If you ask Hong Kong people "What do you want to do in Sai Kung?", eight out of ten will say "Hiking or eat seafood." But have you ever tried this: after hiking and eating seafood, walking back from the pier, you see a uncle's cart by the road, with an iron plate on top making sizzling sounds, spreading the aroma of eggs—this kind of scene is a unique scenery that only exists in Sai Kung.
The Sai Kung Town Center itself is an interesting existence. It used to be a fishing village, and now it has become Hong Kong people's "pseudo-overseas travel" backyard for weekends. But if you walk from the town center to the pier, or head towards Clear Water Bay Road, you'll discover something different from a "tourist area"—these are the shops that only locals know about, serving regular customers. These are what I want to introduce to you.
This time I won't write about the seafood restaurants everyone knows, but rather the egg waffles at the street corners of Sai Kung—you don't need to look for them deliberately, you'll always stumble upon them.
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【What Makes Sai Kung Egg Waffles Different】
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First, you need to know that egg waffle shops in Sai Kung are quite different from those in the city. City shops are located inside shopping malls or next to MTR stations, with high rent and high labor costs, and the masters may need to be replaced within less than three months. However, in Sai Kung, rent is significantly cheaper than in the city, and the masters are often uncles who have been doing this for ten or twenty years—they're not thinking about going public or joining chain stores; they're just staying on the street, waiting for old regular customers to come back and buy.
This "wait-and-see" approach results in: their flavors are usually more traditional, without constantly bringing out creative new flavors, but their "basic skills" are solid—the egg batter is mixed evenly, the baking time is just right, and the finished egg waffles are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a "crisp" sound when you bite into them, and there's still semi-melted egg juice inside. I call this texture "retro flavor accompanied by waves"—because you basically can't get that feeling back in the city.
There's another thing I want to mention: most mobile egg waffle stalls in Sai Kung operate in a "highly flexible" form. They usually don't open in the morning—because they need to wait until afternoon or evening to get customer flow. So if you want to try them, the best time is between 3-4 PM in the afternoon and 6-7 PM in the evening; otherwise, you'll likely find them closed.
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【Three Recommendations I've Visited】
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1️⃣ Ming Kee Stall (The low-key old-established brand in Sai Kung town center)
The shop is called "Ming Kee"—if you ask ten Sai Kung locals, nine of them know it—but it's not a shop with big lettering; it's a cart parked in front of the Sai Kung Post Office. The uncle usually appears around 2-3 PM, with only four characters on the cart: "Ming Kee Egg Waffles"—no need to doubt.
What makes his egg waffles stand out is—they're not too sweet. Many chain stores add so much sugar to the batter that it becomes overly sweet, but Ming Kee's sweetness is just right, with a hint of egg aroma, which can be described as "elderly taste." One portion costs HK$15-18, the size is normal, but it's slightly thicker than city ones, indicating sufficient baking time, not crispy on the outside but raw inside.
When I went, I saw a few grandmothers just bought some and went to sit by the seafront to eat. They said: "We've been eating this for decades, even when we were kids." This statement alone speaks volumes.
2️⃣ Grandma's Stall under the Sai Kung New Market (Hidden local flavor)
This stall is not exactly a "shop" in the strict sense; it's under the Sai Kung New Market (the market that sells fish and meat), where a grandma sells her homemade snacks—one of which is egg waffles.
What's special about her is: she doesn't travel around with her pole and sword; instead, she goes by her mood—if she's in a good mood and feeling motivated, she makes more; if she's tired the next day or it's Chinese New Year or a holiday, she might not open at all. So if you want to try it, you'd better ask the stall sisters in the market—they usually say "Grandma's open today, she's making some."
The egg waffles here are smaller in size, sold piece by piece—which is actually perfect, because you can buy a few pieces and eat while walking, no need to be careful. In terms of flavor, this stall's egg flavor is particularly strong—probably because the grandma uses higher quality eggs, not ordinary frozen ones. My most memorable experience was one Sunday in winter, when the grandma also sold me a cup of hot tea—only HK$5—after drinking it, I felt warm and cozy, then walked out to the pier to enjoy the sea breeze. Perfect.
3️⃣ The Young People's Stall near the Pier on the Waterfront Promenade (New generation's innovative attempts)
In recent years, some young people have started small businesses in Sai Kung. Unlike the old uncles who use carts, they've rented small shop spaces—such as shops near the waterfront promenade, or the exit of the pedestrian tunnel near the pier.
I call this the "young people's stall" because they offer more creative egg waffle flavors: chocolate sauce, matcha, and there was even a time when cheese flavor was popular. However, the quality here is more varied—some stalls can rival chain stores, while others are more about appearance than actual quality.
If you want to try this type, I recommend asking people who just bought some, or observing those in line—if you see people holding bags and leaving with not much expression on their faces, it's usually fine; if you see someone eating while shaking their head and walking away, then you're on your own. Prices are usually slightly more expensive than the old stalls, at HK$20-25.
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【Practical Information】
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🚇 Transportation:
- Take the MTR Kwun Tong Line to Choi Hung Station, Exit C2 and transfer to minibus 101M (get off at Sai Kung Plaza)-
- Take the MTR Tseung Kwan O Line to Tiu Keng Leng Station, Exit A and transfer to minibus 10M (get off at Sai Kung town center)-
If you drive or take a taxi, it takes about 30-45 minutes from the city to Sai Kung; on weekends and holidays, it's recommended to leave early, otherwise the road into Sai Kung will be congested.
💰 Price Range:
- Traditional old stalls: one portion HK$15-18
- Small shop creative flavors: one portion HK$20-28
- Special edition (e.g., limited time, dark horse): HK$30 and above
🕐 Business Hours:
Most mobile stalls operate from around 2 PM to 7 PM in the evening, and open slightly earlier on weekends; however, it's highly recommended to call ahead before going, as these stalls are usually "do as they please."
⏰ Best Time to Taste:
3 PM to 5 PM—at this time, the egg waffles are usually "just right after coming out of the oven," and you don't need to queue much; if it's too late, some stalls may have sold out or the extra rounds of baking may have made them "dry."
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【Travel Tips】
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1. "Buy and eat immediately" is the king—egg waffles, like other snacks, are best eaten hot right after coming out of the oven; don't think about buying them and wrapping them up to take up mountains and across seas, or eating them after going around a few times; the flavor will be completely different.
2. Bring cash—these old stalls usually only accept cash, at most Octopus, so don't expect to scan QR codes.
3. 2-4 PM on weekends is the busiest time; if you want to avoid the crowds, you can go on weekdays instead, or arrive at 11 AM to try your luck.
4. Pay attention to the weather—if there's rain or strong wind, outdoor mobile stalls usually won't open.
5. To make your Sai Kung market experience more immersive: you can first visit each small shop at your leisure, then line up for egg waffles—usually, you eat first and then pay.
Finally, one more thing: if your purpose in going to Sai Kung is to check in, to follow trendy creative flavors, this might not be the most suitable place for you. But if you want to experience what kind of place in Hong Kong still retains "the trust between neighbors" and "traditional flavors," Sai Kung's egg waffles are truly worth spending a little extra time to find and try.
