Discover Hong Kong's culinary secrets after the Wine & Dine Festival

Hong Kong is a city that knows how to put on a show. The skyline lights up across Victoria Harbour, the Star Ferry cuts through the water and, come late October, the waterfront fills with wine glasses and food stalls for the annual Wine & Dine Festival. It is an easy place to start an evening. The trick is knowing where to go once you've had your fill of the festival.

Follow the wine festival with a taste of local Hong Kong

Running from October 29 to November 1 this year, the festival brings hundreds of food and drink booths to Central Harbourfront and Tamar Park. Wines from around the world sit alongside restaurant dishes, local specialities and creative Hong Kong-inspired bites. Friday and Saturday run until 1 am, leaving plenty of time to eat your way through the event without rushing. But don't spend the entire trip at the waterfront. Some of the city's best food experiences happen far from the festival lights.

Begin in Central with a cup of Hong Kong-style milk tea at Lan Fong Yuen on Gage Street. The tea is brewed through a cloth strainer, then mixed with evaporated milk for a strong, smooth finish. Pair it with a bite at one of the neighbourhood's old-school eateries before wandering through the lanes around Tai Kwun, the former Central Police Station compound turned heritage and arts destination. It offers a different view of the district from its glass towers and cocktail bars.

Then head to the festival. Go hungry, but pace yourself. Sample a few local dishes alongside the international pours, and look out for the event's Hong Kong-focused offerings. As the sun drops behind the harbour, the skyline becomes part of the evening's entertainment. If you want the classic view, take the Star Ferry across to Tsim Sha Tsui before heading further into Kowloon. The crossing is brief, inexpensive and a better way to see the waterfront than admiring it from one side.

For dinner after the festival, head towards Sham Shui Po, where Hong Kong's food culture is less polished and wonderfully direct. At Oi Man Sang, a traditional dai pai dong, cooks work over roaring woks while tables fill with stir-fried vegetables, seafood and dishes such as salt-and-pepper squid. Order for the table and expect the food to arrive at its own pace. Check closing times before you go, especially if you're leaving the festival late.

Another night, make for Temple Street Night Market in Yau Ma Tei. The stalls sell everything from souvenirs to street snacks, while nearby food joints serve claypot rice, fish balls and siu mai. Finish with a bowl of sweet tofu pudding or red bean soup at a traditional dessert shop.

Hong Kong's famous sights are worth seeing. But between the wine festival, a smoky wok station and a late-night dessert, the city reveals a more everyday pleasure: the business of finding something good to eat, long after the sightseeing is done.

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