From fluffy steamed buns to crispy potstickers to melt-in-your-mouth prawn har gow served in small amounts, dim sum is loved around the world. In Saigon, home to many residents of Chinese descent, dim sum also enjoys immense popularity. From decades-old street eateries that sell dim sum at dirt-cheap prices to more upscale restaurants that stuff their dumplings with costly truffles, Saigon lacks no good options for dim sum lovers.
Here’s another thing that you should know about the local dim sum scene: the longest-standing and most popular dim sum joints are usually the ones that look nondescript and hidden in plain sight. Located in Chợ Lớn area such as District 5, District 6, District 10, and District 11, most of them don’t have websites and are often unknown to expats or first-time travellers.
For this reason, we’ve compiled this list of the most recommended dim sum spots in Saigon so you can have the most informative and meaningful yum cha experience around the city.
Image adapted from: Phuong Nii
This hole-in-the-walll dim sum eatery is located on Xóm Đất Street, so most residents simply refer to it as Dim Sum Xóm Đất. Featuring a menu of seven dishes including steamed buns with runny salted egg yolk in the center and steamed dumplings with juicy pork and prawn fillings, a plate costs around VND15,000 (~USD0.66).
Many diners have commented that as each piece of dim sum contains generous fillings, they get full very fast. Therefore, we recommend you to not order too many plates all at once.
Image adapted from: Phuong Nii
This long-standing eatery is operated by an elderly couple of Chinese descent and very popular in the area. Its food tends to be sold out around 11AM so you’d better wake up early if you want a sumptuous dim sum feast for breakfast.
Clean but tiny, Dim Sum Xóm Đất doesn’t have enough space to accommodate large groups so it’s more suitable for takeouts if you want to dine at your convenience.
Address: 108B Xóm Đất, Ward 4, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City
Telephone: 1900 636 091
Opening hours: 6AM-12PM, Daily
Image credit: @__imbabydog__
Looking simple and home to only four tables, but Dimsum Học Lạc at 38 Học Lạc is one of the most popular dim sum spots in District 5.
The eatery has no menu, so you’ll need to go to a large steaming pot to point at the plates you’d like to try, which are all priced from VND30,000 (~USD1.54) to VND35,000 (~USD1.54). This is also a great way to order, because you can take a good look at the dishes in front of you and choose what you’d like to eat.
Image credit: @__imbabydog__
There are plenty of dishes to check out here, including buttery egg tarts, juicy shrimp dumplings, meaty shumai wrapped with pork and mushroom, and aromatic chicken feet.
If you want to have yum cha for breakfast, you’d better come here early because the eatery tends to sell out its dishes by 10AM. However, you can also come back in the afternoon for brunch from 3PM at the stall’s another branch on 25F Học Lạc.
Address:
Telephone: 1900 636 091
Opening hours: 6AM-11AM I 3PM-9PM, Daily
Image credit: Há Cảo KIỀU KÝ
Operated by a Vietnamese-Singaporean couple who call their dishes “har gows with a Singaporean flavor”, two-decades-old Há Cảo Kiều Ký is a strong contender for the list of the tastiest har gows in Saigon.
Featuring plump and juicy har gows with a variety of succulent and mildly sweet fillings from shrimps to scallops, this restaurant’s dishes start from only VND30,000 (~USD1.54) per plate of 6 pieces. Há Cảo Kiều Ký is highly sought-after among residents in District 5 where old-school dim sum eateries rule the roost.
Image credit: Há Cảo KIỀU KÝ
You can also check out equally tasty alternatives such as chicken sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf (VND15,000,~USD0.66) or char siu bao buns (VND9,000,~USD0.40).
Image credit: Há Cảo Kiều Ký 43 Lão Tử Quận 5
Small and equipped with just a few open-air tables, this place is better suited for grab-and-go takeout so you should have a few alternatives in mind if you want to dine in.
Address: 43 Lão Tử, Ward 14, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
Telephone: 0904 771 112 I 0765 067095
Opening hours: 6AM-7.30PM, Daily
Website
Image adapted from: Tap Nguyen
Compared to other long-standing dim sum eateries in District 5, the illustrious Dim Sum Tiến Phát has more rooms for dim sum lovers.
Image credit: Ekaterina Kyrstya/Cirstea
With three floors of eating space, this long-standing culinary icon of District 5 is perfect for large gatherings. Plus, there’s a large parking space at the front for guests’ convenience.
Image credit: Thị Minh Hương Nguyễn
Guests can order from over 50 dim sum dishes ranging from VND40,000-VND70,000 (~USD1.77-USD3.09) per plate.
While you’re here, check out the moist and slightly salty crab meat shumai, crispy pan-fried turnip cakes, or the fluffy bok bao featuring buns breaded with bok choy and shrimps.
Image credit: L U
Fresh, sturdy, and flavorful, shrimp rice noodle rolls served with sweet and sour homemade sauce are one of the best-selling dishes here.
For those with a sweet tooth, check out the creamy egg custard buns or red bean buns.
The place also dishes out a variety of hearty congee as well as wonton noodles, featuring light-tasting broth with subtly sweet undertones.
This dim sum spot tends to pack a full house during weekends so call ahead to reserve a table your next time dining here.
Address: 18 Ký Hòa, Ward 11, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
Telephone: 028 3853 6217
Opening hours: 6AM-12PM, Daily
Image credit: Khang Dim Sum Bar – 康點心
Those with a big appetite for dim sum should check out Khang Dim Sum Bar, where you can enjoy all-you-can-eat dim sum deals from VND188,000 (~USD8.30) per person from 5PM-10PM daily. Imagine chowing down on as many dumplings and chicken feet as you want from a menu of around 50 items.
For those who dine à la carte, the house also serves plenty of options such as shumai, potstickers, bao buns, and congee from only VND30,000 (~USD1.32) per plate.
Nam Hải Minh Châu
Image credit: Khang Dim Sum Bar – 康點心
Foodwise, the house serves scrumptious and elaborate Cantonese dishes with an innovative twist. Nam Hải Minh Châu, a signature combination of buttery egg custard buns, delicate prawn dumplings, and juicy scallop dumplings is one of the house’s most popular dishes.
Image adapted from: Khang Dim Sum Bar – 康點心
Spacious and tastefully designed, this house is perfect for large gatherings at any time of the day.
Address: 200 Nguyễn Tri Phương, Ward 4, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
Telephone: 091 222 40 80
Opening hours: 7AM-2PM I 5PM-9PM, Daily
Image credit: Kowloon Bingsutt 九龍冰室
Decked out with art prints featuring Hong Kong cityscapes and vintage booths, Kowloon Bingsutt, or Cửu Long Quán, looks like an old-school Cantonese restaurant. Boasting ample seating fit for large groups, this place has a nostalgic vibe for cosy family yum cha sessions.
Image credit: Linda Trang Le
Aesthetics aside, this homegrown dim sum house is famous for its broad selection of light and palatable cuisines served in bamboo steamers.
Image credit: Tiên Hồ
Fresh and savory, shumai with crab meat and rice cakes (VND39,000, ~USD1.72 per plate) are among the standout options. The restaurant’s fragrant and slightly spicy chicken feet dish tends to sell out very fast, so come here early in the evening if you’d like to try this as an appetizer.
Aside from dim sum, the restaurant also dishes out a good selection of Cantonese dishes, such as the velvety Si Chuan tofu (VND99,000, ~USD4.37) and the aromatic herbal black bone silkie chicken soup (VND128,000, ~USD5.65).
Address:
Telephone: 0931 173 199 I 093 827 6864
Opening hours: 7AM-2PM I 5PM-9PM, Daily
Si Chuan spicy pork dumpling
Image credit: Dim Tu Tac
While we’ve introduced Saigon’s lesser-known, homegrown dim sum eateries, it would be amiss if we don’t mention Dim Tu Tac, a dim sum fine-dining icon in the city. To dine to your heart’s content in this fancy restaurant, you’re looking at approximately VND500,000 (~USD22.07) per head.
BBQ honey glazed pork buns
Image credit: Dim Tu Tac
Featuring traditional Cantonese cooking methods as well as non-pre-processed ingredients, Dim Tu Tac dishes out some of the freshest and most authentic dim sum dishes, many of which are shrimp-based, in the country.
Shrimp dumpling noodle soup
Image credit: Dim Tu Tac
From the savory and moist Si Chuan spicy pork dumplings (VND78,000,~USD3.44) to soft yet crunchy rice rolls with dough fritters (VND80,000, ~USD3.53), every dish looks and tastes amazing.
Because of its sophisticated, roomy space that allows privacy, and highly trained wait staff, Dim Tu Tac is among the best fine dining restaurants in the city.
Address: Multiple locations in District 1, District 5, and Phu Nhuan District. View location list here.
Opening hours: 7AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 028 3826 6668 I 028 3836 2299 I 028 3842 1333
In a vibrant and constantly evolving place like Saigon, you’ll need more than just one food tour to explore and sample the best dim sum dishes.
Hopefully, this list will offer you more insights into Saigon’s Chinese food scene and where to go to get the best food value for your money.
For more delicious and unique Chinese dishes aside from dim sum, check out our pick of the best Cantonese restaurants in town.
Also check out:
Cover image adapted from: @__imbabydog__
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