Hong Kong's Iconic Milk Tea
It’s the most popular of all Hong Kong beverages: but not all milk teas are made the same. Yannie Chan seeks out the secrets behind a smooth, creamy cuppa.
Bottled Goodness
Don’t be put off by the grubby chairs and tables or the ancient-looking menu: you’re here for the milk tea. Tucked away in the cooked food center of the Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building, Shui Kee Coffee has been around for over 60 years and it looks its age. But its renowned “milk tea in a bottle” ($13) and snacks still attract tourists and foodies. “The milk tea in a bottle is my invention,” says the 80-year-old owner Cheung Wing-yan. “The size is just right and we refrigerate it beforehand so we don’t need to add ice.” Cheung says there’s no trick to his trade: “Fresh milk tea is good milk tea. We only prepare the drink to order.” Cheung drinks two cups of milk tea a day: “If I don’t love it, how can I make milk teas that are so popular?”
Shop 17, 2/F, Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building, Sheung Wan.
Shui Kee's renowned "milk tea in a bottle" ($13)
Milk Buckets
Local restaurant chain Tai Hing is a more commercial and pricey option, but if you’re lusting after a creamy, cold cup of milk tea, chances are there’s a Tai Hing near you. The well-known Chilled Original Milk Tea ($19) comes in a bowl of ice, which keeps the drink cool without diluting the taste as the ice melts. According to Tai Hing, the idea came from a Western contraption: ice buckets for beer. Tai Hing’s standardization of the entire milk-tea-making procedure—from the mixing of Sri Lankan tea leaves, to the amount of water, to how long the tea steeps for—adds up to a reliably strong and delicious cup of milk tea. There’s even a canned version ($11) on sale in Tai Hing branches as well as ParknShop.