https://www.scmp.com/rss/515899/feed Lift the lid on Hong Kong’s iconic culinary tradition of yum cha, featuring delights such as shrimp dumplings, siu mai and barbecue pork buns. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing A new rule in Guangzhou requiring teahouses to declare whether their traditional dim sum is freshly handmade has sparked debate and calls for transparency over how similar meals are made in Hong Kong. Guangzhou authorities on Wednesday released new regulations on morning tea heritage protection, effective on May 1, which mandate that operators must explicitly indicate whether their dim sum dishes are made using traditional on-site methods or through non-traditional means. The mainland Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349037/new-guangzhou-rule-handmade-dim-sum-sparks-debate-heritage-food-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349037/new-guangzhou-rule-handmade-dim-sum-sparks-debate-heritage-food-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:15:55 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Although ma lai go was voted one of the worst dim sum dishes to order in a 2023 discussion post on the “Hong Kong Dim Sum Concern Group” social media forum, it remains a yum cha staple, loved by those who enjoy its understated yet complex brown-sugar flavour. Also known as Malay sponge cake or Chinese steamed cake, it is one of the many dim sum dishes most representative of Hong Kong culture, with its blend of Western influence and Eastern refinement. But, like many things in an era of rapid... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348385/where-does-ma-lai-go-come-and-why-classic-dim-sum-dish-so-special?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348385/where-does-ma-lai-go-come-and-why-classic-dim-sum-dish-so-special?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Take a bite out of history with our exclusive series on the delicious ingredients, dishes and techniques behind the unique taste of Hong Kong. With a rich umami broth, springy instant ramen noodles and tender marinated meat slices, beef satay noodles represent comfort in a bowl for many Hongkongers. The dish can be found mostly on the breakfast menus of cha chaan teng, Hong Kong-style cafes or diners, but can be eaten at any time of the day. It is usually paired with toast, eggs, and a drink on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3278361/how-beef-satay-noodles-comfort-food-southeast-asian-roots-became-hong-kong-fave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3278361/how-beef-satay-noodles-comfort-food-southeast-asian-roots-became-hong-kong-fave?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Sep 2024 05:15:08 +0000 Whether your favourites are dumplings or char siu bao, Hong Kong is undoubtedly the destination for dim sum. The bite-sized delicacies are a part of daily life in the city – there are dim sum takeaway shops, there is dim sum in convenience stores and Michelin-star restaurants that serve dim sum. When chefs want to set their dim sum apart, they have to get creative. In so doing, they have made Hong Kong the place to eat some of the most original dim sum in the world. At The Chinese Library in Tai... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3268938/dim-sum-hong-kong-how-chefs-stand-out-crowd-their-modern-delicacies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3268938/dim-sum-hong-kong-how-chefs-stand-out-crowd-their-modern-delicacies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jul 2024 04:45:08 +0000 Over the past year, we have become more aware of a set of official guidelines on classic Cantonese dishes jointly published by the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. This includes standards for 12 Cantonese dishes, six types of Cantonese dim sum and 14 items of Chiu Chow cuisine. The Greater Bay Area standards, which also cover areas such as food safety and hygiene, are intended to ensure the quality and authenticity of Cantonese cuisine and preserve the region’s food heritage. I... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3256800/greater-bay-area-standards-are-no-recipe-saving-hong-kong-food-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3256800/greater-bay-area-standards-are-no-recipe-saving-hong-kong-food-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:30:13 +0000 A few weeks ago the Post published a feature, video and podcast about Hong Kong’s disappearing dim sum, where my colleagues and I extolled the virtues of quail’s egg siu mai, old-school ma lai go, and giant soup dumplings. Barely a week later, a fevered discussion on the “Hong Kong Dim Sum Concern Group” – one of many social media forums dedicated to the appreciation of a single food – came up with a list of the seven worst dim sum to order. On the list were both ma lai go and giant soup... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3241521/7-worst-dim-sum-dishes-order-how-many-do-you-agree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3241521/7-worst-dim-sum-dishes-order-how-many-do-you-agree?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Nov 2023 23:45:23 +0000 Hong Kong is a mecca for dim sum. You can find it in all shapes and sizes, as a street-side snack or showcased in fine-dining establishments, and it can cost anywhere from chump change to a pretty penny. While we can trace how dim sum and yum cha (literally ‘drink tea’) culture came to be, there are still many aspects that exist only in oral history. Ever wondered why egg tarts and ma lai go (steamed cakes) aren’t categorised as desserts? Why are dim sum carts disappearing? How did baked sago... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3238622/hong-kongs-disappearing-dim-sum-why-old-school-trolleys-and-pig-liver-siu-mai-are-being-replaced?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3238622/hong-kongs-disappearing-dim-sum-why-old-school-trolleys-and-pig-liver-siu-mai-are-being-replaced?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Oct 2023 04:15:13 +0000 At first glance, Cantonese and Spanish cuisines may not be natural partners. But given their shared obsession for the freshest possible seafood, an enthusiastic embrace of nose-to-tail eating and a love of communal dining, it quickly becomes clear why a dim sum collaboration between chefs Albert Adrià and Andrew Wong revealed so much about their seemingly disparate cultures. Wong opened the eponymous London restaurant A. Wong in 2012 on the same spot near Victoria station as the Cantonese... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3230785/high-end-dim-sum-collaboration-between-albert-adria-ex-el-bulli-and-wongs-andrew-wong-pushes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3230785/high-end-dim-sum-collaboration-between-albert-adria-ex-el-bulli-and-wongs-andrew-wong-pushes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Aug 2023 10:15:15 +0000 As a district known for its historic temple and an area often caught up in news stories about triads and violence, Wong Tai Sin is not the first place that comes to mind when searching for a good meal. But a former general manager of three-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Forum, CK Poon Kin-wai is confident he can put the neighbourhood on the culinary map. Opened in April, Man Yuen Restaurant is in the belly of a shopping centre in Tin Ma Court, one of Hong Kong’s oldest housing... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3228428/3-michelin-star-forum-housing-estate-shopping-centre-restaurant-hong-kong-manager-ck-poon-kin-wai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3228428/3-michelin-star-forum-housing-estate-shopping-centre-restaurant-hong-kong-manager-ck-poon-kin-wai?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jul 2023 04:45:08 +0000 Who doesn’t love dim sum? This versatile food can fit perfectly into any mealtime, be it a hearty brunch, a quick tea or an elaborate dinner. If you’re on the hunt for the best dim sum in Singapore, fret not, we’ve got you covered! We’ve compiled a list of 17 places where you can satiate your cravings for dim sum. This list includes dim sum buffets, special dim sum for kids, dim sum pushcarts and last but not least, Michelin-starred dim sum restaurants. So no matter if you’re frugal or always... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3227711/17-best-dim-sum-restaurants-singapore-michelin-starred-tim-ho-wan-and-alan-yaus-madame-fan-wan-hao?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3227711/17-best-dim-sum-restaurants-singapore-michelin-starred-tim-ho-wan-and-alan-yaus-madame-fan-wan-hao?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jul 2023 04:00:18 +0000 “When you think about the yum cha experience, what comes to mind?” Joey Lee asks us. To me, it is the cacophony of diners and dishes, clamouring and clinking – the familiar din of a typical dim sum meal. You have the siren call of the aunties pushing the old-school carts around clashing with lively chatter, the constant tip-tapping of plastic chopsticks and the muted thud of a bamboo steamer landing on the table. When you want something, you might signal to the waiter and call out a request –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3227413/eating-dim-sum-when-youre-deaf-silent-dining-experience-illustrates-challenges-ordering-yum-cha?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3227413/eating-dim-sum-when-youre-deaf-silent-dining-experience-illustrates-challenges-ordering-yum-cha?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jul 2023 10:15:07 +0000 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. “The classic Cantonese yeast-risen and stuffed buns, known as bao, and the pleated shrimp dumplings known as har gow, are often... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3226905/hong-kongs-9-best-dim-sum-restaurants-according-chefs-3-michelin-starred-lung-king-heen-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3226905/hong-kongs-9-best-dim-sum-restaurants-according-chefs-3-michelin-starred-lung-king-heen-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jul 2023 08:34:11 +0000 Originally from Malaysia, Jess Leong, risk manager for a bank, is performing in Amusix productions’ musical version of Heathers, on May 13 and 14, at Freespace’s The Box in the Art Park, West Kowloon Cultural District. She spoke to Andrew Sun. I love Asian cuisines – from local cha dong (tea stalls) to fancy omakase restaurants, I love them all. I like the Tai Hang area, so among the places I enjoy near there are Sister Wah Beef Noodles (13 Electric Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong). The beef... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3219210/lover-asian-cuisines-her-favourite-hong-kong-restaurants-beef-noodles-roast-goose-and-dim-sum-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3219210/lover-asian-cuisines-her-favourite-hong-kong-restaurants-beef-noodles-roast-goose-and-dim-sum-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 May 2023 03:15:09 +0000 Among the 11 newly minted one-Michelin-star restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau announced at the Michelin Guide’s awards ceremony in Macau on 26 April, one has already burned out. D.H.K restaurant in the Sunshine Plaza in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, which was commended for its dim sum and luxury seafood offerings, appears to have closed permanently that very same day. Staff told Hong Kong media platform HK01 notice of its closure was only given to them the previous evening. Representatives of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3218553/hong-kong-dim-sum-restaurant-dhk-shuts-just-it-earns-michelin-star-staff-reported-have-said-they-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3218553/hong-kong-dim-sum-restaurant-dhk-shuts-just-it-earns-michelin-star-staff-reported-have-said-they-are?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Apr 2023 07:21:11 +0000 The sound of a dim sum cart loaded with bamboo steamers rolling around a restaurant is iconic in Hong Kong. From dumplings to barbecue pork buns, turnip cake and bean curd sheet rolls, dim sum – it literally means “to touch your heart” – is a Hong Kong ritual that brings together large groups over small plates, plus endless pots of tea. Now a Hong Kong hotel is taking dim sum to a new level by catering to its four-legged guests. This month the Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong, in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3214320/doggy-dim-sum-cart-hong-kong-hotel-rolls-out-canine-catering-red-carpet-offering-four-legged-yum-cha?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3214320/doggy-dim-sum-cart-hong-kong-hotel-rolls-out-canine-catering-red-carpet-offering-four-legged-yum-cha?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Mar 2023 04:00:10 +0000 Credit Suisse kicked off what could be its swan song investment conference in Hong Kong, two days after it was bought by larger rival UBS in a US$3.25 billion takeover brokered by the Swiss central bank. No expenses were spared for the three-day conference, which was billed before the tumultuous events of last week as proof of the Swiss bank’s turnaround from its previous financial woes. Hong Kong-style hawker stalls were set up at the foyer of the Conrad Hotel to dish out dim sums, pineapple... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3214234/credit-suisse-puts-hong-kong-style-hawker-stalls-treat-investors-dim-sum-pineapple-buns-what-could?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3214234/credit-suisse-puts-hong-kong-style-hawker-stalls-treat-investors-dim-sum-pineapple-buns-what-could?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Mar 2023 02:47:57 +0000 Indonesia-born Julius Brian Siswojo (aka JBS) is an actor, owner of skateboard shop 8Five2 and member of Hong Kong pioneering hip hop crew 24Herbs. He spoke to Andrew Sun. I am an all-round food-loving person but I would say Indonesian food is one of my all-time favourite cuisines. I’ve cut out beef since 2010 and, in 2015, decided to become a pescatarian. I would say Vivant (8-10 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, tel: 2952 2766) is definitely one of the best restaurants in Hong Kong. Easily, it’s in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3201393/i-have-have-my-dim-sum-where-hip-hop-artist-hong-kong-goes-yum-cha-and-where-he-takes-guests-cafe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3201393/i-have-have-my-dim-sum-where-hip-hop-artist-hong-kong-goes-yum-cha-and-where-he-takes-guests-cafe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Nov 2022 09:15:09 +0000 With a background in engineering, IT and banking, Frenchman Chris Daures is a co-founder of Eatology, a meal planner service that recently launched a Flexitarian meal plan. He spoke to Andrew Sun. I moved abroad when I was 23, living in England and Japan before moving to Hong Kong. I really enjoy travelling, outdoor activities and discovering different food cultures, so experiencing countries and their food has always been important to me. There are many places I love but in Hong Kong, here are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3198774/great-after-hike-best-hong-kong-restaurants-seafood-brunch-and-dim-sum-according-french-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3198774/great-after-hike-best-hong-kong-restaurants-seafood-brunch-and-dim-sum-according-french-food?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Nov 2022 03:15:10 +0000 Popular Hong Kong dim sum restaurant Lin Heung Tea House in Central has announced its sudden closure on social media, with employees and the landlord claiming it owes millions of dollars in unpaid wages and rent. Lin Heung Catering Group announced on its official Facebook page early on Tuesday morning the closure of two of its restaurants, Lin Heung Tea House on Wellington Street in Central and Lin Heung Tsan in Tsuen Wan.   “The owners have tried their best to keep operations running, but the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3188320/old-time-hong-kong-restaurant-lin-heung-tea-house?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3188320/old-time-hong-kong-restaurant-lin-heung-tea-house?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Aug 2022 12:03:43 +0000 Lin Heung Tea House, a restaurant with a 104-year history in Hong Kong that served dim sum on trolleys and traditional Cantonese dishes, has closed its doors for the final time. The restaurant in Central announced the closure in a social media post at midnight on Tuesday. The brand’s Tsuen Wan branch, Lin Heung Tsan, closed at the same time. The short message, pinned to the top of parent company Hong Kong Lin Heung Group’s Facebook page and reposted to its Instagram channel, thanked customers... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3188275/hong-kong-dim-sum-parlour-lin-heung-tea-house-closes-after-104?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3188275/hong-kong-dim-sum-parlour-lin-heung-tea-house-closes-after-104?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Aug 2022 08:11:49 +0000 We just can’t seem to get away from caviar. It doesn’t matter whether it’s being served with vintage Krug or piggybacking pricey tuna belly sushi, the unbridled abundance of “black gold” piled high represents a level of affluence that is still out of reach for the average diner. As much as food bloggers these days enjoy waxing lyrical about humble ingredients such as tofu, yams and rice; heaping spoonfuls of caviar on everything and anything still seems to be the last word in status symbols –... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3186476/caviar-everything-hong-kong-dim-sum-ice-cream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3186476/caviar-everything-hong-kong-dim-sum-ice-cream?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Jul 2022 08:45:09 +0000 Interior designer Leslie Lui works for the Hyatt hotel group, developing and overseeing projects in the Asia-Pacific region. She spoke to Andrew Sun. I grew up mostly in Alberta, Canada, surrounded by the prairies and the Rocky Mountains. My parents owned a Chinese restaurant and most of my extended family are involved in F&B too. Maybe that’s why I love restaurants that have a family factor. Some of my favourites include For Kee (Shop J-K, 200 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, tel: 2546 8947), a very... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3174087/dim-sum-dinner-and-dessert-hong-kong-food-picks-visitors-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3174087/dim-sum-dinner-and-dessert-hong-kong-food-picks-visitors-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Apr 2022 08:15:20 +0000 Our brief: visit five of Hong Kong’s many restaurants specialising in dim sum, and keep the bill at each one as close as possible to HK$100 or under per person, including tea. That obviously ruled out hotel restaurants and places where the tai tai set gather, where we’d be lucky to have two pieces each at that price. As we visited the five budget-friendly establishments, we realised that dim sum has come a long way from the small steamed, baked or fried treats that were originally created to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3148795/five-budget-hong-kong-dim-sum-restaurants-where-you-can-eat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3148795/five-budget-hong-kong-dim-sum-restaurants-where-you-can-eat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Sep 2021 23:15:18 +0000 Dim sum at any time of the day, instead of served just for breakfast as it was traditionally, has been around for many years now. Shops offering all-day dim sum range from inexpensive takeaways and casual places where you perch on uncomfortable stools to elegant, quiet restaurants. House of Orient, in the Entertainment Building in Hong Kong’s Central district, is more on that elegant, quiet end of the scale, but it was quiet for the wrong reasons – my small party of three was one of only two... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3140871/hong-kong-restaurant-review-house-orient-central-dim-sum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3140871/hong-kong-restaurant-review-house-orient-central-dim-sum?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jul 2021 07:15:12 +0000 Dim sum is a Chinese dish that has long been bringing Hong Kong people together and helping them to connect with each other. The culinary icon, which features small steamed or fried savoury dumplings containing various fillings, remains one of the most recognisable parts of the city’s local culture. Traditionally eaten for breakfast and lunch, dim sum is most commonly prepared and consumed outside the home and is best enjoyed in a group setting. Restaurants serving dim sum are typically packed... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/wrldcty-hong-kong/article/3116625/culinary-icon-dim-sum-connects-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/wrldcty-hong-kong/article/3116625/culinary-icon-dim-sum-connects-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jan 2021 01:00:16 +0000 Dim sum is one of China’s most famous culinary exports and has travelled to all corners of the planet. While it is generally recognised that the tradition was born in Guangzhou, it is in Hong Kong where it has truly flourished and has become an art form. Today, the tasty morsels characteristic of dim sum, also known as “yum cha” (meaning “drink tea”), are mostly associated with lunchtime, especially as a family experience on the weekend. But a few decades ago, they were breakfast items for many... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2150617/8-most-authentic-dim-sum-experiences-you-can-find-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2150617/8-most-authentic-dim-sum-experiences-you-can-find-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Jun 2018 04:32:44 +0000