Dining

Tea-rific tonics

Charmaine Ng stays healthy with traditional Chinese herbal tea

Chinese herbal tea (liang cha) is a popular choice for Hong Kongers looking for a quick immunity system booster. Traditional and modern tea shops can be found across the city, usually offering a range of drinks that are available for takeaway. Here’s where to get them.

Sam Bat Mai Kudzu

Sam Bat Mai Kudzu is arguably the most well-known standalone herbal tea store in Hong Kong. Customers can order their famous rorippa indica tea to drink instore in a bowl or to take away in a bottle. 226 Johnston Road, Wan Chai

Yip Heung Lau ( ) With two branches in Wan Chai, one just across the road from MTR Wan Chai Station, Yip Heung Lau is a popular go-to for customers to grab a drink while passing by. They serve rorippa indica tea and monk fruit tea. 104 Johnston Road, Wan Chai

Kung Yuen Tong ( ) Unlike the other herbal tea stores in this list, Kung Yuen Tong serves not only drinks but also a variety of street snacks like fish balls and siu mai. The store offers a wide variety of Chinese teas including 24 herbs, five flower tea, monk fruit tea, common selfheal herb, canton abrus herb and more.

into a citywide chain with a focus on healthy food and drinks. You can usually find stores inside MTR stations. Shop No. HOK 58, MTR Hong Kong Station, Central. hungfooktong.com

CheckCheckCin Founded by registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner Cinci Leung, CheckCheckCin has six branches across Hong Kong. The store is a favourite for the younger generation with their cute packaging and Insta-worthy drinks. They offer a range of rice water that can help improve digestion as well as various herbal drinks. Try the roselle tea or Chinese hawthorn if you’re looking to slim down or the calming dragon fruit pearl rose tea to help combat stress and anxiety. G/F, Kai Fung Building, 4-6 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan. checkcheckcin.com

Shop A, 188-192 Johnston Road, Wan Chai

Good Spring Company ( ) Originally founded in Guangzhou’s Panyu district, Good Spring Company is a popular Chinese medicine shop in Central with a large range of Chinese herbal teas for customers to drink on the go. Selections include hot or cold 24 herbs tea, sweet flower tea and American ginseng tea. 8 Cochrane Street, Central

Hung Fook Tong If you live in Hong Kong, chances are you’ve passed by a branch of Hung Fook Tong. The company was founded in 1986 as a traditional herbal tea shop and has grown

Know your teas

Rorippa indica tea is known for its detoxifying properties in the liver and bones, making it the perfect summer drink. It is also said to clear internal heat.

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Move over Red Lobster

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