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Kylie Knott

It is a warm Saturday in December and Hongkongers David Lai and his father, Fat, lean back in their seats after a hearty lunch.
“I invited my 92-year-old father here today,” said David, 61, back in his old haunt for the first time in about seven years, “I want him to recall some happy memories from his younger days when we had many cafes like this one.”
It is easy to see why Mido Cafe, in the bustling Yau Ma Tei district of Kowloon, holds a sentimental spot in the hearts of Hongkongers.
Established in 1950, it is one of the best examples of a cha chaan teng, Hong Kong-style cafes that serve basic food in even more basic surroundings.

Cha chaan tengs – which literally means “tea restaurant”– sprang up in the 1950s and 60s to satisfy the demand for affordable and fast Hong Kong-style western food.
Today, the no-nonsense dining experience – think crust-less sandwiches, lunch sets of noodles, unidentifiable meat, vegetables and pineapple buns with Hong Kong-style French toast on the side, all washed down with a cup of tea made with condensed milk – resonates with those seeking comfort food that connects them to their childhood.
While cheap eateries and chains constantly sprout up in the city – a sign of tough economic times shaped by the pandemic – Mido Cafe is one of the few cha chaan tengs that has maintained its original features, from its curved architectural design to ceiling fans and tiled walls and floors.
And forget e-payment. Cash is king here.

In July, netizens expressed sadness after the cafe posted a cryptic note on its premises informing customers that it was taking a break.
“So let’s give it some time now to get some rest, a moment to take a breath. Please remember that after today, there will still be another day, and many decades to follow after,” the note read, ending with the line: “If fate allows, we will meet again …”
Fate, it seems, has allowed: the cafe is back in business, much to the delight of patrons seeking a taste of old days.

Hongkonger Kathy Fong, who was visiting the cafe for the first time, told the Post.
“I had a massage down the road and have a facial later today so I thought I would visit in between my beauty treatments,” said Fong, adding that her tomato and beef soup with rice was “very tasty”.
“I heard this cafe had closed for a few months so I wanted to visit in case it closes permanently,” said Fong, 57. She added that the cafe’s decor reminds her of her childhood.
“It makes me a little sad when cafes like this close down.”

David Lai said he was happy to learn that the cafe had reopened.
“Take a look upstairs. It’s beautiful,” he said.
He was right. The afternoon sun streamed through the blue and yellow stained glass windows and green venetian blinds, filling the space with a retro glow that had a distinctive cinematic feel.
It is easy to see why it was a location favourite for movies such as 1960’s “The World of Suzie Wong” and the 1999 classic, “Moonlight Express”.
Film buffs Lily Kwong and her boyfriend Travis Tan came for an afternoon snack and said they love the old-style feel of the place.

“I wish there were more cafes like this in Hong Kong,” said Kwong, 27.
The Mido Cafe is not alone, cha chaan tengs are woven into the city’s pop-culture fabric.
Hong Kong actor Stephen Chow Sing-chi played a cha chaan teng waiter in the 1998 comedy, The Lucky Guy, and a cha chaan teng meal-delivery boy in the 1999 hit, King of Comedy.
Last year, Hong Kong singer Michael “MC” Cheung Tin-fu’s hit video, Loser, was shot in a cha chaan teng.

In 2007, a Hong Kong lawmaker wanted them added to the city’s Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Unfortunately, the ubiquitous eateries failed to make the cut.
As for the future of Mido Cafe, questions to the waiter about why it reopened, and whether it will stay open, were shut down faster than the speed the milk tea and fried noodles were delivered to the table.
Maybe his Mickey Mouse T-shirt, with the message – “It’s All Going To Be Ok - Dizzying Times Call For Dizzying Movements” – emblazoned across the back, said it all.


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Back on the menu: Hong Kong culinary icon returns as Mido Cafe reopens its doors to keep city in touch with tradition

Customers are delighted that Hong Kong’s iconic Mido Cafe, which has featured in a number of hit movies, has re-opened. Cha chaan teng’s, or local cafes, are woven into the fabric of the city’s pop culture. Photo: SCMP Composite.

Hong Kong actor Stephen Chow Sing-chi played a cha chaan teng waiter in the 1998 comedy, “The Lucky Guy”, and a local meal-delivery-boy in the 1999 hit, “King of Comedy”. Photo: SCMP Composite.

Mido Cafe in Kowloon, Hong Kong has retained its traditional facade. Photo: SCMP / Kylie Knott

Hong Kong’s Mido Cafe is one of the city’s best examples of a cha chaan teng, or local cafe. Photo: SCMP / Kylie Knott

The cafe has also retained its original interior styling, including tiled walls and floors. Photo: SCMP / Kylie Knott

Kathy Fong sampled the delights of Mido Cafe for the first time on December 10, “It makes me a little sad when cafes like this close down,” she said. Photo: SCMP / Kylie Knott

David Lai and his father, Fat, visit Mido Cafe, on December 10, 2022. “It’s beautiful,” he said. Photo: SCMP / Kylie Knott

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Customers in search of nostalgia and simple food pour back into iconic cafe which has served as a location for some of city’s most famous movies
Mido Cafe in the bustling Yau Ma Tei district is a shining example of Hong Kong’s ubiquitous cha chaan tengs, or local cafes


Hong Kong’s iconic Mido Cafe is back in business after a four-month hiatus, much to the delight of customers seeking a taste of the city’s old-style cha chaan tengs.


Trending in China

Chinese culture

Back on the menu: Hong Kong culinary icon returns as Mido Cafe reopens its doors to keep city in touch with tradition

Customers in search of nostalgia and simple food pour back into iconic cafe which has served as a location for some of city’s most famous movies Mido Cafe in the bustling Yau Ma Tei district is a shining example of Hong Kong’s ubiquitous cha chaan tengs, or local cafes

Customers in search of nostalgia and simple food pour back into iconic cafe which has served as a location for some of city’s most famous movies

Mido Cafe in the bustling Yau Ma Tei district is a shining example of Hong Kong’s ubiquitous cha chaan tengs, or local cafes