Best Dim Sum In Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a city famous for its Dim Sum. I’ll preface this list by only listing Dim Sum restaurants that I have eaten personally and feel comfortable saying how good it is. That being said, I’ve spent years trying dozens if not hundreds of different dim sum restaurants so I do think this is a pretty accurate list. I would also like to say that I am not including Tim Ho Wan on this list as I find it extremely overrated and if it wasn’t for their Michelin star, it would be considered purely middle of the pack. With that out of the way, here are my favorite places to get Dim Sum in Hong Kong.

Ding Dim 1968

I have been going to Ding Dim ever since they were on Elgin Road they immediately won be over with their baked Char Siu Bao. I know you may be thinking, “Why would you exclude Tim Ho Wan who are famous for their baked Char Siu Bao if you are including Ding Dim 1968?” and the answer is simple. Ding Dim does it much better. The buns are filled with a tastier BBQ pork filling and the sugar crust on the tops is top notch. They also have an absolutely amazing Siu Mao with black truffle which is one of my favorite dishes to get. The current location is located on Wyndham and is open until 10pm. Be prepared to wait if you go during dinner as this place is always crowded.

Location: 59號 Wyndham St, Central, Hong Kong

DimDimSum

This is my favorite overall Dim Sum restaurant in Hong Kong. Whenever I show friends and family around Hong Kong this is always a stop that I take them, and for good reason. It is located on Tin Lok Lane in between the Wan Chai and Causeway Bay MTR stops and is a great value for the money. If it is crowded you will have to take a number and wait outside for your seat but I guarantee it is worth it. Perhaps their most famous dish is their Piggy Custard Buns which are both sweet and savory, and just a little bit cute. My personal favorite dish is the shrimp and pork peppers. A bit nontraditional, but totally worth it. You get two sliced peppers split and stuffed with a pork and shrimp mixture and fried in what I believe is a soy/oyster sauce mixture (something like this I have tried at one of the restaurants in La Quinta, California). I’ve polished off four of these orders before getting to the rest of the meal before and if you’re lucky to get some with a bit of the seeds still in them they pack a nice bit of heat!

Location: 9 Tin Lok Ln, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Maxim’s Palace

This was the first Dim Sum restaurant I ever went to when I first visited Hong Kong with my family back in 2000. We were taken as guests by one of my bosses clients who really wanted to show us some authentic upscale Hong Kong Dim Sum. It is a bit on the pricy side but it is actually a great place for a classic Dim Sum brunch. My best recommendation is just the simple Har Gow. The flavor however, is far from simple. The inside looks like a European ballroom with gorgeous chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and huge windows overlooking the street. This is where high class meets traditional, as the beauty of the room is mixed with the loud crowd of people enjoying the food. The Dim Sum is brought around the tables on traditional trolleys and patrons can just choose the dishes they want and have their card stamped right then and there. If you are going for brunch I recommend a reservation as this place is always crowded with the elite crowd. It is located right in City Hall on Connaught Road so it is extremely easy to get to!

Location: Hong Kong, Sheung Wan, Connaught Rd Central, 168 – 200號地庫B13-B18號舖 Shun Tak Centre

Dim Sum Library

Ok, I don’t know if I really think this is the tastiest dim sum compared to others on the list, but it is by far the prettiest. And as we eat with our eyes before our mouth it should belong here. Dim Sum Library is in my opinion the most “Instagrammable” Dim Sum in Hong Kong. Located inside Pacific Place in Admiralty (right above the Admiralty MTR actually) this beautiful restaurant serves up stunning presentations of classic Dim Sum. The restaurant is filled with the upper classes, or people on special occasions, and is absolutely worth the price if you want a meal to remember. Looking around you’ll see tons of people taking pictures of their food because it is just so gosh darn beautiful. I’ve never known Dim Sum Library to be TOO crowded so you shouldn’t have a problem getting a seat. That being said, prepare to be wowed with their excellent creations that are as much for your eyes as for your tastebuds.

Location: Shop 124, Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong

Yan Toh Heen

This is my only entry on the list for a Dim Sum house not located on Hong Kong Island. However, it does have stunning views of the island being located directly across Victoria Harbour. This is an upscale restaurant located in the Intercontinental Hotel and it is not cheap. However, immediately upon walking in your are greeted with the kind of class you’d except at the Ritz Carlton in Paris. Sculpted wood moldings and soft lighting make you feel like you are walking into a top of the line restaurant (which really, you are) and the service staff is impeccable. I rarely recommend hotel restaurants, maybe because I fear they lack authenticity, but Yan Toh Heen certainly does not. It is the upper echelon of Hong Kong Dim Sum and in my visits (2) I have never been disappointed.

Location: 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

This list was co-written with Cody Simon from Cooking To Entertain.

What are some of your favorite Dim Sum restaurants in Hong Kong? Let me know in the comments down below!