Johnny Cheung, co-owner of Hong Kong Food Court in Missouri City, photographed at the restaurant on Thursday.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Houston’s Cantonese community showed up in droves during the soft opening phase of a new restaurant in Missouri City for a taste of nostalgia.
Johnny Cheung, who reopened Hong Kong Food Street in Katy less than a year ago, debuted a new cha chaan teng at 4899 Highway 6, Suite F119, named Hong Kong Food Court. Cha chaan teng directly translates to “tea restaurant”; in Hong Kong, they’re similar to an American diner, often serving affordable comfort food. They’re ingrained in the Hong Kong culture, but in Houston, there are fewer than a handful. The restaurant is already becoming a hub for Cantonese residents.
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“Since we opened, one of the best compliments we have gotten so far is, it makes them feel at home,” Cheung said. “We’re trying our best to sort of represent the smallest subgroup that doesn’t really have a big voice here.”
Unlike Hong Kong Food Street, which is a full-service restaurant, Hong Kong Food Court is fast-casual, similar to the cha chaan tengs in China. It’s also meant to be as affordable as possible; the self-service touch screens customers order at don’t ask for tips.
Customers line up to order on touch screens at Hong Kong Food Court in Missouri City.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Cha chaan tengs are the go-to place for breakfast, late nights, family outings and cheap meals, Cheung said. His oldest memories are eating at tea restaurants in Hong Kong before he immigrated to the U.S. with his family at the age of 10. Today, he visits one every time he’s in Hong Kong.
Since Hong Kong was under British rule until 1997, it had a completely different culture than the rest of China. British influence can be found in quintessential cha chaan teng foods like the use of milk in tea and butter on bread. Cheung said the foods are often seen as guilty pleasures.
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Hong Kong-style milk tea, which uses evaporated milk, is a staple of a cha chaan teng. Hong Kong casserole is a Westernized Chinese dish that has a base of steamed rice, egg fried rice or spaghetti, with a protein of choice in a sauce of tomato, garlic cream, black pepper or curry. Hong Kong French toast deep fries two bread slices, sandwiching peanut butter, served with a large square of butter and syrup. Bolo buns, similar in design to a Mexican-style conchas, are made daily, served with a slab of butter. The bubble waffle might be the most familiar item to foodies on social media, since it gained popularity outside of China in recent years.
Hong Kong Food Court offers all of these dishes on its menu. Customers familiar with Cheung’s first restaurant will also recognize options such as wonton soup and congee (a rice porridge).
Menu items at Hong Kong Food Court in Missouri City feature a variety of sweet and savory foods.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Baked pork chop rice is one of the menu offerings at Hong Kong Food Court.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Curry beef stew with rice is one of the menu offerings at Hong Kong Food Court.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
There’s a variety of sweet offerings at Hong Kong Food Court in Missouri City including bubble waffle, bolo bun, bolo top bubble waffle, Hong Kong French toast and hot Hong Kong milk tea.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Bolo top bubble waffle is one of the sweet offerings at Hong Kong Food Court in Missouri City.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Customers enjoy the “night market” feel under the neon lights at Hong Kong Food Court in Missouri City.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Hong Kong Food Court co-owners Andrew Wong, left, and Johnny Cheung pause for a photo in the Missouri City restaurant on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Drinks including lemon tea, yuenyeung (a tea-and-coffee combo) and sodas can be refilled free of charge because it’s meant to be a place people can hang out for hours. The biggest difference from the cha chaan tengs in Hong Kong is that those have larger menus and longer hours.
Because cha chaan teng’s origins are in Hong Kong and not greater China, most people in Houston are likely not familiar with the concept, Cheung said. While there are a few Hong Kong restaurants in Houston, cha chaan tengs are in low supply. The most recognizable cha chaan teng in Houston is Hong Kong Cafe. Agnes and Sherman opened earlier this year in the Heights as a modern Chinese diner drawing on similar vibes.
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“Unless you have come from that area, it’s really hard to understand this subculture,” Cheung said. “This is a really, really popular thing, it’s just not popular yet in America.”
Menu items at Hong Kong Food Court in Missouri City include wonton noodle soup, clockwise from left, homemade fish shumai and Swiss chicken wings.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
Cheung feared there wouldn’t be the demand to fuel this type of restaurant. His friend Alex Au-Yeung, the late founder of Phat Eatery, opened a cha chaan teng that didn’t last pre-pandemic. But Cheung said, “sometimes you go with your heart.” He wishes Au-Yeung, who died of cancer last year, could’ve seen his new restaurant.
Cheung remembers seeing the whole neighborhood at his local cha chaan teng in Hong Kong growing up. So far, that same experience is being replicated with the Cantonese community turning out as repeat customers and friends running into each other.
“We have a lot of local support, but the support is from such a small subgroup; there’s only so many meals they can eat,” Cheung said. “My goal here is, besides servicing all the Cantonese, Chinese people, is for hopefully more people to learn about this.”
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Customers can order food and grab a number from a couple of touch screens at Hong Kong Food Court in Missouri City.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
He replicated the laid-back, casual feel of a cha chaan teng, but in a more modernized look. Customers’ eyes are drawn to neon signs that say, “Hong Kong-style cuisine” and other phrases in Cantonese. TVs play Hong Kong channels.
Cheung never imagined he would open two restaurants in under a year. He credits his team for his success. Co-owner Andrew Wong handles daily operations; he’s worked with Cheung’s family for 20 years. Even Cheung’s parents, who retired after running Hong Kong Food Street until the pandemic, have volunteered to help in the kitchen as it finds its stride.
Hong Kong Food Court is currently open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day but Wednesday, but hours could be expanded in the coming weeks. A grand opening celebration is expected in about a month.
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