https://www.scmp.com/rss/327148/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lisa Cam Lisa Cam With three new steakhouses opening in Hong Kong in May, meat seems to be the theme for menus this month. But there is plenty more for those looking for new places to try. There are Michelin-starred ramen expansions, creative omakase concepts and comforting Korean stews. A Japanese eel specialist lands in Tuen Mun, a Swiss fondue spot debuts in Kennedy Town, and a modern Vietnamese kitchen opens its doors in Central. Whatever you crave, there is a fair chance you will find it among the new... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351811/13-new-hong-kong-restaurants-and-bars-try-may-2026-pizza-and-steak-fondue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351811/13-new-hong-kong-restaurants-and-bars-try-may-2026-pizza-and-steak-fondue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung When Taiwanese-American journalist and cookbook author Clarissa Wei gave birth to her first child three years ago, she did everything “right” – at least by Taiwanese post-partum care standards. She checked into a dedicated confinement centre, expecting a month of nourishing herbal soups, expert recovery advice and the kind of rest that Chinese tradition has prescribed new mothers for centuries. Instead, she felt lost. “To be honest, the food wasn’t great,” Wei says. “I developed post-partum... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351808/asian-american-mother-challenges-tough-chinese-traditions-new-mums-modern-recipes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351808/asian-american-mother-challenges-tough-chinese-traditions-new-mums-modern-recipes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok Several years ago, I opined about the misguided hate towards Chinese desserts, and how a subset of Hongkongers were attempting to buck the stereotype of sweet soups and puddings as boring, one-dimensional or too sweet. In the time since, the usual wave of sugary trends has waxed and waned: from croffle madness to the rise and fall of doughnut shops to the dominance of Dubai chocolate and all of its iterations. Now, Hong Kong is seeing a resurgence of dessert specialists that are honing in on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351779/chinese-desserts-red-bean-black-sesame-and-sago-soups-are-having-their-moment-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351779/chinese-desserts-red-bean-black-sesame-and-sago-soups-are-having-their-moment-again?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:15:08 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Sam Chong is the director of wine at New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui East. He spoke to Andrew Sun. I am a comfort food person at heart, but I also appreciate fine dining when the occasion calls. Growing up, seafood was always on the table. My parents loved it, so I developed a deep appreciation for fresh seafood from an early age. My father is not a chef, but he truly enjoys cooking so I was always spoiled with great home-cooked food. For me, quality ingredients and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351576/exceptional-steak-fresh-shrimp-dumplings-wine-lovers-top-hong-kong-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351576/exceptional-steak-fresh-shrimp-dumplings-wine-lovers-top-hong-kong-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Grace Brewer Grace Brewer May kicks off with a bang as Hong Kong’s dining scene swings from fiery Northern Chinese to Cantonese seafood and a bold new Asian steakhouse debut. The first weekend of the month brings Hutong’s Guizhou chilli revival, Celestial Court’s sustainable tasting menus, and The Orient Steakhouse’s harbour-view Josper grills. For more fine dining, see the newly announced 2026 100 Top Tables Guide. Friday, May 1 Hutong marks over two decades of Northern Chinese flair with a limited-time Red Lantern... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3351678/your-hong-kong-weekend-food-guide-may-1-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3351678/your-hong-kong-weekend-food-guide-may-1-3?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Doris Lam Doris Lam When it comes to cooking, chef Jeremy Chan refuses to be boxed in. At Ikoyi, the two-Michelin-star London restaurant he co-founded in 2017, his creations don’t sway towards West African cuisine, despite having borrowed the establishment’s name from his co-founder’s hometown in Lagos, Nigeria. Nor does the food overtly tell of Chan’s international background – born in Britain to a Chinese father and Canadian mother, he grew up between Hong Kong, Canada and the United States. Instead, it is a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351555/british-canadian-chefs-nod-hong-kong-childhood-2-michelin-star-london-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351555/british-canadian-chefs-nod-hong-kong-childhood-2-michelin-star-london-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 04:45:45 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan It is not an exaggeration to say that chilli peppers and spicy food are available on pretty much every street in China. The pungent, heat-infused foodstuff is so ubiquitous people joke that if a person does not indulge, they will starve, or at best lose friends, because eating spicy things fosters social bonding. However, the popular ingredient has only been around in China for a relatively short time. It first entered the country 400 years ago and people have been eating it for about three... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3350999/history-chilli-peppers-china-first-used-ornamental-plants-later-poor-mans-spice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3350999/history-chilli-peppers-china-first-used-ornamental-plants-later-poor-mans-spice?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam At 15, most Hong Kong teenagers are fretting over exams. At that age, Kan Wong, the newly appointed executive Chinese chef at Celestial Court at the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, was up to his elbows in a wok, learning a lesson his father never intended to teach. “I started helping my dad out in the kitchen when I was only nine years old,” he says. “He thought it would teach me a lesson so I would study harder at school. But I fell in love with the work.” Born into a working-class family in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3351539/how-hong-kong-chef-cooks-old-style-tastes-city-using-innovative-techniques?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3351539/how-hong-kong-chef-cooks-old-style-tastes-city-using-innovative-techniques?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:16:07 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam The last few years have seen chilli crisp grow in international fame, with the crunchy, oily, umami-packed condiment being drizzled over eggs, folded into ice cream and debated with an intensity that borders on obsession. In 2024, that fervour bubbled over into a lawsuit when chef David Chang of the Momofuku restaurant empire claimed “common law” rights to “chili crunch” after acquiring the trademark for “chile crunch”, sparking outrage across the food world and ultimately forcing the company to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351158/not-just-home-lao-gan-ma-guizhou-where-chinas-chilli-culture-was-born?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351158/not-just-home-lao-gan-ma-guizhou-where-chinas-chilli-culture-was-born?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Grace Brewer Grace Brewer Golden Gip, the fourth outpost from Censu Crew visionary Shun Sato, opened its doors on Wellington Street in Central in January 2025, following a four-month pop-up called Prelude in Sai Wan Ho. This lively spot channels an elevated dai pai dong vibe, blending Asian cuisines with bold Korean twists in a wabi-sabi space, alive with neon signs, collaborative art and a “gip” (Korean for home) atmosphere that draws crowds for shareable plates. Sato hails from Sendai in northern Japan and was born... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3350478/dish-focus-fxxking-peace-out-mapo-tofu-golden-gip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3350478/dish-focus-fxxking-peace-out-mapo-tofu-golden-gip?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:55:46 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu For many people of the Asian diaspora, food provides a tangible link to heritage that can sometimes feel distant. Soy sauce is one of the best examples. While familiar red-capped, mass-produced bottles of soy sauce dominate supermarket shelves, a small community of artisans is choosing to make the condiment in different, slower ways. Ramona Lee – also known as “The Soy Sauce Lady” – and Mike Fung of Cinwaan Soy Sauce are hand-crafting the liquid gold in rainy Sweden and sun-drenched Australia,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351073/soy-sauce-artisans-making-chinese-condiment-dash-attitude?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351073/soy-sauce-artisans-making-chinese-condiment-dash-attitude?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Originally from Hong Kong but now based in Macau, Sammy Wu is the assistant vice-president of food and beverage at Galaxy Macau. He has written articles for the Michelin Guide and a book on hospitality management. He spoke to Andrew Sun. I’ve always approached food with both curiosity and discipline. Growing up with Cantonese home cooking in Hong Kong, I learned early to appreciate balance, restraint and familiarity at the table. For a simple lunch, I often go to Coloane Pier Ribbon Soup Shop... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350822/top-macau-restaurants-soup-noodles-portuguese-ribs-pork-resort-fb-boss-picks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350822/top-macau-restaurants-soup-noodles-portuguese-ribs-pork-resort-fb-boss-picks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung For decades, locals and tourists alike in Hong Kong have flocked to Oi Man Sang – a 70-year-old dai pai dong (street food stall) with a loyal following. Since opening in 1956, it has been recognised by food critics and chefs as the “king of wok hei” – wok hei being the Cantonese term that describes the flavour of the perfect stir-fried dish. The restaurant gained international fame after appearing on South Korean celebrity restaurateur Baek Jong-won’s Street Food Fighter TV show, as well as Bon... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350453/hong-kongs-famous-oi-man-sang-dai-pai-dong-opens-dessert-shop-michelin-touch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350453/hong-kongs-famous-oi-man-sang-dai-pai-dong-opens-dessert-shop-michelin-touch?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:15:12 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon It was a familiar situation that I found myself in. I was one of two Singaporeans among half a dozen or more Malaysians, and predictably – and almost always unprovoked – the trashing of Singapore’s food began, especially its supposed unoriginality and blandness vis-a-vis Malaysian fare. I have learned to grin and bear it, recognising that these barbs are less about food than the complex emotions Malaysians harbour towards their southern cousins, which are shaped by history, resentment and a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3350239/what-ancient-chinese-dish-can-teach-people-about-proper-way-eat-dishes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3350239/what-ancient-chinese-dish-can-teach-people-about-proper-way-eat-dishes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:15:08 +0000 Victoria Burrows Victoria Burrows The steamed dumplings at Peking Restaurant in El Sheikh Zayed City, Cairo, have a filling of soft and salty minced beef inside thick skins, similar to boiled Northern Chinese shuijiao, but even more sturdy. The two dipping sauces served with it are tomato-based; one a thin ketchup, the other a far thicker, spicy sauce studded with chilli seeds. Instead of chopsticks, knives and forks are set on tables in the dining room, decorated with wooden Chinese lattice work on the ceiling and traditional... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350158/how-chinese-food-took-root-cairo-60s-peking-restaurant-egyptianised-dishes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350158/how-chinese-food-took-root-cairo-60s-peking-restaurant-egyptianised-dishes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Grace Brewer Grace Brewer As Hongkongers flock to Kai Tak for the Sevens this weekend, the city’s dining scene delivers the perfect match day sides. Think a free-entry rugby village, an ideal spot to recharge over the action-packed weekend; a nourishing luxury sea cucumber set menu at The Murray hotel; and a pop-up featuring famed Singaporean brand Tiong Bahru Bakery for Sunday recovery. For more dining ideas, see the 2025 100 Top Tables Guide – and watch this space for the 2026 edition. Friday, April 17 For a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3350139/your-hong-kong-sevens-weekend-food-guide-april-17-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3350139/your-hong-kong-sevens-weekend-food-guide-april-17-19?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:49:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Several restaurants in eastern China are using artificial intelligence (AI) robots to cook as many as 100 dishes to cut costs, sparking a heated discussion on social media. In Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, at least three such eateries have been operating for months, Zhejiang TV reported. One of them, 24 Jieqi Robot Restaurant in the Xihu district uses eight robots which handle ordering, serving, cleaning and cooking. They have shared 60 per cent of the total workload of kitchen workers, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350001/china-ai-robot-restaurant-analyses-diners-faces-tongues-recommend-health-focused-dishes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350001/china-ai-robot-restaurant-analyses-diners-faces-tongues-recommend-health-focused-dishes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:00:15 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese diner has gone viral after its owner rejected the trappings of popularity, mirroring a so-called lying flat attitude adopted by many youngsters in the country. The chicken pot restaurant in Foshan, Guangdong province, southern China recently attracted unprecedented traffic. It once had over 200 groups of customers waiting for more than three hours. The diner specialises in combining chicken pot with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbs, but that is not why it went viral. The main... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3349241/china-restaurant-owner-rejects-fame-after-being-overwhelmed-growing-number-customers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3349241/china-restaurant-owner-rejects-fame-after-being-overwhelmed-growing-number-customers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:00:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times On a recent Tuesday evening in Seoul, the Myeongdong branch of Bantianyao Kaoyu, a Chinese restaurant specialising in whole simmered fish dishes, is already filling up well before the dinner rush. Inside, large trays of whole simmered fish arrive one after another, each landing in a bath of deep-red chilli-laced broth, sending up a cloud of steam over the tables. Despite it only being 5.30pm – early enough at most restaurants to avoid the usual queues of hungry commuters – almost all of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349535/why-are-young-koreans-going-crazy-chinese-restaurants-inside-growing-trend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349535/why-are-young-koreans-going-crazy-chinese-restaurants-inside-growing-trend?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Angela Hui Angela Hui Imagine this: a thick slab of golden-brown toast, topped with a perfect knob of butter melting slowly into the middle, finished with a drizzle of sticky golden syrup. For many Hong Kong diners, this variation on French toast is a familiar sight and a staple on menus across many of the city’s cha chaan teng. But don’t expect Cantoast Bakery in London to follow the mould. “A lot of the time, I get questions from customers,” says Haydon Wong, chef-owner of the pop-up bakery, which specialises in an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349463/how-chinese-takeaway-kid-brought-hong-kong-style-french-toast-london-twist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349463/how-chinese-takeaway-kid-brought-hong-kong-style-french-toast-london-twist?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Is the freedom to stink a right or a privilege? I started to ponder this question after a report last week that a Taiwanese restaurant in California had been ordered to stop selling stinky tofu after repeated complaints from a resident. Let me emphasise that these objections came from just one unrelenting individual. The neighbours in the commercial plaza did not seem to mind. Staff at the beauty salon next door said they could not smell the funky fermented bean curd. The restaurant’s owner... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349249/stinky-tofu-ban-us-restaurant-discrimination-or-just-lack-common-scents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349249/stinky-tofu-ban-us-restaurant-discrimination-or-just-lack-common-scents?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:15:07 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Okinawa is famous today for its pristine waters, gaudy Orion beer T-shirts, stone lions and dishes such as taco rice, but in centuries past it was better known as the centre of the independent Ryukyu Kingdom, which thrived as a maritime trade hub from 1429 to 1879. The Ryukyu Kingdom connected Southeast Asia, China and Korea with Japan through trade, which included Chinese ceramics and Japanese silver. Over 450 years, these exchanges led to the development of the kingdom’s unique culture. Ryukyu... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348777/how-food-japans-okinawa-evolved-chinese-influences-become-truly-unique?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348777/how-food-japans-okinawa-evolved-chinese-influences-become-truly-unique?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Stinky tofu is no longer on the menu at Golden Leaf restaurant in San Gabriel, Los Angeles, after the city received complaints about the dish’s aroma. But the family behind the restaurant is fighting to bring back the street food, which is popular in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and prized for its distinct, potent stench. “The scene of stinky tofu in Taiwanese night markets is an invitation to community and tradition,” owner David Liao says. The dish is “a cherished taste of home and a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348652/forced-stop-selling-stinky-tofu-taiwanese-restaurant-fought-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348652/forced-stop-selling-stinky-tofu-taiwanese-restaurant-fought-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 20:15:11 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing A new rule in Guangzhou requiring teahouses to declare whether their traditional dim sum is freshly handmade has sparked debate and calls for transparency over how similar meals are made in Hong Kong. Guangzhou authorities on Wednesday released new regulations on morning tea heritage protection, effective on May 1, which mandate that operators must explicitly indicate whether their dim sum dishes are made using traditional on-site methods or through non-traditional means. The mainland Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349037/new-guangzhou-rule-handmade-dim-sum-sparks-debate-heritage-food-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349037/new-guangzhou-rule-handmade-dim-sum-sparks-debate-heritage-food-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:15:55 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon Last month, friends visiting from Hong Kong brought me two tins of cookies from Jenny Bakery – a popular local treat I had somehow never tried in two decades of living in the city. When I finally opened one, the aroma caught me off guard: rich, buttery and instantly familiar. It smelled exactly like the coffee buns from the Malaysian bakery chain Rotiboy, which I used to eat far more often than I should admit. I paused for a moment, tin in hand, trying to place that recognition. Maybe it was a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3348537/history-chinese-flatbreads-reflects-how-food-has-echoes-faraway-places?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3348537/history-chinese-flatbreads-reflects-how-food-has-echoes-faraway-places?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:15:07 +0000 Bernice Chan Bernice Chan Drive about an hour north of Vancouver and you will reach Squamish. The quiet town in the Canadian province of British Columbia is known as a mecca for rock climbers and mountain bikers. One of the area’s famed natural landmarks is Shannon Falls – among the tallest waterfalls in the province – and straight across from it is the Klahanie Campground, where visitors can not only enjoy a picturesque view of the falls but also buy Hong Kong-style snacks and drinks. Unique Slow Rise Bakery serves... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348498/how-hongkongers-bakery-giving-remote-canadian-town-taste-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348498/how-hongkongers-bakery-giving-remote-canadian-town-taste-city?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Although ma lai go was voted one of the worst dim sum dishes to order in a 2023 discussion post on the “Hong Kong Dim Sum Concern Group” social media forum, it remains a yum cha staple, loved by those who enjoy its understated yet complex brown-sugar flavour. Also known as Malay sponge cake or Chinese steamed cake, it is one of the many dim sum dishes most representative of Hong Kong culture, with its blend of Western influence and Eastern refinement. But, like many things in an era of rapid... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348385/where-does-ma-lai-go-come-and-why-classic-dim-sum-dish-so-special?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348385/where-does-ma-lai-go-come-and-why-classic-dim-sum-dish-so-special?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Lee Hill-choi Lee Hill-choi Macau has long been a city of intersections – East and West, old and new, tradition and reinvention. As a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy, it is now staking a claim to another kind of convergence: a place where world-class fine dining and genuine environmental responsibility are not in tension, but in lockstep. That ambition takes centre stage at this year’s International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, which for the first time extends beyond Fisherman’s Wharf into a new satellite venue in the... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3348524/macaus-culinary-festival-highlights-luxury-dining-alongside-sustainability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3348524/macaus-culinary-festival-highlights-luxury-dining-alongside-sustainability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:30 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au Marco Polo once wrote that for every shipload of pepper reaching Alexandria, a hundred docked in Quanzhou. Centuries later, that pepper still lingers – sprinkled over bowls of beef soup, simmered with seafood, woven into the city’s kitchens. It is a taste of the maritime trade routes that once made Quanzhou the “emporium of the world”. In 2021, Quanzhou received Unesco World Heritage status for its role as the eastern terminus of the Maritime Silk Road. Four years later, in October 2025, it... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3348506/quanzhou-maritime-silk-road-unesco-creative-city-gastronomy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3348506/quanzhou-maritime-silk-road-unesco-creative-city-gastronomy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:18:48 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong’s traditional Chinese dining landscape is undergoing a structural overhaul, with a leading restaurant operator pivoting to experiential dining and smaller footprints amid a wave of closures and residents heading across the border for shopping and dining. Traditional dim sum and Chinese restaurants have been closing across the city, including three Star Seafood Restaurant branches in districts such as Wong Tai Sin, and the 35-year-old Metropol Restaurant in Admiralty. Martin Lee, chief... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348310/hong-kong-restaurateurs-revamp-traditional-dining-closures-reshape-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348310/hong-kong-restaurateurs-revamp-traditional-dining-closures-reshape-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:30:21 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam The concept of this dish alone may be enough to make you sick to your stomach. Hailing from southwest China’s mountainous Guizhou province, the notorious cow dung or niubie hotpot is a stew that is made out of undigested grass from a cow’s stomach and intestines, as well as cow bile. Also known as bitter or cow bile hotpot, this creation often falls into the category of “dark cuisine” in Chinese gastronomy, which refers to unconventional food combinations that challenge culinary norms. Dishes... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348116/cow-dung-hotpot-anyone-chinas-dark-cuisine-dish-has-deep-cultural-roots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348116/cow-dung-hotpot-anyone-chinas-dark-cuisine-dish-has-deep-cultural-roots?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Vanessa Lee Vanessa Lee “Have you ever had fried bananas in Chinese food before?” Lap-see Lam asks with a twinkle in her eye over our video call between Stockholm and Hong Kong. I admit I haven’t, at least not of the Chinese persuasion. The artist explains that fried bananas with syrup and ice cream is a typical Swedish-Chinese dish. Another is Swedish meatballs in tomato sauce served with rice. But the most remarkable is a dish called “four small dishes”. “It’s basically different dishes on the same plate, and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347328/multimedia-artist-lap-see-lams-hong-kong-show-explores-cultural-identity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347328/multimedia-artist-lap-see-lams-hong-kong-show-explores-cultural-identity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:15:07 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Zoie Yung is the programme curator for Hong Kong’s Art Central 2026, and has previously collaborated with the city’s art organisations including Tai Kwun Contemporary, Para Site, 1a Space and Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre. She spoke to Andrew Sun. I am Cantonese by birth, but my culinary upbringing was quite hybrid. My parents were not big on cooking, so our family often ate at a local daa laang, or Chiu Chow-style evening dining restaurant. I grew up with baby oyster congee and chilled “frozen... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347784/classic-cantonese-splurge-worthy-japanese-art-curators-go-hong-kong-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347784/classic-cantonese-splurge-worthy-japanese-art-curators-go-hong-kong-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A Japanese food company has transformed tofu with a “manly” twist, attracting younger consumers and generating over 6 billion yen (US$38 million) in annual revenue. Tofu, introduced to Japan from China during the Tang dynasty (618–907), boasts a rich historical lineage. During the Edo Period (1601–1868), the shogunate implemented austerity measures to combat a financial crisis, directing the samurai class to adopt cotton attire and consume economical tofu for sustenance. Since then, tofu has... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3347676/japan-food-company-rebrands-boring-tofu-making-it-manly-appeal-young-customers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3347676/japan-food-company-rebrands-boring-tofu-making-it-manly-appeal-young-customers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:15:08 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok China’s 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide awards were announced on March 23, just days after the star rankings for the Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau were unveiled on March 19, and before the coming ceremony for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants to be held in Hong Kong on March 25. The guide, often referred to as China’s answer to France’s century-old restaurant ranking system, awards venues using a three-tiered “diamond” system as opposed to Michelin’s star ratings. Similarly, Black Pearl... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347594/2026-black-pearl-restaurant-guide-awards-hong-kongs-chefs-top-honours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347594/2026-black-pearl-restaurant-guide-awards-hong-kongs-chefs-top-honours?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:34:58 +0000 Wilson Lau Wilson Lau Macau’s culinary identity is a deliciously unruly map of the world: a centuries-old laboratory of creative fusion where spices, techniques and stories collide. Long before “fusion cuisine” became a trend, Macanese cooking was already inventing itself at the crossroads of oceans – an everyday experiment in adaptation, improvisation and joyful hybridity. What began as practical substitutions and ingenuity has evolved into a living tradition that prizes sustainability, originality and a renewed... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3347312/macau-gastronomy-fest-unites-39-unesco-cities-chengdu-lucknow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3347312/macau-gastronomy-fest-unites-39-unesco-cities-chengdu-lucknow?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:00:36 +0000 Victoria Burrows Victoria Burrows Partway through our meal at Surfers, a Chinese restaurant in Sweden’s capital of Stockholm, Ludvig Saaf bursts into song. It is a Mongolian drinking song about fermented mare’s milk, but few in the dining room can understand the Mandarin lyrics. We join in, though, answering each rousing “Hey!” with a rowdy one of our own. At the end, we shout “ganbei” – a Chinese term meaning “cheers” – and down our thimble-sized glasses of baijiu, a Chinese spirit. Saaf, tall and blond with a pierced lower... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347152/trailblazing-chinese-restaurant-sweden-showing-what-culture-really-all-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347152/trailblazing-chinese-restaurant-sweden-showing-what-culture-really-all-about?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 04:45:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Pancakes are a common breakfast in many parts of China today, but few people are aware that the popular meal has been around for 5,000 years. An ancient griddle unearthed from the Yangshao site in central China’s Henan province reveals that the history of Chinese pancakes could date back to at least 50 centuries ago. As for their invention, legend has it that pancakes came into being when Nuwa mended the heavens. In primordial times, when the world fell apart, mother goddess Nuwa gathered... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3347031/chinese-pancakes-trace-back-5000-years-references-appear-ancient-paintings-poems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3347031/chinese-pancakes-trace-back-5000-years-references-appear-ancient-paintings-poems?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 06:00:12 +0000 Xiong Yang Xiong Yang Most of us have fielded the question: “So where are you from?” To say I’m not a fan of this question would be an understatement, considering how my response – “I’m Chinese” – is often met with palpable disappointment. Unfortunately, I don’t have a rare nationality, like Bruneian, nor am I a fun Korean. But before I can spiral into an identity crisis, my appetite always anchors me in the comfort of being Chinese. My Chineseness surfaced in embodied and reassuring ways when I first moved overseas... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346533/new-york-chinese-doesnt-begin-capture-our-many-tastes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346533/new-york-chinese-doesnt-begin-capture-our-many-tastes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon I recently enjoyed a delicious dinner at a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur that specialised in Hakka cuisine. Hakka restaurants have long existed in the city and elsewhere in Malaysia, but anecdotal evidence suggests their numbers have been growing rapidly in recent years. Less widely known than Cantonese and several other Chinese regional cuisines, Hakka food may be enjoying its moment in the sun, at least in Malaysia, where the Hakka population numbers around 1.25 million. They form the largest... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3347186/how-hakka-spread-china-and-beyond-their-cuisine-reflecting-hard-lives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3347186/how-hakka-spread-china-and-beyond-their-cuisine-reflecting-hard-lives?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:15:09 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Kowloon Walled City, with its triad gangs and lawless reputation, remains a symbol of Hong Kong’s underbelly more than three decades after it was demolished in 1994. What many forget, however, is that it was also home to tens of thousands of ordinary residents who lived ordinary lives trying to make ends meet. Ha Ming Kee, a Chiu Chow-style fish ball noodle restaurant and manufacturer, was founded decades ago by Roger Ha’s parents, Ha Fan-ming and Chan So-hing, in the narrow alleyways of Kowloon... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347100/how-hong-kong-fish-ball-maker-kowloon-walled-city-became-thriving-family-business?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347100/how-hong-kong-fish-ball-maker-kowloon-walled-city-became-thriving-family-business?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam The Bay by Chef Fei, the Cantonese restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen, has been awarded a prestigious One Diamond distinction in the 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. Often regarded as China’s answer to the Michelin Guide, the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide ranks the country’s finest dining establishments, celebrating culinary excellence and outstanding hospitality. The award recognises the restaurant’s interpretation of Lingnan and Chaozhou (also called Chiu Chow) culinary traditions... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346080/shenzhens-bay-chef-fei-restaurant-awarded-1-diamond-chinas-michelin-guide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346080/shenzhens-bay-chef-fei-restaurant-awarded-1-diamond-chinas-michelin-guide?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A growing global craze has seen foreigners flock to malatang restaurants to celebrate birthdays and go on dates. The trend has sparked widespread online sharing and lively discussions on mainland social media. Malatang, which literally means “numbing, spicy and hot”, is a popular Chinese street food originating from Sichuan province in southwestern China. It consists of various self-selected meats, vegetables and noodles boiled in a broth. Often described as a “personal hotpot”, diners choose... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3345275/foreigners-flock-chinese-malatang-eateries-host-birthdays-believe-rich-soup-healthy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3345275/foreigners-flock-chinese-malatang-eateries-host-birthdays-believe-rich-soup-healthy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 06:00:12 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu It is 9.30pm in Scarborough, in Canada’s Ontario province, and just as most people are thinking of getting ready for bed, 28-year-old Anna Peng is about to get back to work – after already having put in a 13-hour shift. She has just closed Great Fountain Fast Food, her family’s beloved Hong Kong-style eatery, for the day, and now it is time for cleaning up. “I first started doing two-hour shifts at Great Fountain while I was still in school, just to help out my mum,” she says. That was the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345070/meet-family-running-great-fountain-fast-food-hong-kong-style-spot-viral-instagram?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345070/meet-family-running-great-fountain-fast-food-hong-kong-style-spot-viral-instagram?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Johannes Pong Johannes Pong Anybody with rudimentary knowledge of Chinese culture will recognise Hangzhou as a byword for refined gastronomy. The city, which has stood on the bucolic banks of the West Lake for over 2,000 years, is the southern terminus of China’s Grand Canal and served as the country’s capital during the Southern Song dynasty. Centuries before the first public restaurants opened in France, Hangzhou had taverns, nightclubs, speciality restaurants – vegetarian for Buddhists, spicy food for merchants from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3344553/why-hangzhous-2-michelin-star-ru-yuan-restaurant-unlike-any-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3344553/why-hangzhous-2-michelin-star-ru-yuan-restaurant-unlike-any-other?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Christopher St. Cavish Christopher St. Cavish The records are clear and complete: about 300 years ago, a Huang clan from just across the Tan River got the idea to start their own village here, tucked into one of the river’s curves with Baizu mountain at its back. Hiring a feng shui master from Jiangxi province to lay it out, they built grey brick houses in a tight grid, with dragon-back or phoenix-crest ridges, surrounded by dense bamboo groves. Acres of fruit orchards were planted outside the village and a fish pond dug in front. A few... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342496/how-taishan-learned-absorb-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342496/how-taishan-learned-absorb-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Taiwan-born chef George Chen, whose family immigrated to Los Angeles, in the US state of California, in 1967, remembers vividly how his classmates would look at his school lunch of braised pork and Chinese sauerkraut between two pieces of bread. “‘Oh, God, what are you eating? That’s gross,’” Chen recalls during a recent busy lunch hour at his San Francisco restaurant and bar, China Live, on the edge of the oldest Chinatown in North America. “And now everybody wants the braised pork and Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343911/chinese-food-make-it-fine-dining-us-chefs-push-back-against-takeaway-stereotypes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343911/chinese-food-make-it-fine-dining-us-chefs-push-back-against-takeaway-stereotypes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok The Eleocharis dulcis, or water chestnut, is widely known as ma tai – “horse’s hoof” – in Cantonese and ma ti in Mandarin. The moniker may derive from its dark, glossy exterior that resembles the rough contours of an equine hoof, but thankfully, there is nothing gamy about this ingredient. Its corm – or bulb – is edible and can be consumed raw, as long as you peel away its thick and woody exterior, much like you would a real chestnut. Its flavour is sweet and mild, while its true draw is its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343788/why-do-chinese-love-water-chestnuts-all-about-lucky-horses-hoof?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343788/why-do-chinese-love-water-chestnuts-all-about-lucky-horses-hoof?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 03:15:07 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Peru’s Congress voted on Tuesday to remove President Jose Jeri from office following a series of undisclosed late-night meetings at a Chinese restaurant with a Chinese state contractor, setting off a political scandal dubbed “Chifagate”, a reference to the country’s Chinese-Peruvian fusion cuisine. Lawmakers voted 75-24, with three abstentions, to censure Jeri over the unregistered encounters with businessman Zhihua Yang, whose companies have supplied the state and who owns the restaurant and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343850/peru-removes-president-jose-jeri-chifagate-scandal-tied-chinese-contractor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343850/peru-removes-president-jose-jeri-chifagate-scandal-tied-chinese-contractor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:09:22 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung From auspicious horse-themed phrases and couplets to whether your luck is in, check out our Year of the Horse 2026 series to discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year. Searching for luck in the new year? We know exactly how to get it, and it is through your stomach. For generations, Chinese families have believed that the most direct and foolproof way to ensure fortune and prosperity is to eat it. Each dish served during the Lunar New Year is the result of a conscious... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343723/8-lucky-lunar-new-year-foods-attract-abundance-wealth-and-health-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343723/8-lucky-lunar-new-year-foods-attract-abundance-wealth-and-health-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:45:07 +0000