London’s best dim sum restaurants

You may not get the full range of traditional dim sum at Bun House, but the soft, pillowy buns more than make up for it. There are seven varieties on the menu: try them all, but don’t miss the scary-sounding but delicious dark-chocolate-and-pig’s-blood option for dessert. Collect from the busy takeaway counter or wait for one of a handful of first come, first served tables.

First launched in Taiwan, this international chain is known for its all-day dim sum, particularly its xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Served in bamboo baskets, these delicate steamed buns come with fillings such as spicy pork, chilli crab and soft prawn. The other dumpling varieties are well worth sampling too: don’t leave without trying the seriously smooth chilli-prawn wontons, served in a sweet, vinegary sauce.

A Michelin-starred Cantonese trendsetter, Hakkasan remains the benchmark against which all high-end Chinese restaurants should be judged. It’s one for the big spenders, although you don’t need to re-mortgage for its ambrosial dim sum: who could resist the crispy duck rolls, quail and basil dumplings or grilled morel buns?  Sexy, moody and somehow still cool, even after all these years. 

Celeb chef Andrew Wong’s vibrant restaurant at the Bloomberg Arcade doesn’t technically do dim sum, but it does have a snacky small-plates menu worthy of a trip. The trio of soft bao, served DIY-style, is a must-try – fill a pillowy bun with juicy lamb and dip it into the delightful sesame-peanut sauce.

A former pop-up offering dim sum-style dining for local hipsters, MNTD’s watchword is definitely not ‘authenticity’. Still, the dumplings themselves are excellent, with handmade pastry and irreproachable fillings – although veggie items such as aubergine and sesame ‘potstickers’ often trump their meaty counterparts. Get stuck into the saké-based cocktail list while you’re killing time. 

Decked out in lavish oriental style, Phoenix Palace is a favourite of international businessmen, but its easy-going bustle also suits local families who crowd in for high-quality excellent-value dim sum. Steamed dumplings and other dependables sit alongside ‘briny’ pork croquettes and black egg congee with salty pork – all bursting with fresh tastes and textures.

This first London offshoot of the cult New York dim sum restaurant is in a nice little Covent Garden spot that’s styled like a red-and-white British farmhouse. The wacky creations are just as cute: dumplings are plated up colourfully in a row, while spring rolls are styled into sculptures. Try the super-crispy egg rolls stuffed with layers of pastrami.

A stalwart of London’s dim sum scene, Royal China serves up consistently good Cantonese cooking, from beef balls and lacy-edged taro croquettes to more innovative ideas including steamed crab and spinach dumplings. Enjoy the whole shebang in the gilded splendour of RC’s black-and-gold lacquered Queensway dining room, or find them at branches across the capital including Canary Wharf and Baker Street.

A street-food stall turned colourful/cute permanent restaurant on Carnaby Street, Ugly Dumpling specialises in, you guessed it: dumplings. The best of the menu, somewhat unexpectedly, is the vegan spinach and tofu number. Filled with fresh spinach and dotted with nutty sesame, expect a juicy little pocket of veg; a warm, umami smack.

The City branch of the upscale Soho spot looks a bit like an extremely glamorous spaceship – one very long room that, as you walk through it, seems to go on forever. All of the dim sum is excellent, but the venison puffs (stuffed with rich, dark meat) or the plump scallop siu mai are a must.