Chan Sze Kee

Chan Sze Kee, the outermost stall of the Stanley Street group that underwent a government-ordered revamp last year, has been around for more than sixty years, proprietor and scion Aunty Four tells us. Aunty Four prides her shop for selling fresh chicken that they pick up from the wet markets each day, even though they’re several times more expensive than frozen ones on the market. Aunty is willing to endure a lower profit margin on the fresh produce by selling other hot items such as coffee, tea, sandwiches and fishball noodles to offset the balance.

Off 74 Stanley St., Central, 2545-2834

Sing Heung Yuen

This perpetually-packed dai pai dong received its first government license in 1957 and was originally located on Elgin Street before moving to its current Mei Lun Street spot more than 30 years ago.

“I started helping out at Sing Heung Yuen 33 years ago,” says Irene, who inherited the dai pai dong from her mother. “I’ve watched this whole neighborhood change—the shops, the people—but our dai pai dong has remained the same.”

And it’s this nostalgic charm that has kept Sing Heung Yuen so popular.

“We get a lot of young, hip customers nowadays who want to experience that part of local culture they see fast fading,” says Irene, as she swings back and forth between the kitchen and the dai pai dong front to chat with some of her regulars.

By 5:30pm, when Sing Heung Yuen is just closing for business, a steady stream of customers still drop in, requesting Irene make them just one more hot milk tea or one more crispy sweet bun for takeaway.

“Traditional dai pai dongs used to be taken for granted,” she says as she finally manages to close for the day. “But now I can see that Hong Kong people are finally beginning to treasure the last remaining few.”

Corner of Gough and Mei Lun Streets, Central, 2544-8368

Shing Kee

Shing Kee is one of the loudest and proudest stalls of Stanley, boasting a loyal and guaranteed following every day of the week. The staff tell us their signature dishes include the hotpot “jer jer chicken,” which is a wonderfully warming dish to eat in an outdoor environment on a chilly winter night. They also have a wide selection of fresh seafood such as steamed crab and fried pepper and soy sauce clams.

Off 74 Stanley St., Central, 2541-5678

Shui Kee

Shui Kee is a stall hidden away from the rest of the clan, but its customers know exactly where to go to get their beef tripe and brisket fix. Topped with noodles and steamy broth, the combo is a crazily popular sell. Owner Lam says business has been steady and brisk since its reopening, and we don’t doubt him one bit.

Off 2 Gutzlaff St., Central, 2541-9769

So Kee

One of the few remaining old-school outdoor street stalls on Sham Shui Po’s once dai-pai-dong-laden Yiu Tung Street, So Kee is an easy neighborhood favorite with its dirt-cheap but satisfying food, all day opening hours and warm, friendly staff. Having been in the same spot for 30 years, So Kee has a steady base of loyal regulars.

Owner Ms. Chan gestures at a young couple sitting at the back table, saying, “They come by every week for my husband’s signature fluffy pork chops.” She then goes on to talk about a customer she’s known for more than 20 years, “His family used to bring him here all the time when he was just a little school kid,” adding that, although he’s grown up, become a successful businessman and moved away from the neighborhood, “he still makes a special drive down here every now and then to visit us.”

Chan started off by helping her dad out at the dai pai dong when she was still in school and eventually took over the stall with her husband and family after her father retired. “I grew up in Sham Shui Po. My whole life is here with all the staff. The chefs, the waiters, they’re all family,” she says with a smile. And when asked to sum up her relationship with So Kee, she doesn’t even need to think before answering in five simple words, “So Kee is my home.”

5-16 Yiu Tung St., Sham Shui Po, 2779-1182

Hung Fook Seafood Restaurant

Despite its obscure, grotty side-alley location, Hung Fook is one of those places that is packed to the brim from opening until closing, getting busier and busier as it goes later into the night. In fact, Hung Fook is so popular, even the much-lauded film “Infernal Affairs II” chose it as a backdrop for the movie.

A glance around the restaurant alley shows big groups of friends huddling around the large tables set with either a charcoal-heated hotpot stove or barbecue grill in the center. Hung Fook does more than 30 items for the DIY charcoal grill, with most items coming in at the very affordable $20-$45 range. The signature seafood items in particular are all freshly sourced, from the fist-sized oysters on the half shell to the jumbo shrimp and abalone. And another reason for its popularity? Hung Fook is open until 4am, making it the perfect spot for a giant food fest with plenty of beers and friends.

86D, Lok Shan Rd., To Kwa Wan, 2365-0112

Hon Fat Noodle Specialist

Stroll by Sham Shui Po’s fabric district and you’ll see a small metal stall surrounded by a scattered crowd of fold-up tables and stacking chairs. Inside the stall, Hon Fat’s owner, Kwok, mans three boiling pots, throwing a cake of noodles into one, just as he scoops up a mass of cooked noodles and a ladle of soup into a plastic bowl before passing it to his staff to bring to his waiting customers.

At the side of the dai pai dong, Kwok’s son manages his own assembly line of pots and pans. Having inherited his father’s multitasking skills, he cracks an egg into one pan and picks up a few more customer orders from the surrounding tables, all the while keeping an eye on the two slices of spam sizzling over yet another stove.

“A lot has changed in this area,” Kwok’s son says of the neighborhood they’ve been operating in for over 30 years. He recalls the days when Ki Lung Street was bustling with similar street-side stalls, adding that today, there are only 14 dai pai dong style eateries left in the Sham Shui Po district.

But while the times may have changed, the Kwoks have remained, believing that the dai pai dong is something truly special to Hong Kong and that, by cooking up even just a simple bowl of soup noodles, they are doing their bit to preserve this unique local culture. Hon Fat will be relocating a couple streets down sometime in November, but rest assured that their offerings will remain the same.

166 Ki Lung St., Sham Shui Po, 6983-9199

Chun Chun Restaurant

Every establishment has its story and Chun Chun Restaurant’s goes back 30 years when Shirley Chan and her husband took over the restaurant from one of their relatives. The Chans made a big name for themselves in the local dining scene and their signature dishes drew in droves of customers during their restaurant’s heyday in the 1980s.

“I remember a time when we had to bring out our customers’ orders by the cartload because there was just so much business,” says Chan’s daughter, who helps out at Chun Chun every chance she gets. “But times have changed. The dai pai dong is not in its glory years anymore, competition in the restaurant industry has gotten more fierce and customers’ tastes have changed as well. We have to adapt with the times. If not, how can we keep our business alive?”

But despite all the changes through the years, Chan’s dedication to her dai pai dong has not wavered. If anything, she’s become even more involved in the restaurant’s operations, not only manning the restaurant front, but also becoming more hands-on in the kitchen, adding and perfecting dishes along with her team of experienced and equally dedicated chefs.

Although business at Chun Chun, especially on a weeknight, is nowhere near as busy as it used to be, the food standard is definitely on par with its glory days. The signature pigeon is crispy-skinned and is bite after bite of meaty goodness; the chicken congee is stomach-warmingly satisfying; and the stir-fried clams in black bean sauce are flavorful with a nice spicy edge.

At the end of the day, it’s about bringing back the standard of food that Hong Kong diners first fell in love with at Chun Chun. “A customer once said to me, ‘Your pigeon is delicious. Just like it was when I first had it 20 years ago,’” Chan says. “That’s what makes me happy. And that’s why we are still in business.”

Outdoor Food Market, Shan Mei St., Fo Tan, 2691-2660