Going Places

Step into a Hong Kong cha chaan teng 茶餐廳 on any weekday morning and you will hear it before you see it – the rattle of metal spoons, the clang of porcelain, and the rhythmic chatter of waiters calling orders. And somewhere in that whirlwind, a cup of Nai Cha 奶茶 lands on your table. 

Creamy, fragrant, slightly sweet, and unapologetically strong, almost tannic – Hong Kong-style milk tea is more than a drink. It’s a ritual that fuels the city.

Did you know?

Hong Kongers consume a total of 900 million cups of Nai Cha per year, which is equivalent to 212 million litres (to give you an idea.. the massive Dubai Aquarium tank contains 10 million litres of water. Quick math: Hong Kongers’  Nai Cha consumption in a year would fill up 20 of those giant tanks!

What Exactly Is Nai Cha?

Hong Kong was once ruled by British. The practice of British afternoon tea was cultivated amongst the locals. English tea was then improvised by Hong Kongers by replacing ordinary milk with evaporated or condensed milk.

The person who makes Nai Cha at HK style coffee shops are like the coffee baristas equivalent. To make a perfect cup of Nai Cha, one needs to know the types of black tea – often Pu Lei and a type of Ceylon tea, how much to mix with right proportion of milk and sugar. Making a cup of milk tea is an art itself.

How can one tell if the Nai Cha is good?

You look for smoothness – how creamy and full-bodied it is.

Some coffee shops would use silk stocking to filter Nai Cha to make it smoother.

Spot some white frothy residue inside the lip of the cup after a few sips and what does this mean? The white froth tells you the concentration of butterfat in the evaporated milk used is high enough.

Enjoy Nai Cha hot or cold, it’s up to you really. You can order Bing Jen Nai Cha 冰鎮奶茶 (ice-bath milk tea) or Dong Nai Cha 凍奶茶 (cold milk tea) . If you like it with condensed milk instead of evaporated milk and sugar, ask for Cha jau 茶走 . If you are open to try something different, opt for Yuen yeung. It means milk tea mixed with coffee.

Where to Drink It: Lan Fong Yuen 蘭芳園

Lan Fong Yuen is top on the list for its aromatic Nai Cha. Opened since 1953, this coffee shop is located on Gage St, Central Hong Kong. Its popularity is evident from the long queue outside even during non-peak hours. The place is so tiny and chaotic, but that’s utterly charming!

Address: 2 Gage St, Central Hong Kong

Opening hours: Daily 7.30am till 6.00pm (closes on Sunday)

Heads up: you might be standing in line, dodging crates and sharing a table with strangers, but that’s part of the charm and makes it an unforgettable experience.