Chinese herbal teas are believed to have many health benefits which include preventing illnesses and minimising the body's dampness, an element from traditional Chinese medicine. You can try many herbal teas at Kung Lee, such as five flowers tea, which is great for clearing internal dampness and detoxification; sesame tea, which is said to improve digestion; and grosvenori tea, which helps remedy lung congestion and coughs.

How to make silk stocking milk tea

Lan Fong Yuen was one of the first spots in Hong Kong to serve silk stocking milk tea. The name stems from the stocking-resembling sack cloth bags, which are used to repeatedly filter the tea to make it smoother. If you are interested in making your very own cup of silk stocking milk tea, just follow these simple steps:

1. Place a mix of different black tea leaves inside a cloth bag strainer
2. Bring to boil on small to medium heat
3. Once the tea is bubbling, strain it into a pot and repeat the process at least four to five times (this is an important step as it exposes the tea to more oxygen, resulting in a fresher taste)
4. Add evaporated milk into your cup
5. Pour in the tea and serve

Lan Fong Yuen — Living through the ages of Old Town Central

From Chow Yun-Fat to Eason Chan, Lan Fong Yuen has welcomed some of Hong Kong’s biggest stars to its humble little shop on Gage Street. An undeniable landmark of the city, Lan Fong Yuen has been serving up silk stocking milk tea since 1952, attracting locals and tourists alike as the birthplace of this iconic local beverage.

Despite its popularity, business wasn’t always easy for Lan Fong Yuen. “Drinking milk tea was not common back in the day,” explains Lam Chun-jung, the eldest son of Lan Fong Yuen founder Lam Muk-ho. “For the same amount of money a milk tea costs, people would rather spend it on more filling options like fishball noodles or beef congee.” Lan Fong Yuen’s iconic green stall even had to relocate several times along Gage Street. Funnily enough, Lam shares that it all worked out in the end as the stall shifted up along the road to sit right outside their living space, which later turned into its eatery. Since then, the green stall has been stationed at its current location to this very day.

Then came the golden era for Lan Fong Yuen. As Hong Kong’s economy picked up in the 1980s to 1990s, folks had more disposable income to spend on things like milk tea. The business began to turn around as Lan Fong Yuen’s persistence in making quality milk tea started to attract crowds. Lam recalls that back when the neighbourhood was mostly filled with residential buildings, the majority of their customers used to be local residents or policemen from the old Central Police Station (now Tai Kwun) who would stop by for a tea break. “Most of our customers are now blue-collar workers and tourists from all over the world,” Lam proudly says. “We still have many long-time patrons who have been coming here for decades, some of them don’t even live in this area anymore!”

A true institution of Old Town Central, Lan Fong Yuen’s emphasis on tradition and authenticity is what’s keeping them alive. With a proud glimmer in his eyes, Lam says that they won’t try to compete with all the fancy menus or dishes out there. He believes that if they can continue to make quality milk tea and truly put their hearts into what they do, people will keep coming back.