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Why Hong Kong’s cha chaan teng are worth saving - they’re ‘essential to the culture, like pubs are in the UK’

  • Cha chaan teng – Hong Kong-style cafes – are an icon of the city, serving simple, hearty food. We talk to those trying to save some of these institutions

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The cha chaan teng, or Hong Kong-style cafe, is a definitive experience in the city. Natalie Or (above), manager of Sun Wah Cafe, in Cheung Sha Wan, Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP

Cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style cafes) are an icon in the city; wander any neighbourhood and it won’t be long before you stumble upon one.

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And if the view through the window of locals sat shoulder to shoulder, chin-wagging over cups of smooth, rich Hong Kong milk tea isn’t enough to tempt you inside, the alluring scents of menu staples such as pineapple buns and baked pork chop rice just might.

A century-and-a-half of British colonial rule saw Western cuisine proliferate in the city, but it remained an out-of-reach luxury for most locals until after World War II.

In the 1950s, cafes began to spring up serving local twists on European staples to cater to the palates – and pockets – of Hong Kong’s working classes, and the cha chaan teng was born.

Mido Cafe in Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong, closed then reopened in 2022. Photo: SCMP
Mido Cafe in Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong, closed then reopened in 2022. Photo: SCMP

As the century progressed, fervent support from locals led to more of these establishments being opened until, by the ’80s, they were ubiquitous.

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Tiled floors, laminated menus touting affordable comfort food, slightly greasy tables and curt staff came to be the hallmarks of what is today a cornerstone of Hong Kong’s culinary identity.

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