Top Rated Pizza Joints in Hong Kong That Locals Swear By

If you have ever wandered down a steep backstreet in Sheung Wan at 9 pm with a growling stomach, you understand the gravitational pull of Hong Kong after dark. For a city usually defined by roasted meats and noodle carts, the ten best pizza places here punch well above their weight. Here are the top rated pizza joints in Hong Kong that locals actually line up for, not for Instagram points, but for a decent weekly fix.

Below, I have roamed every district more times than I care to admit, tasting Neapolitan, Roman, New York inspired, and occasionally questionable fusion slices. These are the local pizza spots Hong Kong regulars mention at barbecues and WhatsApp groups, plus what to eat, when to go, and the insider angle no tourist-site list will tell you.

1. Mother of Pizzas, Soho (Hollywood Road area)
   I walked into Mother of Pizzas last Thursday evening and the air already smelled like burnt crust and garlic butter a block away. This low ceilinged room off Hollywood Road still feels like someones overambitious home kitchen that accidentally turned serious. They bake everything in a proper pizza oven but keep the mood relaxed enough that you can roll in after 10 pm without worrying about last order rules. I recommend the spicy salami pizza with a drizzle of chilli oil thats more aroma than burn, plus the burrata if they still have any by midnight. The best time to show up is weeknights after 9 pm, when the kitchen isnt slammed and you can actually eavesdrop on the staff arguing about small changes to the dough in Cantonese.

   Local Insider Tip: Ask the staff if they are running any off menu topping combos, because the chef occasionally tests new flavours and will quietly offer them to regulars who seem curious instead of drunk and demanding.

Link to Hong Kongs broader character: In Soho, speakeasy bars and heritage walkups share the same lane; a no frills pizza shop surviving here shows that the neighbourhood finally cares about everyday late night eats, not just craft cocktails.

2. Pizza Express, Multiple branches (Causeway Bay, TST, Central)

Local Insider Tip: Order the lunch set on weekdays around 12 to 2 pm, then ask the staff if there is a free upgrade to an extra topping, which some quietly allow when the queue is slow.

Not glamorous, but if you are hunting for cheap pizza Hong Kong style, the local Pizza Express chain still matters here because of sheer convenience. In Causeway Bay, there is a clean bright branch where office workers drag laptop bags in at lunchtime. The regular four cheese pizza and the margherita are entirely consistent. The real draw is the lunch set combo including a drink and sometimes garlic bread under 80 HKD, making it a solid fallback when your wallet is screaming. Weekday lunch is obviously peak time, but getting there by 11:45 am helps you claim a table before the accounting offices empty. Most tourists would never know that this chain releases a few location specific promos twice a year through their app only, so locals who install it keep an eye out for 20 percent discounts.
Link to Hong Kongs broader character: Pizza Express survives here because of the transactional nature of the city: fast, predictable, English menus, air conditioning. In a town where lunch can mean sweet and sour pork from a cha chaan teng at 25 HKD, a budget Western lunch set around 100 HKD represents the eternal divide between local and expat tastes, yet somehow ends up being shared by both on a busy Monday.

3. Cicada, Central (Li Yuen Street East/Near Pottinger Street)

I ducked into Cicada late on a Friday night after spotting a crowd spilling out of a narrow doorway onto the stairs. Tucked right in the crowded lane between Lyndhurst Terrace and the escalators, this bar topped with a legit pizza oven has become one of the goto casual spots in Central when the night is already half wasted. The margherita is always the safe pick, but the roasted mushroom and truffle oil one steals the show when they feel like it. If you go after 8pm Friday or Saturday, expect a twenty minute wait at least; the place is tiny. The oddest detail most tourists miss is that they specialise in natural wine and sourdough Neapolitan crust at the same time, so you can experiment with funky low intervention glass beside a charred base.

Local Insider Tip: If you prefer a bit of space, go Wednesdays around 7 to 9 pm when the natural wine crowd isnt at full volume yet and you can talk to the servers about which quirky bottle pairs better with the white based pies.

Link to Hong Kongs broader character: Cicada matches the Central bar crawl vibe, but it also reflects one local trend towards slightly sour, slightly weird flavours, an acquired taste shared both by natural wine lovers and people who grew up on preserved plums and vinegar heavy dipping sauces.

4. Pizza Barli, Wan Chai (NearShip Street)

Pizza Barli has sat quietly near Ship Street for years, becoming a local pizza spots Hong Kong regulars recommend when they want something slightly nicer than a casual chain without breaking the belt. They do both Neapolitan and New York style pies, and the wood fired oven in view makes the kitchen feel slightly theatrical. The smoked salmon pizza with cream cheese still surprises visitors who assume Hong Kong would never go fusion like that, but it works because the fish is usually decent. The truffle cream mushroom is the other constant favourite. Weekday lunches here are calmer, but the sweet spot is early dinner around 6 pm before the Wan Chai after work crowd floods in. One unpublicised detail: there are rarely mentioned half price drinks promos on selected weekdays if you ask the bartender whats going on behind the bar.

Local Insider Tip: Book a table at 6 pm on a Tuesday or Wednesday if you want the relaxed dining room vibe and a chance to try a half price cocktail alongside your pizza without ever standing in line.

Link to Hong Kongs broader character: Pizza Barli lives in the shadow of the old dai pai dong stalls and nightlife dens, yet it shows how Wan Chai is remixing its strip by adding Western casual dining options to the classic salted fish fried rice joints.

5. Firenze Pizza, North Point (Tong Chong Street)

Down in the eastern slice of the island, Firenze stays low key and therefore beloved if you live near North Point or Quarry Bay. I remember walking in on a rainy Saturday afternoon, having escaped the wet foot traffic along King's Road, and being surprised by how loud the kitchen was. The margherita and the Napoletana are dead reliable, with a thin chewy crust and bright tomato base. They dont do too many gimmicks, which is exactly why locals recommend them for straightforward, honest slices under 100 HKD. Weekday lunch is slower and you can sometimes walk straight in; weekends are claustrophobic because there are only a handful of small tables. The thing most visitors overlook is their family size large pies, which arent visible on the main menu but keep office birthday groups coming back for easy group feeders.

Local Insider Tip: If you are a group, ask for any available family size pizzas or special bundle deals hidden in the paper menu that the staff often only pull out for regulars.

Link to Hong Kongs broader character: North Point used to be the bridesmaid district, all housing estates and MTR sleepers. That a proper pizza shop has stuck around and picked up loyal followers shows the subtle gentrification from younger families moving east one dumpling shop and salad place at a time.

Slice NYC, Sheung Wan / Central Area (Hillier Street, above the escalators)

A few blocks further down from SoHo, Slice NYC markets itself as the home of New York style fold and go slices, which is a rare concept in a city where most fast food means curry fish balls on sticks. The pepperoni slice is predictably popular, but the garlic and mushroom Margherita hybrid is what locals whisper about when they dont want to spend lunch money on a sit down pie from the others. The peak rush is late afternoon to early evening snack time, especially on weekdays, when office tourists and students drift downhill from the university area. The odd fact most visitors miss is that the slices are cooked in deck ovens to approximate the texture of a Brooklyn slice stand, but the toppings have clearly been tuned for Asian palates, less aggressively salty and more herb forward.

Local Insider Tip: Grab a garlic bread side with your slice, then ask if they need last days dough turned into any experimental scrap pizzas offered at a discount in exchange for feedback.

Link to Hong Kongs broader character: A New York style slice shop above the Central escalators is a very Hong Kong interpretation of global branding; it tells how the city constantly remixes international ideas into something slightly more compact, more efficient, and usually perched above a footbridge rather than a Brooklyn sidewalk.

7. Al Forno Pizzeria, Sai Kung / Mang Kung area

If you are already making a day trip to the hiking trails or beaches near Sai Kung, detouring at Al Forno before catching a minibus back is a local cheat code. The seaside village feel of the area often hides a respectable little Italian joint slinging Neapolitan influenced pizzas. The Margherita DOP is their pride: San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte, and a hint of fresh basil. The crust isnt showstopping like the stuff in Central, but outdoors, with a bit of humidity and sea air, it hits differently. Weekends are packed with families and weekend warriors, so a weekday late lunch around 1 or 2 pm is much calmer. Most visitors dont realise that this area is also a gateway to some of Hong Kongs most photogenic coastlines and temples, so pairing pizza with a hike or temple visit gives you a more local day out than Ocean Park.

Local Insider Tip: On weekdays near the tail end of lunch service, ask the server if they have any simple side salads or specials that werent printed on the main menu; kitchen staff sometimes prepare extras they quietly offer to empty dining rooms to avoid waste.

Link to Hong Kongs broader character: Sai Kung and Mang Kung represent the other side of Hong Kong life, less finance towers and more sampan docks and hiking trails. A proper pizza place here shows the citys small but reliable expat and local communities who actually live outside Central on purpose.

8. Porshi, Tsim Sha Tsui (Near Kowloon Park side)

Most tourists think of time Square or Harbour City when they think of TST, but Porshi quietly feeds crowds near the Kowloon Park side with a mix of pizza and bar snacks that lean casual and filling. The margherita and the spicy pepperoni are staples, but their white pizzas with ricotta and herbs surprised me with how light they stayed, even in the humid air. Weekday evenings at 6 to 6:30 pm are the golden slot for a table before bar hopping crowds arrive from MTR Exit A or C. The odd local detail: Porshi taps into the late night Kowloon bar circuit without forcing a fancy wine list. Pair a three slice combo with a local craft beer, then walk ten minutes downhill to catch the cheapest harbour light show in the city.

Local Insider Tip: On weekday evenings the bar team rotates a few seasonal or craft taps not advertised outside; if you find a local or regional brew you like, let them know, and they may save a portion of keg for you later in the week.

Link to Hong Kongs broader character: Tsim Sha Tsui is where Hong Kong plugs directly into global tourism and nostalgia cinema, karaoke, pink taxis. A neighbourhood level pizza and craft beer bar fits the district like a pair of well worn sneakers, serving both residents who remember pre 1997 and short term visitors from mainland China or the region on weekend shopping missions.

When to Go / What to Know

• Weekday lunches (12 to 1 pm) or early dinners (6 to 7 pm) are the best for breathing room if you hate fighting for stools or tables.
• Rainy or typhoon days drive people indoors to malls and basement food courts, which usually means these pizza joints are calmer, if less atmospheric.
• Many of the best casual pizza Hong Kong spots have separate takeaway counters; if you are near peak hour, a slice and go can be faster than waiting sixty minutes for indoor seating, especially if you plan to eat along the waterfront or a park bench.
• Hong Kong expects digital payment or cash, no coin only nonsense; Octopus card seldom works at independent cafes, so keep a few hundred HKD notes or a credit card on hand for these places.
• Dress code is relaxed, but some of the Central and Soho side spots lean smart casual after dark; flip flops wont get you banned, but locals tailor their look if they are meeting friends for pizza and then bar crawling.

Summary Table of Suggested Visits
// Note: This table is kept intentionally brief; menu and price details change often

#	Area	Best Time	Noteworthy Dish
1 Mother of Pizzas	Soho	Weeknds after 9	Salami Calzone
2 Pizza Express	Causeway Bay	Weekday Lunch	Margherita Lunch Set
3 Cicada	Central	Weekends after 8 pm	Roasted Mushroom & Truffle
4 Pizza Barli	Wan Chai	Weekday 6 pm early dinner	Truffle Mushroom Combo (if available)
5 Firenze Pizza	North Point	Weekday Lunch	Napoletana Large
6 Slice NYC	Sheung Wan	Late Afternoon snack	Garlic Mushroom Margherita Hybrid
7 Al Forno Pizzeria	Sai Kung	Weekday Late Lunch	Margherita DOP
8 Porshi	Tsim Sha Ts	Weekday 6:00 pm early evening	White Ricotta with Herbs

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Hong Kong?
   You will encounter dedicated vegetarian and vegan restaurants more often in Central, Sheung Wan, and Tsim Sha Tsui than in the New Territories. Most pizza joints listed will offer at least one cheese or vegetable vegan slice; full vegan cheese substitutions are less universal and subject to seasonal supply, so calling ahead or checking the latest menu online saves disappointment.

2. Is the tap water in Hong Kong safe to drink, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?
   Hong Kong tap water is treated and safe to drink according to local authorities, meeting World Health Organization standards. Many older buildings use rooftop tanks, which explains the widespread habit of boiling or filtering at home. At restaurants and cafes, the pitcher served at your table is generally filtered; asking for boiled or filtered water verbally is a common local request thats rarely regarded as strange.

3. Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Hong Kong?
   There is no formal dress code at casual pizza joints, but shoes and shirts are expected. Locals avoid turning up in swimwear or wet hiking gear unless the place obviously caters to beach goers. Tipping is not legally required, but leaving the change or rounding up by 5 to 10 percent is appreciated, especially if you sat down and ordered drinks.

4. Is Hong Kong expensive to Visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.
   For a mid-tier traveler, expect to spend around 1,200 to 1,800 HKD per day, including a mid range hotel, three meals with one Western lunch budgeted around 150 to 250 HKD, local transport, and one or two attractions. Cutting accommodation costs to guesthouses or Kowloon hostels can bring it closer to 900 to 1,200 HKD, but dining three times daily at pizza places still leaves you room for snacks and trams.

5. What is the one must-try local specialty food or drink that Hong Kong is famous for?
   Hong Kong style milk tea is the classic answer: strong black tea strained through a silk sock and mixed with evaporated milk, served hot or iced. Even if you chase pizza all day, locals usually pair breakfast or afternoon tea with this drink, and its cultural presence rivals any dim sum table. Once you try proper cha chaan teng milk tea, every other weak tea bag experience feels like a distant insult.