Can mainland Chinese restaurants break into Hong Kong’s dining scene amid changing tastes?
- The stark change in city’s attitudes towards the food may be down to growing number of mainlanders calling it home
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Mainland Chinese F&B chains expand into Hong Kong amid changing trends
The embrace marks a stark contrast to Hongkongers’ previous attitudes towards food from the mainland, shaped by the “gutter oil” scandal and problems with baby formula, among others.
The growing popularity of the restaurants can also be attributed to the increasing number of mainlanders who live in Hong Kong, as well as a trend towards more city dwellers exploring food options across the border.
The Tai Er Chinese Sauerkraut Fish restaurant chain, with its signature Suancai fish, Sichuan-style fish poached in a rich broth made from fish stock and pickled Chinese cabbage, is among the most popular.
Tai Er, established in 2015, moved into the Hong Kong market in 2023 and now has five branches across the city, despite a downturn in the food and drink sector.
The Post spoke to customers, teenager Maisy Chan and her mother King Leung, who is a homemaker in her forties, on a visit to one of its branches, at the Airside shopping centre in Kai Tak.
