Hong Kong is a city constantly vibrating with cinematic intensity, a place where deep-rooted Cantonese traditions collide with an uncertain political future. Returning to film Parts Unknown in 2018, the objective was to capture the melancholic beauty of a metropolis in transition, guided by the legendary cinematographer Christopher Doyle. The city is famous for its cha chaan tengs (tea restaurants), bamboo noodles, and the vanishing art of the dai pai dong (open-air food stalls). The angle here was highly atmospheric and nostalgic, bypassing the gleaming skyscrapers to focus on the gritty, neon-lit holdouts that have defined Hong Kong’s working-class culinary soul for generations. It was a poignant look at the struggle to preserve heritage in the face of relentless modernization and shifting powers. To taste the true, fading magic of this island city, you must seek out the masters who still do things the hard way. Here are the essential, history-soaked stops.
The great Anthony Bourdain left his mark everywhere he went. When his death was announced to the world in June 2018, media throughout the globe chimed in and listed all the great things he had done for their respective city, town, province, country. Whereas before, tourists would shy away from exotic foods, thanks to him, travellers now go the extra mile to find and try local bites. With this in mind, here are all the restaurants Bourdain visited and the dishes he tasted when he shot Anthony Bourdain Hong Kong for his show, Parts Unknown Season 11 Episode 5 (originally aired June 3, 2018):
READ MORE: MY IMPRESSIONS OF HONG KONG: THE BEST MEAL
DISH – Beef Brisket Noodle
WHAT IS IT?
Beef brisket noodle soup with shrimp wontons.
READ MORE: GET THESE 8 HONG KONG CHINESE FOOD; YOU WON’T REGRET IT!
WHERE IS IT?
Leaf Dessert Noodle Shop
2 Elgin St
Central, Hong Kong
ANTHONY BOURDAIN HONG KONG NOTES
In Parts Unknown Hong Kong, Anthony Bourdain and renowned Hong Kong cinematographer Christopher Doyle are seen enjoying Beef Brisket Noodle at Leaf Dessert, a hundred-year-old holdout in Central.
DISH – Drunken Chicken and Claypot Fish Tripe
WHAT IS IT?
Drunken Chicken – hacked up chicken cooked in a hot pot of medicinal roots and herbs; Claypot Fish Tripe – claypot dish of fish tripe cooked in egg custard, topped with a crispy, fried youtiao.
WHERE IS IT?
Keung Kee
219 Ki Lung St
Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
ANTHONY BOURDAIN HONG KONG NOTES
Keung Kee Dai Pai Dong has been around for 40 years – one of the last few dai pai dongs in Hong Kong.
DISH – Fried Pork with Rice, and Spam Macaroni Soup
WHAT IS IT?
Fried Pork with Rice – cut fried pork over rice, topped with tomato sauce; Spam Macaroni Soup – macaroni, spam and egg soup.
WHERE IS IT?
China Cafe
1077A Canton Road, Mong Kok | G/F
Hong Kong, China
Unfortunately, this restaurant has since closed its doors.
ANTHONY BOURDAIN HONG KONG NOTES
China Cafe is a cha chaan teng or tea restaurant. It serves, according to Bourdain, “a bizarre” yet “much-loved bit of Hong Kong history”.
DISH – Egg Custard Buns and Braised Chicken Feet
WHAT IS IT?
Egg Custard Buns – egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk wrapped in a bun then steamed; Braised Chicken Feet – fried chicken feet braised with ginger and star anise before being finished in the steamer.
WHERE IS IT?
Sun Hing
Shop C, G/F, 8 Smithfield Road, Kennedy Town
Western District, Hong Kong, China
ANTHONY BOURDAIN HONG KONG NOTES
Sun Hing Restaurant is a very popular spot among students.
DISH – Sourdough Egg Waffles, Sautéed Prawns, Tea-smoked Pigeon, Poached Yellow Wine Chicken and Pig Brains
WHAT IS IT?
Sourdough Egg Waffles – sourdough chicken fat egg waffles with Taiwanese bottarga, Sautéed Prawns – with pomelo pith, fried shrimp roe and prawn oil; Tea-smoked Pigeon – served medium-rare with sea salt on the side; Poached Yellow Wine Chicken – Hakka-style chicken poached in Shaoxing wine with oyster mushroom fried rice and shiitake broth; Pig Brains – with Beurré Pear vinaigrette.
WHERE IS IT?
Happy Paradise
UG/F, 52-56 Staunton St
Central, Hong Kong
ANTHONY BOURDAIN HONG KONG NOTES
A private restaurant and bar serving traditional Cantonese dishes made with modern cooking techniques. Menu changes with the seasons.
Unfortunately, this restaurant has closed its doors.
DISH – Prawn Roe Noodles
WHAT IS IT?
Dry bamboo noodles with prawn roe.
WHERE IS IT?
Lau Sum Kee Noodle
48 Kweilin St
Un Chau, Hong Kong
ANTHONY BOURDAIN HONG KONG NOTES
3rd generation family restaurant that continues to prepare wontons from scratch and make bamboo noodles the old school way.
READ MORE: BEST SHOPPING IN HONG KONG: 16 PLACES TO EXPLORE
Hong Kong was a city that always captured Bourdain’s imagination—a cyberpunk dreamscape where the food was as intense and uncompromising as the skyline. This specific episode, directed by Asia Argento and shot with the help of Christopher Doyle, is historically significant for its moody, dreamlike quality, serving as one of the most visually stunning and emotionally heavy hours of television he ever produced. It captured a profound sense of loss, honoring the vanishing dai pai dongs and cha chaan tengs right as the city faced massive political and cultural shifts. The legacy left behind is a desperate plea to appreciate these historic culinary institutions before they are gone forever. Next time you visit, skip the fancy hotels, find a plastic stool on the street, and eat.
