*Our Hong Kong Dim Sum post may contain affiliate links, if you click the link and purchase an item through this you won’t pay a penny more, but we get a small commission which helps keep this website up and running, thank you!*
The Foodies Guide To Hong Kong's Best Dim Sum
Travelling to Hong Kong can be a culture shock for some, especially those with specific appetites. In this Hong Kong Dim Sum Guide we’ve laid out our favourite restaurants and order recommendations. Hopefully this will guide you to the best restaurants and encourage you to try something new! You will also find some tips and tricks on eating and ordering Dim Sum. There’s a certain etiquette to follow that tourists don’t always know about!
Fun Fact: Translated, Dim Sum, means ‘Touch the Heart
A favourite cuisine of ours, Dim Sum, originated in China approximately 2,500 years ago. Dim Sum is a variety of small dishes, traditionally served as 2-4 portions per plate. A typical Dim Sum meal would consist of steamed buns, deep fried dumplings, steamed dumplings, noodles/ fried rice and dessert. It’s generally served in bamboo steamers with a side of tea. The art of Dim Sum is very social and is best enjoyed alongside family and friends!
Top Tip: Take small bites, flavours are enjoyed more if consumed slowly and it lets the food cool betweeen bites. Strangers to Dim Sum tend to eat dumplings whole and end up burning their mouths.
1. Tim Ho Wan, North Point
8 Wharf Rd, North Point, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Fortress Hill or North Point
Opening Times: 10am – 9:30pm everyday
Fun Fact: It’s the cheapest Michelin Star Restaurant in the World!
Claiming to be ‘Hong Kong’s Most Famous Dim Sum’ it’s no wonder that this was our favourite restaurant whilst we were there. The simple, traditional dishes are authentic and full of flavour. If you’re on a budget and craving tradition and quality, this is the perfect place to dine. Check out the rest of our Top Things To Do In Hong Kong!
OUR ORDER
-Glutinous Rice Dumpling
-Steamed Pork Dumpling with Shrimp
-Steamed Egg Cake
-Baked BBQ Pork Buns
-Steamed Rice with Pork and Dry Cuttlefish
-Steamed Rice Flour Roll Stuffed with Pigs Liver
-Pork and Shrimp Shaomi
Total:
159 HK$
Top Tip: Get there early! This place gets packed quickly, we arrived around 6:30pm on a weekday evening, it was fairly quiet, but as soon as we’d ordered the place filled very quickly. By the time we left there was a queue out the door.
Our Top Dish: Glutinous Rice Parcels. The sticky glutinous rice with chicken, pork and mushrooms, topped with a thick gravy like sauce are wrapped in a lotus leaf and steamed to create a fragrant and flavoursome dish. They are fairly large portions and quite filling, we recommend sharing the parcels in a group.
Top Tip: Some Dim Sum restaurants will have two sets of chopsticks. The black ones are used to take food from the shared dishes, whilst the white are used to eat from your own plate. This minimizes contamination between your saliva and the shared dishes.
2. Yum Cha, Central
Nan Fung Tower, 2/F, Nan Fung Place, Central, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Sheung Wan or Hong Kong
Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 11:30am-4pm 6pm-10:30pm
The most fun and adorable food you will ever eat! Yum Cha not only looks instagram worthy, but it tastes it too. Fusing creativity and authenticity, they serve traditional Cantonese Dim Sum presented with a modern twist. As you can imagine it’s very popular, so you may need to book a table ahead, especially if you’re in a group. Yum Cha also features in our Top 20 Things to See and Do In Hong Kong!
OUR ORDER
-Steamed Chinese Cabbage and Pork Buns
-BBQ Piggy Buns
-Pork with Pineapple in Sweet and Sour Sauce
-Side of Rice x 1
-Baked Pineapple Puffs
-Hot Custard Molten Buns
-Jasmine Tea x 1
Total:
342 HK$
Top Tip: Check the menu before your visit to ensure you won’t be disappointed. Some dishes, such as the ‘Doggy Sausage Rolls’, are only available before 3pm.
Our Top Dish: BBQ Piggy Buns, these adorable steamed buns should be a staple for all those who visit Yum Cha. The pink piggy dough ball will put a smile on anyone’s face!
Top Tip: Ordering in Dim Sum restaurants is a little different to the norm. Instead of telling the waiter/waitress what you want you simply tick or write the quantity in the boxes on the paper menu. There’s usually a pen or pencil on the table. Then once filled in you hand over to the server.
3. Grand Cuisine Shanghai Kitchen, Tai Koo
1 Tai Yue Ave, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Tai Koo or Quarry Bay
Opening Times: 11am-11pm everyday
Fun Fact: You can see the chefs cooking noodles through the window in the restaurant. You’ll know it’s fresh!
Located in a the beautiful Taikoo Place, this authentic but modern Dim Sum restaurant is reasonably priced and serves delicious food. If you’re feeling daring you could even try one of the more unique items on the menu, such as Crispy Pigeon. They also have some delicious sweet Dim Sum desserts. We’ve been on multiple occasions and all have been meals to remember!
OUR ORDER
-Fried Rice with Shrimps and Chicken in a Shanghai Soy Sauce
-Crispy Pigeon
-Sauteed Diced Chicken
-Jasmine Tea x 2
Total:
248 HK$
Top Tip: Get there early in the evenings for dinner, it gets busy with locals later in the evening.
Our Top Dish: Crispy Pigeon. As adventurous and odd as it sounds, it was actually very delicious. The only negative was how it comes presented, it was a little offputting…
Top Tip: Dim Sum is served with a variety of teas, if you need a refill, simply turn the teapot lid upside down or slide it to one side to leave a small gap. This will let the server know that you’d like a refill.
4. Kung Fu Dim Sum, North Point
98 Java Rd, North Point Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: North Point
Opening Times: 8am – 10:30pm everday
If you’re looking for a quick and cheap bite of Dim Sum, this is the perfect place. Located near the water, you can go for a post dinner stroll alongside Victoria Harbour. Nick’s first meal in Hong Kong was here and his first bite was of their Dim Sum dish: Chicken Feet! We thought this was a great value restaurant and just what we needed being hungry, weary and tired after a long day!
OUR ORDER
-Shrimp Dumplings
– Pork and Shrimp Shaomi
– BBQ Pork Buns
– Spare Ribs
– Chicken Feet
– Pork and Vegetable Buns
Total:
141 HK$
Top Tip: The tables are mainly set out in booths that seat four. If you’re in a group any larger it would be worth booking to save dissapointment.
Our Top Dish: Chicken Feet! Marinaded in a variety of spices and cooked with Soy and Oyster Sauces, they have a strong flavour. Their unique texture is something to remember and if you’ve never tried them it’s worth giving it a go.
Top Tip: To eat chicken feet, suck the skin and juice off the bones rather than biting. Then remove the small bone from your mouth and slurp on the next one!
We hope you enjoyed this Foodies Guide to Dim Sum in Hong Kong. It’s one of our favourite cuisines and if you’re ever in Hong Kong, it’s a staple! We’d love to hear about your favourite Dim Sum restaurants and experiences, let us know in the comments below. If you want to burn off that Dim Sum why not try one of our Top Hong Kong Hikes? Or check out our Top Hong Kong Sights! As always, don’t forget to check out our other posts and follow us on social media. Thanks for reading!
All the best,
Eve and Nick