Street-style food stalls authentically recreated—Hong Kong’s super popular trendy retro restaurant, Li Haowei

▲ Li Haowei is one of Hong Kong’s trending hotspots recently.

Reported and photographed by Jiayun Yu / Hong Kong

If you’re in Hong Kong and want to try some authentic local flavors, besides the must-visit street-side food stalls, there’s a new trend that's gaining popularity: adding creative twists to traditional Cantonese dishes. The restaurant Li Haowei, located in Central, is designed inside and out with a strong nostalgic and vintage vibe, making you feel as if you’ve stepped into an indoor version of a street food stall. The restaurant also takes many classic Cantonese dishes to the next level by developing new flavors and ways of serving them, all while staying true to the essence of Hong Kong cuisine—even locals can’t resist its charm.

▲ The semi-open kitchen on the second floor.

▲ The bar area on the first floor has a great atmosphere.

Located on Faai Wa Street in Central, Li Haowei is hard to miss from afar with its semi-open exterior. There’s no flashy main entrance—instead, you can directly see the bar and first-floor dining space. The whole restaurant is styled with a retro vibe, featuring time-warp graffiti on the walls and old movies playing that make you feel like you've stepped into a time tunnel, yet it still maintains a fashionable touch. In addition to the wall decorations, everything—from furnishings and displays to tableware—is specially chosen to reflect old Hong Kong style, creating the lively and casual atmosphere reminiscent of the heyday of food stalls.

▲ The bar transforms into a retro-style pub at night.

▲ Every corner of the restaurant is filled with vintage charm.

JOE LEE, the dining and operations director of Li Haowei, said that just like in Taiwan, Hong Kong has many street foods, but to offer a more comfortable dining environment, they’ve brought these delicious street snacks into the restaurant. During lunchtime, Li Haowei serves more traditional Hong Kong dishes, while in the evening, it offers creative cuisine. After dark, it even turns into a retro bar perfect for gatherings and casual chats, showcasing a rather versatile style.

▲ The wall graffiti and vintage-style tableware are all details that contribute to the food stall ambiance.

Although lunchtime features traditional Cantonese dishes, modern creativity and elements are still infused into the preparation and flavors. Take “Golden Shrimp Shed Shell” for example—typically seasoned with salted egg, but at Li Haowei, black truffle is added for a completely different aroma. Another dish, “Black Pepper Shrimp Ball Silver Thread Roll,” replaces white rice with crispy silver thread rolls and pairs them with foamed condensed milk, reinterpreting traditional Hong Kong cuisine in a fun and delicious way.

▲ Golden Shrimp Shed Shell is one of Li Haowei’s creative dishes.

▲ Silver thread rolls replace white rice, served alongside pan-seared shrimp.

Li Haowei
8 Fa Yuen Street, Central
2896-7688