Where to find the best yum cha in Melbourne

Golden Dragon Palace might just be the ultimate yum cha destination in Melbourne. Crowds jostle to enter this sprawling restaurant with Chinese-inspired motifs of carved dragons, huge ornamental urns and linen-covered tables. The dim sum cuisine is traditional Cantonese with a smattering of Southeast Asian dishes like beef and chicken satay.

Choose from over 100 dishes available at yum cha including delicious prawn dumplings (with generously juicy prawn bits), Cheong fun (white noodles steamed and stuffed with savoury barbeque pork), Sui mai with XO sauce, sweet suckling pig, fried five-spice quail, and nutty fried cake of water chestnut. The dim sum here comes fast, furious and super fresh.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Sui mai with XO sauce

The secret (no pun intended) to this hugely popular restaurant is its focus on perfecting the fine art of Cantonese cuisine and making full use of fresh fish and seafood. And they’re not playing, Secret Kitchen is home to the largest restaurant aquarium in Melbourne.

Seating 200 diners over two floors, the decor is inspired by Chinese culture with red lanterns hanging overhead and cut-out wooden panels.

Must order items include the Sui mai and Har gao, which comes with black truffle and is stuffed with plump prawns. Other specialties include Cheong fun with scallops and black truffles, and steamed shark fin dumplings.

Save room for desserts like deep-fried durian puffs. Be warned that while durian is an acquired taste, these are seriously addictive. Kids will also love the steamed custard buns shaped like little piggies.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Black truffle prawn dumpling

David’s, with its impressive high ceilings and white walls, transports you to the glory days of old Shanghai. The atmosphere is casual with wooden tables, rice-paper lights and hanging plants, but what this place is famous for is its unlimited yum cha.

Inspired by family recipes from rural Shanghai, with modern twists, there are no traditional trolleys here, just efficient staff who keep the food coming. Large trays stacked with crispy and flavourful shallot pancakes (they’re oily but worth every calorie), Prawn and pork shu mai, Veggie spring rolls, BBQ pork bao, Peking duck, and even Salt and pepper calamari are all on the menu.

It’s finished with White chocolate dumplings, which many people have declared their favourite part of David’s yum cha.

Dish Cult’s top pick: White chocolate dumplings

A yum cha institution in Melbourne, Shark Fin Inn is instantly recognisable by its deep red facade, octagonal windows and the large fluorescent sign hanging over the front door.

Inside, the decor might be stuck in the 1980s, but it’s still a neighbourhood favourite because of both the variety of its yum cha and its excellent value.

Staff here are attentive and the food hits all the right notes, especially with the basics like the chicken feet or spare ribs with black bean sauce. Seafood is a strong feature with highlights including Satay calamari and Scallop and prawn bean curd.

Also, you must try the Osmanthus jelly with red bean and fried egg custard tart before you leave, as they are just too good to miss.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Chicken feet with black bean sauce

With brushed concrete walls and red neon art on display, South Yarra’s Oriental Teahouse is a light and airy space where you’ll get fast and flavourful yum cha while sipping luxurious hand-blended teas.

The dumplings with a twist are definitely the stars of the show. Tuck into the pale pink Roast duck dumplings with Peking sauce to experience crispy skin, succulent meat and a sweet glazed sauce. Or try the Ginger prawn dumplings or the popular Flame thrower pulled-pork dumplings with pork belly slices.

There’s a lot more on offer other than dumplings though and rest assured that you’ll get loads of variation in whatever you order.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Roast duck dumplings with Peking sauce

With the ambience of a courtyard house in the alleys of Beijing, HuTong presents yum cha in two different settings. The ground floor features a simple aesthetic with exposed brick walls and posters of old China, while the upper floors are more elegant and suitable for banquet parties and celebrations. You can even watch the dim sum being prepared in the open kitchen.

Try the signature Shao-long bao, Wontons with hot chilli sauce, Boiled pork dumplings and Shanghai pan-fried dumplings. Typical provincial favourites also abound such as Chicken with chillies, Salted braised pork, and plenty of noodle and rice dishes.

Round out your meal with Egg custard buns or Fried pumpkin cake, which is a sweet, savoury and crispy delight.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Fried pumpkin cake

Down a nondescript side street, Red Door is a buzzy yum cha spot with a Cantonese master chef at the helm. Dine among an eclectic mix of antique furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties that creates a homey and cosy atmosphere. If you like it, you can even buy the furniture you are sitting on!

The menu is a fusion of traditional and reinvented cuisine from Beijing and Shanghai, but you won’t find any rolling trolleys here. Try the inventive signature Shanghai chicken soup dumplings, Duck bean curd wrap, Beef sui mai and Shark fin wontons for your dim sum fix.

Dishes excellent for sharing include Chairman Mao hong shao rou (braised pork belly paired with Chinese wine and star anise) as well as the Braised beef hotpot.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Chairman Mao hong shao rou