Despite the debate on the origin of Hong Kong’s beloved egg tart – was it the British or Portuguese who introduced it to Hong Kong? – we can confirm that this local pastry was popularised here in the 1940s by cha chaan tengs serving up inexpensive Western-influenced comfort food.
We sought out the best versions of this Hong Kong pastry staple to find out which ones egged on our taste buds the most. Read below to find out our top egg tarts in the city and let us know which one reigns supreme for you!
The best egg tarts in Hong Kong
1. Hashtag B
Hashtag B is a hip bakery – scooping our Foodie Forks 2024 Best Bakery award – with multiple brancees where the egg tarts are hot commodities for their often funky flavours. Baking up the most expensive egg tart on our list, Hashtag B’s napoleon tart (HKD18) delivers an elegant, flower-shaped puff pastry shell that’s flaky, light, and airy. The tart’s velvety filling has a more subtle egg flavour compared to many of its counterparts, without being sickly sweet. Queuing for one of these babies is almost a given, so we recommend checking with the shop to see when their freshly baked tarts are sold each day (usually two to three times daily).
Hashtag B, multiple locations across Hong Kong
2. Bakehouse
Serving Hong Kong since 2018, artisanal neighbourbood bakery Bakehouse by pâtissier extraordinaire Grégoire Michaud is a beacon of sourdough goodness. In particular, the bakery’s sourdough egg tart (HKD12.50) has featured on many an Instagram feed and reel. Despite its somewhat smaller size, the tart’s laminated sourdough pastry base is more buttery and crispy than most, holding a large portion of uber-creamy egg-custard filling. Their website boasts that they’ve sold over 21 million egg tarts since their launch, and many tourists feel a trip to Hong Kong isn’t complete without a to-go box of Bakehouse’s egg tarts for delicious sustenance on their journey onwards.
Bakehouse, multiple locations across Hong Kong
3. Baker by LUBUDS
Baker by LUBUDS is a boutique Quarry Bay bakery delivering premium European baked goods with a touch of Japanese influence. The baker in question is Stephen So, formerly of Rosewood Hong Kong. Baker’s egg tart (HKD13) is crafted with a sinful croissant base, and the caramelised top layer makes for even more indulgence. The filling is wobbly, creamy, and rich. Head to this bake shop’s Cityplaza location at 9:30AM, 12PM, and 3PM each day to get a taste (and whiff) of their freshly baked egg tarts straight from the oven.
Baker by LUBUDS, Shop 307, 3/F, Cityplaza, 18 Taikoo Shing Road, Quarry Bay, 2326 8832
4. Shun Hing Restaurant
An oldie but goodie, Shun Hing Restaurant has been going strong for four decades, offering a classic cha chaan teng experience in Kowloon City. Shun Hing is most well known for its baked pork chop rice, milk tea, fried dough balls, and – you guessed it – egg tarts. The diner’s egg tart (HKD8) is the most wallet friendly of the lot, and if you buy five tarts, you’ll get one on the house. Shun Hing’s egg tart, featuring golden, flaky pastry and a silky filling, never fails to bring a smile to diners’ faces, especially when it’s still warm.
Shun Hing Restaurant, G/F, 56–58 Nga Tsin Wai Road, Kowloon City, 2382 1550
5. Tai Cheong Bakery
Famous the world over for its egg tarts, Tai Cheong Bakery has a long history in Hong Kong dating back to 1954, and today it even boasts a flurry of branches in Singapore. Tai Cheong’s OG egg tart (HKD12) is made with a buttery shortcrust (“cookie crust”) pastry shell, with a rich, eggy interior that leaves a hint of sweetness on the tongue. Its glossy finish and perfectly coiffed shape look very appetising, though its fluorescent yellow hue could be alarming to some. This old-school bakery manages to keep up with the times, also presenting an egg tart made with puff pastry, which seems to be the more popular base these days.
Tai Cheong Bakery, multiple locations across Hong Kong
6. Queen Sophie
The Queen Sophie brand was founded by celebrity singer Sarah Wong, and it’s the premium ingredients used that make this bakery’s preservative-free egg tart (HKD13) stand out from the pack. Queen Sophie’s egg tarts are purportedly made with 368 layers of puff pastry. We recommend pairing your Hong Kong-style egg tart with a Macau-style Portuguese custard tart (HKD18) and picking your favourite of the two rivals.
Queen Sophie, Shop 5, B/F, Kai Fung Mansion, 2–24 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, 2333 1729, WhatsApp 9888 4642
Queen Sophie, G/F, 24 Hau Wong Road, Kowloon City, 2333 1728, WhatsApp 9888 4642
7. Gold Garden Cafe
Often commanding long queues, Gold Garden’s egg tart (HKD11) is known far and wide for its multi-layered puff pastry crust that is ultra flaky and buttery – chef and Street Eats host Lucas Sin is even a fan. The smooth, rich, and subtly sweet filling is as perfect as can be. The hype is real with this one!
Gold Garden Cafe, G/F, 314 & 316 Castle Peak Road, Cheung Sha Wan, 2725 6386/2688 2210
8. Soft Thunder
With locations in Kennedy Town and Wan Chai, Soft Thunder is a local artisanal bakery that continues to innovate its egg tart recipe, recently unveiling its egg tart 3.0 (HKD13). The flaky but sturdy crust is made with two types of Japanese flour and premium French butter, and the filling features a unique combination of Japanese eggs and Chinese Hubei eggs to achieve a silkier, richer texture than most. The newly introduced coffee mochi egg tart (HKD17) is a lusciously chewy variation on the original.
Soft Thunder, Shop A, G/F, Hung Lee Building, 29–31 North Street, Kennedy Town
Soft Thunder, Shop B, G/F, 31 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
