Top 10 Most Popular Dim Sum Dishes You Need to Try

Dim sum is a cultural rite, a communal performance, and a sensory celebration of texture, temperature, and timing. The dim sum menu is vast and dazzling, but certain dishes have risen above the rest—beloved by grandmothers and gourmets alike, passed around steaming from cart to table. These are the bites that keep the teahouses packed on Sundays, the plates that mark every introduction to the world of dim sum. If you’re navigating this tradition for the first time, or simply trying to anchor your order in the hits, here are the most popular dim sum dishes you absolutely need to try.

Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings)

The litmus test of any dim sum kitchen, har gow are translucent rice flour dumplings cradling whole shrimp and whispers of bamboo shoot or lard for succulence. The best ones have skin so thin you can count the pleats—traditionally no fewer than seven, ideally ten. A bite yields snap, sweetness, and steam. It’s not just one of the most popular dim sum dishes—it’s the gold standard.

Siu Mai (Pork and Shrimp Dumplings)

With their ruffled wonton wrappers and open tops, siu mai are dumplings that wear their heart on their sleeve. Ground pork, shrimp, mushroom, and scallion form a tight-packed filling, often crowned with a dot of crab roe or a carrot cube. Meaty, rich, and deeply savory, siu mai are among the best dim sum classics, found on every menu and in every steam basket for good reason.

Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns)

Pillowy, steamed, and snow-white, char siu bao are stuffed with sweet-savory barbecue pork in glossy hoisin glaze. Tear them open to release a fragrant puff of steam and sticky red interior. Some teahouses offer baked versions with a lacquered brown crust, but the steamed bao reign supreme among popular dim sum dishes. A comfort food disguised as a cloud.

Cheong Fun (Rice Noodle Rolls)

These wide, slippery rice noodles are rolled around fillings like shrimp, beef, or fried crullers and then bathed in a lightly sweet soy sauce. The texture is the point—soft, chewy, and slick. Served fresh and cut tableside with scissors, cheong fun is one of the best dim sum dishes for experiencing Cantonese refinement in motion.

Lo Mai Gai (Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf)

Sticky rice steamed inside a lotus leaf—filled with chicken, mushroom, sausage, and sometimes salted egg—lo mai gai is a dim sum dish that eats like a meal. The rice takes on the leaf’s earthy aroma, and every bite is dense, savory, and perfumed. It arrives tightly wrapped like a gift, and unwrapping it is half the pleasure.

Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go)

Don’t let the name fool you—turnip cake is a savory staple made from grated daikon radish, rice flour, and bits of dried shrimp and Chinese sausage. Sliced and pan-fried to crispy-edged perfection, it’s soft on the inside and golden on the outside. A mainstay on any traditional dim sum menu and a firm favorite among the best dim sum offerings.

Fung Zao (Braised Chicken Feet)

Not for the faint of heart, chicken feet are simmered in black bean sauce until the skin becomes gelatinous and flavorful. They’re gnawed rather than eaten, a textural meditation and cultural icon. Loved for their collagen-rich complexity, these are a rite of passage on the dim sum menu—and one of the most divisive but cherished dishes around.

Taro Dumplings (Wu Gok)

A study in contrast, wu gok are deep-fried dumplings with a lacy, crunchy exterior and a creamy mashed taro shell that surrounds a pork-and-mushroom filling. The result is rich, flaky, and ethereal. Bite through the delicate crust and you’re rewarded with one of the most unique and beloved textures in all of dim sum.

Egg Tarts (Dan Tat)

A Cantonese twist on Portuguese pastéis de nata, egg tarts feature flaky pastry filled with smooth, barely-set custard. Served warm, with a gently caramelized top and just enough jiggle, dan tat offers a sweet punctuation to the savory spread. They’re often the final flourish of a meal and a symbol of how dim sum spans the spectrum of flavor.

Sesame Balls (Jian Dui)

Golden and round, these deep-fried glutinous rice balls are rolled in sesame seeds and filled with sweet red bean paste. Crispy, chewy, and subtly sweet, sesame balls are a nostalgic favorite for many and an approachable intro for dessert-minded diners. A must-try on any full tour of the best dim sum selections.