Dim Sum (點心), which translates to “touch the heart” in Cantonese, is undeniably the most iconic dining experience in Hong Kong. A visit to the city wouldn’t be complete without indulging in these delectable delights.
Dim Sum offers a diverse array of dishes, ranging from savory to sweet. Among the must-try classics are Char Siu Bao (叉燒包), featuring fluffy steamed buns filled with barbecued pork, and Har Gow (蝦餃), delicate steamed shrimp dumplings. Siu Mai (燒賣) presents a mouthwatering blend of pork and shrimp, while Xiao Long Bao (小籠包) enchants with its soup-filled dumplings. But of course, there much more Dim Sum you can try in Hong Kong. These dishes are an integral part of Yum Cha (飲茶), a treasured social tradition in Hong Kong society.
What Is Dim Sum
Dim sum is a type of traditional Chinese cuisine, Cantonese to be exact, where a variety of dumplings, meatballs and seafood are served on small plates and shared among friends and family. In Chinese, the term “dim sum” literally translates to “touch your heart,” that’s why it should be warm and comforting. Think of it like the Chinese version of tapas, with 3–6 pieces per order – except it’s paired with Chinese tea for breakfast, brunch or lunch.
What Is Yum Cha?
Yum Cha, derived from the Cantonese phrase meaning ‘drink tea’, is much more than simply sipping tea. It refers to the whole dining experience of enjoying dim sum with family and friends at a restaurant .
Once seated, the first thing to do is order a pot of Chinese tea, with popular options like Pu’er, Jasmine or Tieguanyin. Pour tea for your companions before yourself to show respect, especially to elders. If someone serves you tea, show your gratitude with a ‘Finger Kowtow’ – a subtle bowing of the fingers – as a polite gesture.
In the past, the freshest dim sum was displayed on carts pushed around the tables, so diners can order directly. Nowadays, this practice has become rare, with most places using dim sum order sheets or QR codes. When the food arrives, take one piece at a time and leave the rest for others. After all, Yum Cha is about sharing a delicious meal and spending time with your loved ones.
Dim Sum Library — Admiralty
Looking to try a modern take on the classic dim sums? Head to Dim Sum Library for a range of contemporary dim sums like Black Garlic Siu Mai, Dan Dan Xiaolongbao, Wild Mushroom and Beetroot Dumplings, and more. If you’re looking for something extra, their tea-inspired cocktails are meticulously prepared to pair with dim sums. This elegant tea room is conveniently located inside Pacific Place, perfect for shopping after having a full, hearty meal.
Price Range: $$-$$$
Signature Dish To Try: Black Garlic Siu Mai, Dan Dan Xiaolongbao
Location: Shop 124, Level 1, One Pacific Place, Admiralty
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 3643 0088
DimDimSum — Jordan & Mong Kok
One of the most popular local dim sum shops in Hong Kong is the DimDimSum, now located in Jordan and Mong Kok. What makes this shop standout is their range of traditional dim sum dishes, alongside modern dishes like the signature Pineapple Buns with Pineapple Custard Filling – both options are very affordable and well-executed. Service here is efficient and you’ll likely find a good mix of locals and expats dining here.
Price Range: $
Signature Dish To Try: Pineapple Buns with Pineapple Custard Filling
Location: G/F, Man Kin Building, 28 Man Wui Street, Jordan | G/F, 106 Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok
Contact: Instagram | +852 2771 7766 (Jordan), +852 2615 1609 (Mong Kok)
Ding Dim 1968 — Central
Ding Dim 1968 is a cute little dim sum eatery just opposite Tai Kwun. With over 50 years of experience, the dim sum chefs skillfully prepared must-tries like King Har Gow, Crab Roe Siu Mai and Xiaolongbao with Secret Broth. Despite its modest interior, you can get an authentic yum cha experience at this local spot. For non-Chinese speakers, there is an English menu with pictures.
Price Range: $
Signature Dish To Try: King Har Gow (shrimp dumplings), Crab Roe Siu Mai (pork dumplings)
Location: 59 Wyndham Street, Central
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2326 1968
Duddell’s — Central
Two words that sum up weekends in Hong Kong: champagne brunch. And boozy brunch with unlimited dim sum? Yes please! The Michelin-starred Duddell’s Weekend Salon Brunch is hip and chic, and you get to sample all the classics, from siu mai to deep-fried spring rolls. On beautiful days, you can also choose to enjoy it at their gorgeous outdoor terrace. If brunch isn’t your thing, you are most welcome to order from their a la carte dim sum menu and a separate dim sum & snacks menu at their salon.
Price Range: $$$
Signature Dish To Try: Deep-fried Pork and Shrimp Wonton, Pan-fried Fungus Bun
Location: Level 3, 1 Duddell Street, Central
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2525 9191
Duen Kee Tea House — Tsuen Wan
Many retired locals enjoy a morning walk followed by dim sum, and one of their favourite spots is likely Duen Kee Tea House! This traditional tea house is located at the base of Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s highest peak, which also serves as a starting point for hiking up the mountain. First-timers may find it overwhelming, as the restaurant operates on a self-service basis — you will have to pick and wash the utensils, make your own tea, and grab your dim sum at the ground-floor counter. While it takes a bit of effort to enjoy the meal, the peaceful village surroundings and fresh ingredients make the trip worthwhile.
Price Range: $
Signature Dish To Try: Turnip Cake, Chiu Chow Dumplings, Tofu Pudding
Location: G/F, 57-58 Chuen Lung Estate, Route Twisk, Tsuen Wan
Contact: Facebook | +852 2490 5246
Fook Lam Moon — Kowloon Bay & Wan Chai
Nicknamed the ‘Canteen for the Rich’, the Michelin-starred Fook Lam Moon provides a luxurious dim sum experience featuring top-quality ingredients. Staying true to traditional recipes, popular menu items include Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, Pan-fried Turnip Cake, and Steamed Brown Sugar Sponge Cake (yum!). With expertly prepared dim sum and premium ingredients, this is the perfect spot to impress.
Price Range: $$$$
Signature Dish To Try: Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, Pan-fried Turnip Cake
Location: 2/F, Kingston International Centre, 19 Wang Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay | Shop 3, G/F, Newman House, 35-45 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
Contact: Instagram | Facebook | +852 2866 0663
Golden Leaf — Admiralty
Led by Executive Chef Tony Wan, Golden Leaf is an award-winning Chinese restaurant at the Conrad Hotel. With over 30 years of experience, Chef Wan elevates traditional dim sum with upscale touches, such as Shrimp Dumplings adorned with Gold Leaf and Steamed Pork Dumplings with Abalone. Featuring high ceilings and sophisticated decorations, Golden Leaf is highly recommended for business gatherings, with three private dining rooms catering to groups of 12 to 16.
Price Range: $$$
Signature Dish To Try: Shrimp Dumplings topped with Gold Leaf, Steamed Pork Dumplings with Abalone
Location: Lower Lobby Level, Conrad Hong Kong, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2822 8870
Lin Heung Tea House — Central
Established in 1918, Lin Heung Lau is one of the oldest tea houses still operating in Hong Kong. Closed during the pandemic, it has since reopened with a refreshed look while retaining much of its old-world charm. Here, you can get an authentic yum cha experience – we are talking about brewing tea in covered tea cups and ordering dim sum from traditional trolleys. Nostalgic handmade dim sum, including the Steamed Brown Sugar Sponge Cake and Pork Liver Siu Mai, are highly recommended. With over a century of history, stop by Lin Heung Lau to experience the charm of old Hong Kong.
Price Range: $$
Signature Dish To Try: Steamed Brown Sugar Sponge Cake and Pork Liver Siu Mai
Location: G/F, 160-164 Wellington Street, Central
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2116 0670, 3491 5855
LockCha Tea House — Admiralty & Central
Dim sum typically contains some sort of meat, but thankfully, there’s a great vegetarian dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong: LockCha Tea House. All the dishes on their menu are vegetarian, including innovative items such as Steamed Emerald Vegetable Dumplings, Pan-fried Beancurd Skin with Ginger, and Steamed Barbecue Sauce Buns, alongside traditional dishes like Steamed Turnip Cake.
Take your time to explore their carefully curated selection of Chinese teas. From premium jasmine tea to less common varieties like Old Liubao, this is an excellent place to sample high-quality teas. At their Tai Kwun branch, they even brew their own LockCha beers.
Price Range: $$
Signature Dish To Try: Steamed Emerald Vegetable Dumpling, Pan-fried Beancurd Skin with Ginger
Location: G/F, The K.S. Lo Gallery, Hong Kong Park, Admiralty | Shop 01-G07, G/F, Headquarters Block, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2801 7177 (Admiralty), +852 2276 5777 (Central)
Luk Yu Tea House — Central
It’s hard to miss Luk Yu’s historic building when walking on Stanley Street. The tea house dates back to 1933, and the dining area span across three levels. Rumour has it the ground floor is ‘reserved’ for loyal VIPs, while the general public is sent to the upper floors. Today, you can come here to experience the charm of old Hong Kong, as the restaurant retains most of its colonial decor and traditional Chinese furnishings. When it comes to dim sum, expect the classic like Deep-fried Prawn Toast, Steam Chicken buns and Stuffed Fish Maw with Shrimp Paste.
Price Range: $$$
Signature Dish To Try: Deep-fried Prawn Toast, Steam Chicken buns and Stuffed Fish Maw with Shrimp Paste
Location: 24-26 Stanley Street, Central
Contact: Facebook | +852 2523 5464
Lung King Heen — Central
Celebrating a special occasion or simply want to treat yourself? Head to Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hotel. As the first Chinese restaurant to earn the coveted Michelin three-star award, it has remained on the Michelin list to this day. Their seasonal dim sum menu features signature items like the Baked “Pineapple” Bun with Barbecued Pork and Pine Nuts, as well as the Baked Whole Abalone Puff with Diced Chicken. To elevate your experience, add the champagne pairing for the ultimate yum cha experience.
Price Range: $$$$
Signature Dish To Try: Baked Barbecued Pork Buns with Pine Nuts, Baked Whole Abalone Puff with Diced Chicken
Location: Podium 4, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central
Contact: Website | +852 3196 8888
Maxim’s Palace City Hall — Central
Most travel magazines recommend Maxim’s Palace City Hall as the best place for dim sum in Hong Kong, and it’s easy to see why. Maxim’s is a large local restaurant chain, the most famous branch is located at City Hall. This banquet-style dining hall can seat over 600 diners, and during yum cha hours, you’ll see dim sum trolleys being carted around — take a peek as they pass your table and grab whatever dish catches your eye. The yum cha experience here closely resembles the local tradition. For non-Chinese speakers, there’re English signs for the dim sum so you know what you’re getting.
Price Range: $$
Signature Dish To Try: Pineapple BBQ Pork Bun, Steam Lava Custard Bun
Location: 2/F, City Hall, 5-7 Edinburgh Place, Central
Contact: Instagram | Facebook | +852 2521 1303
Mott 32 — Central
Take your yum cha experience up a notch at Mott 32, one of the fanciest restaurants in Hong Kong. While most people flock to Mott 32 for their signature 42-day Apple Wood Roasted Peking Duck — which, luckily, can also be pre-ordered and served during yum cha —the dim sum is equally impressive. The team uses only the finest ingredients, just like the Iberico Pork Shanghaiese Soup Dumplings, and Soft Quail Egg, Iberico Pork Black Truffle Dumplings. Another must-try is BBQ Iberico Pork with Yellow Mountain Honey, perfectly grilled to perfection with a honey glaze on top. The award-winning, intimate interior design by Joyce Wang studio definitely adds to the ‘Wow’ factor too.
Price Range: $$$$
Signature Dish To Try: BBQ Pork, Water Chestnut Dumplings
Location: Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4A Des Voeux Road Central, Central
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2885 8688
One Dim Sum — Prince Edward
Incredibly popular with locals and expats alike, this is one dim sum experience not to be missed. Be prepared to either arrive early/at an off time or spend a solid chunk of time waiting in the queue, especially on weekends. Why is it so popular? The little dim sum shop actually earned one Michelin Star back in 2011 and 2012. Ever since then, it’s remained very popular – and for good reason. The traditional dim sum, such as The One Har-Gow and The One Siu Mai, are all incredibly delicious and very affordable, so you can try as many as you like.
Price Range: $
Signature Dish To Try: The One Har-Gow and The One Siu Mai
Location: G/F, 209A – 209B, Tung Choi Street, Prince Edward
Contact: Website | Instagram | +852 2789 2280
One Harbour Road — Wan Chai
Another dim sum spot with beautiful Victoria Harbour view is One Harbour Road. Nestled inside the Grand Hyatt Hotel, this Michelin-recommended restaurant specializes in authentic Cantonese cuisine. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Chan Hon-Cheong, the team has elevated traditional dim sums such as Deep-fried Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls, Baked Abalone Puff Pastry with Chicken, and a selection of steamed rice flour rolls. The ultra-high floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural daylight, with panoramic views of the city’s skyline and harbor.
Price Range: $$$
Signature Dish To Try:
Location: 7-8/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2789 2280
Social Place — Central
From the outside, Social Place might look like a modern café, but it’s their dim sum creations that truly leave an impression. Apart from classics like shrimp and pork dumplings, kids will delight in trying the playful Piggy Caramel Pudding and Little Bear Buns. Don’t get it wrong — the adorable dim sum is expertly crafted using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Social Place also offers dim sum workshops for families, a hands-on experience where you can create traditional treats together.
Price Range: $$$
Signature Dish To Try: Vegetarian Truffle Shiitake Buns, Sweet and Sour Pork with Fresh Pineapple
Location: 2/F, The L. Place, 139 Queen’s Road Central, Central
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 3568 9666
Sun Hing Restaurant — Kennedy Town
This hidden gem in Kennedy Town attracts a loyal crowd with its incredibly affordable and delicious dim sum, starting at just HK$23 per dish. Sun Hing runs daily from 3:00am until 4:00 pm, no wonder it is a favourite among night-shift workers, taxi drivers, and those looking for a late-night snack after drinks in LKF. Eating here comes with its own unique system: once you’re seated and have ordered a pot of tea, head to the counter and pick out whichever dim sum catches your eye. All the dim sum is freshly made and served straight from the oven. We love the Lava Custard Buns and Quail Egg Siu Mai, but let’s be honest — every freshly made dish here is hard to resist.
Price Range: $
Signature Dish To Try: Lava Custard Buns
Location: Shop C, G/F, 8 Smithfield Road, Kennedy Town
Contact: +852 2816 0616
Tim Ho Wan — Multiple Locations
Known as ‘The World’s cheapest Michelin-star restaurant’, Tim Ho Wan is now a beloved restaurant chain for dim sum. For the most authentic experience, head to their original shop in Sham Shui Po. Aside from the prestigious title awarded to this restaurant, people came for the Baked BBQ Pork Buns, which are unlike the pork buns found at other dim sum restaurants. The pork buns at Tim Ho Wan are baked in a crispy, almost sweet pastry, as opposed to being steamed.
Price Range: $
Signature Dish To Try: Baked BBQ Pork Buns
Location: 7 locations in Sham Shui Po, Central, Mong Kok, Tai Kok Tsui, West Kowloon Station, Tseung Kwan O and Tsim Sha Tsui
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2788 1226
Yum Cha — Central
Ever scrolled through social media and spotted a photo of dim sum and thought, ‘Ah, that’s so cute!’? Chances are, it’s from Yum Cha. From the BBQ Piggy Buns and Doggy Sausage Rolls, to the Hot Custard Buns (you’ve probably seen videos of people poking a hole for a mouth and squeezing the custard out), the playful presentation makes the entire dim sum experience more fun! Aside fromo dim sum, Yum Cha also serves seasonal dishes throughout the year. It’s one of our favourite spots to take out-of-town guests when they’re visiting Hong Kong.
Price Range: $$
Signature Dish To Try: BBQ Piggy Buns, Hot Custard Buns
Location: Shop 1-2, 2/F, Nan Fung Place, 173 Des Voeux Road Central, Central
Contact: Instagram | Facebook | +852 3708 8081
FAQ
Did dim sum came from Hong Kong?
No, dim sum did not originate in Hong Kong. It is believed that the culture started 2,500 years ago at teahouses along the ancient Silk Road. During that time, travellers would rest at these teahouses, where small appetizers were served as a light accompaniment. Later, in the late 19th century, dim sum culture spread quickly in Guangzhou and eventually made its way to Hong Kong.
Which are the most classic dim sums for first-timer?
The most classic dim sums include har-gow (steamed shrimp dumplings), siu-mai ( steam pork dumplings), steam cheong-fun (steam rice flour rolls), and spring rolls. Dim sums are mainly steamed, deep-fried and baked.
What is the difference between yum cha and dim sum?
The difference between yum cha and dim sum is that yum cha refers to the entire experience of enjoying dim sum with friends and family at a restaurant, while dim sum refers to the individual small dishes.
Hong Kong’s food scene is a rich fusion of tradition and innovation, offering a wide array of delectable flavours. To know more about Cantonese food, have a look at our guides on the best foods and snacks, the most iconic street food, the best drinks in Cha Chaans Tengs, the best desserts in Hong Kong, the best pastries or the best Dai Pai Dong dishes to try in the 852.
Header image credits: Peachyeung316 via Wikiemedia Commons (bottom) and ctktiger1018 from Getty Images / Canva (top)
