The 10 Best Dim Sum Dishes in Michelin-Starred Hong Kong Restaurants (2024)

Few Hongkongers let a week go by without having dim sum. While it originated in Guangzhou, it was Hong Kong that made dim sum trendy in the international food scene; the culinary tradition features so many choices, cooking techniques and ingredients that has earned fans left and right, both in Hong Kong and overseas.

Every dim sum pilgrim has a favorite item of their own, so we hunted down the best places that are renowned for various dishes. Here's where to go on your next visit to Hong Kong.

Shrimp Dumplings: Shang Palace

The shrimp dumpling is, without a doubt, the most iconic dish in Cantonese dim sum, and Shang Palace’s version is unrivaled. On top of the freshness of the shrimp, the dumpling is a winner with a dumpling skin thinner than one millimeter and contains the optimal proportion of shrimp and fatty pork (600 grams of shrimp to 37 grams of pork). With just the right amount of steaming time, the end result is a shrimp dumpling with a lot of body, springiness and oozing with sweet pork juices.

Siu Mai: Duddell’s and Tin Lung Heen

Quail egg siu mai is very difficult to make, yet it’s something Duddell’s does with exceptional precision. Its dumplings have fresh shrimp as well as shrimp broth in the pork filling, which wraps a soft-boiled quail egg that is cooked just right.

As for modern interpretations, Tin Lung Heen makes an impression with its steamed spotted grouper dumpling with coriander. The grouper lends the dish much refinement and umami, while the addition of squid and cured ham adds chewiness to the siu mai.

Barbecue Pork Bun: Tim Ho Wan

The soft, volcano-shaped barbecue pork bun made with long-matured dough leaves a mark on first-time diners. Nowadays, many restaurants prepare both the barbecue pork bun and its crunchier baked spin-off. The innovative dish is made famous by Tim Ho Wan and the recipe is simple—the barbecue pork is mixed with oyster sauce and stuffed inside the bun, and it is baked with a layer of puff pastry on top. The most vital part to the dish is to serve it fresh, when the puff pastry is still crunchy and breaks up easily with a bite. Due to the high demand, the buns at Tim Ho Wan are constantly being made.

Cheung Fan: T’ang Court

Cheung fan, or rice flour rolls, are made from a rice flour batter, and are yet another Cantonese staple that is available at the most premium restaurants and humble tea restaurants. Traditional cheung fan has fillings like barbecue pork or shrimp steamed with the batter and later rolled to the finished form. In comparison, its younger sibling, the stir-fried rice roll, demonstrates a different texture and flavor.

T’ang Court prepares every component of the stir-fried rice flour rolls with X.O. sauce in its kitchen. The X.O. sauce incorporates various kinds of deluxe seafood that are made well ahead of time. The rice rolls are freshly steamed every day with dried shrimp and spring onions, before pan-fried with a generous amount of X.O. sauce until golden. With that sensational sauce enveloping every side of every roll, no condiments are required.

Xiao Long Bao: Spring Moon

Shanghainese xiao long bao has been adopted by most Cantonese dim sum restaurants nowadays. A well-made dumpling should have a soft and thin skin that carries a good amount of broth and pork and shrimp filling. But Spring Moon goes beyond this standard, employing Sicilian red shrimp to create a broth bursting with the sweetness of seafood. The balanced pork-to-shrimp proportion is also worth praising.

Taro Dumpling: Yan Toh Heen

Made with deep-fried taro mash and stuffed with different fillings, the taro dumpling is not served in many dim sum destinations due to the lengthy cooking process. Yan Toh Heen’s version boasts a shining lineup of fillings—abalone and other types of seafood accentuate the effort and technique put into preparing this crispy classic.

Abalone Puff: Lung King Heen

Savory dim sum pastries have been gaining favor recently—without the boundary of tradition, it's an area where dim sum chefs can assert their creativity. The abalone puff that we have come to know and love was invented by chef Chan Yan Tak at Lung King Heen. While a traditional abalone puff doesn’t actually contain abalone, Chan is inspired by Chinese wedding cakes and uses canned 15-head South African abalone as the star of the dish. The flaky butter puff base carries diced chicken and mushroom, providing a delicious backdrop to the succulent abalone.

Teochew Dumpling: Summer Palace

Steamed dumplings in dim sum is a large and varied family, and theteochew dumpling thrives on a wider mix of ingredients compared to the shrimp dumpling. A diner's favorite, the steamed vegetarian dumpling at Summer Palace puts together finely-sliced king trumpet mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, diced carrots and water chestnuts in its filling. Another ingenious touch is replacing peanuts with Indian almonds, giving the dumpling a more special fragrance.

Chicken Feet: Ming Court

As a dim sum dish, chicken feet can go to two extremes: one served hot, deep-fried and steamed with oyster sauce and soy sauce; the other, a more subtle version, belongs to the Guangzhou-style, and is served cold after steaming. Ming Court’s creation belongs to the latter category. The cooked chicken feet are soaked in vintage Shaoxing wine for more than six hours, and then refrigerated for another three hours until the chicken feet fully absorb the wine’s aroma. On top of the rich taste of Shaoxing, the bouncy texture of the skin is a winner.

Beef Puff: Man Wah

Man Wah’s beef tenderloin puff is a step forward from the '90s invention of the turnip puff pastry. The turnip puff originated from Mainland China as a marriage between the Shanghainese and Cantonese pastry-making techniques. The pastry is admired for its intricacy, like in croissants, with each layer being laid out clearly. Man Wah replaces turnip with Australian wagyu that is seasoned with tangy black pepper. The multifold puff pastry is charming on its own with a buttery aroma and airy texture. It also makes for a perfect accompaniment to the piping hot beef filling.

This article was written by Emily Tong and translated by Vincent Leung. Clickhereto read the original version of this story.

Uncover Penang's Peranakan Culture in a Weekend

Possessing a certain joie de vivre and irresistible charm in their approach to life, the Peranakans are among Penang's first settlers; and today, vestiges of their grandeur from a bygone era can be seen everywhere in George Town. Here's where to go in Penang for a quick weekend immersion in Peranakan culture!

The Best MICHELIN Guide Hotels with Pools in New York City

Get the laps in with a picturesque view.

Inspector Visits: Terra Dominicata, Three Key Hotel Outside Barcelona

Notes and recollections from one Inspector’s visit to a carefully restored monastic estate & winery — just a couple hours from Barcelona.

2 days in Milan for Design Lovers

A Fashionable Itinerary in the Style Capital.

Lithuania's First MICHELIN Guide Is Unveiled!

Discover the first restaurants to be added to the selection, from Michelin Stars and great value Bib Gourmands to sustainable Green Stars

2 Days In: Hong Kong

Steeped in history and tradition, Hong Kong lies at the epicentre of Asia as a bustling business powerhouse that embraces international cultures. Follow our route recommendations that take you from the bustling streets surrounding Central in Hong Kong island, to the charming neighbourhood of Kowloon; from refined French cuisine to fascinating local eats spanning generations, here's where to eat, stay, and explore in 48 hours.

MICHELIN Guide Guangzhou 2024 Sees the Debut of the MICHELIN Green Star in the City

The seventh edition of the MICHELIN Guide Guangzhou is revealed—one restaurant is newly recognized with one MICHELIN star, and 2 establishments newly received a Bib Gourmand and the MICHELIN Green Star is awarded for the first time to a Guangzhou restaurant.

The MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2024: Newly Awarded Restaurants Announced Including One 2-Star and two MICHELIN Green Stars

Restaurant Yugen is newly awarded Two MICHELIN Stars, and 17 restaurants are recognised with One MICHELIN Star. The MICHELIN Green Star highlights the sustainable commitment of two new establishment. Two Special Awards are presented: the MICHELIN Mentor Chef and the MICHELIN Service Award.

The MICHELIN Guide Malta 2024 is Launched Today!

For the first time, the MICHELIN Guide awards Two Stars to a Maltese restaurant

The MICHELIN Guide Slovenia: Tomaž Kavčič, chef at Gostilna Pri Lojzetu

The MICHELIN Guide continues the trip through Slovenia to discover its chefs and their tasteful cuisine. Following the launch of the MICHELIN Guide Slovenia in September 2024, we take a closer look at Gostilna Pri Lojzetu in Vipava, run by chef Tomaž Kavčič.

The MICHELIN Guide Slovenia: Uroš Štefelin, chef at Hiša Linhart

The MICHELIN Guide continues the trip through Slovenia to discover its chefs and their tasteful cuisine. Following the launch of the MICHELIN Guide Slovenia in September 2024, we take a closer look at Hiša Linhart in Radovljica, run by chef Uroš Štefelin.

MICHELIN Guide Malta: Fernandõ Gastrotheque

Welcome to MICHELIN-Starred Fernandõ Gastrotheque, where the cooking revolves around Mediterranean flavours, Asian influences and an impressive wine list.

The Cheapest MICHELIN Star Restaurants For Dinner in Great Britain and Ireland

Discover the most affordable MICHELIN Star dinners in Great Britain and Ireland.

The MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2024: Newly Awarded Restaurants Announced Including One 3-Star Restaurant

Restaurant Harutaka is newly awarded Three MICHELIN Stars. One restaurant newly receives Two MICHELIN Stars, and 16 restaurants are recognised with One MICHELIN Star. The MICHELIN Green Star highlights the sustainable commitment of one new establishment. Two Special Awards are presented: the MICHELIN Mentor Chef and the MICHELIN Service Award.

The Cheapest MICHELIN Star Restaurants For Lunch in Great Britain and Ireland

Discover the best value lunch menus for that MICHELIN Star experience in Great Britain and Ireland.

148 Restaurants Shine in the MICHELIN Guide Shanghai 2024, Including 5 New One-Starred Restaurants

The eighth edition of the MICHELIN Guide Shanghai was unveiled, recommending 148 restaurants, including 23 restaurants debuting on the list.

The World's Most Luxurious Restaurants

The cuisine at these swanky restaurants matches their exquisite surroundings. Here's where to dine and stay the night in luxury.