Amid wisps of steam and the aroma of freshly baked egg tarts, the tea masters at Hong Kong's Golden Phoenix Cafe brew large pots of the city's famed milk tea, using "pantyhose" stuffed with tea leaves

The drink, a Chinese take on English tea-drinking traditions, is brewed in a long cotton "sock" or filter resembling a beige pantyhose, rather than a female undergarment itself

The blend of Indian and Sri Lankan tea leaves, strained repeatedly over 10 to 20 minutes, makes it difficult to prepare oneself

"Some say Hong Kong's pantyhose milk tea origins probably arose from areas near British army barracks, where the tradition of having afternoon tea spread to local villagers, and then to the community at large," said Au Yeung, the food writer

Despite the global rise of coffee culture as propagated by the likes of Starbucks, Hong Kong's milk tea tradition and tea diners remain an integral part the throbbing city's urban fabric