Kau Kee is far from a secret in Central Hong Kong. The restaurant draws perpetual lines and is renowned for brisket noodle soup. People pile into speckled stools at communal tables, beneath fluorescent lighting. Just choose your noodle preference, which could be yi mein (flat egg noodles) or mei fun (rice noodles). Speaking Cantonese makes it possible to specify cuts, or order your beef crispy. Regardless, look for fatty, savory brisket hacks in rich broth.

The Law family’s restaurant is 67 years old and features fluorescent lighting and purple booths. Law Fu Kee is famous for congee, which is on the thick side, and comes with a choice of toppings, which works well with Pig’s Giblets, a melange of pig liver, intestine, and kidney, plus firm beef balls. Pickled ginger proves a surprisingly effective match for runny preserved century egg. Juicy fish balls are crafted from freshwater fish called wan yu, aka grass carp, which dips in savory clam sauce.

This wonton specialist in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui features a wall mounted menu. The choice is easy: wonton, fish balls and/or beef, either served in soup or with a soup sidecar. Wantons are surprisingly large, featuring thin wrappers and plump shrimp. Fish balls are mixed with flour, forming chewy orbs. Soup contains oyster sauce and greens. Spoon on house-made chile sauce.

One of Hong Kong’s most impressive Cantonese restaurants resides on the sixth floor of Mong Kok’s Langham Place hotel, where chef Mango Tsang works to uphold the reputation of the Ming Dynasty, and of his younger brother Tsang Chiu King, who preceded Mango in the kitchen and brought the restaurant two Michelin stars. The modern space features Ming pottery recreations that workers found during hotel construction. Chef Mango continues to elevate his family’s traditional cuisine, adding decorative gold leaf and black truffle sauce to silky tofu. He plates a giant grouper and shrimp dish like a breaching sea monster. Dry ice even lends a flair for the dramatic to dessert, a smoking Sweet Wonderland in four parts. A la carte is good for a group, though Ming Court’s tasting menu ($550HK ~ $80) is a wise investment for a two-top.