Hong Kong and dim sum go together like bread and butter. No trip to Hong Kong is complete without a taste of Cantonese dim sum. From steaming baskets of Har Gow to silky cheung fun, dim sum is one of the city’s most iconic dining experiences and an absolute must-try when visiting Hong Kong. Traditionally, a lot of dim sum dishes contain pork, not just in the form of pork meat, but also the use of lard. While halal dim sum in Hong Kong used to be difficult to find, the city’s growing Muslim-friendly food scene means there are now more restaurants catering to halal diners than ever before. In this article, we’ve put together a list of places where you can find halal dim sum in Hong Kong.
Must-Try Halal Dim Sum Dishes in Hong Kong
One of the joys of dim sum is the incredible variety of dishes available, from delicate steamed dumplings to crispy fried snacks and fluffy buns. If you’ve never tried Cantonese dim sum before, don’t get overwhelmed with the choices – let us give you a quick run-down of some of the popular traditional dim sum dishes to try.
- Har Gow – delicate prawn dumpling in a translucent wrapping. It is one of the most iconic dim sum dishes.
- Siu Mai – open-topped dumplings traditionally made with pork and shrimp – halal versions typically use chicken. They are savoury, juicy, and one of the most popular dim sum items you’ll find.
- Cheung Fun – silky steamed rice noodle rolls served with a light soy-based sauce. They can be filled with ingredients such as shrimp, beef, or vegetables and are loved for their soft, smooth texture.
- Chicken Feet – a classic dim sum delicacy that is braised until tender in a savoury sauce. Don’t knock it till you try it!
- Char Siu Bao – fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet and savoury Cantonese-style barbecue meat. Halal versions usually substitute the traditional pork filling with chicken.
- Custard Bun – soft steamed buns filled with a rich, creamy custard centre. They’re sweet and wonderfully comforting, and are a favourite among both children and adults.
- Ma Lai Go – a light and fluffy Chinese steamed sponge cake with a subtle caramel sweetness.
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Best Halal Dim Sum Restaurants in Hong Kong
Islamic Centre Canteen
For a fully halal and authentic dim sum experience, you must check out the Islamic Centre Canteen. Located on the 5th floor of the Masjid Ammar & Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre, it is the first officially halal-certified dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong. Dim sum is available daily from 10am to 3pm. From Har Gow (shrimp dumplings) to Xiao Long Baos (soup dumplings) to traditional Cantonese stir-fry dishes, Islamic Centre Canteen does it all.
Location: Wan Chai
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Nearest MTR station: Causeway Bay (exit A)
Islam Food
Not exactly a traditional yum cha experience, but the legendary Islam Food restaurant has a small dim sum section on its menu that’s certainly worth trying. Think mutton xiao long bao, wonton soup, mutton spring rolls, and of course, their signature juicy beef patty buns. The food is always excellent there, and it is a longstanding local favourite spot.
Location: Kowloon City
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Nearest MTR station: Sung Wong Toi
Cuisine Cuisine
Located at The Mira Hotel, Cuisine Cuisine is a Michelin-recommended Cantonese fine-dining restaurant with a dedicated halal menu available. The halal lunch menu features an elevated version of traditional Har Gow (shrimp dumpling), Siu Mai (made with chicken, conpoy, and mushroom), and Steamed Mushroom Dumplings with Black Truffle.
Location: Tsim Sha Tsui
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Lockcha
Lockcha is an award-winning vegetarian dim sum restaurant known for its traditional Cantonese tea-house charm and excellent tea selection. Think black truffle siu mai, mushroom dumplings, fried crispy taro puffs, and many more delightfully refined traditional dim sum options available on the menu. Not only is Lockcha widely recognised as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Asia, but it’s also a top tea house with over 100 tea varieties for customers to choose from.
Location: Admiralty
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Veggie Kingdom
Veggie Kingdom is a vegan dim sum restaurant with locations in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay. Its dim sum menu has pretty much every classic dish available, whether it’s siu mai, char siu bao, steamed buns, dumplings, spring rolls, or fried rice, they have it all – but made vegan.
Location: Tsim Sha Tsui / Causeway Bay
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