In Hong Kong, dim sum is more than a collection of dishes served for breakfast or lunch, and sometimes dinner. It’s a way of life. Dating back to the Tang Dynasty, dim sum encompasses a long list of favourite dishes, including har gao (shrimp dumplings), sui mai (shrimp and pork dumplings), and char sui bao (barbecue pork buns). You’ll find varieties everywhere from 7-Eleven convenience stores to Michelin-star restaurants, but the best are made fresh and served piping hot paired with big pots of tea. Here are six such places.
The one with the view: Tin Lung Heen
Backdrops to lunch don’t get much more dramatic than at Tin Lung Heen, set on the 103rd floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong. The views from its slanting floor-to-ceiling windows take in much of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbour, and the colour-block shipping containers of Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter, but it’s the food that always takes centre stage. Expect classic Cantonese fare with playful twists, such as barbecue pork buns with pineapple and pine nuts, spring rolls stuffed with crab meat and mayonnaise, and wagyu beef dumplings with water chestnut and bamboo fungus.
1 Austin Rd W, Tsim Sha Tsui
The classic: Luk Yu Tea House
Opened in 1933, Luk Yu Tea House is one of Hong Kong’s oldest eateries. Its time capsule interiors feature carved rosewood booths, art deco stained-glass panels, swirling ceiling fans, and antique Chinese artworks. Orders are made using printed forms which are then handed to septuagenarian waiters, many of whom have worked there for decades and are known for their grumpy demeanour – particularly with tourists. Treat their mild disdain as part of the experience as you feast on authentic Cantonese classics such as har gau, sui mai, shrimp toast, and Luk Yu’s unmissable roast duck pies.
24–26 Stanley St, Central
The romantic one: Man Wah at the Mandarin Oriental
Golden birdcage lanterns meet ravishing royal blue lacquer panelling, Chinese ink paintings, and views of Victoria Harbour at Mandarin Oriental’s jewel box restaurant, Man Wah. Weekday menus feature more than 20 different dim sum dishes, rising to over 30 at the weekend. Beautifully presented plates include shrimp dumplings shaped like shimmering little goldfish, taro and scallop puffs fashioned into swans, and glistening slices of barbecued Ibérico pork loin. Wrap it up with one of Man Wah’s wonderful traditional Chinese desserts; the egg tarts topped with gold leaf, served piping hot, are especially popular.
5 Connaught Road, Central
The innovative one: Hong Kong Cuisine 1983
The décor at Hong Kong Cuisine 1983 might veer towards the conservative – jade green rugs, rosewood screens, white tablecloths, and Chinese antiques – but the menu is thoroughly modern. Helmed by Hong Kong-British chef Silas Li (who spent decades as a private chef), Hong Kong Cuisine 1983’s signature dim sum dishes include classic pork and prawn dumplings elevated with quail egg and black truffle, steamed fish mousse parcels in creamy lobster soup, and steamed beef balls with a silky morel sauce. Order from Li’s tempting collection of rare whiskies to turn the proceedings up a boozy notch or two.
1/F., 2–4 Tsoi Tak Street, Happy Valley
The power lunch: Lung King Heen
It’s been near impossible to get a table at Lung King Heen since Chan Yan Tak became the first Chinese chef to obtain three Michelin stars back in 2009. One star may have been (inexplicably) dropped in 2024 but Chan’s menus still wow – alongside the superb Victoria Harbour views. Order the buttery baked whole abalone puffs with diced chicken, sweet baked barbecue pork buns, and deep-fried crab claws stuffed with shrimp paste.
4F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance St, Central
The flash one: Mott 32
Sunk in the vaults below the Standard Chartered bank building, Mott 32 is a favourite amongst finance and fashion crowds. Designed by Joyce Wang, the shadowy interiors feature swathes of smoked mirrors, dark leather banquettes, golden chinoiserie, and industrial-chic chandeliers. The dim sum is equally polished. Shanghainese soup dumplings are made with Ibérico pork. Har gao swaps shrimp for sustainably sourced lobster flecked with fine Yunnan ham. Another star dish is the applewood roasted Peking duck, served with delicate pancakes, scallions and cucumber, homemade hoisin sauce, and a side of Parisian Oscietre caviar (order in advance).
