Spices of Hong Kong
A free port long used for trading dried goods, with shops on Des Voeux Road West selling dried seafood, herbs and spices.
Traded and grown here
Best time: October to December.
Hong Kong's Sheung Wan has long been a district of dried goods, called nam pak hong, where merchants sold spices, herbs and dried seafood to Chinese communities across Asia.
Spices and trade
Shops sell star anise, cassia, Sichuan pepper, dried tangerine peel, white pepper and dried chilli. Five-spice powder is used in roast meats, and chilli oils are a Cantonese table staple.
The place and its people
Cantonese cooking is gentle in heat, leaning on ginger, spring onion, white pepper and fermented seasonings. Dim sum houses serve dishes with five-spice and chilli.
Visiting
Walk Wing Lok Street and Des Voeux Road West. Dai pai dong stalls and old tea houses are good for meals.
A trail idea for Hong Kong
- Wing Lok Street See dried goods.
- A herb shop Look at dried tangerine peel and herbs.
- A dim sum house Eat with chilli oil.
- Sheung Wan Walk the old streets.
Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Hong Kong" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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