There’s no shortage of good dim sum restaurants in New York City, but sometimes it’s hard to know what to expect at each location (and what to order). So here is a guide to the best dim sum restaurants in the city.
Asian Jewels Seafood, Flushing
Asian Jew Seafood is a popular Flushing dim sum spot. You cannot go wrong with the banana roll, which is filled with banana custard and red bean paste. So sweet, so tasty.
The Bao, East Village
Definitely order the soup dumplings, and be sure to dip them in the dipping sauce. And if you still have room for dessert you must order the chocolate bao, a steamed bun filled with fudgy chocolate and banana. Heaven.
Buddha Bodai, Chinatown
This vegetarian dim sum restaurant is also kosher. Aweeesome. The mock-shrimp dumplings and the mock-meat buns are a must-order. Plus, they offer gluten-free options.
Dim Sum Go Go, Chinatown
Dim Sum Go Go is a pretty popular dim sum location for tourists, but with reason. You cannot go wrong with the pumpkin cakes or the mushrooms stuffed with seafood paste.
Dong Yi Feng, Flushing
This dim sum restaurant is one of the best in Flushing. The bean curd-wrapped shrimp rolls are perfectly crispy and filled with fresh seafood. If you’re feeling something sweet, the housemade boh-loh sweet buns are delicious.
East Harbor Seafood Palace, Sunset Park
If you don’t order the durian pastry, then you are really missing out – this is the best dish at East Harbor Seafood Palace. Don’t let the odd smell of the durian turn you away because as soon as you take that first bite, you’ll be in #heaven.
East Ocean Palace, Flushing
As one of the smaller dim sum places in Flushing, East Ocean Palace is a great place for the quieter crowd. Make sure to try the fried rice balls stuffed with crab meat – fried to crispy perfection. The sweet bun with pineapple custard is another crowd pleaser.
Excellent Dumpling House, Chinatown
Its dumplings, of course, are excellent, but the scallion pancakes are out of this world. Served with soy dipping sauce, you have to order them.
Golden Unicorn, Chinatown
Golden Unicorn serves perfectly fluffy pork buns that are full of flavor. And pineapple lovers rejoice, because Golden Unicorn has the best pineapple buns in all of Chinatown. Hell yeah.
Hop Shing, Chinatown
Huge portions and delicious food – what more could you ask for in a dim sum restaurant? Try the buns here, especially the baked pork and the coconut buns. Soooo good.
Jade Asian, Flushing
This restaurant offers Cantonese dim sum fare in a large, spacious setting. If you don’t know what to order, choose from over 20 different buns. So many options.
Jing Fong, Chinatown
For over 30 years, this traditional Cantonese restaurants has being serving over 100 varieties of dim sum and other traditional Chinese dishes. Be sure to order from the champagne cart. Yes, a champagne cart.
Mandarin Court, Chinatown
Mandarin Court offers many of the traditional dim sum dishes, as well a few unusual dishes. For all the vegetarians out there, try the veggie steamed dim sum stuffed with mushrooms. Very good.
New Spring Garden, Sunset Park
New Spring Garden makes some of the best egg yolk custard buns – the yolk oozes out as you bite into it. This joint also has surprisingly good service for a dim sum restaurant in New York.
Nom Wah Tea Parlor, Chinatown
This dim sum serves dim sum all day – a pretty unusual thing at dim sum establishments. The roast pork bun is one of a kind and an absolute must order. And guess what – this dim sum restaurant offers a lot of gluten-free options. Holllla.
Oriental Garden, Chinatown
Oriental Garden serves inexpensive dim sum without a long wait – perfect. If you’re a fan of shrimp, order the taro with shrimp, which are fried shrimp covered in shaved taro root. If you want to play it safe, order the lotus leaf sticky rice.
Pacificana, Sunset Park
The beautiful interior of Pacificana is different from the typical drab decor of many dim sum restaurants in NYC. And the food is just as awesome. Be sure to try the crispy pork tripe with picked cabbage, deee-lish.
Park Asia, Sunset Park
Be sure to order the deep-fried stuffed crab claw with shrimp – omg, so good. And try the mango coconut cold soup – you will not be disappointed.
Ping’s Seafood, Chinatown
This classic Cantonese spot in Chinatown is always poppin’, which means that dim sum hours are pretty crowded. Go early on Sunday morning to grab a table, and don’t miss out on the steamed crab dumplings with leeks, cilantro, and roe – so good.
Red Egg, Chinatown
Order the fried pork spareribs with olive sauce. If you have a sweet tooth, order the sweet creamy buns, a creamy custard enveloped by a fluffy bun – incredible.
Shanghai Cafe, Chinatown
You cannot miss out on the pork soup dumpling – some of the best soup dumplings in Chinatown.
456 Shanghai Cuisine, Chinatown
This dim sum restaurant serves the cutest fried tiny buns. So cute. Plus it is BYOB – always a good thing. Always.
Dim sum hours listed below.