8 Must-Try Classic Dim Sum Dishes for Your Next Yum Cha

Yum cha menus are overflowing with options—from dumplings and steamed rice to buns and fried seafood—and there are some classic Cantonese-style dishes that are non-negotiable orders for any dim sum lover. Over years of enjoying yum cha across Asia and Australia with family and friends, I’ve stuck to a go-to lineup of these beloved bites, only occasionally branching out to try something new.

First, a quick primer: Yum cha (literally “drink tea”) is a traditional Cantonese brunch centered on Chinese tea and dim sum—small, shareable dishes typically served in bamboo steamers or on small plates, often carted around restaurants on trolleys. Its roots trace back to Silk Road travelers stopping at teahouses for tea and snacks, and today it’s a beloved social dining ritual. Below are 8 classic dim sum dishes you won’t want to miss:

1. Siu Mai (燒賣)

These bite-sized dumplings are filled with pork and/or shrimp (mixed with scallion, ginger, and mushroom for depth) and wrapped in a yellow wrapper, topped with a bright orange dot of crab roe or carrot. The filling is soft and chewy, and even though I’m not a big pork fan, I never hesitate to order or eat siu mai.

2. Har Gow (蝦餃)

Also called shrimp dumplings, har gow features plump prawns wrapped in a smooth, translucent wrapper, seasoned with oyster sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and bamboo shoots. It’s often served alongside siu mai (the pair is known as hā gáau–sīu máai), and I always grab one of each when they arrive at the table.

3. Cheong Fun (腸粉)

These rice noodle rolls are typically filled with barbecue pork (chā sīu), shrimp, or vegetables, and served with soy or sesame sauce. Despite its name (which translates to “intestines” in English), it contains no offal—only thin, silky rice paper that’s so delicate it can slip right between chopsticks if you’re not careful. It’s one of the plainer dim sum dishes, but its smooth texture makes it a staple.

4. Lor Mai Fan / Lor Mai Kai (糯米饭 / 糯米鸡)

This hearty dish is steamed glutinous rice (with or without chicken) wrapped in a lotus leaf. The sticky rice is seasoned with oyster sauce and stuffed with mushrooms, shrimp, scallop, peanuts, pork, and Chinese smoked sausage (laap cheong). It’s more filling than most dim sum, but the lotus leaf can leave a slight bitter aftertaste (a result of its herbal properties), making it a hit-or-miss for me even after sipping Chinese tea to cut the flavor.

5. Lo Bak Go (蘿蔔糕)

Also known as turnip cake, lo bak go is pan-fried into square pieces, with a soft interior and crispy edges, often studded with laap cheong. It’s a popular Chinese New Year dish, as its texture is linked to nián gāo (glutinous rice pudding), which symbolizes “higher each year” (nián nián gāo shēng) and good fortune.

6. Daan Taat (蛋挞)

These sweet egg tarts have a bright yellow, wobbly egg custard filling encased in flaky puff pastry, with a subtle eggy flavor. Macau’s version resembles Portuguese tarts, but those have a caramelized top and taste like vanilla custard (no eggy notes) instead.

7. Char Siu Bao (叉烧包)

Available steamed or baked, char siu bao features a soft, fluffy wrapper (glazed and crispy if baked) filled with tender barbecue pork mixed with corn starch, onions, sesame oil, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. The pork filling’s reddish hue comes from saltpetre used during marination. Growing up, I watched my parents peel the outer layer of steamed buns (they claimed it was “dirty” or treated with sulphur water), but I’ve always eaten them unpeeled with no issues.

8. Wu Gok (芋角)

A deep-fried favorite, wu gok (taro dumpling or yam puff) has a savory pork filling wrapped in a thick, crispy, fluffy layer of mashed taro. It’s one of my top yum cha picks—I’ve eaten 4–5 in a single sitting before.

Beyond the Top 8

Other classic yum cha dishes include steamed Chinese broccoli, century egg congee, chicken feet, beef tripe, fried squid, sago pudding, roast duck, and ham sui gok (咸水角，or “football dumplings”). Dim sum isn’t just dumplings—it includes small meals and sweet treats, too. A 2015 survey found siu mai was Hong Kong’s most popular dim sum, with har gow in second place (the pair is just as beloved in Australia, likely because their dumpling shape evokes familiar comfort foods like pasta).

The Yum Cha Experience

Yum cha is all about sharing: dishes are bite-sized, meant to be passed around the table so everyone gets a taste. I’ve noticed Western diners in Australia sometimes eat individual plates of dim sum instead of sharing, which feels odd from a Chinese perspective but is just a cultural difference in dining habits.

Today, yum cha is evolving: frozen dim sum is widely available in Australian grocery stores, vegetarian options are common (at spots like Red Ginger and Din Tai Fung), and many Chinese restaurants serve dim sum à la carte as a side to main meals—meaning you can enjoy it any time of day. I’ve eaten solo at Tim Ho Wan (the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant) in Australia; while portions are small, the flavor is richer than at many local yum cha spots. During one visit, a Western couple next to me had a mixed reaction: the woman was eager to try everything, while the man fidgeted with his chopsticks and remarked, “It’s like another world in here”—a reminder that yum cha is as much a cultural experience as a culinary one.

Yum cha always feels like a treat—one that sparks curiosity and keeps you coming back for more.