eat like Bourdain
🇭🇰 Where Bourdain Ate in Hong Kong
20 places across Parts Unknown & No Reservations
“Hong Kong is a city that rewards wandering. Get lost. The best meal of your life is probably down some alley you'd never think to walk down.”
Bourdain had a deep love affair with Hong Kong — he visited across multiple shows and often said it was one of the greatest food cities on earth. He was particularly drawn to the dai pai dong (street food stalls), the chaotic dim sum halls, and the collision of East and West.
What Bourdain Loved About Hong Kong
Dai pai dong — the open-air food stalls that define Hong Kong street food
Dim sum at dawn with old men reading newspapers and sipping tea
Roast goose and char siu — the Cantonese mastery of roasted meats
The noodle shops that have been making one dish for generations
Wanchai wet market at 5am, watching the city wake up through its stomach
Episodes Featuring Hong Kong
Parts Unknown — S1 E1: Hong Kong
The very first episode of Parts Unknown — a statement of intent
Parts Unknown — S4 E6: Hong Kong
Returns with cinematographer Christopher Doyle for a very different view
No Reservations — S3 E7: Hong Kong
Falls hard for the city's food scene
Travel Tips for Eating in Hong Kong
Tony's Advice
Go to Kowloon City. It's not on the MTR. That's the point.
What to Skip
- ✕Western hotel restaurants
- ✕Tourist dim sum in malls
- ✕The Peak tourist trap restaurants
Every Place Bourdain Visited in Hong Kong
20 placesLeaf Dessert
伊利近街 Elgin Street
A 100-year old noodle shop. Tony had beef brisket noodles with wontons, cinematographer Chris Doyle had choy noodle soup.
Keung Kee Dai Pai Dong
基隆街 Ki Lung Street
"Cheap, delicious food served from open air stalls." Tony met with chef Gazza Cheng and had drunken chicken, fish tripe, and egg-custard clay-pot dish with youtiao
Fishing Village Gourmet Food
大澳街市街 Tai O Market Street
Christopher Doyle and filmmaker Jenny Suen accompanied Tony to eat corn–and–fish ball soup; fried fish ball with dried scallop, dried shrimp, and pork; sun cured salted salted egg yolks served over rice; crispy pork belly cooked in shrimp paste and yu choy
China Cafe
Canton Road
Tony and photojournalist Simon Go ordered Fried pork cutlet over rice with tomato sauce, soup with macaroni, spam and egg, French toast with peanut butter and condensed milk, pineapple bun.
Sher-E-Punjab
彌敦道 Nathan Road
Tony had northern Indian food here.
Sun Hing Restaurant
士美菲路 Smithfield
Tony went for dim sum with Janice Lau and Jason Cheung, members of Hong Kong punk band David Boring.
Happy Paradise
Staunton Street
Tony had dinner with Jenny Suen, feng shui master Thierry Chow, and chef May Chow. They had sourdough chicken-fat egg waffle with Taiwanese bottarga; sauteed prawns with pan-roasted pumpkin, dried shrimp roe, and prawn oil; tea-smoked pigeon; Hakka-style chicken; and pig brain with burnt-pear vinaigrette.
Lau Sum Kee Noodle
Kweilin Street
Tony had lunch with Douglas Young, founder of Goods of Desire. They had prawn-roe noodles.
Yat Lok Roast Goose
士丹利街 Stanley Street
Roast goose and pig. Tony said the goose was "worth flying to Hong Kong for"
Muscle Man
黑布街 Hak Po Street
3 bodybuilder brothers make noodles at this restaurant at night
Ping Kee Noodles
Heung Sze Wui Street
They ate soup at a restaurant where noodles are made by hand
Tung Po Kitchen
渣華道 Java Road
Tony had Dai Pai Dong, which is a food hall dedicated to street food
Victoria Harbour
Tony ate typhoon crab on a boat
Under Bridge Spicy Crab
Lockhart Road
The restaurant where the chef made the chili oil typhoon crab
Bo Innovation
Johnston Road
Alvin Leung's famous and very strange modern cuisine. Tony called him the "Ferren Adria" of Hong Kong
Lin Heung Tea House
華安里 Wa On Lane
Dim sum!
Temple Street Night Market
廟街 Temple Street
Lots of food stands. Tony met with a local food blogger Josh Suh and ate claypot rice
Tai Po Cooked Food Centre & Podium Garden
Heung Sze Wui Street
Food stand market
Hong Kong Jockey Club Happy Valley Racecourse
黃泥涌道 Wong Nai Chung Road
Tony lost money betting on horses here
New Territories
德士古道天橋 Texaco Road Flyover
Jackie Chan's stunt team helped Tony learn some martial arts stunts. Then they ate Poon Choi: a large bowl layered with vegetables, prawns, fish, mushrooms, pork, and chicken. A thousand year old dish
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