Cha Chaan Teng 茶餐廳 and Lunchbox Favorites

Out of colonial influence, affordability, and local tastes came the quintessential Hong Kong-style Anglo-Chinese cuisine also known as “Soy Sauce Western,” which was commonly found in bing suuts 冰室, or “ice cafes,” and cha chaan tengs 茶餐廳, or “tea restaurants.” In the 1960s, new and popular dishes included “Swiss” Wings, which do not originate from Switzerland, and Borscht, first made in Shanghai by Russian émigrés using local ingredients and adapted for Chinese tastes. These days cha chaan tengs offer very few vegetarian dishes, let alone vegan options. Re-creating them with plant-based ingredients is the only way to enjoy these iconic dishes as a vegan, a future-forward way of eating, while still preserving the nostalgia.