Kam Hing Coffee Shop

Original Sponge Cake

Kam Hing Coffee Shop is a multigenerational family-owned bakery that opened in 1984. Light and fluffy, their famous sponge cakes are best eaten fresh out of the oven!

The original owner, Mr. Zeng, came to the US in the 1970s from Guangdong, China. Like many new immigrants, he first worked in Chinese restaurants. After learning how to make sponge cakes from a relative, he opened his humble shop with his wife on Baxter street. In 2009, he retired and sold the bakery and its recipes to John Yee.

John’s family is from Taishan, China but later moved to Hong Kong. John came to the US in 1967 when he was six years old. He’s lived in Chinatown his whole life and loves it there. He was a loyal customer of Kam Hing for 18 years before buying the business when he was 24 years old.

Liz Yee, the current owner, took over the business from her dad. Since then, she’s expanded the offerings at Kam Hing. They now boast over 30 flavors ranging from green tea, black sesame, red bean, ube, coconut, butterscotch, pumpkin spice, pandan, honeydew, lychee rose, durian, and even brown sugar milk tea! While the shop has expanded in size and menu, the original recipe of their tasty sponge cakes hasn’t changed. The family also owns another small business in the neighborhood, Tonii’s Fresh Rice Noodle.

They are hugely popular among the Chinatown community, especially the Chinese elderly, as they are not overly sweet. You can also find cartoon illustrations inside the bakery representing Liz’s family as sponge cakes (how cute?!).

📍 Kam Hing Coffee Shop
118 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013