Where To Find The Best Yum Cha In Sydney

There are no two ways about it: the dining room at Palace Chinese is simply iconic. Ever packed to the brim with diners eager to flag down one of the many dim sum trolley carts, it’s best to come early to secure your spot.

The quality of each basket here is top tier, and though the prices reflect that, the handmade dim sum leaves you with little room to complain as you savour the rich flavour and authenticity of their BBQ pork buns. Efficient service cinches the deal for impeccable Cantonese food and an experience that’s top-of-the-line.

Here’s one for Zetland’s yum cha aficionados – this fifth outpost of the reputable Phoenix dining group sets out to service all the dim sum needs of the eastern suburbs with one contemporary-chic-450-seater fell swoop.

Queues here are pretty much a permanent fixture and you’ll find them at any given time of the day so it’s best if you try your hand once they open doors. Once you enter, you’ll be greeted by a stunning dining room and an attentive and efficient waitstaff serving up some of the most flavoursome and homey Cantonese cuisine around. They’ve also got a range of dishes apart from their dim sum mainstay, so grab a fried noodles dish to go with your dumplings.

The venue is huge, making it perfect for a long family gathering, high school reunion, or just a yum cha date with yourself.

This larger-than-life CBD venue is a certified foodie hit for its lunchtime offerings of classic yum cha and equally tantalising dinner dishes featuring the likes of King crab fried rice and sweet & sour crispy pork hock.

While they’re open till late, dim sum is only available here as a lunch option, so head over in the early morning for a taste of what just might be Sydney’s finest xiao long bao and all the other tempting baskets that fly past. The interior is retro Shanghainese, and the taste reflects that in a seamless whirl of classic old-world flavours with a modern spin.

The Golden Unicorn ticks all the right boxes (or should we say baskets?): there’s trolley carts that come quickly and in droves, a stunning variety of dim sum options, and great quality in every one of ‘em. A crowd favourite, this is an old school spot that pulls enough diners to guarantee a wait if you’re planning to come later in the day.

Come to this Maroubra spot ready to devour and wash down your hearty meal with a pot of Chinese tea. End off the food coma with crumbly egg tarts and you’ll leave both incredibly full and fully satisfied.

This is minimalistic yum cha like you’ve never known it, with the interior itself decked out modernism-style full of bare concrete walls, a soft white and wood colour palette, and artful light fixtures. Dim sum in art cafe-esque surrounds? Yes, please!

Serving reimagined modern Chinese food, Mama Mulan is where you’ll find an array of traditional dim sum favourites like pork & prawn shumai, prawn dumplings, and pan-fried Cantonese radish cake served on aesthetic bamboo steamers and ceramic plates. For sweet tooths, not only will you score tasty egg tarts here, you’ll also get a unique lineup featuring red bean custard brulee, mango pomelo sago, and mango crepe with chocolate sauce.

Who says vegans have to miss out on all the yum cha fun? Bodhi is a revolutionary award-winning dim sum that has the vision to bring to the table good food that’s equally good for the body and great for the soul. The yum cha lunch menu here features “prawn” har gow, baby bok choy dumplings, and vegetarian “siew mai”. Made purely with plant products, the menu here is fun and inventive with rice noodle rolls with peanut, hoisin and soya sauce, and bbq bread buns.

One of the most popular spots around, this meat-free sunny spot features al-fresco dining with hanging lanterns and sprawling fig trees for a leisurely Sunday brunch you won’t forget.

Heralded as one of the city’s best yum cha spots, The Dynasty’s baskets of steamed har gow dumplings and turnip cakes are the stuff dreams are made of. The waitstaff here flit by with pillowy soft pork buns and fried radish cakes, and with a selection this wide, you’ll definitely want everything (and their egg tarts to finish).

The decor is traditional Chinese style with palace-style roofs, welcoming arches, an indoor footbridge, and dragon art carved into stone walls so you’ll get the full experience.