The full Um Yong Baek experience: two styles of pork rice soup with Korean banchan
There is something deeply satisfying about a bowl of soup that has been simmered for hours, where every spoonful carries the weight of slow-cooked pork bones and quiet patience. That is exactly what Busan’s Um Yong Baek (엄용백) has built its reputation on, and now Hong Kong gets to taste it firsthand. The brand’s first Hong Kong outpost opened at 22 Stanley Street in Central, joining a growing wave of Korean restaurants making the leap to the city after successful runs in Busan and Singapore.
Busan’s Queue-Worthy Soup Lands in Central
The original Um Yong Baek near Gwangan Beach in Busan has drawn queues for years, and the brand expanded to multiple locations in Singapore before setting its sights on Hong Kong. The concept is refreshingly simple: dwaeji gukbap (돼지국밥), Busan’s signature pork and rice soup, done two ways with zero shortcuts. Every bowl starts with pork simmered without chemical seasonings to let the natural flavour speak. At HK$120 per bowl, it sits comfortably in affordable lunch territory for Central.
Two Bowls, Two Personalities
The menu centres on dwaeji gukbap offered in two distinct styles. The Busan-style version features a clear, delicate broth made from fresh pork, light enough to let the clean flavour of the meat shine through. It is the more restrained of the two, and the one that locals in Busan tend to order when they want something that warms without weighing them down.
The Milyang-style version goes deeper. The broth is slow-cooked from pork bones and trotters until it reaches an almost velvety, milky richness. The colour is opaque white, and the texture coats your mouth in a way that the clear version does not. We found the Milyang version more satisfying on its own, while the Busan version paired better with the side dishes.
Both bowls arrive at the table unsalted, a deliberate choice that lets diners season to their own preference using the side condiments provided: salted shrimp paste, chilli flakes, sliced green chillies, and chopped spring onions. The rice comes in the bowl by default, and you eat it by mixing everything together, adjusting the salt and heat with each spoonful until you find your preferred balance.
The Side Dishes Worth Ordering
Do not skip the ogyeopsal suyuk: thinly sliced boiled pork belly served alongside tofu, fresh chives, and garlic. It is the kind of unfussy side dish that quietly becomes the highlight of the meal. The pork is sliced thin enough to wrap around a piece of tofu with a dab of ssamjang, and the combination of textures, soft pork, firm tofu, sharp chive, is surprisingly addictive.
The banchan (complimentary side dishes) include kimchi, pickled radish, and a few rotating items that change with the season. They are simple but well-made, and the kimchi in particular has the depth of flavour that suggests proper fermentation rather than a quick-cure shortcut.
From Lunchtime Soup to Evening BBQ
Um Yong Baek runs a dual concept. Lunch is all about the soup bowls: a quick, warming, deeply satisfying midday meal that fits naturally into a Central work break. The lunch crowd tends to be office workers from the surrounding streets, and table turnover is fast because the soup arrives within minutes of ordering.
Come dinner, the restaurant pivots to Korean BBQ, offering grilled pork cuts in the same no-frills, quality-first style. The BBQ menu features aged pork belly and shoulder cuts grilled at the table, and the transition makes the space work harder than most single-concept restaurants in the neighbourhood. If you visit for lunch and enjoy the pork, coming back for the evening BBQ version is worth the return trip.
Getting There
Um Yong Baek is at G/F, 22 Stanley Street in Central, a three-minute walk from Central MTR Exit D2. Stanley Street runs parallel to Queen’s Road Central, one block south. The restaurant is at ground level with clear signage. If you are exploring Central’s food scene, Migas at H Queen’s and Lai’s Kitchen in Wan Chai are both within easy reach for a different meal on another day.
Reservations are available online through inline.app, and walk-ins are accepted, though expect a wait during peak lunch hours between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm. For the latest hours and any seasonal menu changes, check @umyongbaek_hk on Instagram or call ahead.
Quick Info
| Restaurant | Um Yong Baek (엄용백) |
| Address | G/F, 22 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong Google Maps |
| Nearest MTR | Central (Exit D2), 3-minute walk |
| Hours | Check @umyongbaek_hk for current hours |
| Phone | 2688 6600 |
| Price | HK$120 per soup bowl; BBQ dinner varies |
| Must-Order | Milyang-style Milky Pork Bone Soup, Busan-style Clear Pork Soup, Ogyeopsal Suyuk (Boiled Pork Belly) |
| Payment | Cards accepted |
