Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get our top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
Header images courtesy of @feedmytummylikemichelin (via Instagram)
Move over, Egg McMuffin—gilgeori toast (길거리토스트; “street toast”) takes the crown for the ultimate breakfast sandwich. Popularised by street vendors in South Korea, the breakfast and lunch staple is a sweet-and-savoury grilled egg sandwich that comes stuffed with a variety of fillings, ranging from crunchy veggies and melty cheese to barbecued meats and hash brown. Fast, filling, and infinitely adaptable, Korean street toast ticks all the boxes for the perfect grab-and-go sandwich and tastes downright delicious to boot.
The best part? You don’t need to fly to Seoul to get your hands on them. Korean street toast has recently started popping up on menus all around the city, and we are here to give you the low-down on the best places where you can enjoy this buttery, toasted goodness right here in Hong Kong!
If you are at all familiar with the world of trendy toasts, then you will be no stranger to Isaac Toast. This mega-popular breakfast and sandwich South Korea-based franchise took Hong Kong by storm when it opened its first outpost in Sha Tin at the end of last year, prompting eager foodies to wait in snaking lines outside the shop for an authentic taste of the legendary Korean street toast. Accented with cheerful red décor and light wooden furniture, the inviting space beckons you in for a hearty meal.
In addition to classic combos like ham and cheese ($29), the casual sandwich joint also serves inventive flavours such as bacon and potato pizza ($49) and shrimp MVP toast ($51), as well as several Hong Kong-exclusive options, including a vegetarian option that features the Impossible beef patty ($64)!
The latest Korean street toast spot to open in town is nestled in the tight yet bustling quarters of Mong Kok’s Fa Yuen Street. There’s no better way to refuel after hours of exploring the vibrant streets of Mong Kok than with a hearty sandwich—and it’s hard to say no to this charming takeout spot, with its standout teal storefront and multi-coloured tiles beautifully lining one of the interior walls.
Did we mention that the shop’s menu is just as fun as its name is to say? With experimental combinations like Japanese eel with seaweed ($55), Thai tom yum chicken thigh ($48), and Ibérico pork with kimchi ($48), as well as vegetarian options with cheese and mushroom ($38), there’s bound to be something for every palate!
Tic Tac Toast, Shop A1, G/F, 174 Fa Yuen Street, Prince Edward | (+852) 6999 7210
The secret to a good sandwich often lies in the bread to filling ratio, and this cosy sandwich spot in Causeway Bay has it down to a science. All of their sandwiches are fully loaded so that every bite satisfies, served in an adorable yellow-chequered toast box—you will need it to avoid making a mess as you devour the gloriously overstuffed sandwich.
Zesting up the classic Korean street snack, its menu boasts a diverse array of Asian flavours, with options ranging from kimchi pork belly and cheese with scrambled eggs ($53) to teriyaki beef and onion with onsen tamago ($58) to their latest creation: the Sichuan peppercorn spicy chicken with scrambled eggs ($63).
Life Toast, G/F, 28 Haven Street, Causeway Bay | (+852) 6123 2204
If it weren’t for the knee-weakening and buttery aromas that will make you want to devour it all in one bite, these sandwich masterpieces might just be too pretty to eat. As the name suggests, this hidden gem of a sandwich shop tucked in Tai Wai churns out an impressive selection of egg-based dishes including sandwiches, croissants, and rice, but their signature is the scrambled egg toast, which comes with a host of fillings such as black truffle ($60), spicy roast chicken ($48), and soft-shell crab ($60).
The toast is thick-cut, so the inside remains soft while the outside is toasted to crispy golden perfection. It’s sturdy enough to hold up against the mountainous pile of melty cheese and creamy scrambled eggs overflowing from the sandwich in a picture-perfect display. Be warned though, there are only a handful of seats along the window counter and outside the shop, so if you plan to dine in, be sure to come by early to nab a seat!
E for Egg, Shing Ho Building, 19–25 Shing Ho Road, Tai Wai | (+852) 5347 0262
Hailed as a dupe for the must-visit Korean street toast spot Egg Drop that is exclusive only to South Korea, this sandwich shop located smack-dab between Cheung Sha Wan and Sham Shui Po certainly lives up to the hype. Small as the shop might be with just four seats and serving mostly takeaway, its sandwiches are no skimpy affair.
Lightly-toasted slices of bread are stuffed to the brim with fluffy eggs and various seafood and meaty fillings, so these sandwiches hit all the high notes for flavour and texture. Of the five moreish options, their soft-shell crab egg toast ($60) is a guaranteed showstopper. You get an entire soft-shell crab battered and deep-fried to a crunchy golden brown inside (and jutting out of) the sandwich!
Try My Bread, G/F, 138A Camp Street, Cheung Sha Wan | (+852) 9816 5211
A wanderer, chronic overthinker, and baking enthusiast, Beverly spent much of her childhood in the United States before moving to Hong Kong at age 11 and making the sparkling city her home. In her natural habitat, she can be found baking up a storm in her kitchen, journalling at a café, or scrolling through OpenRice deciding on her next meal.
Top