[Weekend Escape] is our semi-regular column on all things related to getting out of Shanghai for a weekend (or preferably a long-weekend). From city jaunts, to food tours, to the rough and tumble of backpacking and camping. It's all here. Got tips? Drop us a note.

From bustling street markets to high-end dining, Hong Kong offers an endless supply of foodie favorites that encompass its diverse cultural makeup. Locals and tourists alike can indulge in the city's hidden gems – from succulent roasted meats to comforting wonton noodles, from the iconic pineapple bun to cha chaan teng soft scrambled eggs and bursting French toast – all while discovering the stories behind these beloved culinary traditions. This is a curated food guide to Hong Kong's top local eats that make up the city's gastronomic landscape.

Roasted Meats (Siu Mei 燒味)

Chukfo Taipan: A popular Hong Kong-style roast meat joint, Chukfo Taipan is a top choice amongst both visitors and Hong Kongers. Famed for their succulent goose leg, crispy pork belly, and smarmy char siu, all siu mei is best enjoyed over noteworthy long-grain rice, each kernel glistening with fat from the roasted meat. Bonus points for the sweet plum sauce on every table, so you can slather it across everything (not just the goose!) Chukfo Taipan also offers HKD10 discounts on all rice sets between 2:30-5:30pm, a deal that keeps the queue snaking out the door at all hours.

Must order dishes: char siu, goose, crispy pork belly, and the best milk tea in the city.

If you go...

Shop 3, G/F, Wah Yan Court, 2-3 Triangle Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Joy Hing: The main draw to this humble eatery is the char siu, boasting some of the stickiest, sweetest glaze in the city and perfectly crispy edges. While quality can sometimes vary, and the pork belly is noticeably leaner than other shops, when it hits, it truly hits. The milk tea is also a must.

Must order dishes: char siu rice and milk tea

If you go...

Block C, G/F, 265-267 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

265-267 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Dragon State Kitchen Restaurant: This wallet-friendly eatery specializes in roasted meats, particularly crispy skin chicken, soy sauce chicken, and char siu. Despite the brusque service and dated decor, it is still a popular lunch and takeaway spot.

Must order dishes: crispy skin chicken and char siu

If you go...

38 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Yung's Tangerine Peel Goose: A favorite lunch haunt, Yung's Tangerine Peel Roast Goose is most beloved for – you guessed it – their roasted goose, the restaurant's namesake dish, served with a zippy tangerine peel sauce that cuts through the richness of the crispy, taut skin and juicy goose flesh. Other classic roast meat options are always available, and discounts are honored between the lunch and dinner hours.

Must order dishes: succulent goose and char siu

If you go...

48 Cameron Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Wonton Noodles

Tsim Chai Kee: A Michelin-recommended eatery, Tsim Chai Kee serves up a streamlined menu of behemoth shrimp-stuffed wontons and QQ dace fishballs in a warming, bamboo noodle-filled broth.

Must order dishes: wonton noodles and dace fish balls

If you go...

Shop B, G/F, 98 Wellington St, Central, Hong Kong

Ying Kee: A neighborhood hangout in Sai Ying Pun, this noodle and roasted meats shop serves up fried wontons swimming in a meaty broth, topped with diners' choice of oven-grilled BBQ pork, overnight-stewed beef brisket, springy honeycomb tripe, and more.

Must order dishes: char siu and fried wonton noodles

If you go...

28 High St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Samdor: A beloved Hong Kong diner serving noodle dishes and wontons, Samdor boasts lines out the door at all meal times. Aside from wonton noodles, there's also beef brisket noodles and fried wontons. The often-overlooked fried fish balls are served with a pungent fermented clam sauce, a sleeper dish that steals the show.

Must order dishes: shrimp wonton and fish ball noodles, and if you're still hungry, spring for the fried fish balls with fermented clam sauce.

If you go...

28 Pottinger St, Central, Hong Kong

Mak An Kee: 60-year-old Mak An Kee's handmade squiggly duck egg noodles can be savored dry or in soup, further amped with all manner of brisket, pork knuckle, wontons, prawns and roe. The claim to fame is in the technique, with translucent-skinned wontons brimming with snappy shrimp, tossed simply in oyster sauce.

Must order dishes: brisket wonton noodles

If you go...

37 Wing Kut St, Central, Hong Kong

Ten Noodle Shop: A newer spot that's still dedicated to preserving traditional flavors, Ten Noodle Shop serves all manner of prawn wontons, fish balls, and tofu in a delicate broth. The shop is also famed for its silky rice noodle rolls, made using a secret family recipe, prized for their signature bouncy mouthfeel.

Must order dishes: fish balls and fish tofu

If you go...

45 Yu Chau St, Prince Edward, Hong Kong

Pineapple Buns

Honolulu Cafe: A cha chaan teng must-visit, this Wan Chai café serves Hong Kong diner classics all day long, plus a myriad of freshly baked confectionaries, like fantastic pineapple buns, Mexican custard buns, stuffed French toast and more.

Must order dishes: super club pineapple bun sandwich with spam and egg, Mexican custard bun, and Hong Kong French toast slathered in peanut butter and condensed milk

If you go...

Luen Sen Mansion, 176-178 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Shun Hing: Another standout cha chaan teng, this Causeway Bay diner does one of the best pineapple bun breakfast sandwiches in the city, stacked two-layers tall with pads of melting butter and scrambled eggs. The fluffy omelette rice adorned with dealer's choice of roasted Cantonese meats, the DIY cart noodles, and crispy pork chop are all viable contenders, best enjoyed with a milky tea.

Must order dishes: pineapple bun egg sandwich, cart noodles, and milk tea

If you go...

5 Ormsby St, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Brisket Noodles

Eight Treasures: Boasting a slightly herbal, almost medicinal flavor, the brisket noodles at Eight Treasures are beyond satisfying, with melt-in-your mouth chunks of beef brisket and braised daikon radish.

Must order dishes: brisket noodles with radish

If you go...

G/F, Wing Wah Building, 124 Electric Rd, Tin Hau, Hong Kong

Kau Kee: This long-standing noodle house has been doling out piping bowls of brisket and tendon noodles to the Hong Kong's foodie loving masses for more than 90 years, with a variety of noodle options – e-fu, spring, or flat – in either a braised beef flank soup or a richer curry broth with beef tendon. Do note that Kau Kee requires one noodle purchase per person and is cash only.

Pro tip: Do not skip the neon-orange hot sauce, one that delivers on both flavor and heat.

Must order dishes: Flat noodles in curry broth with beef and tendon

If you go...

Ground Floor, 21 Gough St, Central, Hong Kong

Sister Wah: While Sister Wah is a fan favorite, we found the meat to be inferior to Eight Treasures, and the unfriendly service off-putting. The broth is stellar however.

Must order dishes: brisket noodles, braised radish

If you go...

13 Electric Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

French Toast

Hon Fat: Distinguished for its famous liver noodles, Hon Fat's French toast truly steals the show. Round and fluffy with a thick eggy center, the cloud-like toast is doused in condensed milk.

Must order dishes: French toast

If you go...

192 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Man Wah: An OG Hong Kong diner on the Kowloon side of the city with everything from scrambled eggs and toast to macaroni noodle soup. But the standout is the Hong Kong-style French toast with condensed milk, nostalgia-inducing in every sense of the word.

Must order dishes: French toast

If you go...

G/F, Wah Hung House, Shop no. C & D, 153-159 Tung Choi St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong

Chau Kee: At Chau Kee, diners find a riff on the classic French toast, stuffed "lava" style with fun flavors like black sesame, salted egg yolk and taro.

Must order dishes: black sesame French toast

If you go...

Tung Lee Mansion, 1C-1K Water St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Other Must Eats

Java Cafe: A classic Hong Kong diner with a daily rotating menu, we suggest stopping in between 2-5pm, when Java Cafe offers an afternoon tea menu. All meal sets come with diner's choice of Hong Kong milk tea or coffee.

Must order dishes: satay egg sandwich and the fried chicken + Hong Kong French toast combo

If you go...

82 Java Rd, North Point, Hong Kong

Sun King Yuen Curry Restaurant: If you're willing to battle the lines, this Hong Kong institution is worth the wait. Renowned for its monster-sized portion of fried hor fun (rice noodles with beef) laced with that savory wok hei (breath of wok) char, the overflowing plate of fried noodles is only overshadowed by the colossal fried pork chop served alongside a pleasantly aromatic curry dipping sauce.

Must order dishes: hor fun, curry pork chop

If you go...

G/F, 20 Spring Garden Ln, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Little Bao: After opening eight years ago by Asia's 2017 Female Chef of the Year, May Chow, Little Bao puts a one-of-a-kind Chinese spin on American diner fare.

Must order dishes: fried chicken bao, fried fish bao, green tea dessert bao

If you go...

1-3 Shin Hing St, Central, Hong Kong

Australia Dairy Company: A mainstay in the Hong Kong diner scene, this casual cha chaan teng is deserving its usual line down the street. A seemingly simple menu, every bite always delivers on both quality and nostalgia.

Must order dishes: soft poached eggs on toast, milk pudding, milk tea

If you go...

G/F, 47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong

Hop Yik Tai: This Michelin-rated storefront is famous for one thing: silky rice rolls smothered in both sweet and chili sauces, finished with a liberal sprinkle of sesame seeds. Other Hong Kong snack favorites, like fish balls, braised radish, or pork skin are also available.

Must order dishes: rice rolls

If you go...

121 Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong

華輝小食: A bit outside the city, this small shop is worth the extra jaunt for their spicy peanut sauce slathered pulled chicken above a bed of squishy rice rolls, an unexpected yet perfect pairing.

Must order dishes: rice rolls with pulled chicken

If you go...

G/F, 4D Chik Sau Lane, Chik Fuk Street Tai Wai

Danish Bakery: Despite the name, there is nothing Danish nor bakery about this literal hole-in-the-wall. The couple that owns it serves up some righteous fried hot dogs, fish fillets, pork chops, and the like, swaddled in mayo and ketchup on a toasted bun.

Must order dishes: fried fish sandwich

If you go...

G/F, Leishun Court, 106 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

San Hang Yuen: One of the oldest cha chaan teng's in Sham Shui Po, this friendly eatery offers hearty mains, like beef tongue in black pepper sauce, and their signature lip-tingling Sichuan beef and egg sandwich, stacked two layers high. Wash it down with a creamy milk tea.

Must order dishes: Sichuan beef and egg sandwich

If you go...

38 Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Bakehouse: Celebrated for its artisanal pastries, breads, quiche, and – most of all – sourdough egg tarts, Bakehouse is a must during any Hong Kong visit. There are currently eight locations around the city.

Must order dishes: Sourdough egg tarts

If you go...

5 Staunton St, Central, Hong Kong (plus seven other locations)

Pak See Kut Cake Shop: A traditional Cantonese bakery, this Wan Chai outpost pumps out all things bready, carby, sweet, and delicious.

Must order dishes: Mexican milk bun, char siu pineapple bun, and coconut

If you go...

G/F, 67 Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Author's Note: This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything Hong Kong has to offer, just a sampling of our tried-and-true favorites around town. Got a commendable local eatery in Hong Kong we missed? Drop it in the comments section below, and we will be sure to add it to our next Hong Kong food guide!