Heading north for a meal — some people go to try new-style Chinese cuisine, but another group of Hongkongers goes for that "Hong Kong taste": milk tea, pineapple buns, rice plates, iced lemon tea. Shenzhen's Hong Kong-style cha chaan tengs have been multiplying over the past two years, from malls right next to the border checkpoints to Nanshan and Qianhai. Prices generally run ¥40 to ¥100 per person, noticeably cheaper than similar cha chaan tengs in Hong Kong, and many shops accept WeChat Pay/Alipay, so there's zero friction for Hongkongers heading north. Below, organised by the three main checkpoint areas, are 8 shops (based on OpenRice Shenzhen listings as of September 2026).
Luohu Checkpoint Area (4 shops)
1. Cha Fan Bing Sutt (茶飯冰室) (Luohu Commercial City) — step off and you're there
Located in Luohu Commercial City, directly opposite Shenzhen Railway Station and right at the exit of Luohu Station on Line 1 — just a few minutes' walk after clearing customs. The menu follows a Cantonese-plus-seafood line, with Hong Kong-style rice plates, congee, noodles and roast meats. ¥41–100 per person, and its location can't be beat: your first meal after crossing needs no transport at all.
2. Hak Ming Bing Sutt (克茗冰室) (Sun Plaza branch) — a mid-shopping rest stop in Dongmen
Hak Ming Bing Sutt is one of the most talked-about Hong Kong-style cha chaan tengs in Shenzhen. The Sun Plaza branch sits in the Dongmen Old Street area, within the Laojie Station zone on Line 3 — after walking Dongmen you can sit down and have a milk tea. ¥41–100 per person, with the typical cha chaan teng line-up: instant noodles, butter toast, French toast, iced lemon tea.
3. Hak Ming Bing Sutt (克茗冰室) (Sungang MixC Food Market) — new mall, new shop, tidy setting
Sungang is one of Luohu's newer commercial districts in recent years. The branch inside MixC Food Market has a large space and relatively quick seating, around Sungang Station on Line 7. If you want to eat comfortably without the Dongmen crowds, pick this one.
4. You Fan Cha Sutt · Hong Kong-style Cha Chaan Teng (優帆餐室·港式茶餐廳) (Shenye Building branch) — Huangbeiling neighbourhood prices
Located in Huangbeiling, Luohu, near Huangbeiling Station on Line 2, this is a neighbourhood-style cha chaan teng at ¥41–100 per person. The advantage of places like this is there's no "internet-famous shop" queue, tables turn over fast, and it suits a simple family meal.
Futian Checkpoint Area (2 shops)
5. Wang Lai Kong · Hong Kong-style Cha Chaan Teng (旺萊港·港式茶餐廳) (Century Plaza branch) — beside the Huaqiangbei electronics market
After browsing SEG and Manhar in Huaqiangbei, if you want a cheap meal, head into Century Plaza for this one — under ¥40 per person, one of the cheapest options in this whole list. Around Huaqiangbei Station on Lines 2/7, so transport is easy.
6. Hong Kong Tung Sing Bing Sutt (香港東升冰室) (1368 Cultural District) — Hong Kong flavour inside Shuiwei Village
Located in the 1368 Cultural District in Shuiwei, Futian, around Huanggangcun Station on Line 7, ¥41–100 per person. Shuiwei itself is a famous late-night food village in Shenzhen — a cha chaan teng plus late-night stalls, two meals in one day is no exaggeration.
Shenzhen Bay / Nanshan Checkpoint Area (2 shops)
7. Fang Lan Cha Sutt (芳蘭茶室) (Shenzhen Bay MixC) — inside the mall, most convenient
Shenzhen Bay MixC connects directly to Exit B1 of Houhai Station on Lines 2/11/13, one direct ride on Line 13 from Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint. Fang Lan Cha Sutt follows the Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng/bing sutt route at ¥41–100 per person — after shopping the mall or catching a film, you can sit right down.
8. Lao Qi Bing Sutt · Roast Meats · Hong Kong-style Cha Chaan Teng (撈起冰室·燒臘·港式茶餐廳) (Qianhai) — roast meats plus bing sutt
More and more new malls are opening around Qianhai. This one focuses on roast meats plus Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng fare at ¥41–100 per person, around Qianwan Station on Lines 5/9 (directly connected to the basement of malls such as Qianhai Kerry Centre). If you want a roast meat rice and a Hong Kong-style milk tea, one shop covers both.
Price and taste reference
| Shop | Area | Metro | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cha Fan Bing Sutt (Luohu Commercial City) | Luohu · Railway Station | Line 1, Luohu Station | ¥41–100 |
| Hak Ming Bing Sutt (Sun Plaza branch) | Luohu · Dongmen | Line 3, Laojie Station | ¥41–100 |
| Hak Ming Bing Sutt (Sungang MixC Food Market) | Luohu · Sungang | Line 7, Sungang Station | ¥41–100 |
| You Fan Cha Sutt (Shenye Building branch) | Luohu · Huangbeiling | Line 2, Huangbeiling Station | ¥41–100 |
| Wang Lai Kong (Century Plaza branch) | Futian · Huaqiangbei | Lines 2/7, Huaqiangbei Station | Under ¥40 |
| Hong Kong Tung Sing Bing Sutt (1368 Cultural District) | Futian · Shuiwei | Line 7, Huanggangcun Station | ¥41–100 |
| Fang Lan Cha Sutt (Shenzhen Bay MixC) | Nanshan · Houhai | Lines 2/11/13, Houhai Station | ¥41–100 |
| Lao Qi Bing Sutt (Qianhai) | Nanshan · Qianhai | Lines 5/9, Qianwan Station | ¥41–100 |
How to choose based on your checkpoint
- Luohu Checkpoint: Luohu Commercial City is right after you clear customs, so you can start with Cha Fan Bing Sutt; if you want to shop, switch to Line 3 for Dongmen, where Hak Ming Bing Sutt's Sun Plaza branch is waiting.
- Futian Checkpoint: Line 4 takes you into the city centre, then transfer to Lines 2/7 for Huaqiangbei or Huanggangcun — both shops are in the same district.
- Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint: one direct ride on Line 13 to Houhai Station, and the Shenzhen Bay MixC branch is the most convenient; for the Qianhai shop you'll need to walk from Qianwan Station.
Practical tips
- Most Hong Kong-style bing sutts don't open until after 11:00, so breakfast options are limited — for breakfast you'll need a congee shop or a mall chain.
- Ordering is mostly by phone QR code or self-service machine, so remember to set up WeChat Pay/AlipayHK in advance.
- Afternoon tea hours (14:00–17:00) usually have discounted sets, better value than ordering a rice plate at full price.
- Shenzhen bing sutt portions are generally bigger than Hong Kong's — one rice, one noodle and two buns between two people is already enough.
- Queues are longest on holidays and weekend dinner service (after 18:00); to eat quickly, aim to be seated before 17:00.
FAQ
How different is the taste at Shenzhen's Hong Kong-style bing sutts from Hong Kong cha chaan tengs?
Basics like milk tea, French toast and rice plates are already very close; the differences are mostly in how ingredients such as char siu and roast goose are handled and in the sauce flavours. Shenzhen shops generally run a little sweeter, so you can ask for less sugar when ordering.
Roughly how much is it per person?
The 8 shops in this article are listed on OpenRice at ¥40 to ¥100 per person, depending on how many items you order; drinks are generally ¥15–25 and rice plates ¥30–45.
Do I need to book?
Most bing sutts don't take reservations and you just queue; around holidays you can check live waiting times on Meituan or Dianping first.
Which is best for a first trip north to eat?
If you cross at Luohu, Cha Fan Bing Sutt (Luohu Commercial City) saves the most time; if you cross at Shenzhen Bay, pick Fang Lan Cha Sutt (Shenzhen Bay MixC) — you arrive as soon as you get off.
Opening hours, prices and branch locations change, so refer to each shop's on-site prices and the latest OpenRice/Meituan information.
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