Kau Kee

Although Hong Kong is littered with snazzy and opulent establishments claiming to serve the best Chinese in the city, this modest eatery in Central thwarts the notion that good food equals a dent in your wallet—once you’ve eaten at Kau Kee, you’ll join the ranks of regulars queuing up outside their doors. The restaurant isn’t much to look at—a narrow stretch lit by white tube lights and littered with wooden tables and stools—but the food will have you hooked. Having been around for close to a century now, this Hong Kong institution is known for its noodle and rice dishes—particularly the beef brisket noodles and curry beef tendon noodles—both of which are wonderfully flavoured with Chinese spices and contain a generous quantity of melt-in-the-mouth beef. For locals, a meal at Kau Kee is a weekly affair, and for tourists it’s an absolute must.