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Charmaine Mok
Deputy culture editor
Charmaine Mok is the Deputy Culture Editor at SCMP and the desk's food and wine specialist. She has been working in food media since 2007, and most memorably drank 50 coffees over three days in the name of research. She’s devoted to telling unexpected stories of the dining scene in Asia and those who shape it, and is always in the mood for noodles and/or a cheeky beverage.
Charmaine Mok is the Deputy Culture Editor at SCMP and the desk's food and wine specialist. She has been working in food media since 2007, and most memorably drank 50 coffees over three days in the name of research. She’s devoted to telling unexpected stories of the dining scene in Asia and those who shape it, and is always in the mood for noodles and/or a cheeky beverage.
Areas of Expertise:
Food and drink trends, restaurant and bar industry news, coffee, wine and spirits, Cantonese culture
Languages Spoken:
Cantonese, English
Enjoy a matcha drink in a Sai Ying Pun cafe, relax in a space steeped in Hong Kong nostalgia, grab a coffee on the go in Central and more.
Never mind yin and yang, the unrelenting heat has this writer seeking the coolest food and iciest drinks to keep the sweats at bay.
![Soba noodles with grated mountain yam, okra, natto and poached egg - stirring the natto to make it stickier, by Susan Jung, in Hong Kong, May 28, 2020. 28MAY20 [FOOD SHOOT POST MAGAZINE]
SCMP: Jonathan WONG](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/540x360/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/06/24/a8ffd3f4-3ee8-4987-90b1-bbefdc18c162_e58dd6ef.jpg?itok=ohpSI3ya)
The long-time breakfast staple in Japan is known as a divisive food that people either love or hate.
John Patrick Poon will go on to represent Hong Kong at the global final of the Diageo World Class competition in Scotland in October 2026.
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A nasty bout of food poisoning in Hong Kong turned an ensuing food holiday in Japan into an exercise in endurance and humility.
Hotpot feasts, communal banquets and street food scenes were the highlights from Chinese photographers during this year’s competition.
From Blue Bottle Coffee’s new branch and Sang Roastery’s airport outpost to a newcomer in Sham Shui Po, here are 5 cafes to stay cool at.
Vicky Cheng blends healing ingredients with French finesse and Asian touches at his new restaurant Estuary at Macau’s Capella hotel.
TikTok and Instagram influencer Cian Abion has come under attack over his since-deleted video, though some argue he’s just ‘keeping it real’.
From new branches of established coffee brands to newcomers offering comfort and even flowers, these 5 new Hong Kong cafes are worth a visit.
Dubai chocolate, croffles and matcha tarts are temporary, while Chinese sweet soups – known as tong sui in Cantonese – are forever.
An ambitious decade-long effort to catalogue and preserve Hong Kong’s many local rice types has led to a new book and exhibition.
Churning and burning at the same time has gone viral on social media, even if it might not work so well in hot and humid Hong Kong.
From fruit-flavoured brews to vinyl background music and HK$30 lattes, here are 5 new coffee shops worth a visit in Hong Kong in April.
The 2026 edition saw a strong showing from Chinese restaurants in the top 10, with representatives from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau.
The Michelin-equivalent list published by Meituan knighted two Hong Kong chefs, Vicky Cheng and Terry Ho, with special awards.
Will Rene Redzepi’s carefully filmed and edited video of him addressing his team at the three-Michelin-star restaurant appease his critics?
Whether you’re a fan of rich brewed coffee, delicate tea cocktails or matcha drinks, these five new outlets have something for you.
A humble and vastly underrated ingredient, water chestnuts are used in a popular Lunar New Year dessert and also have many health benefits.
A Chinese millennial woman talks fat and fortune as she contrasts the toxic culture of the early noughties with today’s body positivity.
TikTokkers claim they’re ‘becoming Chinese’ because they drink hot water, but achieving true ‘Chinese baddie’ status is much harder.
From a Korean-style cafe to a Japanese toast joint and new branches of cult favourites, there’s a lot to excite coffee lovers this month.
From craft beers to Chinese hotpot, Brussels’ vibrant food scene blends Belgian tradition and global flavours in unexpected ways.
As the 2016 social media trend picks up, Charmaine Mok looks back at notable restaurant openings that year and which are still with us.
Overcooked and underappreciated in many countries, cabbage has been identified by Pinterest as an emerging food trend this year.
A handful of new spots are worth a visit this month, from a pet-friendly place to Hong Kong’s only ice drip speciality coffee shop.
Including budget-friendly soup noodle specialists TamJai in the food line-up in particular was a brilliant move by Clockenflap organisers.
From a soothing space with books and cake to a Korean-style cafe and new branches of popular hang-outs, these cafes offer coffee and comfort.
Chefs at a Bangkok event epitomised a focus on heritage over haute that Marriott International’s Future of Food 2026 report says is trending.
