, which is probably why it has lasted.
When a Fishball Stall had a different meaning in Hong Kong
I recall from decades ago when a fishball stall had a different contexr ie the “魚蛋檔” (yu daan dong), which was Hong Kong slang from the 1970s into the early 1990s. On the surface the name meant a fishball stall, but it was also the everyday term for a particular kind of vice establishment. These were not actual street-food carts in most cases selling curry fish balls in the markets. They were usually (but sometimes market stalls hiding in plain site at street level) upstairs places, often licensed as “recreation centres” or tea rooms, that employed young women (frequently school-age girls, which is why they were also called 魚蛋妹). Customers went in, sat in high-backed booths or behind curtains/flaps in dim or dark rooms, and the main activity was groping. Full sex was officially off the menu in the earlier years because it risked the licence, though that line blurred as competition grew.
The name itself came from the hand movements. Squeezing and fondling was said to resemble the way a fishball maker works the paste, or from the small size of the girls’ chests being compared to fishballs. Either way, the double meaning stuck and was widely understood. Portland Street in Mong Kok was one of the better - known concentrations; they were common enough that the term appeared in newspapers, police reports, and everyday conversation.
They declined sharply in the 1990s. Enforcement tightened, the government moved against multi-woman premises, and the one-woman brothel model (一樓一鳳) became the safer legal route. By the mid-1990s the classic 魚蛋檔 had largely disappeared.
So now you know, the “not really a food stall” reality, the flap or curtain, and the time it took the authorities to catch on is accurate. It was a well-reported slice of the grey economy of that period rather than an urban legend.
Only in Hong Kong!
The Top 20 Types of Street Food in Hong Kong
Everyone has their own ranking. This is a practical list of what visitors actually ask for and what you will see most often. Prices are typical stall prices in late 2026 going into 2027, and they can be a couple of dollars higher in Central or Causeway Bay than in Sham Shui Po in Kowloon
1. Curry Fish Balls (咖喱魚蛋)
Springy fish paste balls on a skewer, usually five or six, sitting in a mild yellow curry sauce. The classic walking snack of Kowloon. History traces them to the fishing communities and the post war need for cheap protein. You can find them almost anywhere there is a snack stall. Typical price HK$15 to HK$20 (about US$2 to US$2.50). Best eaten hot from the pot and a small note, some places have 6 different types of curry sauce and the hotter ones will burn your lips off!
2. Egg Waffles (雞蛋仔)
The golden honeycomb waffle that Hong Kong claims as its own. Crisp outside, soft and slightly chewy inside, traditionally plain though many stalls now offer flavours. Invented in the 1950s. I could eat these every day. Typical price HK$17 to HK$28 (about US$2.20 to US$3.60). Look for shops rather than just carts in North Point, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay.
3. Street Style Siu Mai
Not the dim sum version. These are yellow skinned dumplings of pork and fish paste, sold on sticks or in small cups with soy and chilli oil. Ubiquitous at snack stalls. Price around HK$10 to HK$15 (about US$1.30 to US$1.90) for a portion. Fresh is better than sitting in a warmer.
4. Cheung Fun (腸粉)
Steamed rice noodle rolls, cut into pieces, dressed with sweet soy, sesame sauce and sometimes hoisin. Soft, slippery and comforting. Street versions are usually plain. Price HK$10 to HK$15 (about US$1.30 to US$1.90). Excellent in Sham Shui Po and around Mong Kok.
5. Egg Tarts
The flaky or shortcrust pastry shells with a smooth custard filling. Tai Cheong Bakery in Central is the famous one, with queues most days. There is also a branch in the Peak Galleria. Price roughly HK$8 to HK$15 each (about US$1 to US$2). I make an exception for these and will rarely pass on scoffing one.
6. Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐)
Fermented tofu, deep fried, often with sweet sauce and chilli. The smell is strong and the taste is an acquired one. Many locals love it. I do not. Price HK$15 to HK$25 (about US$2 to US$3.20). Common in Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po night areas, you could basically use this dish to disinfect a crime scene.
7. Put Chai Ko (砵仔糕)
Small steamed pudding cakes, usually brown sugar or coconut with red beans, served on two bamboo sticks. Soft, slightly sticky, very Hong Kong. Price HK$8 to HK$12 (about US$1 to US$1.50). Found in older areas like Sham Shui Po and Yau Ma Tei.
8. Tofu Fa (豆腐花)
Silken tofu pudding, warm or cold, with ginger syrup or brown sugar. Light and soothing. Price HK$10 to HK$18 (about US$1.30 to US$2.30). Good after a spicy or heavy snack.
9. Three Stuffed Treasures (煎釀三寶)
Fish paste stuffed into green pepper, aubergine and tofu, then pan fried. Crispy outside, soft inside. Price HK$12 to HK$20 (about US$1.50 to US$2.50). Common around Mong Kok and Kwun Tong stalls.
10. Cart Noodles
Noodles with a choice of toppings from a cart or small stall. More of a meal than a pure snack, but part of the street culture. Price varies, often HK$40 to HK$70 (about US$5 to US$9). Sham Shui Po has several reliable spots.
11. Claypot Rice
Rice cooked in a clay pot with toppings such as Chinese sausage, preserved vegetables or chicken. The crispy rice at the bottom is the prize. More sit down than walk, but common at Temple Street and cooked food centres. Price HK$60 to HK$100 for a pot (about US$8 to US$13).
12. Salt and Pepper Squid or Grilled Squid
Fresh squid, either salt and pepper fried or grilled on a stick. Crunchy and savoury. Price HK$20 to HK$40 depending on size (about US$2.50 to US$5). Temple Street and some Mong Kok stalls do a good versio and I am quite partial to one at times.
13. Pineapple Bun with Butter (菠蘿油)
A soft bun with a crisp sugary top, split and filled with a cold slab of butter. A cha chaan teng classic more than pure street, but sold nearby. I have never liked them and have written blog posts as to why, tasteless and so darn messy. Price HK$12 to HK$20 (about US$1.50 to US$2.50).
14. Dragon Beard Candy
Fine threads of pulled sugar, often with a peanut or sesame filling, looking like a white beard. A vanishing skill. Price varies, often HK$20 to HK$40 for a small box (about US$2.50 to US$5). Look for specialists rather than casual stalls.
15. Plain or Curry Fish Balls without the sauce
The same springy balls, sometimes served dry or with a different dip. Cheaper and simpler. Price similar to the curry version or a little less.
16. Fried Spring Rolls or Samosa style snacks
Crispy fried rolls with vegetable or meat filling. Quick and filling. Price HK$8 to HK$15 (about US$1 to US$2).
17. Roast Meat Takeaway Slices
Char siu, roast goose or pork belly sliced and sold by the piece from shop windows. More shop than pure street, but part of the everyday eating. Price by weight, often HK$30 to HK$60 for a small portion (about US$4 to US$8).
18. Wonton from small stalls or shops
Shrimp wontons in a clear broth or dry with noodles. The street or small shop versions are simpler than restaurant ones. Price HK$25 to HK$45 (about US$3 to US$6).
19. Sweet Potato or Chestnut Roasts (seasonal)
In cooler months, carts sell roasted sweet potatoes or chestnuts. Warm and simple. Price HK$15 to HK$30 depending on quantity (about US$2 to US$4).
20. Milk Tea or Yuan Yang from nearby stalls
Hong Kong style milk tea, or the mix of tea and coffee called yuan yang. Not always pure street but sold at the edges of markets. Price HK$12 to HK$20 (about US$1.50 to US$2.50). Best from a proper cha chaan teng if you can sit.
The 10 Best Places in Hong Kong to Try Street Food
This is a practical list for people who want to explore on their own. Honestly, a food tour is usually so much better because the great guides know which stalls are good that week and which ones to skip. Prices below are approximate for 2027.
1. Temple Street Night Market, Yau Ma Tei / Jordan
The government added a proper street food section a few years ago and it has been popular ever since. Claypot rice, curry fish balls, egg waffles, grilled items and more. Lively after dark. Reach by MTR (Subway) to Jordan or Yau Ma Tei. Expect to spend HK$50 to HK$150 per person (about US$6 to US$19) depending on how many snacks you try and yes there are some non Chinese street food options.2. Mong Kok snack streets around Fa Yuen Street and Tung Choi Street (Ladies Market)
Highest concentration of snack stalls. Curry fish balls, egg waffles, stuffed treasures, cheung fun. Busy from late morning until late. MTR (Subway) to Mong Kok. Snacks HK$10 to HK$30 each (about US$1.30 to US$4).3. Sham Shui Po, especially Kweilin Street and Fuk Wing Street areas
More local, better value. Excellent cheung fun, cart noodles, put chai ko, and some of the remaining outdoor feel. MTR (Subway) to Sham Shui Po. Many items under HK$20 (about US$2.50).4. Stanley Street and Graham Street area, Central
Surviving dai pai dong style stalls and cooked food. Wok dishes, noodles. Convenient if you are already in Central. MTR (Subway) to Central then short walk. Dishes HK$40 to HK$100 (about US$5 to US$13).5. Cross Street and nearby cooked food centres, Wan Chai
Another cluster of remaining outdoor and indoor stalls. Good for a proper sit down plate rather than pure snacks. MTR (Subway) to Wan Chai. Similar price range to Central.6. North Point, particularly around Marble Road and the famous egg waffle shops
Lee Keung Kee is well known for traditional egg waffles. Quieter than Mong Kok. MTR (Subway) to North Point. Egg waffles around HK$20 to HK$28 (about US$2.50 to US$3.60).7. Yau Ma Tei, Pitt Street and nearby snack shops
Tung Tat and similar places for fish balls and siu mai. Close to Temple Street so easy to combine. MTR (Subway) to Yau Ma Tei or Jordan.8. Causeway Bay side streets
Snack stalls mixed with shopping. Convenient for many visitors. MTR (Subway) to Causeway Bay. Prices a little higher than Kowloon.9. Tai O Fishing Village, Lantau Island
Famous for jumbo curry fish balls at certain stalls. More of a trip than a quick stop. Combine with a Lantau visit. Prices similar to city stalls.10. Sheung Wan dried seafood and nearby small eateries
Less pure street, more the edges of the old neighbourhood. Good for combining with other walks. MTR (Subway) to Sheung Wan.
Temple Street Night Market and the New Food Section
I have been going to Temple Street since it opened in the mid 1970s. For years I thought something was missing, and that something was a proper street food section. The government finally put one in, and it has added a new dimension to an evening out. It is popular with both visitors and locals. The rest of the market is still there with its stalls, fortune tellers and the occasional opera. If you only have one night for street food, this is the place most people choose. All they need to do now is do something similar at Stanley Market.
Cooked Food Centres - the indoor version of a street food stall in Hong Kong
From the 1970s onwards the government began moving many of the old outdoor dai pai dongs into purpose-built cooked food centres, usually on the upper floors of wet market buildings. The idea was better hygiene, less pavement obstruction and easier control. What you get now is a large indoor hall with individual stalls around the edges, shared tables in the middle, and the same kind of wok cooking that used to happen on the street. It is street food that has been brought indoors and put under a roof. That gives a combined total of 60 cooked food centres and cooked food markets, with 927 cooked food stalls between them.
My wife and other family members have taken me to a few over the years. I never enjoyed the experience much. The atmosphere is noisy and functional rather than pleasant, and the food has always struck me as average. Plenty of locals still like them for a cheap, no-frills meal, and some of the better stalls keep the old flavours alive, but they are not my idea of a good time. Foreign tourists rarely seek them out. Most prefer the outdoor markets or a proper food tour, and the cooked food centres feel more like everyday local canteens than something on a visitor’s list. For those who do go, they can be an interesting look at ordinary eating, especially if you are with someone who knows which stall is worth trying that day
I recall over the years that some celebrities have ended up in a cooked food centre with my friends who are top notch food guides, they probably had quite the experience.
A Note on Food Tours
I do not do food tours. The reason is simple. I do not speak Cantonese, and food culture is part of the DNA for the guides who grew up here. My friends who run food tours do a far better job. They know which stall is good this week, they can order for you, and they share the stories while you eat. Several of them include egg tarts and egg waffles on their menus, which suits me fine. If you want the immersive version, contact one of the specialist companies. It saves you the planning and usually means you try more than you would on your own.
Twenty snacks, ten places, and the usual reminder that the best way to eat them is with someone who knows the streets. Enjoy exploring, and do not worry about being fussy like me. Most people leave Hong Kong talking about the food.
So there you go.
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