If you haven’t had dim sum, you’ve certainly heard of it. At its most casual, dim sum is “ya know, like tapas.” It’s a Cantonese meal served in small portions, often delivered to your table on fresh plates via a conveyor belt or cart. These mini entrees are mostly made up of savory and sweet Cantonese dumplings, buns and congees. When done well, this meal can create a hankering so strong you’ll be willing to leave your cozy apartment to satisfy your craving. Here are our top five places in America for dim sum:
5. Coming in at #5 is Red Egg in New York City. While the Big Apple isn’t lacking in dim sum options and some naysayers might accuse the Red Egg of being inauthentic due to its loungey atmosphere, the creativity and freshness there can’t be denied and the dim sum menu is served all day until 11 p.m.
4. Up next is The Church Key in Los Angeles. A relative newcomer, it opened in 2013 and sets itself apart from the rest by offering one cart stocked with canned negroni cocktails and piloted by waitresses in Pan Am uniforms. Plus, all meals begin with a complimentary bowl of truffle popcorn.
3. Cho Lon in Denver is next on the list. Chef Lon Symensma opened this restaurant in 2011 to critical acclaim. His menu is inspired by interpretations of traditional dishes found across the exotic Far East. In addition to dim sum, Cho Lon also offers large family-style plates with authentic flavors that feature unique twists for modern palates.
2. Receiving the silver medal on this list is Winsor Dim Sum Café in Boston. Here, patrons receive a checklist to create made-to-order dishes, such as mini steam pork buns, scallion pancakes, and shrimp and chive dumplings. If you want to dine on the weekend, wear comfortable shoes, as this local favorite has a notoriously long wait.
1. And first prize for the nation’s best dim sum goes to San Francisco’s Yank Sing. This family-owned, lunchtime-only favorite has been serving dim sum fans for more than 60 years. Yank Sing is the 2009 recipient of the James Beard Award, which was deemed “the Oscars of the food world” by Time magazine.
For more ideas on where to eat, check out ForRent’s Food and Entertaining section.