Hong Kong is a food lover’s paradise, with a wide variety of cuisines and dining options to suit every taste and budget. But how many licensed restaurants are there in Hong Kong, and how has the number changed over the years?
According to the latest data from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), there were 16,165 licensed restaurants in Hong Kong as of 31 December 2021. This is an increase of 94 restaurants (0.6%) from the previous year, and 509 restaurants (3.3%) from 2019.
The majority of these restaurants are general restaurants (RL), which can prepare and sell any kind of food for consumption on the premises. There were 12,636 general restaurants in Hong Kong in 2021, accounting for 78.2% of all licensed restaurants. The rest are light refreshment restaurants (RR), which can only sell certain types of food such as sandwiches, cakes, noodles, etc. There were 3,529 light refreshment restaurants in Hong Kong in 2021, making up 21.8% of all licensed restaurants.
The number of licensed restaurants varies by district, with some areas seeing more growth than others. The most popular district for new restaurants in 2021 was Sai Kung, which added 33 restaurants (6.4%) to its total, followed by Wanchai, which added 32 restaurants (2%). The least popular district was Yuen Long, which lost 18 restaurants (1.9%) from its total.
Hong Kong also has a large number of licensed liquor outlets, which can sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on or off the premises. According to the Liquor Licensing Board , there were 7,635 licensed liquor outlets in Hong Kong as of 31 December 2021. This is an increase of 182 outlets (2.4%) from the previous year, and 287 outlets (3.9%) from 2019.
The number of licensed liquor outlets also varies by district, with some areas having more outlets than others. The district with the most licensed liquor outlets in 2021 was Central and Western, which had 1,302 outlets (17% of all outlets), followed by Yau Tsim Mong, which had 1,084 outlets (14.2% of all outlets). The district with the least licensed liquor outlets was Islands, which had only 111 outlets (1.5% of all outlets).
Hong Kong’s restaurant and liquor industry is dynamic and diverse, reflecting the city’s vibrant and cosmopolitan culture. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest in recent years, Hong Kong’s food and beverage sector has shown resilience and adaptability, continuing to offer quality and variety to locals and visitors alike.