Chicken rice dishes are popular the world over for their combined simplicity and high comfort-food factor, and in Hong Kong, the preferred chicken rice recipe is undoubtedly Hainanese chicken rice, featuring poached chicken, seasoned rice, a bowl of broth rich in chicken fat, and a trio of traditional condiments: chilli sauce, ginger sauce, and dark soy sauce.
Though Hainanese chicken rice is considered one of the national dishes of Singapore, it’s said to have originated in the southern Chinese province of Hainan. It’s also a cherished dish in neighbouring Malaysia. Whatever the dish’s true origin, those in the the Hong Kong know can’t get enough Hainanese chicken rice, so we’ve rounded up the top spots serving up this beloved Southeast Asian recipe.
Hong Kong’s top spots for Hainanese chicken rice
1. Chatterbox Café
Revered for its iconic deboned chicken rice, Chatterbox Café first made its appearance in 1971 at Singapore’s five-star Mandarin Orchard hotel on the island city state’s buzziest shopping street as a 24-hour coffee shop. The menu presented local hawker favourites served in a very refined setting. The star there was – and still is, at both the Singapore and Hong Kong locations – the Mandarin chicken rice (HKD138), which is probably the cleanest, least oily version we’ve ever tried. The meat remains succulent even though most of the chicken fat has been skimmed off, and the rice is cooked with chicken broth instead of the traditional chicken fat.
Chatterbox Café, multiple locations across Hong Kong
2. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Tian Tian made its grand debut in Hong Kong in 2019 as an outpost of the famed Singapore Michelin-recommended chicken rice hawker stall, and the queues haven’t let up since. Tian Tian’s plate of Hainanese chicken (HKD169/HKD289) features tender poached chicken alongside a mound of fluffy, plump rice shimmering with chicken fat. Even better for us is the brand’s roasted chicken (HKD169/HKD289), gracing us with the same aromatic rice and flavourful, silky chicken – but this time with golden, crispy skin.
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, multiple locations across Hong Kong
3. Café Causette
In our not-so-humble opinion, the coveted title of most luxurious Hainanese chicken rice in Hong Kong goes to the succulent bird at Café Causette at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, proving that time-honoured tradition reigns supreme. This eatery started serving its Hainan chicken rice (HKD380) back in 1994, and it has remained one of the establishment’s best-selling dishes ever since. The kitchen team treat the chicken with plenty of TLC, turning the chook every 20 minutes in its poaching liquid. The rice is infused with lemongrass, chicken fat, ginger, and homemade secret seasonings. With such a high price tag, this chicken rice is definitely a treat – but well worth it.
Café Causette, M/F, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central, 2825 4005, book here
4. Auntie MALAY
The Malaysian variety of Hainanese chicken rice is often referred to as nasi ayam (literally “chicken rice” in the Malay language) and is often served with plain steamed rice rather than the seasoned variety. At Harbour City’s contemporary Malaysian restaurant Auntie MALAY, the signature Shaoye Hainan chicken (HKD188/HKD318) is made with 50-day white-skinned chicken and served with coconut chicken soup and coconut chicken rice – lighter and healthier than the more traditional versions.
Auntie MALAY, Shop 16, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2110 3533, book here
5. Grand Café
Another top spot for chicken rice housed within a luxury hotel, the Hainanese chicken rice (HKD350) is THE signature dish on the menu of the Grand Hyatt’s all-day-dining restaurant Grand Café, where hanging whole poached yellow chickens are on display for all to see. The chicken, rice, and broth are immaculate, with the silky, tender chicken itself showcasing a pleasantly firm skin. Also available on Grand Hyatt’s eShop for takeaway is the hotel’s viral Hainanese chicken rice cake (HKD488/HKD688/HKD988), a unique celebratory treat if there ever was one.
Grand Café, G/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, 2584 7722, book here
6. Café Malacca
A fuss-free hotel-based option, Café Malacca at JEN hotel in Shek Tong Tsui is a reliable favourite for authentic Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine. Café Malacca’s Hainanese chicken rice (HKD148) features juicy, tender chicken and aromatic rice, and the price point is more reasonable than many others on our list. To go with your plate of quality chicken rice, we recommend hawker-style eats like the fried carrot cake with prawn (HKD118) and Penang rojak (HKD108).
Café Malacca, 2/F, JEN Hong Kong by Shangri-La, 580 Queen’s Road West, Shek Tong Tsui, 2213 6613, book here
7. Yung Kee Hainan Chicken
Yung Kee has three branches in Hong Kong, and each one is a humble spot dishing out excellent boneless Hainanese chicken rice that’s priced at a staggering HKD56. The chef-founder is said to have previously worked at the Grand Hyatt (see Grand Café above), so he’s taken this expert knowledge to successfully branch out on his own. The side soup at Yung Kee is a heady coconut-laced chicken broth with thick slices of fresh coconut. If your taste buds permit, you can instead opt for the secret spicy chicken rice (HKD56).
Yung Kee Hainan Chicken, multiple locations across Hong Kong
8. Mandarin Chicken Rice (Singapore)
The brackets of this restaurant’s name are confusing as it’s based in Hong Kong, not the Lion City. Still, this Singapore-inspired chicken rice joint is as legit as it gets in the city. Mandarin Chicken Rice’s Hainanese boneless chicken rice (HKD103) comes in both steamed and roasted versions, with the flavourful oily rice particularly sought after here. We suggest adding on a large side of bak kut teh (+HKD98), a traditional herbal soup made with pork rib, to complete your Straits-style feast.
Mandarin Chicken Rice (Singapore), G/F, Chung Wo Building, 17 Chung Wui Street, Tai Kok Tsui, 2301 4266
9. Boon Tong Kee
Perhaps the greatest Hainanese chicken rice opening in recent Hong Kong history, Singapore’s famed Boon Tong Kee, founded in the Lion City in 1979, has expanded to our city in 2025 with an outlet in Causeway Bay. The brand’s Hainanese chicken rice offers plump pieces of juicy, tender chicken doused in a light soy sauce that imparts a sweet-meets-savoury undertone, paired with fragrant fluffy rice. To go all out, bring along a mate and order the signature boiled chicken set for two (HKD328), which comes complete with chicken rice, boiled gai lan or crispy bean curd, and even a portion of sweet-and-sour pork.
Boon Tong Kee, Shop 4, G/F, V POINT, 18 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, 2633 1122
10. All Day Chicken Lab
With two locations in Hong Kong, All Day Chicken Lab is worth seeking out for some of the most viral Hainanese chicken rice in Hong Kong. The chicken itself is so silky smooth that it almost melts in the mouth, and the rice is as aromatic as can be. For some variety at a wallet-friendly price tag, go for one of the all-day sets; we’re partial to the wings, breast, and thigh set (HKD60), which comes with chicken-flavoured rice, MSG-free clear soup, three sauces, and cold-brewed tea or a soft drink.
All Day Chicken Lab, Shop C1 & C2, WOR THE FOOD, Shop B50–51, B/F, WORFU, 21–53 Wharf Road, North Point, WhatsApp 6030 4066
All Day Chicken Lab, G/F, 80 Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok, WhatsApp 6162 8057
11. VOON
Renowned Singaporean chef Edward Voon’s eponymous fine-casual restaurant in Kennedy Town offers a more elevated chicken rice dish than the norm. The satay chicken rice (HKD248) at VOON bursts with flavour, featuring charcoal-grilled chicken thigh marinated in homemade satay sauce. The golden, smoky bird is eclipsed only by the incredibly fragrant rice that’s steamed with pandan leaf, lemongrass, and ginger. The plate is big enough to serve two to three diners, but trust us that you’ll be fighting over the last grains of glistening rice.
VOON, Shop G8 & G9, G/F, Sincere Western House, 44–46 Forbes Street, Kennedy Town, 9330 2230, book here
