The Best Spots for Dim Sum in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is known for being a food and shopping paradise and of course, a trip to the fragrant harbour would not be complete without a dim sum feast. From luxurious Michelin-starred fine-dining experiences to value-for-money local favourites, here are our top picks for the best Hong Kong dim sum you won’t want to miss.

Probably the name that first springs to mind when it comes to dim sum, Tim Ho Wan is known worldwide for its Michelin-starred Cantonese-style dim sum. With branches now established all over Asia and even in the States, it's Sham Shui Po branch maintains an old teahouse vibe, often filled with local elderly folks enjoying their breakfast or afternoon tea. For those looking for a quick bite before heading to the Airport Express, there is a Tim Ho Wan conveniently located at Hong Kong station.

A historic tea house in Hong Kong with over a century’s worth of history, Lin Heung is one of the only remaining places to experience yum cha and dim sum in a traditional setting - complete with pushcarts, nostalgic decor and atmosphere, as well as heritage dishes not found elsewhere. Only open for breakfast and dinner, you’ll need to hover around the pushcarts to get the dish of your choice. Service is not the highlight, but everyone stays for the food.

On the more luxurious side of the scale, is the Michelin-recommended Luk Yu Tea House in the heart of Central Hong Kong. Charming and still with its East-meets-West art deco interior elements and Chinese antiques from 1976, Luk Yu Tea House serves traditional dim sum like steamed lotus rice, fresh beef dumplings and chicken buns. 

One of the last places standing for the old school tea house experience, City Hall Maxim’s Palace is loved for its dim sum offered in steaming pushcarts. You will have to flag down the pushcart for the dish you want, and the dish names in both English and Chinese are displayed on the front of the cart. Despite the fact it is now a popular tourist attraction and renowned for being very hard to get a table at, its convenient location near Central MTR station and experience overall still makes it a great choice for dim sum. 

Though less known than Tim Ho Wan, the 2011 Michelin-starred One Dim Sum still warrants daily queues outside its only location in Prince Edward. Being one of the cheapest starred restaurants on the list back in the day, each bamboo basket of dim sum starts at only HK$18. Across the board, the quality and taste is great on all classic dim sum dishes - including deep-fried wontons, spring rolls, pork and prawn dumplings. 

Made for the Instagram generation, Yum Cha is known for its creative dim sum dishes like the salted egg yolk-puking buns that went viral on the internet. Other curious picks include bird-shaped pineapple puffs, aptly pig-shaped char siu buns, and more traditional dishes like shrimp and pork dumplings and silky rice rolls. 

Kill two birds with one stone at Hutong and do a boozy brunch with one of the best vantage points in Hong Kong. Although best known for its tongue-numbing Northern Chinese cuisine, Hutong also serves a wonderful weekend brunch with dim sum and sharing plates, complete with free-flowing champagne and cocktails. Day or night, its view of the skyline is not to be missed.

If you’re ready to go all out and taste the best of the best, Tin Lung Heen is the place to be. Located inside Hong Kong’s tallest building - the ICC on the 102nd floor- Tin Lung Heen is a part of the swanky Ritz-Carlton hotel. On its menu of traditional dim sum served with a spectacular view, a must-have is its char siu, or barbecued pork, made from the most tender Spanish Iberico pork, as well as the steamed spotted garoupa dumpling with coriander.

Nestled on the 28th floor of Hotel ICON in Tsim Sha Tsui East, Michelin-recommended Above & Beyond serves gourmet dim sum along with a beautiful view of the famous skyline. Traditional dishes like dumplings and rice rolls are elevated with luxurious ingredients like lobster, truffle, Kagoshima pork and fresh crab meat. 

Had a late night and looking for some supper? Dim sum, though usually enjoyed for breakfast, actually makes for a great supper because of the smaller portion sizes. Dim Dim Sum in Mongkok is open until 2AM, serving up delicious sweet and savoury favourites like beef balls and Malay egg sponge cake that are wallet-friendly too.