Oi Man Sang is one of the oldest dai pai dongs in Hong Kong that has been serving Cantonese dishes—no fuss, no frills, just straight-up deliciousness—since 1956.

The open-air eatery, which covers a few blocks in Sham Shui Po, buzzes with chefs wok-tossing over huge roaring flames, diners in animated chatter and laughter, and the unmistakable sound of beer glasses clinking. It’s more than just a meal here; it’s a crash course in Hong Kong’s lively spirit and soul food. Go with a group, order lots and dig in. The steamed razor clams loaded with garlic, comforting stir-fried beef and potato, and salted egg yolk prawns are must-orders. 

- Fontaine Cheng, dining editor

Address: Oi Man Sang, 1A-1C Shek Kip Mei St, Sham Shui Po

My kind of romantic meal is slurping egg noodles tossed with lard, caramelised sweet soy sauce and scallions, and with a big plate of pork knuckles marinated with sweet fermented bean curd on a street corner in Sham Shui Po. If you like it spicy, the homemade chilli oil at Cheung Fat Noodles will get you hooked. (They are wise enough to sell them by the jar so you can take it home!) And don’t forget to wash everything down with a good old Tsing Tao beer.

Sadly, I hate to break it to you, this beloved dai pai dong will be closing at the end of November, because the government is reforming the neighbourhood and the owners will be handing their licence over. There’s been talk about reopening Cheung Fat Noodles somewhere new in the near future, but we all know it will never be the same again once the stall is off the street.

- Ashley Yue, project manager, Tatler Dining

Address: Cheung Fat Noodles, 14 Yiu Tung Street, Sham Shui Po

Everyone passing through Central has seen the few metres-long line waiting for a table at Sing Heung Yuen. Housed in a wide alleyway, this dai pai dong is famous for their tomato soup noodles with beef and egg, as well as for their—too often overlooked—crispy buns topped with lemon jam and honey. Open from 8am to 3:30pm, Sing Heung Yuen is the place you need to go for a comforting breakfast or a lunch that feels like it’s home-cooked. 

- Salomé Grouard, deputy digital editor

Address: Sing Heung Yuen, 2 Mee Lun Street, Central

Surrounded by quaint and polished cafes and restaurants, this dai pai dong may seem like an oddity in the Tai Hang neighborhood. But it’s a gem when you’re looking for a hearty bowl of pork chop noodles with fried egg, crunchy peanut butter toast drizzled with condensed milk, or a glass of smooth iced milk tea after a morning hike on Braemar Hill. I particularly like that there’s boiled vegetables on the menu for a healthier option to pair with my other dishes.

Its popularity means you may not be able to get a quick fix here—while the food comes quickly, the queue is always long at weekends.

- Zabrina Lo, features editor

Address: Bing Kee Cha Dong, 5 Shepherd St, Tai Hang

Yes, Temple Street may be a tourist trap but there’s a reason why that’s unrelated to its fortune tellers or sex toy sellers: great feel-good Hong Kong food.

While any of the open air casual dining setups on the block would be a fine choice to pull up a plastic stool and order a table’s worth of Tsing Tao beer, I’m giving the prize to Temple Spice Crabs. While they specialise in seafood (and it is very good), you can get all the usual dai pai dong favourites. What gives this place the edge above the others is a corner location that, while hectic, makes it perfect for a side order of people watching.
 
 - Rick Boost, Gen.T, Hong Kong editor

Address: Temple Spice Crabs, 203 Temple St, Yau Ma Tei

Okay, so I have been made painfully aware that this is not an authentic dai pai dong—instead it’s what we can call a dai pai dong-inspired restaurant. But with the traditional street-side eateries fast becoming a rare sight in Hong Kong, restaurants like ChorLand Cookfood Stall will sometimes have to serve as the next best thing.

It has indoor-seating—and air-conditioning—so you won’t get the ambience of a real dai pai dong, but it can be quite vibrant in its own right and the food is extremely delicious. I am a fan of the beef cheese balls with black truffle and oyster pancake.

- Suchetana Mukhopadhyay, digital sub-editor

Address: Pak Hoo Mansion, Shek Tong Tsui

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