Hong Kong and milk tea have a special love affair. With over 100 years of history, milk tea is part of Hong Kong’s cultural heritage. Called “lai cha” in Cantonese, milk tea is part of Hong Kongers’ everyday life and fuels the city. You’ll find it on every cha chaan teng’s menu, available at almost every corner in town. In this article, we’ve rounded up some of the best places for an authentic taste of traditional Hong Kong style milk tea.
What is Hong Kong Style Milk Tea
Hong Kong-style milk tea originated during the British colonial times as a working-class adaptation of English afternoon tea. Traditional Hong Kong-style milk tea is much stronger and bolder to taste than English black tea. It typically uses a blend of Ceylon & Assam black tea leaves, brewed strongly, then strained and pulled through a fine mesh bag that resembles a pantyhose stocking, hence the nickname “silk stocking milk tea”. This particular technique is known to help develop a smooth and velvety texture for the tea. Instead of regular milk, Hong Kong-style milk tea uses evaporated milk for an extra-rich flavour and silky mouthfeel.
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Lan Fong Yuen 蘭芳園
One of the most famous spots for Hong Kong-style Milk Tea is, no doubt, Lan Fong Yuen. The longstanding historic tea restaurant prides itself on its safeguarded secret recipe, using 5 types of premium Assam black tea leaves and showcasing expert craftsmanship to produce a uniquely deep flavour and full-bodied milk tea. If you like your tea strong, you’d definitely like their milk tea. Whether old or young, Lan Fong Yuen is a legendary tea spot and cultural icon that all generations of Hong Kongers adore.
Location: Central 中環
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My Cup of Tea 我杯茶
Tucked away in the streets of Wan Chai is an award-winning milk tea spot called My Cup of Tea. The humble but popular hole-in-the-wall milk tea shop is a local staple, with limited seating at the back of the shop where many office workers pop by for a quick light meal & milk tea fix. Milk tea aside, they’re also very popular for their yuanyang (a local speciality that mixes milk tea and coffee).
Location: Wan Chai 灣仔
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Shui Kee Coffee 瑞記咖啡
Tucked inside Sheung Wan’s cooked food market is Shui Kee Coffee, a longstanding traditional eatery dating back to the 1960s, and it is incredibly popular amongst locals in the area. They are most known for their Hong Kong-style French Toast, best paired with their signature milk tea served in chilled glass bottles.
Location: Sheung Wan
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Tak Tou 德島
Founded by the late “Tak Gor” (Law Tak 羅德), a renowned Hong Kong milk tea master, Tak Tou is definitely one of the top spots for the best milk tea in town. Expect a strong and intensely-flavoured base
Location: Tin Hau / Tsim Sha Tsui
Si Yik 泗益
This hidden place in Stanley is hardly ever mentioned on social media, and it is truly a local secret spot for some good traditional Hong Kong-style milk tea. Si Yik is literally hidden behind a fruit stall, and most people probably miss it when they walk past. They make impeccable milk tea with the perfect balance of flavours and sweetness. They also make delicious Hong Kong-style Kaya French Toast that goes perfectly with the milk tea!
Location: Stanley
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Chrisly Cafe / Capital Cafe 華星冰室
A lot of traditional Hong Kong-style canteens (cha chaan tengs) and even bakeries are not halal-friendly. But if you want to have an authentic cha chaan teng experience, head over to Chrisly Cafe (also known as Capital Cafe). Chrisly Cafe is co-owned by a Muslim, and their bakery is fully halal. Even though you can’t eat from the restaurant menu, you can still get the full experience with their good cup of Hong Kong-style milk tea with some halal traditional bakery goods on the side, such as Bo Lo Bao and Cantonese Egg Tart.
Silk
Boba shops are not usually where you’ll find traditional Hong Kong-style milk tea. But Silk is not your ordinary boba spot and one of its signature drinks is modernised Hong Kong-style Milk Tea boba. It’s a little different, but it offers a good, authentic representation of flavours.
Kam Wah Cafe 金華冰廳
Kam Wah is an iconic cha chaan teng name in Hong Kong, and of course, it makes a great cup of traditional milk tea. It’s rich and creamy, and it is always authentically delicious.
Location: Mong Kok
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