Hong Kong dim sum is the morning ritual of small steamed and fried dumplings rolled out on trolleys, har gow shrimp, siu mai pork, char siu bao, cheung fun rice rolls, served with bottomless pots of pu erh.
Where to eat it: 12 restaurants across 2 cities.
Dim sum (touch the heart) descends from Cantonese yum cha culture along the Silk Road and the Pearl River Delta. Hong Kong adopted the form from Guangzhou tea houses in the late 19th century, and by the 1950s every Cantonese kitchen ran dim sum carts in the morning. Lin Heung Tea House and T'ang Court keep the cart and trolley tradition; Tim Ho Wan added the baked char siu bun with sweet polo crust to the canon in 2009.
Common allergens: Gluten, Shellfish, Soy
Tip from the editors. Wheat starch (cheng fun) is the only starch that gives the translucent skin; cornflour or rice flour will not work.
Tim Ho Wan in Sham Shui Po opened in 2010 and was once famed as the world's most affordable Michelin star room, now holding Bib Gourmand status.
Signature: Baked char siu bun, Steamed shrimp dumpling, Beancurd skin roll with shrimp
Order: Three baked char siu buns with sweet polo crust.
Tip: Order at the entrance via paper slip; the baked char siu buns sell out by mid afternoon.
Lin Heung Tea House is Hong Kong's last classic dim sum cart room, reopened in April 2026 at the Tung Ning Building on Des Voeux Road in Sheung Wan.
Signature: Lotus seed paste bun, Pork dumplings (siu mai), Chicken and mushroom bun
Order: Lotus seed paste bun and char siu bao straight off the cart.
Tip: Arrive before 09:00 and grab a cart card; aunties roll past with bamboo steamers you stamp to order.
Lung King Heen at Four Seasons Hong Kong currently holds two Michelin stars, with chef Chan Yan tak the historic first Chinese chef ever to earn three stars.
Order: Baked whole abalone puff with diced chicken.
Tip: Dim sum lunch is the most accessible way in; reserve a window table for the harbour shot.
T'ang Court at the Langham Hong Kong holds three Michelin stars for refined Cantonese cooking and has kept that level for more than a decade in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Order: Wok-fried Wagyu beef cubes with black pepper sauce.
Tip: Set lunch from around HK$680 is the smart way into the three star room without paying full tasting menu rates.
Sun Hing in Kennedy Town opens at 03:00, the city's most famous pre dawn dim sum room serving night shift workers, party stragglers and early risers.
Try: Liu sha bao, cheung fun rice rolls and steamed pork ribs
Order: Liu sha bao with molten egg yolk custard.
Tip: Bring cash and patience; the room shares tables and the dim sum carts move fast.
Yat Tung Heen at Eaton HK in Jordan holds a Michelin star for refined Cantonese cooking, with a kitchen team that has crafted dim sum and stir fries here.
Signature: Steamed seafood dim sum, Barbecued meats platter, Stewed beef brisket
Order: Steamed seafood dumpling and barbecued duo of pork and goose.
Tip: Lunch dim sum is the deal; the steamed seafood dumplings are made to order, so allow time.
Ming Court at Cordis Mong Kok is a Michelin Selected Cantonese restaurant with a deep wine cellar focused on Cantonese food and wine pairing in Kowloon.
Signature: Roast crispy chicken, Steamed dim sum lunch, Double boiled soups
Order: Roast crispy chicken and the daily double boiled soup.
Tip: Dim sum lunch at Ming Court is the value entry point; ask about the seasonal soups.
Yank Sing in San Francisco is the Chan family's Cantonese dim sum institution since 1958, with a SoMa flagship and weekend lines that run to 90 minutes.
Signature: Shanghai dumplings, Peking duck buns, Har gow
Order: Shanghai dumplings: the kitchen's most-ordered cart item for decades.
Tip: The Stevenson Street original is smaller and quieter; book the Spear Street flagship only if you want carts.
Hang Ah Tea Room in San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest dim sum house in the United States, opened 1920 on Pagoda Place, with a small fixed steamer menu.
Why locals love it: The oldest continuously operating dim sum house in the United States, opened 1920, sits on a side alley off Sacramento Street that most tourists miss.
Tip: No carts; order the fixed steamer menu and ask for the off-menu turnip cake when in season.
Good Mong Kok in San Francisco is the Stockton Street Cantonese takeaway window with a ten-item haul for under fifteen dollars on a Saturday morning queue.
Try: Char siu bao and shrimp dumplings
Tip: Cash only; bring a clear list of items because the line behind you moves at speed.
Dragon Beaux in San Francisco is a 2015 Outer Richmond room from the Koi Palace family, with modern dim sum at lunch and Cantonese hot pot at dinner.
Signature: Five Guys xiao long bao, Black truffle har gow, BBQ pork puff pastry
Order: The Five Guys xiao long bao (five colours, five flavours) and the BBQ pork puff with apple.
Tip: Dim sum is lunch-only; book ahead for weekend brunch or arrive before 11:30 for a walk-in seat.
Z & Y Bistro in San Francisco is the contemporary sister to Chinatown's Z & Y on the same Jackson Street block, with yakitori, Lanzhou ramen and Sichuan.
Signature: Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles, Yakitori skewers, Hot pot
Order: Lanzhou hand-pulled beef noodle soup and a plate of cold sesame noodles.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays; the bistro books up earlier than the main Z & Y on weekends.
More cities are in research. Want dim sum covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.