15 Must-Try Desserts In Hong Kong: The Ultimate 2025 Guide To Traditional & Trending Sweets
Hong Kong’s dessert scene is a vibrant, dazzling mashup of time-honored Cantonese sweet soups and cutting-edge international patisserie. Forget the typical Western cake; the city’s true sweet identity is found in its silky puddings, warm, nourishing pastes, and crispy street snacks.
As of December 2025, the culinary landscape continues to evolve, blending deep-rooted traditions with exciting new fusion concepts. This guide cuts through the noise to bring you the freshest, most essential list of desserts to try, ensuring your sweet tooth experiences the very best of this dynamic food city.
The Essential Classics: Traditional Cantonese Sweet Soups and Puddings
The foundation of Hong Kong’s dessert culture is Tong Sui (sweet soup), a category of warm, nourishing, and often health-conscious desserts. These are not just treats; they are comfort food, deeply embedded in local life, and often enjoyed late at night.
1. Mango Pomelo Sago (楊枝甘露)
This is arguably the most famous modern Cantonese dessert, invented in 1984 by the Lei Garden restaurant group. It is a refreshing, cold sweet soup made with chunks of fresh mango, juicy pomelo sacs, and tiny sago pearls, all swimming in a creamy, coconut milk base. The balance of sweet, tart, and creamy is perfection, making it a global sensation.
2. Double Skin Milk Pudding (雙皮奶)
Originating from Shunde, this delicate dessert is a must-try. It’s a steamed milk custard, characterized by its silky-smooth texture and the formation of two distinct layers of milk skin—one on the bottom and one on the top—which give it its name. The flavor is subtly sweet and intensely milky. The most famous place to try this classic is Yee Shun Milk Company in Jordan, a legendary specialist shop.
3. Tofu Fa (豆腐花)
Also known as Tofu Pudding, this is a supremely light and delicate dessert made from very soft tofu. The warm, cloud-like curds are served with a drizzle of sweet ginger syrup or, for a modern twist, sometimes black sesame or soy milk. For the absolute silkiest version, locals recommend Shun Hing Lung or the historic, Michelin-recommended Kung Wo Beancurd Factory in Sham Shui Po, which has been making its own tofu since 1893.
4. Black Sesame Paste (芝麻糊)
A thick, warm, and deeply aromatic sweet soup made from finely ground black sesame seeds. It's renowned for its earthy, nutty flavor and is traditionally believed to be beneficial for hair and skin. For a traditional late-night experience, seek out a Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee like Kai Kai Dessert in Jordan, known for its time-honored Cantonese sweet soups.
Hong Kong’s Iconic Street Food Sweets
While sweet soups are comforting, the street food desserts are the kinetic energy of Hong Kong’s sweet tooth—portable, crispy, and universally loved.
5. Egg Tarts (蛋撻)
The Egg Tart is the undisputed king of Hong Kong-style baked goods, a perfect marriage of Portuguese colonial influence and Cantonese pastry technique. You will find two main styles: the flaky, puff-pastry crust (more common) and the shortcrust cookie-like shell. The filling is a rich, warm, and glossy egg custard. Tai Cheong Bakery is a perennial favorite, famous for its shortcrust version.
6. Egg Waffles / Eggettes (雞蛋仔)
Known locally as Gai Daan Jai, these spherical, crispy-on-the-outside, and chewy-on-the-inside waffles are a classic street snack. The traditional version is simple and buttery, but the modern trend has seen them evolve into a dessert vehicle. Shops now serve them stuffed with fillings like ice cream, fresh fruit, mochi, and chocolate sauce, or paired with gelato in a popular food mashup trend.
7. Pineapple Buns (菠蘿包)
Despite the name, there is no pineapple in this bun. The name comes from the checkered, crusty, sweet topping that resembles a pineapple's skin. The bun itself is a soft, slightly sweet bread. For the ultimate sweet-and-savory experience, order a "Butter Pineapple Bun" (Bo Lo Yau), where a thick slice of cold, unsalted butter is sandwiched inside the warm bun, creating a delightful melt.
The Modern Wave: Fusion, Patisserie, and Trending Shops (2025 Update)
The current dessert scene in Hong Kong is characterized by high-end international imports and innovative local fusion concepts that push the boundaries of texture and flavor.
8. The Sweet & Savory Umami Pastry
One of the most exciting 2025 trends is the integration of savory elements into fine patisserie. Award-winning pastry chefs are creating sophisticated umami desserts using ingredients like soy sauce, seaweed, and preserved plums. For a taste of this trend, look for online shops like Otera, which specializes in these complex, fine-dining quality pastries.
9. Gourmet Choux and Gelato
High-quality, handcrafted choux pastries and artisanal gelato have firmly cemented their place in the city. Owl's Choux is a standout, having been Michelin-recommended for its unique dessert concept that pairs delicate choux puffs with creamy, rich gelato. Their innovative flavors keep locals and tourists coming back.
10. Japanese Kakigori (Shaved Ice)
The Japanese shaved ice trend continues to be strong, especially for a refreshing treat in Hong Kong’s humid climate. Unlike traditional snow ice, Kakigori is known for its light, fluffy texture and intense, natural flavor syrups. Shops like SHARI SHARI Kakigori House and the newly opened Iceyaki (specializing in Japanese desserts) are key players in this space.
11. Hong Kong-Inspired Dessert Bars
New concepts are emerging that offer a modern, retro Hong Kong-style atmosphere paired with both traditional and fusion desserts. Within The Walls Dessert Bar, for instance, has gained attention for serving classic Chinese sweet soups and shaved ice alongside an unexpected selection of beer and whiskey, blending old-school HK vibes with a modern bar concept.
12. Italian Patisserie in IFC
The arrival of world-renowned luxury patisseries signals Hong Kong’s status as a global dessert destination. The recent opening of Marchesi 1824 in Lane Crawford’s IFC store, one of Milan’s oldest and most respected pastry institutions, brings high-end Italian desserts like panettone and exquisite cakes to the forefront.
Topical Authority: More Essential Entities to Explore
To truly master the Hong Kong dessert experience, you must seek out a few more specialized entities, each offering a unique take on the city's sweet heritage:
- Sweet Red Bean Soup (紅豆沙): A classic warm sweet soup, often served with small *tang yuen* (glutinous rice balls). It is considered a cooling dessert in Chinese medicine.
- Almond Paste (杏仁糊): Similar in texture to black sesame paste, this is made from ground almonds and is prized for its aromatic, slightly bitter flavor, often believed to be good for the lungs.
- Glutinous Rice Dumpling (湯圓): These chewy, boiled balls of glutinous rice flour are typically filled with sweet sesame, peanut, or red bean paste and served in a warm ginger soup.
- Bite by Bite (食住上): A local brand expanding its reach with a new branch in Mong Kok, specializing in modern takes on traditional HK-style street food desserts and snacks.
- Via Tokyo: The holy grail for Matcha Ice Cream and Japanese-style parfaits, consistently ranked among the best ice cream spots in Causeway Bay.
Whether you are queuing up for a warm egg tart from a decades-old bakery or sampling a complex, savory-sweet pastry from a trendy new patisserie, the desserts in Hong Kong offer a culinary journey unlike any other. Don't leave the city without sampling at least half of this list—your taste buds will thank you.
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