Cover Here are the most iconic Cantonese egg dishes to enjoy in Hong Kong (Photo: @missnomnomz

Delicious, easy to cook, and chock full of nutrients, eggs always make a delightful meal, no matter how you like them prepared. Ahead, check out our top picks for the best Cantonese egg dishes to try in Hong Kong, including waffles, fried rice, and more

Ah, the humble egg. The breakfast staple, a longtime trusty companion to toasts, and the perfectly versatile ingredient for countless cuisines worldwide—it’s no secret that the egg is one of the most universally beloved food.

Frying, scrambling, boiling, and baking… there are plenty of ways to cook and enjoy it. Among all these varieties, though, what is the most popular, classic way Hongkongers make their eggs?

Here, we’re putting the spotlight on all the iconic Cantonese egg dishes you should know and try in Hong Kong. From dim sum staple, egg tarts; to cha chaan teng classics, scrambled egg rice and loaded sandwiches, there's a delicious egg treat to satisfy every palate.

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1. Egg tarts

How can one say no to freshly baked egg tarts? A teatime staple at cha chaan teng, this iconic sweet treat comes in a variety of styles featuring flaky or cookie crusts, both filled with a creamy, fragrant egg custard. Top-notch egg tarts are made with the right filling-to-crust ratio, and are best enjoyed with a cup of classic Hong Kong-style silk stocking milk tea.

Read more: Where to Find the Best Egg Tarts in Hong Kong

Where to try it: 

Tin Lung Heen

At Tin Lung Heen, the well-loved Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, egg tarts are baked to perfection with flavourful, smooth filling. Using fresh eggs imported from Hubei province, these pastries taste richer than the standard ones do with clearly separated layers of flaky, crispy crust to delight your tastebuds.

Tin Lung Heen, 102/F, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, West Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 2263 2270; ritzcarlton.com/hongkong

Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Courtesy of St Regis Hong Kong
Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Courtesy of St Regis Hong Kong

Rùn

Another Michelin-starred spot to get your egg tart fix, Rùn at St Regis Hong Kong interprets the classic treat with a tried-and-tested recipe featuring quality Japanese eggs. The crust is delightfully buttery and flaky, while the filling is velvety smooth, without being overly sweet. 

Rùn, 2/F, St.Regis Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2138 6808; marriott.com/hotels/the-st-regis-hong-kong

Check-In Taipei

Those with more adventurous palates will love Check-In Taipei’s modern egg tarts, which are exclusively available at its Tsim Sha Tsui branch at Harbour City. A Cantonese iteration of the iconic Taiwanese pineapple cake, these treats are made in rectangular sizes that are different from your usual egg tarts, but they’re just as good.

Always served piping hot, the tarts have a buttery, crumbly shortcrust, complementing the delicious caramelised egg custard and mochi filling. 

Check-In Taipei, Shop 2204-6, 2/F, Harbour City, Gateway Arcade, 5 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 3595 0995; checkintaipei.hk

2. Scrambled egg rice

If you’re looking for some good ol’ comfort food that’s quick and filling, scrambled egg rice offered at cha chaan teng is always a good choice.

The silky-smooth layered eggs are the focal point, which are often accompanied by honeyed barbecued pork or fresh shrimps, topped with soy sauce and shallots, resulting in a comforting rice dish that’s rich in texture and flavour.

Where to try it: 

Kwong Wing Catering

Kwong Wing Catering has a loyal following across the city thanks to its excellent food offered at affordable prices. Everyone comes here for its famed fried pork chop rice with scallion oil, but really, it’s their scrambled egg rice dishes that will make you fall in love with this place.

Aside from the classic barbequed pork drizzled with XO sauce, there’s also a wide selection of toppings to choose from, including fried chicken chop, satay beef and fish fillet—all served with generous layers of eggs that are cooked to the perfect level of runniness. 

Kwong Wing Catering, various locations across Hong Kong; facebook.com/kwongwingcatering

Shun Hing Restaurant

For an authentic take on the scrambled rice dish, you can never go wrong with Shun Hing Restaurant’s offerings. Its signature egg rice with char siu has crowds queuing up all day long, which boasts a delicious combination of tender pork, homemade soy sauce, and creamy scrambled eggs, making every bite simply heavenly. The restaurant also offers other toppings to choose from, including shrimp and beef.

Shun Hing Restaurant, G/F, 5 Ormsby Street, Tai Hang, Hong Kong 

3. Egg waffles

Affectionately known as gai daan zai to locals, egg waffles are universally liked for their rich egg aroma and distinct texture: crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy inside. It's one of the best local grab-and-go street snacks to enjoy when sweet cravings hit.

Read more: Where to Find the Best Egg Waffles in Hong Kong

Where to try it:

Mammy Pancake

This Michelin-recommended establishment sets a standard for good egg waffles with a family recipe that includes no artificial flavours but quality ingredients. 

Complete with a crunchy exterior and chewy soft texture on the inside, Mammy Pancake’s creations arrive in an extensive selection of flavours ranging from the classic ones to more unique options including fresh lemon, pandan chiffon, and cheese.

Mammy Pancake, various locations across Hong Kong; mammypancake.com.hk

Tai O Wan Kee

Tai O Wah Kee’s egg waffle is legendary and people come far and wide for a bite. With a sole focus on traditional flavour and dedication to making it the best, this quaint little spot sets itself apart with its egg puffs crafted on a charcoal grill.

The classic snack is offered with extra crispiness and a distinct, soft smoky flavour, delivering the kind of taste that’s worth shouting about.

Tai O Wah Kee, G/F, 121 Shek Tsai Po Street, Tai O, Hong Kong

4. Egg sandwiches

An integral part of Hong Kong’s breakfast culture, egg sandwiches is another iconic Cantonese dish that draws upon the simplicity and freshness of scrambled eggs. The classic combination of buttery eggs and crustless, soft sandwich bread is the most famous variety, but there are countless combinations of ingredients that are also worth a try, such as luncheon meat and egg; and corned beef with cheese and egg.

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Where to try it:

Australia Dairy Company

Australia Dairy Company has all the nostalgic charms of old-school Hong Kong teahouses which offers an atmospheric setting for an authentic cha chaan teng dining experience.

While the restaurant’s fame may be built around its signature macaroni in chicken soup, longtime locals will undoubtedly recommend their sandwiches, which come loaded with silky smooth, buttery scrambled eggs. Aside from the classic variety, the restaurant also offers sandwiches with different types of ingredients that go well with eggs, including cheese and ham.

Australia Dairy Company, G/F, 47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong, +852 2730 1356

Bing Kee Cha Dong

Some of the city’s best egg sandwiches can be found at Bing Kee Cha Dong, a cherished neighbourhood gem hidden in Tai Hang. Their signature toasted sandwich with corned beef and egg is a must-try, but you shouldn't miss out on the pork chop and egg sandwich either, which features a symphony of textures of thickly cut pork and crumbly toasted bread slathered with butter.

Their fresh toast with condensed milk and peanut butter is also a comforting dish craved by many, alongside other Hong Kong classic dishes including spam and egg instant noodles, and soy sauce braised chicken wings.

5. Steamed egg with crab meat

Steamed egg is one of those deceptively simple Cantonese family dishes whose potential for satisfaction far outweighs the complexity of its ingredients. The recipe is easy to follow, but it's difficult to execute and achieve that silky smooth egg texture. To get its taste right, the ratio of water to the eggs is key, and the quality of toppings can’t be overlooked, too. 

Something as simple as chopped scallions and dried shrimps will yield delicious results that you’ll obsess over, but there are also refined recipes featuring crab meat that highlight the freshness of the eggs even further.

Don't miss: The Best Cantonese Desserts to Try in Hong Kong 

Where to try it:

Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Courtesy of Renaissance Harbour View Hotel

Dynasty

At Dynasty, the long-standing Cantonese establishment in Hong Kong’s dining scene, the steamed egg dish is perfectly cooked with meticulous control of temperature and steaming time. Fresh scallop and crab meat are pilled atop the silky smooth egg to add an extra layer of aroma when steamed, alongside spring onion and dried scallop to give a burst of flavour in every bite.

Dynasty, 3/F, Renaissance Harbour View Hotel, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2584 6971; renaissasnceharbourviewhk.com

Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong

Tin Lung Heen

The popularity of this steamed egg white dish from Tin Lung Heen lies in its utter simplicity. Meaty claws of crabs from Vietnam are steamed by carefully controlling the time and heat, then combined with Hua Diao wine over a bed of creamy, soft egg whites, resulting in a show-stopping treat that's packed full of natural sweetness of the crab.

Tin Lung Heen, 102/F, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, West Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 2263 2270; ritzcarlton.com/hongkong

6. Salted egg yolk treats

Much like soy sauce and oyster sauce, salted egg yolk sauce has long been one of the most popular Asian condiments. Buttery and rich, which offers more than a hint of saltiness, salted eggs have been widely used in Cantonese cooking for dishes such as fried rice, traditional baked goods, stir-fries, and even desserts.

Taste factor aside, the ingredient is also favoured by many for its auspicious bright golden yellow hue, which symbolises wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture.

Where to try it:

Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Courtesy of Four Seasons Hong Kong

Lung King Heen

From barbequed pork to baked whole abalone puff and fried rice, anything on the menu at the three-Michelin-starred Lung King Heen is superb, and the salted egg yolk offerings are no exception.

Freshly made on every order, the popular deep-fried prawn dish involves baking the egg yolk at 250°C for 10 minutes to bring out the aroma, before pureeing it until smooth. It's then mixed with butter and sugar for the creamy sauce. The prawns are then stir-fried in a wok and coated with the sauce evenly to bring out the best taste. 

Their crispy egg yolk eel and deep-fried fish skin with egg yolk are also not to be missed, both are fried to perfection without coming off as greasy.

Lung King Heen, 4/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 3196 8880; fourseasons.com/hongkong/dining

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Above Photo: Courtesy of Sheraton Tung Chung Hong Kong
Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Courtesy of Sheraton Tung Chung Hong Kong

Yue

Yue at Sheraton Tung Chung Hong Kong serves up an innovative version of the classic Chinese snack—deep-fried sesame balls with the addition of egg yolk custard. The glutinous rice balls are fried to golden perfection, delighting diners with a crunchy texture and gooey egg yolk filling on the inside, and are best enjoyed with another equally impressive egg treat at Yue: deep-fried crispy egg puffs glazed with honey.

Yue, Level 2, Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel, 9 Yi Tung Road, Tung Chung, Hong Kong, +852 2535 0028; marriott.com/hotels/sheraton-hong-kong-tung-chung-hotel


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