Mido Cafe

Mido Cafe has been serving customers on the corner of Temple Street and Public Square Street in Yau Ma Tei since 1950. It is one of the best-preserved traditional cha chaan teng in Hong Kong, a type of café also known as a bing sutt in its older form, and a visit feels like stepping back several decades. The café occupies the ground and first floors of a four-storey concrete building.

The interior is the main reason to come. Original features from its early years survive, including wooden booths, floor and wall tiles and stained glass windows. The café has appeared in many films and television shows, from The World of Suzie Wong to Moonlight Express, Days of Being Wild and the series Strangers.

The menu is classic cha chaan teng comfort food. Egg sandwiches, noodle bowls and milk tea are among the dishes it is known for, and they are a good choice for a light meal or an afternoon break. Do not expect fine dining. The appeal is in eating a simple, inexpensive meal in a room that has changed little in decades.

Mido closed suddenly in July 2022, prompting fears that it had gone for good, but it reopened later that year after about three months and continues to trade. Because of its popularity with photographers, be considerate of other diners when taking pictures, and buy something rather than coming in only for photos. Prices are low, and cash is the safest way to pay.

Its long run of screen appearances also includes Goodbye Mr. Cool and Revolving Doors of Vengeance, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board lists it among the city's vintage cafés worth seeking out.

The café suits anyone interested in Hong Kong's design and film history, as well as budget travellers looking for a local meal. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. It is on Temple Street itself, so it is easy to combine with an evening at the night market. Yau Ma Tei MTR station is close by, and Australia Dairy Company in Jordan is close enough for a second cha chaan teng stop on the same day.