The best dim sum in Hong Kong

There’s no point in a restaurant boasting a great sky-high view if the dishes don't reach the same dizzying heights, and Above & Beyond at Hotel Icon doesn’t disappoint. The standard of dim sum here is excellent. We reckon you should leave your choices in the chefs’ hands at lunch and go for treats like the steamed lobster dumplings with salmon roe, the deep-fried shrimp paste roll with truffle sauce, and the baked crab meat pie with wild mushroom. There’s a reason this place has been showered with awards over the years.

The dim sum at this Cantonese restaurant in the Sheraton has a traditional feel to it, and nearly all of the dim sum offerings are close to perfection, including the char siu bao, deep-fried vegetarian spring rolls and deep-fried shrimp spring roll with sea urchin. Dim sum literally means to ‘touch your heart’, and the dishes at this Tsim Sha Tsui restaurant do just that to us. 

Mong Kok is one of the best locations in Hong Kong for great bites, so it’s no surprise that this neighbourhood has a few dim sum restaurants that fit the bill. One of our favourites in the area is Dim Dim Sum, a spacious venue that dishes out endless bamboo baskets full of delicious morsels, such as rice flour rolls, deep fried dumplings with wasabi filling, and their generously sized xiao long bao. Aside from the dim sum classics, the stuffed eggplant with spicy Sichuan numbing sauce is also worth a try.

Giving the traditional dim sum a burst of new flavour, Dim Sum Library has been reinventing contemporary ways to enjoy this classic local cuisine. Taking on bold interpretations, time-honoured dim sum is presented in a refreshing way that infuses rare ingredients, western flavours and inventive new techniques. Modern dim sum to try include rosé black truffle har gau, black garlic siu mai, mala xiao long bao, wagyu beef puff with black pepper, and Hokkaido king crab and sea urchin spring rolls.

Duddell’s loves art. And Duddell’s loves food. When these two passions come together, you’ll get hearty and somewhat arty dim sum. And leaning on the pricey side of the Cantonese favourite, the dim sum here ranks among some of the best. Here, diners can expect to enjoy contemporary twists on classics like fish-shaped garoupa dumplings with shrimp and spicy termite mushrooms, heart-warming fish broth dumplings with fish maw, crispy puff pastry with lobster, and of course, staples such as barbecued pork buns, spring rolls and more – all of which tastes as good as they look. 

Aside from being a speakeasy-style lounge that provides guests with creative cocktails and live music, Foxglove also offers a  dim sum menu inspired by the establishment's fictional founder: English gentleman and adventurer Frank Minza. Expect classic dim sum items with innovative twists, like mozarella and shrimp spring rolls, lobster and minced pork siumai, as well as firey ma la xiao long bao. 

Helmed by Executive Chef Tony Wan with over 30 years of experience, Golden Leaf is an award-winning restaurant that serves up decadent Cantonese cuisine and dim sum items. Dine at the restaurant during lunchtime to savour quintessential dim sum classic items such as shrimp dumplings topped with gold leaf, steamed pork dumplings with abalone, or delightful mini egg tarts. 

Hong Kong Cuisine 1983 presents authentic tastes and flavours of local Hong Kong dishes. With decades of experience working in fine dining restaurants, plus endless creativity, executive Silas Li and his team serve up quality and well-presented dim sum and other Cantonese dishes. Highlights on Hong Kong Cuisine 1983's dim sum menu include intricately sculpted swan-shaped turnip puff pastry filled with conpoy and Chinese celery, Shanghainese pork-stuffed soup dumplings, and minced beef pies with melted cheese wrapped in flaky pastry.

Lin Heung Tea House, known as Lin Heung Lau to Hongkongers, is one of the oldest traditional Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong, serving only dim sum during the day and main courses at night. Customers can take their pick of dim sum from Lin Heung's old-school trolleys, such as pork liver siu mai, steamed turnip cake, and other timeless morsels.

For a stomach-filling dim sum that’s not only delicious but also very accessible, Sun Hing is your answer. This humble little dim sum joint is made for night owls; as they open at 3am under normal circumstances. Unlike most restaurants, customers don’t get to just pick and choose off the menu. Instead, the dim sum here comes fresh out of the steamer, and servers will go to each table asking if there are any takers once the food is ready. The leftovers are then stacked together on a side table, where customers can later go back to take what they want to eat. It really doesn't get more Hong Kong than this.

Awarded one star in the Michelin Guide, Sun Tung Lok was founded nearly 50 years ago by the Yuen family and has been recognised for its excellence by Michelin since 2011. Seasonal dim sum offerings not to miss include steamed minced pork dumpling with hairy crab meat and yolk, as well as pan-fried rice flour roll with Chinese leek, oyster, shrimp and egg.

The Chinese restaurant inside The St Regis Hong Kong does the classy hotel proud, with some equally elegant dim sum offerings. Helmed by chef Hung Chi-Kwong, Rùn was awarded one Michelin star in the latest guide, and for good reason. His innovative approach to classics has become fast favourites with noteworthy dishes, including the char siu and wagyu puffs that are executed exceptionally well.

Go to The Legacy House inside Rosewood Hong Kong and take in a gorgeous view of Victoria Dockside as you savour fine Cantonese cuisine. Chinese Executive Chef Li's curated dim sum menu features contemporary twists on classics, like siu mai stuffed with sea cucumber and matsutake mushrooms, deep-fried duck with mashed taro, and steamed fish dumplings in supreme soup with shrimp and pork. Wrap up your dim sum feast with traditional Chinese desserts such as black sesame rolls and white sugar pudding.

The Kitin specialises in high-end, creative Cantonese dishes that fuse Eastern and Western culinary techniques. Helmed by head chef Wayne, who honed his culinary skills in Japan, France, and Italy, The Kitin's culinary team uses various exotic ingredients to create their unique take on Cantonese cuisine. Diners can enjoy sensational dishes such as croissants with golden X.O sauce, steamed lobster dumplings in chicken broth meticulously crafted to look like a koi fish, and baked Japanese snow crab shell topped with 24 karat gold leaf.

Since this neighbourhood dim sum spot earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, long queues started to form every day, full of anxious people waiting to get a bite of what is considered to be some of the city’s best dim sum. The restaurant specialises in traditional Hong Kong dumplings, and it hasn't budged on its deliciously low prices, which is a win-win situation if you ask us. The dim sum is not overly creative, but it's consistent and hits the spot whenever you need it.

Incredible dim sum up in the clouds. That’s what you get at this two Michelin-starred restaurant 102 floors up the ICC in Kowloon. Welcome to the highest Chinese restaurant in the city, helmed by chef Paul Lau, who knocks up incredible dim sum creations here like the pan-fried turnip cake with XO chilli sauce, the steamed pork and shrimp dumpling with scallop and conpoy and the baked Middle East Yoshihama abalone puff.

Yixin has been a dim sum institution since the 1950s. The family-run restaurant has maintained its superb quality in food and services over the decades and serves predominantly nostalgic Cantonese food. These authentic recipes have been passed down since the restaurant first opened its doors and still serve its loyal customers as well as attract new ones with its high standards. Some favourites include dumplings in superior broth, steamed vegetables with dried scallop and pork dumplings, pan-fried shrimp beancurd sheet roll and rice flour rolls with X.O sauce. 

Featuring supremely scrummy baos and dumplings, Yum Cha also boasts quality ingredients and serves their dim sum in cute presentations. It’s the place to hit up if you want to enjoy Chinese classics alongside a casual vibe. Don’t miss out on the little buns shaped like pigs and podgy faces. Seriously adorable. We recommend the barbecued piggy buns, hot custard buns, and apple egg tartlets.