Flaky egg tarts and memories: Honolulu Coffee Shop in Wan Chai to close after over 80 years

Wan Chai’s iconic Honolulu Coffee Shop, famed for its flaky egg tarts and Hong Kong-style milk tea, has announced it will close in March. The news, posted on the café’s Facebook page today (Feb 12), has sparked an outpouring of nostalgia among locals and tourists.

Established in the 1940s, Honolulu Coffee Shop was one of Hong Kong’s first-generation cha chaan tengs. Its founder, hailed as the “pioneer of Hong Kong-style coffee,” insisted on recipes that have remained unchanged for over 50 years. The café’s 192-layer egg tarts are particularly famous for their light, crisp texture.

The Wan Chai branch was also a filming location for Crossing Hennessy, starring Jacky Cheung Hok-yau and Tang Wei, drawing international visitors. After the founder’s passing, the café was run by the second generation, who tried branching into internet cafés and hotpot services, but these ventures ended.

With the closure of the Wan Chai branch, only one outlet remains in Tseung Kwan O. Online reactions show widespread regret, with many lamenting the loss of a local culinary icon.