Hong Kong Island Food Tour: Dim Sum, Tram Ride & Egg Tart Stops

Summary

Dim sum trolleys, tram bells & sweet egg tarts in old Hong Kong

You’ll wander through Sheung Wan’s lively markets with a local guide, taste dim sum from rolling trolleys, ride Hong Kong’s vintage tramways, sip silky milk tea by the escalators, and finish with warm egg tarts in Wan Chai. Expect laughter over shared plates and little surprises tucked into every street corner.

What’s the experience like?

We started the Hong Kong Island food tour in Sheung Wan — honestly, I was still half-asleep and hungry, which our guide said was perfect. The first stop was this old-school dim sum teahouse that looked almost too plain to be famous, but it was packed with locals arguing gently over bamboo baskets. Our guide, Li, explained how the servers push these old trolleys around — you just point at what you want. I tried to order in Cantonese (Li laughed, maybe out of kindness), and ended up with something chewy and delicious. The tea had this earthy smell that reminded me of wet leaves after rain. I could’ve stayed there all morning if they’d let me.

After that we wandered down Dried Seafood Street — honestly, the smell hit me before I saw the shops. It’s sharp and ocean-y but not unpleasant once you get used to it. Li pointed out jars of dried abalone and sea cucumbers that cost more than my flight here (no joke). We ducked into a tiny candy shop for sweets made from dried fruit — sticky, tangy, weirdly addictive — and then squeezed through Graham Street Market where vendors shouted prices over piles of vegetables and live fish sloshed in buckets. There’s this soy sauce shop from 1917; the owner showed us his hands stained dark from years of brewing.

The private Hong Kong food tour kept surprising me — like when we rode the “Ding Ding” tram past glass towers and old neon signs. The city feels layered: colonial buildings next to noodle stalls next to art galleries. Somewhere near the escalators (which are absurdly long), we stopped for milk tea at a place where they strain it through pantyhose for smoothness — sounds odd but it works. Lunch was wonton noodles at a family-run spot; the broth was salty-sweet and the noodles had just enough bite. I think about that bowl sometimes when I’m home eating instant ramen.

Char Siu rice came next in Wan Chai at a place Anthony Bourdain apparently loved — glossy pork with crispy edges and sticky rice underneath. By then I was full but somehow found room for an egg tart at our last stop: warm pastry, creamy custard, flaky crumbs everywhere (I dropped some on my shirt). We ended outside watching people play basketball while biting into those tarts. The sun felt good on my face; maybe it was just the sugar rush or maybe something else about being here right then.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Sheung Wan and Central food stops

• Visit Sheung Wan dim sum teahouse
• Explore Dried Seafood Street
• Taste sweets at Kai Fat Tea shop
• Walk through Graham Street Market
• Pass by Gough Street boutiques
• Eat wonton noodles in Central
• Ride Mid-Levels Escalator
• Drink milk tea near escalator
• Ride Hong Kong electric tram
• Try Char Siu Fan in Wan Chai
• Buy egg tart at bakery
• Relax at Wan Chai sports ground

Top questions

How long is the Hong Kong Island food tour?

The food tour is a half-day experience covering several neighborhoods on Hong Kong Island.

Is hotel pickup included?

No, but you’ll receive easy-to-follow directions to the Sheung Wan meeting point after booking.

What foods do you try on this tour?

You sample dim sum, wonton noodle soup, roast BBQ pork (Char Siu), traditional dried fruit sweets, milk tea, and egg tart.

Are vegetarian or gluten-free options available?

No, this food tour is not suitable for vegetarians or those who are gluten-free or have seafood allergies.

How many people are in each group?

The maximum group size is 9 people per booking for a small-group experience.

Is public transportation used during the tour?

Yes, you’ll ride Hong Kong’s historic “Ding Ding” double-decker tram as part of the route.

Are children allowed?

This tour is not suitable for children aged 5 years or below; private tours can be arranged instead.

Which neighborhoods does the tour visit?

The route includes Sheung Wan, Central–Mid-Level Escalator area, Graham Street Market, Gough Street, Wan Chai and more.

What’s included

Your day includes tastings of dim sum straight from traditional trolleys in Sheung Wan, samples of dried fruit candies and sweets at a decades-old tea shop, sips of classic Hong Kong milk tea near Central–Mid-Level Escalator, family-style wonton noodle soup lunch at a Michelin-recommended spot plus Char Siu BBQ pork rice in Wan Chai (Anthony Bourdain’s favorite), an iconic Ding Ding tram ride between stops—and finally a warm egg tart from a beloved bakery before saying goodbye outdoors among locals unwinding after work.