Tea cafes first appeared in the 1930s in Hong Kong, they were designed to be a cheaper option to Western-style food.

The origin of Hong Kong-style tea cafes, or cha can ting, dates back to the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when the island was still a British colony. 

People in Hong Kong, influenced by the British lifestyle, started drinking English black tea and coffee with milk.

Two styles of restaurant, the Chinese and Western, co-existed at the time. But as restaurants catering to the taste of Westerners tend to be expensive, a kind of restaurant combining the styles of Chinese and Western food appeared.

At first, these restaurants were called Coffee Houses or Ice Rooms. Later, they became known as cha can ting.

Some say all Hong Kong people grow up eating at such places.

Tea cafes offer cheap, fast food, with a great variety of choice. Usually noodles, either fried or boiled, rice with dishes, and dim sum are offered here. Sandwiches, spaghetti, toast, salad, soup, tea and coffee are all on the menu.

Such tea places are typically open from morning until midnight.

Much of the food is typically Hong Kong or a combination of Hong Kong and Western food.

Yuanyang (which means mandarin duck), for example, is a mixture of coffee and milk tea.

Typically a diner might have a cup of coffee right after a bowl of fish-ball noodles and an egg tart.

With this combination of Hong Kong and Western styles, tea cafes have become such an important part of life in Hong Kong that tourist agencies now promote them as one of the attractions of the city.