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This article is part of the Hipmunk City Love project. I’ve teamed up with Hipmunk to research destinations I want to visit, in the way in which I would like to explore them. Then I get to share my findings and plans with you!

You can’t take a trip to Kowloon without experiencing some of the authentic local food the city has to offer, ranging from dim sum to spicy crab. Whether its cheap street food or a Michelin-star restaurant, you’ll find delicious cuisine throughout the city.

After a lot of research, I found the following restaurants and street food that made my mouth water — now all I want to do is find cheap hotels in Kowloon, book a flight, and head on over.

Tim Ho Wan

I’m starting off on the luxury side of things with Tim Ho Wan. Even though it’s a gourmet restaurant, the food at Tim Ho Wan is surprisingly affordable. For a while, it even wore the crown of the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world. Try this upscale restaurant during off hours to avoid a long wait; locals and tourists line up outside for up to three hours for a taste of Tim Ho Wan’s famous cha siu baau  (sugar-glazed pork buns).

Photo by Stephanie Yoder via Trover.com

Temple Street

Temple Street is full of relaxed, open-air eateries where you can grab a bite of delicious seafood and chase it down with cheap beer, all while engaging in a few minutes of people-watching. Check out Temple Spice Crabs, which goes out of its way to maintain a casual vibe, with a cafeteria style dining setup and close quarters for diners. The spicy crab is obviously this restaurant’s specialty, though they also prepare other meals. There are plenty of other open-air seafood restaurants on Temple Street, as well, so find one of the Kowloon hotels close to this area so you can check them all out.

Spring Deer

Spring Deer is actually one of the lesser known restaurants to tourists visiting Kowloon, which is good news for potential diners since it won’t be packed with out-of-towners. This out-of-the-way restaurant specializes in Northern Chinese and Pekinese cuisine, especially Peking Duck and roast beef dishes. The pictures of the spring beef look particularly appetizing, so I can’t wait to bite into the delicious, tender meat dishes one day soon.

Tai Po Street

Photo by Dotinyo Ru via Trover.com

If you want to explore an authentic Kowloon market, check out the food markets on Tai Po Street. Tai Po is a great area to search for Kowloon hotels in general as it has plenty of green spaces, which are rare in the Hong Kong area, and has retained a lot of its history. Head to the three-floor market, which features a fish and meat market on the ground floor where you can pick out a cut and have it cooked to your liking. Don’t expect five-star conditions because the market is always busy and crowded. However, the food is fresh and clean, and if you head up past dry goods on the second floor, you will get to relax in the third-floor food court. The Tai Po Market is definitely for travelers who don’t mind a little noise and discomfort for the prize of a true local experience.

…and now I’m hungry. So, so hungry.