Where to find Hong Kong food in Taipei
From classic cha chaan tengs to refined Cantonese restaurants
From busy, no-frills cha chaan tengs — Hong Kong-style diners — serving milk tea and pineapple buns, to upscale restaurants reimagining Cantonese classics, Hong Kong cuisine has become an increasingly visible part of Taipei's food scene.
The trend has been fueled in part by a growing Hong Kong community in Taiwan that has boosted demand for delicacies from the city. Nearly 37,000 Hong Kongers were granted residency in Taiwan between 2019 and 2022, according to immigration data, a surge attributed to Hong Kong’s 2019 protest movement and subsequent political developments.
So whether you're craving roast meats, noodles, or a slice of Hong Kong-style French toast, Taipei has no shortage of options.
#1: Citystar Restaurant
Classic Cantonese comfort food, 24 hours a day
Located in Taipei's busy East District, Citystar Restaurant offers a large menu of dim sum, roasted meats, seafood, clay pot dishes, desserts, and vegetarian options.
When This Is Taipei visited on a weekday lunchtime, the restaurant was busy and noisy, with fast-paced but efficient service. Food comes out as it's ready, and servers will bring small dishes that you can choose from directly to your table.
The menu is bilingual, and you order via QR code. Prices are reasonable, especially considering the range of dishes on offer and the upscale environment. Our bill for two people came to NT$1000.
We ordered the rice noodle rolls with youtiao and spring onions, shrimp siu mai, and Singapore-style fried rice vermicelli, which came as a generous plate of noodles with shrimp, scrambled egg, bean sprouts, and pork.
The restaurant is open 24 hours and is a good choice for lunch, dinner, or late-night dining in central Taipei.
#2: Hong Kong Xin Hua Restaurant
Fast-paced Hong Kong comfort food near Yongkang Street
Located just off Yongkang Street, Hong Kong Xin Hua Restaurant is a busy eatery serving Cantonese and Hong Kong-style comfort food.
The pace is fast, the staff will want your order quickly, and you'll need your entire party present before being seated. The menu is huge, made up of dim sum, noodles, congee, rice dishes, toast, milk tea, and desserts.
For those who enjoy classic Cantonese food, the Hong Kong-style crispy noodles come topped with shrimp, squid, pork, cabbage, and a silky gravy poured over a nest of fried egg noodles. We also ordered the Cantonese-style stir-fried beef rice noodles, which were tasty.
It's also worth saving some room for the Hong Kong-style French toast, which is filled with peanut butter, topped with a thick slab of butter, and served hot with syrup. It is unapologetically rich and worth ordering even if you're only stopping by for a snack.
Expect to spend around NT$800 for two people. The restaurant was listed was open daily from 11 AM to 2:30 PM and 5 PM to 8:30 PM.
#3: Hong Kong Chashuitan
A 25-year-old cha chaan teng with three Taipei locations
Founded in 1999, Hong Kong Chashuitan (香港茶水攤) is one of Taipei's longest-running Hong Kong-style restaurants, with three locations across the city serving a wide range of Cantonese and Hong Kong-style dishes.
The restaurant's website says it aims to recreate the feel of a Hong Kong cha chaan teng, with imported seasonings and local ingredients.
When This Is Taipei visited the Yanji branch, the original location, in late June. We were immediately taken by the interior, which features retro signage, booth seating, and vintage Hong Kong-inspired decor.
The menu covers cha chaan teng classics, from noodles and rice dishes to snacks, drinks, and desserts. We ordered the XO sauce seafood noodles, spring rolls, and siu mai. The noodles came with shrimp, squid, bean sprouts, cabbage, and red pepper, all tossed in a savory, mildly spicy XO sauce.
We were still a little hungry by the end, but the Hong Kong-style French toast saved the meal from feeling too light.
The restaurant was still busy at 2 PM, so expect a lively room rather than a quiet meal. It is listed as open daily from 11:30 AM to 10 PM.
