Aji Ichiban is a fun place. It's more than just a sweet shop as its category suggests. They sell…read moreall sorts of snacks and I think it really caters towards the Asian fan base. We really do enjoy our small treats and this shop feeds into that addiction. From your favorite childhood candies that are often displayed prominently on your coffee tables at home for guests to more unusual treats that are treasures from other countries, they have it all here. When you walk in, you'll be overwhelmed with the choices around you. At this branch, I'd say it's a smaller one than some of the others that you can find around here. On the walls are the prepackaged mass quantity treats that you can take and bring home to treasure for a while. In the middle are the treats that are scooped out and paid for by weight. Some of the interesting things that I think are awesome here are the Hawthorn (think of it as a fruity cookie) and the dried squid. If you're adventurous, you can buy the individually packaged duck tongues which are more delicious than you think. They also have gummies and other fruit candies for those who are looking for something familiar. This place is surprisingly busy but I guess that's because its in the epicenter of all the shops downtown. There's a lot of foot traffic! These treats serve as great gifts as well so if you're having trouble finding something for a friend, I suggest picking up some stuff here!

This branch is always busy and service is brisk and professional…read more This shop has all the local snacks you ever wanted or needed in individual packets or in bulk. Melon seeds? In all kinds of exotic flavours, even wasabe! Seaweed? Small snack sized packs to giant Korean style SHEETS of seaweed. Candy? Gummy candies in mystery shapes and colours. Suspicious and made-in-China. Buyer beware! Chocolates from strange and mysterious places, too! Dried fruits? Longans, lychees, canteloupes, mangos! Chicken wings? Individually packed chicken wings, ready to eat. That's right. Ready-to-eat. No cooking required. I'm afraid. Hard boiled eggs? Yup, cooked, shelled and shrink wrapped. Great for your mid-night cravings for hard-boiled eggs. Just open a packet and eat. Erm, goes well with pre-cooked shrink-wrapped chicken wings. (See above) I come here usually to get my favourite savoury snack: Isoyaki Scallop. Individually packed scallops, ready to eat. Salty like hell, mouth watering UMAMI-ness. Price comparison: 2 packets of approx 250g Isoyaki Scallops are HK$400 here. BUT at the Hong Kong airport's branch, the same two packets go for HK$500. Might even be cheaper if I go to other branches! (Actually, I remember getting one packet for HK$180 from a branch near the Luk Kwok Hotel.) Conclusion: Don't buy from the branch at the airport. Shop around the different branches to compare prices. But if HK$20 to HK$100 price difference does not matter, then just grab what you want when you see it and enjoy your snacks!

Pros + Service was helpful…read more+ Stock was plentiful. Buy 1 lb, get 1 lb free for the jerky. + Location: this is quite a popular franchise and is scattered throughout the country. Unfortunately they aren't located in Canada, so I'll have to stock up and get my fill while in Asia!

Fun place for sweet, unique treats for yourself or gifts for others…read more Located in the shopping center/mall at the top of the Peak. Science themed candy shop. Assorted flavors of jelly beans in test tubes and test tube racks. Other candies in beakers/flasks. Chocolate bars in IV/medical bags. Other treats presented as pills/medicines. Fun. Staff was very nice. Gave us extra bags as many of our purchases were gifts. Also gave us free chocolates :-) Minimum purchase required to use credit cards (100 HKD I think).

If you want to impress your friends aboard with truly local snack, this is THE place…read more Wong Wing Kee has been around for more than a century, owned by Wong's four generation of family, but the shop here in Sheung Wan looks very classy, neat and clean. The staff here are super friendly, and that is something you will be kinda of surprised to see in HK. They will offer you free sample to try, and there you can tell the difference between their products and others' - strong flavour but not overly sweet or salty. For expats, here is some good news. All products are labelled in their English translation too. I'd never know 腐乳 is preserved bean curd, but here you go. They have almost every local snack you can name, 話梅、陳皮、冬薑、焗蓮子、山楂餅、加應子 (hey, come to the shop and look for the translation yourself...), but also flower flavoured tea bags. Extra bonus if you want to post the snack aboard - they can advise you which snack you can import to US and which you cannot. Very handy advice as I had absolutely zero ideas. If you look carefully in the shop, you can also see a photo of the owner with Prince Charles. Kinda of a big deal you wouldn't expect from a very local shop just sitting around the corner in Sheung Wan!

After passing this Old Sweet Shoppe in Hong Kong multiple times, I had to pass them a visit. A VERY…read morebig selection of Chocolates, Bon Bons, Taffy, and novelty candies. Quite expensive per Chocolate Bar or box of chocolates so I just took one of their "Traditional Toffee" Tins and made my way to the Jars of Assorted flavors of candies on the back wall. Word to the wise: Sample any of their candy before buying!! This Candy Shoppe opened in 1891 and every piece of candy taste like it was from this date! Horrible.. I spent HKD400 and they gave me a free bag of Gummy Candies. Great gesture but even these candies were stale and old! Such a great branding on a candy shop that hasn't update their candy in over 120 years...

I didn't realize this was a huge British chain since there's only one store here in HK. They really…read moredid do a good job of making it feel like an "old(e)" sweet shop(pe), with a dark wooden interior, glass jars of colourful confectionaries along the back wall, and having the word "handmade" mentioned on some of the candies so it makes you feel like you're picking something up from the neighbourhood candy man. Still, this is a nice choice if you're looking to treat yourself to something a little more special than the candies at 7-Eleven, but not looking to take out a small bank loan to finance some truffles at a high-end shop in Central (La Maison du Chocolat, anyone?) There's a good range of Mr Simms branded candies, along with other popular brands like Nerds. Overwhelmed? Try focusing on their fudge or chocolate truffle selection. Their caramel fudge is extremely sweet and delicious, and best if taken in small quantities if you want to avoid a sugar overdose. A 150g bag goes for $68. I've also tried a little of their dark chocolate truffle which is also delicious, though heads up- it does have a little bit of rum in it.

Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. For two MTR Stations' distance, there is a…read morefamous Toy Street named Tai Yuen Street in Wan Chai. No matter how old we are, Tai Yuen Street can evoke our happy childhood memories. It is because every toy from the latest marvel heroes' figures, limited edition Japanese figures to Tin Toy are available there. Apart from toys, there is also a great place to pick up seasonal decorations. In the weeks before Chinese New Year, Halloween and Christmas, they sell festival decorations, party outfits, and accessories. In addition, many people in Hong Kong believe that good Feng Shui can attract prosperity and ward off bad luck. Feng Shui decorating can be found there. Honestly, there are just less than 10 toy stores in Tai Yuen Street, even it is known as a famous toy street. For someone who has a tight schedule during a business trip in Hong Kong Island, the location is perfect.

See, there are many things that I love about Hong Kong - all that density makes up for a diverse…read morescenery, and all that commerce means everyone is at each other's throats for your business. If you are a savvy shopper, you pretty much know where to go for certain things. I know that if you want remote control cars or airsoft guns, you hit Kwong Wa street (廣華街) - if you want Legos, you hit In's Point (現時點). If you want a crap-ton of Japanese figurines, you hit Richmond Shopping Arcade (皆旺商場) or Sino Centre (信和中心). If you like diecast display planes, you hit West Main trading (西幹線玩具) near Prince Edwards MTR. If you want diecast buses, that's 80M bus shop, which has multiple locations in the territory. If you got the money you can try hitting the spiral at Langham Place (朗豪坊) if you want to check out the latest fashion accessories from Shinjuku or Seoul. Me, I like collectibles - stuff like Rement food kits, F-Toys trade models, little double decker buses like the stuff that TinyHK (微影) put together. I enjoy collecting stuff like that for the display cabinet back in New York. Now, normally, you can hit Wonderland Superstores (奇趣天地) all over Hong Kong, but you could end up paying a lot, and their selection is often meh. That brings us to Tai Yuen street (太原街). If you know your Hong Kong history, you would know that Lee Tung Street (利東街) used to be right next door - it's a 3 block long street of little print shops and stores that were the go-to spot for doing wedding invitations. The Urban Renewal Authority of Hong Kong (市建局) tore that entire street down and replaced it with a shopping mall, which gentrified the place but also killed a crapload of those little businesses. The URA is not known for being nice and understanding to the little shop owners, and none of them were invited back. Basically, Tai Yuen is a peek at what that area looked like in the past, and frankly, the place is a freaking jewel. Just wait until past noon if you want to see stuff bloom here. First, check out the intersection with Johnson Road (where the Tramways run), the stalls in the middle sells all sorts of stuff like the Japanese fortune kitties. One of the stallkeepers there also has a really nice diorama of a Hong Kong Dai Pai Dong and a couple of buses, so thats cool. Then there's the toy stores. Well, there's really only, like 6, but if you have to choose one, check out Hung Hing Toys (鴻興玩具), which spans 2 storefronts and has nearly everything, from Gashopons, to Giant Robo figurines, to Legos, and to TinyHK/F-Toys/Rement figurines that I like so much. The others are still rather nice, but not as extensive as Hung Hing. You also got stalls with trinklets, bags, and stuff like that. Note that the usual crapload of cheap gaudy ugly Mainland products (ala Lady's night market) are kept to a minimum here. Next, continue down the block - wanna try some snake soup? Se Wong Sun (蛇王燊) makes a decent meal out of them. Now, if you continue on down, you'll hit the market area on Cross Street - keep an eye out for a classically Hong Kong treat - Smith's Orange Jelly candy (史蜜夫鮮橙花軟糖), which is made by Smith's Candy company (史蜜夫糖果廠) out in the New Territories. It's the flavor that most Honkers grew up with, and there are usually at leas one candy peddler with bags of candies and a scale. They sell them by the pound, and you can mix and match. Smith's makes an Orange jelly, a Melon jelly, and the classic nougat. Keep an eye out for the produce markets nearby. If you want a real Hong Kong treat, hit Cross Street until you get to Spring Garden Lane, and then look for Kam Fung (41 Spring Garden Lane) - it's a decent with fresh out-the-door Bolo and Cocktail buns, and one of the best pre-blended iced milk tea in the Central district. I hope you took photos, because this is probably as good as it can get in terms of outdoor markets. This is also about as good as Hong Kong can get.

REVIEWER # 1 Are you…read moreon vacation and looking for a good souvenir to bring back to your colleagues? Voila! Get these and they will love you! This bakery is an old bakery in China and has tons of history! They are famous for their egg roll and pork. Very close to Times Square and the MTR station! Koi Kei Bakery is well known in Hong Kong and Macau! This bakery is good and offers a large variety of different pastries and snacks ranging from: Almond cookies, Chinese pastry with pork, peanut candy and many more options. The Portuguese tarts and the cashew nut cookies were my favorite! You can get individual or box pastries. The staffs here are very nice and speak English so I had no problems asking questions. Please note, that this is not a bakery where you can sit down and enjoy your pastries. It's more of a quick pick me up. If you are unsure on how something taste, no worries because more of the Koi Kei Bakeries have samples of different items. Koi Kei Bakery is all over Hong Kong so you will not miss it! The open at 9AM and open as late as 9PM. Make sure if you go, get the egg tart! They seem to be really good! REVIEW 219/196

This place is around the corner from me in Sheung Wan and located on a street in which most of the…read morestores are selling dried goods. It is a bulk store, selling various bulk items. In addition to bulk items (which they are known for), they have an entire wall full of crackers and cookies and things made by various brands from around the world. This store is packed wall to wall with dried fruits, nuts, candies, coookies, crackers, chocolates, etc. It is bulk buying. The staff will help you scoop out the amount you want in a clear plastic bag, weigh it and seal it up for you. Prices are posted as per pound. My doorman says that this place is very good and very well known. I specfically went in looking for raw nuts (almonds and pecans). They have well over three dozen different types of nuts, because they have almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, etc. and then have those nuts raw, honey, salted, wasabi, etc. Lots of variet. I am a simple raw nut person and these nuts are the absolutle, hands down, freshest nuts I have ever consumed. I cannot image buying nuts anywhere else in Hong Kong now that I have had them here. Nuts are not cheap in general and I felt these were good prices, especially considering the quality. I paid about $70-$85HKD per pound for nuts, depending on the nut. The store is brightly lit, clean and staff is available if you need them.

Overpriced pork jerky that costs half the price elsewhere. Quality is good though. Be sure to…read moresearch for alternatives.

Excellent Chinese pork and beef jerkies. This is a def stop, try and buy lots of to snack on if…read moreyou're near a store...which are everywhere in HK. Not much else to say haha. They have packaged versions that you can take on the plane, but I'm not sure if it'll be as good as the fresh ones. Enjoy!