Sweet treats: a guide to Hong Kong’s cake, dessert and snack shops

Written by TOPick

Do you have a sweet tooth? Well, you’re not alone! In Hong Kong, people love having desserts as a sweet ending to a satisfying meal. While the city is glutted with sweet shops, these six accredited under the Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Scheme are highly praised for their quality. Dig in!

2 Good Bakery

Treat yourself guilt-free with a slice (or two) of cake from 2 Good Bakery! Using high-quality ingredients sourced from overseas and less-sugar, additive-free recipes, this bakery offers a range of delectable, affordable desserts, including handmade cakes such as Black Sesame Tofu Mousse, Musang King Durian Basque Cake and Basque Cake with Salted Egg Yolk and Meat Floss.

The owner used to be a pastry chef at a hotel and finally opened his own dessert shop in 2019, sharing his passion for desserts made with love and dedication with his customers. A must-try is the crowd-favourite Lemon Cheesecake, which combines rich cheese with a twist of zesty lemon. Another standout item is the Basque cakes with a modified recipe, featuring velvety taro paste and chewy mochi. Enjoy the sweet treats in the cosy bakery, or bring them home to share with your loved ones!

A Little Happiness

Established in 2017, A Little Happiness is Hong Kong’s first specialised pudding cheesecake shop. The two owners made a trip to Taiwan to learn from Japanese-trained pastry chefs to create the perfect pudding cheesecake. Each petite cake features an owl pattern, which is a symbol of happiness in Japanese culture. Combining a velvety egg custard core, a creamy cheesecake topping and a caramel syrup base, these delightful treats offer a harmonious blend of three distinct textures. Achieving this requires precise control and skills.

The Yotsuba cheesecake with pudding and Valrhona Chocolate pudding with cheesecake are both popular choices that are sure to satisfy. And if you’re looking for a special gift, the Caramel Palmier Boxset — awarded ‘Gold Quality’ by Monde Selection (Brussels, Belgium) — includes a wooden tag for blessings and a greeting card on top of the delicious palmiers.

Art of Dessert

While contemporary dessert shops are proliferating throughout the city, particularly in Mongkok, traditional Chinese ones are becoming increasingly rare. Making fine traditional Chinese desserts involves intricate and time-consuming procedures, as well as the expertise of a skilled chef. Art of Dessert in Mongkok is run by a millennial — but don’t let his young age fool you; he has apprenticed at a traditional dessert shop to gain hands-on experience, and the shop embodies his vision of preserving and passing on the artistry of traditional Chinese desserts.

The star of the shop has to be the slow-cooked Home Ground Black Sesame Soup, which boasts a rich aroma and a silky texture thanks to the hand-roasted sesame seeds. Other signature desserts like Home Ground Walnut Soup and Almond Soup are also freshly made to preserve the authentic flavour. Their house specials, French-Style Black Glutinous Rice Sweet Soup and Hong Kong-Style Mango Pomelo Sago Pudding, are also must-tries!

LUCULLUS

Chocolate aficionados will love this one. Founded in 1976, local chocolate brand LUCULLUS has been crafting premium chocolates, cakes and confectioneries for over 40 years. Their secret? The use of top-quality ingredients and artisanal creativity. You’ll find an array of exquisite 3D handmade chocolates every time you stroll past their display windows. They also offer a selection of cakes and pastries, as well as cookies that showcase authentic Hong Kong flavours such as yuenyeung (a blend of coffee and milk tea), red bean ice, condensed milk toast and Yangzhou fried rice.

Oookie Cookie

Among all the cake shops and cookie stores that have sprung up in Hong Kong in recent years, Oookie Cookie stands out for those with a sweet tooth craving surprises. Founded in 2016 by a passionate foodie, this baking studio specialises in creative, handcrafted cakes and cookies. Together with a skilled local team, they draw inspiration from Hong Kong’s cha chaan teng culture to create visually stunning cakes shaped like iced lemon tea, buttered pineapple bun and French toast. The bakery also offers custom cakes and cookies.

Oookie Cookie has also launched the handcrafted cookie brand, PIN, which is known for using fine ingredients and traditional Cantonese seasonings to create innovative cookie flavours — think red dates, scallion chicken, tangerine peel with ginger, salted egg with shrimp paste, and XO sauce. Don’t forget to try their Hong Kong-style packaged fusion palmiers!

Poppop Rangers

Who says popcorn can only be enjoyed in cinemas? Adventurous taste buds won’t want to miss Poppop Rangers, a local brand known for their classic and innovative flavours that range from caramel to rose salt caramel to dry spicy and honey mustard. Each bite is an explosion of flavour that leaves you craving more.

But that’s not all: their secret recipes for trans fat-free popcorn, made with premium, non-genetically modified corn kernels from the US and pure natural coconut oil, means you can indulge in the delectable treats without any guilt. It has four outlets in Hong Kong currently, including MTR stations Mongkok and Kwun Tong, where you can shop for popcorn boxsets, seasonal editions, as well as customised packaging services for special occasions like weddings, farewell parties and birthdays.

Information in this article is subject to change without advance notice. Please contact the relevant product or service providers for enquiries.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board disclaims any liability as to the quality or fitness for purpose of third party products and services; and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, adequacy or reliability of any information contained herein.