Although Dublin may not have a dedicated Chinatown on the scale of London or New York, the city still has a thriving Asian food scene, with several top-tier Chinese restaurants specialising in authentic dim sum. Whether you’re a longtime dim sum enthusiast or just looking to try something new, Dublin has plenty of great spots serving steamed, fried, and baked dishes that rival those found in Hong Kong or Guangzhou.
Traditionally served from bamboo steamers and rolling carts, dim sum features a variety of dumplings, buns, rolls, and other small plates, and is traditionally enjoyed with hot tea, but we tend to favour pairing our dim sum with a crisp beer most of the time…
We’ve rounded up the top spots to satisfy your dumpling cravings and get some of the very best dim sum in Dublin.
Nan Chinese, Stephen St Lower, D2
Nan Chinese focuses on Huaiyang cuisine, one of the four main Chinese cuisine styles, and has an all-day dim sum menu full of our favourites.
Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are filled with a flavoursome broth and juicy pork that you slurp off a spoon – order a portion each because you won’t want to share these. Other Dim Sum delights include the BBQ pork Cheung Fun, steamed custard buns and – for the more adventurous – steamed spicy chicken claws and beef tripe with ShaCha sauce.
Our go-to mains are the spicy Sichuan chicken & scallions stir-fry and the whole steamed sea bass with fresh chopped chilli & pepper. The cold okra salad is perfect for freshening up the palette in between steaming mouthfuls of congee or dumplings.
Good World Chinese, South Great Georges St, D2
Good World has been around since 1991 and is one of the go-to places in Dublin for authentic Chinese dim sum.
There’s no better way to spend an afternoon than with a table full of xiao long bao, crispy wontons, char sui bao, salted egg yolk buns, prawn dumplings and a cold Tsing Tao beer. Ask for their Cantonese menu to enjoy even more regional specialities, such as spicy tripe. Good World gets busy, so either book in advance (especially if you’re with a group) or pop in on off-peak times.
M&L Szechuan Chinese, Cathedral St, D1
You can’t mention dim sum in Dublin without a shoutout to M&L, who have been bringing authentic Szechuan flavours to Dublin since 2008. With a menu packed full of tempting dishes, you’ll want to come here with a group to try as many as possible.
The stir-fried French beans with dry chilli are a staple dish here, as are the dumplings (we love the pork, but the veggie ones are great too). You can’t go wrong with any of the dishes on the Chef’s Recommendation menu – from deep fried soft shell crab in egg yolk to their on-the-bone sticky pork ribs.
Ka Shing, Wicklow St,D2
The team here have pulled out all the stops to ensure that customers get the full traditional experience, with the little things like round tables, to different tea pairings, and everything in between.
Everyone raves about the steamed roast pork buns here – succulent and full of rich, BBQ sweet flavour. The razor clams with garlic and glass noodles are something you don’t often see on the menu, which is precisely why you should order them when you get the chance.
House special dumplings are stuffed with a mix of prawns, pork and Chinese mushrooms and steamed to perfection.
Kaizen Chinese Restaurant, Blanchardstown
Kaizen is known for their delicious and expertly made Dim Sum menu, which includes custard puff pastry swans; pan-fried radish cake; a variety of handmade dumplings, both steamed and fried; soup dumplings; BBQ pork buns and plenty more.
When it comes to dim sum in Dublin, Kaizen has one of the best menus we’ve seen, with authentic dim sum dishes such as deep-fried cuttle fish cake or sticky rice with dried scallops wrapped in lotus leaf.
There’s also a full menu of Chinese mains and sides plus signature cocktails to enjoy.
