Hong Kong draws many visitors for its flavourful culinary scene — some come for the refined dim sum experience, others for the more local noodle shops. However, there is an often-overlooked facet of Hong Kong’s gourmet reputation — its humble local food.This can be some of the richest, most worthwhile food experiences you have in the city; not for nothing is the Hong Kong Michelin Guide filled with gourmet recommendations that you can find on a street corner. On practically every street, alley, or walkway, are more types and varieties of food than you can shake a skewer at.The next time you’re in Hong Kong, don’t be tempted to make a beeline for the nearest air-conditioned indoor restaurant. While there’s nothing wrong with a traditional, sit-down eatery, that is far from the only way to get a spectacular, multi-course meal. Our tasty Hong Kong food offers a great variety of tastes for very little money — so great, in fact, that you can easily enjoy a three-course meal. Here’s a guide to do just that.ChestnutsAnother classic pre-meal snack is roasted chestnuts. Usually buried in charcoal and stirred in a giant wok by the roadside, the chestnuts are piping hot and shovelled into a small bag for each customer. Do note that the small carts selling the chestnuts have no fixed schedule — but it doesn’t take a bloodhound to detect its savoury, smoky aroma when there is one nearby.Try it: from autumn to spring, look out for the carts between Jordan Road and Kansu Road, or Shantung Street in Mong Kok, KowloonTinky tofuWe guarantee you there’s nothing quite like chowing down on stinky tofu — a very pungent way to whet your appetite. The first thing you’ll smell as you walk past street food, stinky tofu is first brined in a vegetable and meat mixture then deep fried. While stinky tofu does not lose all of its smell when slathered with chili and soy sauce, its taste is much better than its smell would have you believe. Just don’t eat too much of it before a date night.Sugar cane juiceMost every street food stall will have a drinks section that offers refreshments to complement your food. Of the many choices you’ll be presented with, we recommend grabbing a cup of sugar cane juice. Refreshing and extremely sweet, it’s usually made on the spot by pressing steamed sugar cane with a machine. You’ll spot a shop that sells it from a mile away — it’ll have a large bucket of canes jutting out the side, and a long line of thirsty people in front.Looking forward to explore more Hong Kong local food!!
