Tai Ping Koon Restaurant
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | January 1, 1860 in Canton (Guangzhou), China |
| Founder | Chui Lo Ko |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Hong Kong, Guangzhou |
| Products | Soy Sauce Western cuisine, including Swiss wings |
| Parent | Dongjiang Restaurants (Guangzhou branch since 2003) |
Tai Ping Koon Restaurant (TPK, ) is a dining establishment headquartered in Hong Kong, operating four branches as of 2018. Chris Dwyer from the South China Morning Post referred to it as "one of the world’s oldest continually operating Chinese restaurants."
History
Established in 1860 by Chui Lo Ko () in Canton (Guangzhou), Tai Ping Koon originally specialized in Western dishes modified to suit Chinese palates. It earned acclaim as an upscale eatery attracting distinguished guests. The initial Canton venue was housed in a four-story structure.
The restaurant's first location in Hong Kong was launched in Sheung Wan in 1938. Following the closure of the Canton site in 1956 due to the Chinese government's seizure of private assets, Tai Ping Koon transitioned to operate solely within Hong Kong.
Since 2003, the Taiping Guan Restaurant continues its presence in Guangzhou under the management of Dongjiang Restaurants.
By 2016, Tai Ping Koon had expanded to four branches throughout Hong Kong, including spots in Central, Causeway Bay, and Kowloon.
Prominent visitors have included Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek, Chow Yun-fat, and Ho Chi Minh. Moreover, the 1925 wedding reception of Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao took place at the Guangzhou location, an occasion still highlighted in the restaurant’s promotional materials. In 2016, HK Magazine placed Tai Ping Koon at number eight on its list of "Hong Kong's 10 Most Iconic Restaurants."
Cuisine
The menu features dishes categorized as "Soy Sauce Western," emphasizing soy sauce as a fundamental component. Tai Ping Koon asserts that it invented the dish known as Swiss wings. As of 2016, Swiss wings remain the top-selling item across all TPK outlets and have been described by Dwyer as "arguably [Tai Ping Koon's] most famous dish."