Learn how to make Hong Kong style lemon tea with classic Hong Kong style black tea.
Last week, I bought a set of tools for making classic Hong Kong-style drinks including our Hong Kong Milk tea, Coffee milk tea, and coffee boba. Then the Hong Kong lemon tea is a must trying when you already have Hong Kong style black tea base.

What’s Hong Kong Lemon Tea
Hong Kong lemon tea is the most popular drink in Hong Kong restaurants and cafes. It is made with strongly brewed black tea, similar to Hong Kong milk tea, crushed lemon, and syrup. Since in most cases, it is served chilled, it is named Hong Kong Iced Lemon tea ( Dong Ling Cha ).

What does Hong Kong Lemon tea taste like
This is my favorite summer drink. It has a taste profile of sweet and sour with a good foundation of black tea.
But you can also make lemon tea with green or oolong tea for a lighter version.
Sweetener
You need to add enough sweetener to balance the bitter taste of black tea and sour of lemon. Simple syrup is commonly used. You can also use honey, maple syrup, or even brown sugar syrup. Brown sugar syrup can add some extra caramelized taste to it.
In Hong Kong or most Chinese areas, the sweeter is rock sugar syrup.
How to make Hong Kong Lemon tea
The first step for hong kong lemon tea is to make the black tea base. You can refer to this hong kong milk tea to make a classic version. Or brew around 2 black tea bags with 300ml water.
Then wash the lemon with salt and further cut it into thin slices. Remember to remove the seeds.
Place the lemon slices in a cup, use a muddler to break and lemon, and release the juice. Add syrup and ice cubes.

Add black tea base. If you can prepare this ahead, remember to let the black tea cool down to room temperature. Shake well and transfer to serving cup.



Ingredients
- 2 black tea bags
- 300 ml hot boiling water
- ice cubes
- 2 tbsp. simple syrup
- 1 lemon , washed with salt and sliced
Instructions
Brew tea
- Add 300ml hot boiling water to 2 black tea bags. Let the bags steep for 3-4 miuntes. Remove the tea bag and let the liquid cool down.
Wash and slice lemon
- Wash the lemon with salt and further cut it into thin slices. Remember to remove the seeds.
Assemble
- Place the 4 lemon slices in a cup, use a muddler to break and lemon, and release the juice. Add syrup and ice cubes.
- Add black tea base. If you can prepare this ahead, remember to let the black tea cool down to room temperature. Shake well and transfer to serving cup.
- Decorate with a lemon slice.