TVB’s famous saying, “The most important thing in life is to be happy,” might have something to do with Hong Kong’s consistently high levels of happiness. But recently, another contender for spreading joy has been making waves: the pistachio, which has been popping up on menus all over the city.
I have a feeling that at this rate, the green of pistachios might soon overtake the perennial favorite matcha green as the most popular color in town.
Today, I’ll introduce you to 7 shops that you can either make a special trip to visit or simply drop by when you’re in the area. But one thing’s for sure—after trying these treats, you won’t be allowed to be unhappy!
1.Man Fung Noodle Shop
What makes the pistachio glutinous rice dumplings at this 70-year-old noodle shop so impressive that they’ve gone viral?
Man Fung Noodle Shop in Tsuen Wan is well-known among locals for its wonton and dumplings, but their freshly made glutinous rice dumplings with thin skin and generous filling are truly hard to ignore!
The pistachio flavor is a new addition this year. The nuts are finely ground and pair perfectly with the soft and chewy outer skin.
What keeps people coming back for more is the just-right amount of sugar, which adds a grainy texture and a hint of sweetness that enhances the nutty aroma—it’s truly remarkable.
If you’re a nut lover, I recommend trying all the flavors, including sesame, peanut, and hazelnut. You can’t go wrong with any of them.
But remember, the nut flavors are best eaten quickly. If left for too long, the sugar melts, and the texture suffers.
I personally love the vintage look of the red and white paper box packaging. It’s photogenic no matter how you snap a picture of it, and sometimes that old-school feel is just what hits the spot.
A friendly reminder: they only accept cash. Due to its recent popularity, queues are inevitable, so I suggest visiting during off-peak hours or planning your visit for later if you’re not in a hurry.
And since you’re already there, if you have the chance, I highly recommend trying the dumplings, wonton, and chive pancakes.
💰 Pistachio Glutinous Rice Dumplings HK$12
📍 G/F, 35 Market Street, Tsuen Wan
⌚ 8:30 – 22:00
2.ALL ABOUT NUTS
If we’re talking about happiness, a little indulgence won’t hurt.
As the name suggests, ALL ABOUT NUTS is all about nuts. Their soufflé waffles and French toast have gone viral, but at the end of the day, they’re all in service of the nuts~
Their nut butters are freshly ground with no additives. The pistachio and hazelnut butters are the most expensive, but you get what you pay for—generous portions and authentic flavors.
You might say it’s sinful, but the waffles are vegan, and the French toast isn’t deep-fried, so there’s a bit of a healthy twist.
But then again, in addition to the nut butter, they’re also drenched in caramel and condensed milk (you can swap the caramel for coconut syrup on the waffles).
Since the nut butters are unsweetened, the hint of caramelized flavor and sweetness from the caramel and condensed milk actually enhances the aroma of the nuts.
I prefer the French toast. The bread is incredibly soft and tender, soaked through with egg mixture, and when that rich egg flavor meets the pistachio butter, it’s something you definitely won’t find at a cha chaan teng.
Oh, and they also sell nut butters. I found out because my friend keeps close tabs on when to go and stock up.
If you’re interested, keep an eye on their Instagram, where they post a schedule of the nut butters available each week. You can bring your own jar and pay by weight. (The pistachio butter is the most popular, so I recommend reserving it in advance~)
💰 Pistachio French Toast HK$58
📍 Shop 13, G/F, Pak Tin Shopping Centre, 1-3 Wai Chi Lane, Shek Kip Mei
⌚ 12:00 – 19:30 (Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, open on public holidays)
3.Vission Bakery
Vission, the trending bakery, is the kind of place that my friends and I recommend without even thinking about how to phrase it: “It’s expensive but delicious, just go eat it.”
Recently, you have to wait for the matcha tarts to come out of the oven to buy them, but old fans know that the pistachio custard tart that took the city by storm is also very much worth rushing for!
The focus of Vission’s tarts is on the filling. The crust isn’t particularly prominent but is by no means sloppy. If you’re lucky enough to buy one fresh out of the oven, the happiness of biting into that crumbly crust is something you can’t resist, even if you know it’s going to give you a sore throat.
The pistachio tart, when eaten immediately after purchasing, has a flowing center. Be sure to have some tissues ready before digging in~
The layering of flavors is done exceptionally well. The addition of the creamy custard helps it stand out from the crowd of pistachio desserts.
However, I recommend trying it after taking it home and refrigerating it for a different, slightly solidified texture.
It’s a bit like pudding and a bit like ice cream that’s on the verge of melting. Feeling it slowly melt in your mouth under the heat is truly incredible.
Vission’s pistachio line also includes Basque cheesecake and muffins.
The Basque cake also follows the pistachio + creamy route, with a large dollop of pistachio cream on top. It’s worth a try, but personally, I find it relatively ordinary.
The muffins, on the other hand, are worth buying. After all, Vission’s pastries are already outstanding. Tearing open the soft bread and eating it with pistachio butter is a different style from the pistachio custard tart.
By the way, the tarts almost always come out of the oven between 1:00 and 1:30 pm. Remember to go early and don’t eat too much beforehand~
💰 Pistachio Custard Tart HK$68
📍 LG/F, Tsui Man Building, 7 Staunton Street, Soho, Central
⌚ Mon-Fri 7:30-21:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-21:00
4.Yin Heung
In Hong Kong, there may be eight hundred choices for drinking sweet soups, but if you’re eating nut paste, please head straight to Yin Heung without a second thought.
Yin Heung is a young brand that transitioned from an online store to a physical store. Although it’s not a long-established shop, its products can be said to surpass many old shops.
The signature pistachio tofu pudding is a must-eat (it’s a bit of a shame that the store no longer makes pure pistachio syrup). If you want to be a bit more indulgent, I recommend adding glutinous rice balls 😉
The Italian pistachios are the best choice, meticulously selected by the owner. After roasting, each nut is fragrant, and since they’re finely ground in-house, the texture is unbelievably smooth.
If you’re going to the store for afternoon tea, I recommend also ordering a pistachio Basque cheesecake or French toast for a different flavor and texture than the sweet soup.
The French toast is miles ahead of what you’d find at a cha chaan teng. The bread, from selection to baking, has been personally researched and crafted by the owner. Paired with the concentrated pistachio butter, who wouldn’t go crazy for it!
💰 Pistachio Tofu Pudding HK$48
⌚ Mon-Thu 13:30-00:00, Fri-Sun 14:00-00:30
Hau Fuk Street, Tsim Sha Tsui
- Shop G28, G/F, Domain 1, Metro City Phase 1,
- Shop 2332, 2/F, MCP Central, Ma On Shan
5.Ima Coffee
Usually, I don’t recommend going out of your way to a coffee shop for desserts, but Ima Coffee in To Kwa Wan is an exception.
Most friends who have visited say that the most outstanding thing about this place isn’t the coffee but the desserts, like this pistachio terrine.
Terrine is relatively rare in Hong Kong dessert shops. It can be simply understood as a kind of frozen cake made with a large amount of cream and cheese.
Ima Coffee’s pistachio terrine is divided into three layers. The bottom layer is relatively firm and dense, a bit like a semi-cooked cheesecake. From the color alone, you can tell they didn’t skimp on the pistachios—it’s very rich.
The top layer is lighter in color and milder in taste, but it excels in its ice cream-like texture—silky, cool, and perfect for summer.
Finally, it’s sprinkled with large chunks of pistachio, allowing you to directly enjoy the pleasure of chewing on nuts. I can’t imagine how blissful it would be to have all three layers in one bite~
Ima Coffee also has homemade desserts like muffins and cookies, all suitable for pairing with coffee. But when eating the pistachio terrine, I recommend pairing it with black coffee to cut through the richness~
💰 Pistachio Terrine HK$68
📍 Shop 15, G/F, Kai Ngan, 63 Ma Tau Wai Road, To Kwa Wan
⌚ Mon-Fri 11:00-18:30, Sat-Sun 10:30-18:30
6.LAB ZERÕ
In the previous part, we “neglected our duties” by going to a coffee shop for desserts. In this part, we’ll take you to another brunch cafe for shaved ice.
When it comes to shaved ice in Hong Kong, Shari Shari is definitely at the top of the rankings. But if you want pistachio flavor and some surprises, you have to go to LAB ZERÕ in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Just a heads up, since their main focus is light meals, they only start serving shaved ice after 2 pm, and there’s a 10% service charge.
But this bowl of pistachio dang1 siu1 shaved ice, it really looks exactly like the shaved ice in those summer illustrations, and you can feel its refreshing fluffiness just from looking at it.
One bowl is probably enough for 2 to 4 people. The surface is sprinkled with peanut and sesame crumbs, giving it a more complex nutty flavor.
In the middle is a super creamy pistachio-flavored milk ice cream, and at the bottom are little balls aka. dang1 siu1, coated with a bit of glutinous rice syrup, giving it a bit of a feel of eating sweet soup. You could say it’s full of surprises from start to finish~
Among today’s contenders, this bowl of shaved ice is relatively refreshing. It doesn’t win with a strong pistachio flavor, but it’s perfect for the upcoming weather and for having afternoon tea with your girlfriends, chatting while enjoying it.
💰 Pistachio Dang Siu Shaved Ice HK$128+10%
📍 Shop B, G/F, 68 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
⌚ 12:00-21:00
7.The Nutter Company
Summer is the domain of gelato. Messina in Central and Gelato-go in Tsim Sha Tsui have been recommended by too many people, so today I’m going to recommend a great option that you can buy anywhere.
The Nutter Company, a local Hong Kong brand, is a high-quality nut gelato that you can buy in convenience stores like 7-Eleven and supermarkets like citysuper. It tastes like a milky version of nut butter and is also cost-effective.
The owner specifically went to Italy to study ice cream courses, so even though it’s a mass-produced cup ice cream, it still achieves a natural texture and uses real ingredients, which is highly praised by the “ice cream concern group” in Hong Kong.
They have four flavors of ice cream: pistachio, hazelnut, black sesame, and peanut butter sea salt. Needless to say, pistachio is definitely the most popular.
As soon as you open the lid, you can see the generous pistachio chunks, and they maintain a crispy texture, which is very impressive.
The ice cream is even blended with avocado for a smoother texture. It’s not an overly exuberant pistachio flavor, so eating a whole cup is not cloying or greasy, yet rich and satisfying—perfectly done.
Actually, The Nutter Company is better at making nut butters, but many friends are drawn to them because of a cup of ice cream.
After trying it, everyone buys the nut butter to take home, which can be used for spreading on bread or for making light meals and dishes.
It’s important to note that not every 7-Eleven has the ice cream, and the nut butter is also relatively less available, but they also have an online store. If you have the means, you can stock up on ice cream for the summer!
Before you go, you can check their Instagram for the latest points of sale. You can buy it in popular areas like Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Causeway Bay, and West Kowloon.
💰 Extra Rich Pistachio Ice Cream HK$44, Pistachio Butter HK$138
When it comes to food in Hong Kong, they take even a tiny nut so seriously and with such variety.
From traditional to innovative, from warming the stomach to cooling down, as a pistachio lover, you have to go all in on these places today.
What about you, which one are you craving the most?
