Hong Kong is a special administrative region located in Southern China. It is one of the most densely-populated cities in the world with people of many nationalities! Despite the small size, Hong Kong is a jam-packed hubbub that’s home to many large-scale international companies. In fact, did you know Hong Kong has the third-highest population of billionaires in the world?

It’s clear that Hong Kong is a city that’s very full of life, and that’s very much represented by the food they eat. Like the city, Hong Kong dishes are incredibly diverse and unique. If you ever get a chance to visit Hong Kong, get a chance to sample as many dishes as you can, starting with the five below!

1. Beef Brisket Noodles

Brisket might be one of the cheapest and most underappreciated cuts of beef in the Western world, but they’re everywhere in Hong Kong! A lot of restaurants in the city have huge pots of brisket bubbling happily in broth to make it soft, tender, and juicy.

Beef brisket can be served with almost anything including rice, curry, or even just by itself. However, having brisket with a bowlful of noodles is by far the best way to have it. Here, beef is served in a bowl of fresh noodles that have been cooked with the broth the brisket was cooked with. There are also crunchy vegetables to help cut into the taste. This is definitely one of the best beef dishes ever.

These noodles are so cheap in Hong Kong. It’s a budget-friendly way to get a hot, filling, and well-balanced meal for a few dollars!

2. Steamed Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow)

Hong Kong is known for its world-famous dim sum dishes, and steamed shrimp dumplings (locally known as har gow) are at the forefront of it! These cute dumplings are translucent, letting you see the plump shrimp nestled underneath. It is served with a side of soy sauce.

Making har gow perfectly is the sign of a remarkable chef. As we mentioned, har gow needs to be translucent to see what’s inside, but not translucent enough that it falls apart when being picked up by chopsticks. There also needs to be at least seven or preferably ten or more folds in the wrapper.

Har gow should not stick to the container, the lining paper, or other har gow in the basket. The shrimp inside needs to be perfectly cooked because overcooked shrimp is rubbery. Lastly, the har gow must be big enough that it needs more than one bite to eat.

3. Sweet and Sour Pork

Did you know that this is often considered the national dish of Hong Kong? It is a fantastic blend of Western and Eastern culture that characterize this bustling city! It’s one of the best pork dishes ever!

Sweet and sour pork is battered and deep-fried pork with a sweet and sour glaze. This glaze is made of brown sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, water, and surprisingly, tomato ketchup.

This is where the blend of Western and Eastern cultures comes in—China used to have fish ketchup that the British took back to their country. Westerners found it exotic and scrambled to make their own version of it, which eventually led to tomato ketchup being created. Then, tomato ketchup was taken back to Asia, where Asians then started using it for their dishes as well, including sweet and sour pork. Isn’t that neat?

4. Clay Pot Rice

Clay pot rice, also known as rice casserole, is a rich dish that’s well-known in Hong Kong and other parts of Southern China. Chinese migrants have also introduced the dish to neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia.

The dish involves presoaking rice and partially cooking it in a clay pot. Then, numerous toppings are added depending on your preference. This can include chicken, Chinese sausage, various vegetables, and more. The whole thing is put on the charcoal stove again until the rice is fully cooked and has absorbed all of the delicious flavors of the toppings.

Some clay pot rice restaurants serve it with a side of sweetened soy sauce.

5. Pineapple Bun

Don’t be fooled by the name—these buns don’t actually contain any pineapple at all. Rather, the buns refer to appearance. With a bright yellow hue and a crosshatch pattern, these fun buns remind us of the beloved summer fruit. Some bakeries these days don’t have the crosshatch pattern anymore, but the yellow hue should still be there.

Pineapple buns are common in Hong Kong bakeries. They are extremely soft buns that can be filled with char siu, red bean paste, custard, or salted butter, or can be filled with nothing at all. While the buns are baking, they are brushed with flour and egg topping to make the topping crunchy.

Biting to it is so much fun as the top crackles as you sink your teeth in, and the soft bun falls apart in your hands. So, make sure you have a plate handy to catch all the crumbs!