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Hong Kong’s 9 best dim sum restaurants, according to chefs: from 3-Michelin-starred Lung King Heen and traditional Luk Yu Tea House to Chinatown-inspired Mott 32, Duddell’s and beloved chain Tim Ho Wan

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Dim sum is the quintessential daytime dining tradition which prioritises small bites over lengthy chats and plenty of tea; and nowhere does it better than the spiritual home of Cantonese cuisine, Hong Kong. Photo: Summer Pavilion
Dim sum is the quintessential daytime dining tradition which prioritises small bites over lengthy chats and plenty of tea; and nowhere does it better than the spiritual home of Cantonese cuisine, Hong Kong. Photo: Summer Pavilion
Where to eat in Hong Kong

  • Hong Kong is the unofficial spiritual home of dim sum, and surely the best place to indulge in yum cha on the planet – so where do the world’s best chefs pig out when they’re passing through town?
  • TV celebrity chef Ken Hom favours Lai Ching Heen, cookbook author Ching He Huang flocks to Mott 32, Judy Joo heads to Luk Yu Tea House and Mario Carbone vouches for China Tang Landmark

No place in the world takes dim sum more seriously than Hong Kong.

The mainstay meal is everything, whether combative weekend sport or exuberant multigenerational family happening.

Dim sum’s roots date back more than 2,000 years to the days when China’s Silk Road was a busy trade route, and the tea houses that lined it began adding small, restorative servings of food.

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Dim sum is a weekend dining tradition that has spread across the globe – but is arguably best experienced at its spiritual home, Hong Kong. Here diners enjoy yum cha in a Chinese restaurant in Maritime Square at Tsing Yi. Photo: Sam Tsang
Dim sum is a weekend dining tradition that has spread across the globe – but is arguably best experienced at its spiritual home, Hong Kong. Here diners enjoy yum cha in a Chinese restaurant in Maritime Square at Tsing Yi. Photo: Sam Tsang

“The classic Cantonese yeast-risen and stuffed buns, known as bao, and the pleated shrimp dumplings known as har gow, are often the first part of the vast dim sum repertoire a young Hong Kong child eats,” says Joe Ng, executive chef and partner of RedFarm and Decoy in New York. “They are both the very heart of dim sum.”

When we asked, “Where can you find the very best dim sum in Hong Kong?” our panel of passionate chefs pointed us to their favourites. The chosen spots include local canteens and multi-Michelin-starred fine-dining establishments where the rattle of pricey jewellery replaces the clatter of steam trays. There’s even TikTok-friendly chainlets where the whimsical buns are enough to make kids look up from their phone.

Dim sum is all about variety – and sharing. Photo: Shutterstock
Dim sum is all about variety – and sharing. Photo: Shutterstock

The list is by no means comprehensive. Local experts also shout out Rùn in the St. Regis Hong Kong and the newly opened Merchants in Central’s Forty-Five experience space. In other words, this is merely the start of a dim sum exploration around Hong Kong. Just be sure to brush up on the rules.

Yum cha, the Cantonese term for a meal of dim sum and tea, translates literally as “to drink tea”.

Disclaimer: Dishes named below may be seasonal or specials that don’t always appear on the menu.

1. Lung King Heen

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