Dim Sum from Lin Heung Tea House

Your guide to dim sum in Hong Kong

The beloved Hong Kong tradition explained

Dim sum is a core part of Hong Kong dining. It’s seriously delicious, you get to nibble on a great variety of dishes and the buzzy atmosphere at dim sum restaurants is unrivalled by no other.

Admittedly, going for dim sum can be a bit confusing (and perhaps even daunting) for first-timers, so we’ve put together a handy guide to help you master the basics of dim sum etiquette and find the best places to enjoy those delicious steamed buns.

Now all you need is a big appetite and a friends to share your food with.

Dim sum etiquette

Woman having dim sum

Washing

When first sitting down, you’ll be given a pot of tea and a large bowl – this isn’t for drinking, it’s to wash your chopsticks, cutlery and crockery before use. 

Ordering

On each table you’ll find a leaflet that is both a menu and an order form. Select the dishes and quantity you want, mark your table number and hand the form to your server. 

Tea refills 

Hot water refills for your tea are free in most restaurants, leave the lid to your tea pot slightly ajar to signal to your server that it needs refilling. 

Finger tapping

Always serve others tea before helping yourself. When your fellow diner serves you tea, instead of being verbal with your thank yous, tap the table with your pointer and middle fingers to signal gratitude to them. Don’t do this to your server as it will be taken as a sign of disrespect!

Utensils 

Chopsticks and a soup spoon are usually provided but forks are available upon request. Avoid leaving your chopsticks standing up in your bowl as this is a symbol of death and mourning. 

Chopsticks

You’ll be given two pairs of chopsticks (usually in different colours) at the table. Use the serving chopsticks to move food from the communal dish to your own dish before eating with the other pair of chopsticks. Never eat directly from the steamer basket or shared plate.

Sharing’s caring

As with most small-plate dining experiences, dim sum is all about sharing, so never lay claim to one dish and always ask everyone at your table before taking the last piece!

What to order

Dim sum, siu mai, steamed buns, dumplings and tea

Har gao (Steamed shrimp dumpling)

These dumplings look, and taste, out of this world. Dim Sum chefs wrap whole pieces of shrimp, with pork meat and finely chopped bamboo shoots in a translucent wheat skin. The result is a light, but delightful, moreish bite.

Char siu bao (Barbecue pork bun)

Hong Kong’s famous slow-cooked barbecued pork (Char Siu) seasoned with oyster sauce is stuffed inside soft, steamed bread. The result is beautiful combination of the sweet, tender, sticky meat with the delightfully pillowy bread. 

Siu mai (Pork and mushroom dumpling)

This classic Cantonese staple sees ground pork, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, ginger, seasoned with rice wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil wrapped in a thin yellow wheat dough and topped with vibrant orange crab roe.

Cheung fan (Stuffed rice rolls)

Dim Sum chefs take thin, glossy sheets of a rice flour dough and fill them with shrimp, sweet barbecued pork, or beef, before being steamed until beautifully tender. Hong Kongers also often enjoy them with lashings of salty soy sauce and a sprinkle of fresh spring onion.

Dan tat (Egg tarts)

Technically a Macau/Portugal import, the egg custard tart are the essential sweet guilty treat to end any dim sum session. And, we love the buttery, flakey pastry teamed with luscious rich egg custard, lightly torched on top to give a speckled caramel crust.

Best dim sum restaurants

Just like the dishes that make up your dim sum experience, the restaurants that serve it are deliciously diverse. Whether it’s an old-school eatery that serves dumplings in a traditional bamboo steamer, or new-fangled places with a huge social-media following, here are the best places to go for dim sum in Hong Kong.

Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan
Source: Kent Wang via Flickr

What started off as a dingy 20-seater in Mong Kok has grown into a dim sum powerhouse with a global presence. The success is well-deserved. After all, Tim Ho Wan was founded by chef Mak Kwai-pui, who honed his craft at the Four Seasons Hong Kong. Keeping the hotel-level quality but at a fraction of the price, everything at Tim Ho Wan is steamed or fried fresh to order. The barbecue pork bun, with tender meat baked in a sweet and flaky pastry, is a definite must-try, but don’t miss other signatures, such as the pan-fried radish cake, steamed rice rolls and steamed sponge cake. If you want to try one of the cheapest Michelin meals in town, head to Tim Ho Wan’s Sham Shui Po branch, which serves just that.

Tim Ho Wan, 9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, 2788 1226

One Dim Sum

Another purveyor of cheap and cheerful har gow and siu mai, One Dim Sum in has amassed a huge following, especially after it was awarded a star in Michelin’s 2012 guidebook. The restaurant may have since lost the star but its fanfare has not waned, thanks to the strength of its food. You really can’t go wrong here but if you’re looking for our personal recommendations, go for the steamed dumplings – especially the ones filled with shrimp and veggies – and the mango custard rolls.

One Dim Sum, 209AB Tung Choi Street, Prince Edward, 2677 7888

Duddell’s

Duddell's Soft-boiled quail egg and pork dumpling, shrimp broth, caviar

Duddell’s literally showcases the art of dining. In a terraced venue adorned with carefully curated works of art, the chefs craft elevated versions of classic dim sum items. If you want to taste what we’re talking about, order the fluffy steamed buns filled with ibérico pork, or the siu mai topped with scallop and caviar. The restaurant on the lower level has a slightly larger dim sum selection during lunchtime but if you’re looking for a more casual dining experience, head up to the salon, which offers an all-day dim sum menu and great cocktails to match.

Duddell’s, 3/F-4/F, Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell Street, Central, 2525 9191

Chau Kee

Chau Kee may not be as famous as some the other venues on this list but that doesn’t mean the food is any less delicious. The classics are done well, especially the quail egg siu mai and the incredibly plump har gow shrimp dumplings, but be sure to order some of the more inventive creations, including the crisp-centred steamed rice roll. Also, though it’s technically not a dim sum item, the French toast filled with salted-egg custard is a must-try.

Chau Kee, 1H Water Street, Sai Ying Pun, 2559 2389

Lin Heung Tea House

Dim Sum from Lin Heung Tea House

This Wellington Street mainstay was close to shuttering its doors earlier this year until some of its loyal employees stepped in to take over the lease. Aside from the change in management and an ever-so-slight tweak to its Chinese name, much of the restaurant has remained the same. Dim sum is still served the old-school way, in bamboo steamers piled on metal push trolleys. There’s no need to mind your manners here – just shove your way up to the head of the cart and select the dishes you’re hungry for.

Lin Heung Tea House, 160-164 Wellington Street, Central, 2544 4556

Yum Cha

Yum Cha is a dim sum restaurant for the social-media age. Aside from the gorgeous interiors – think Nordic-chic furnishings and warm, gold details – dishes are presented in a way that’s bound to get you likes on Instagram. There are fun and quirky offerings, like the Boomerang-friendly hot custard buns with cartoonish eyes and molten centres. Then there are the more elegant affairs, like the bird-shaped baked pineapple puffs served in a birdcage. Aside from being a feast for the eyes, all dishes at Yum Cha are sans MSG and artificial colourings.

Yum Cha, 2/F, Nan Fung Place, 173 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, 3708 8081

Dimdimsum

Dimdimsum sets itself apart from other affordable, all-day yumcha places by mixing up the old and the new on its menu. Aside from classic steamed dumplings, buns and rice rolls, you’ll find more playful creations, like the house-special pineapple bun, which departs from tradition by actually having pineapple in its filling. Fusion flourishes also abound, as demonstrated by the chicken and black truffle pot pie and the Japanese-style siu mai topped with dried bonito flakes. If you’re worried that this all sounds a little gimmicky, rest assured that the quality of the food here is also top-notch.

Dimdimsum, 7 Tin Lok Lane, Wan Chai, 2891 7677

Lung King Heen

Executive Chinese Chef Chan Yan Tak in white uniform Lung King Heen at Four Seasons Hong Kong

If you want to treat yourself to a dim sum experience like no other, look no further than Lung King Heen, the first Chinese restaurant in the world to be awarded three Michelin stars. The food may be pricey – the weekday yum cha gourmet set is $1,680 per person – but the quality of the ingredients and the finesse of execution are worth the dough. Dim sum items change seasonally but be sure to try perennial house favourites such as the steamed lobster and scallop dumplings and baked whole abalone puff with diced chicken.

Lung King Heen, 4/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, 3196 8880

Yan Toh Heen

Consistently ranked as one of the top Cantonese restaurants in the city, the InterContinental’s Yan Toh Heen stepped up its game even further when it unveiled its new jade-inspired look and harbour-facing location last summer. In this gorgeous setting, enjoy some truly exquisite dim sum creations, like the trio of steamed superior dumplings (filled with carabinero shrimp, lobster and crabmeat, and scallops) and crispy sesame dumplings with wagyu and black truffle. You can also ask the restaurant’s knowledgeable tea sommelier to pick a brew to pair with your meal.

Yan Toh Heen, B/F, InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2313 2323

Jade Garden

Operated by Maxim’s Group – one of the biggest F&B brands in Hong Kong – this restaurant is extremely popular and for good reason too. The food is decently priced and the venues are always comfortable and spacious, meaning you won’t feel rushed as you might do at some of the cheaper venues on this list. There are more than a dozen branches across the city (we told you it was popular) but the flagship location in Tsim Sha Tsui is the swankiest.

Jade Garden, 4/F, Star House, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2730 6888