6 best dim sum restaurants in Tokyo

Walking into Chan Ki is like stepping into a proper cha chaan teng, the Hong Kong-style cafés known for their affordable menus offering staples like milk tea, egg tarts, noodle soup, toast, and other classics. Aside from the usual cha chaan teng eats, Chan Ki also offers up a selection of authentic dim sum handcrafted by a chef from Hong Kong.

Dim sum is best for sharing, so bring along a friend or two and really explore the menu, which includes popular specialities like har gao (shrimp dumplings), fried turnip cake, tender chicken feet and steamed char siu bao (barbecue pork buns). End your meal on a sweet note with a melt-in-your-mouth egg tart or a classic pineapple bun toasted to perfection and served with a slab of butter. For an extra dose of authenticity, the restaurant serves its milk tea in cups from Black and White, one of the most iconic dairy producers in Hong Kong.

This casual restaurant in Jinbocho specialises in dim sum and Cantonese-style roast meat. You know you’re getting the real deal here – you’ll spot whole roast duck, crispy slabs of pork and char siu hanging in front of the kitchen window like a proper Chinese restaurant.

If you’re coming for the dim sum, the menu consists of classics like char siu bao (barbecue pork buns), sticky rice steamed in bamboo leaves, dumplings, chicken feet, and black bean spareribs. You can order larger plates of roast meat, or get smaller serves from an affordable ¥595. Going for the smaller size will leave you more room to sample the full meat range, including char siu covered in a glossy barbecue sauce, crispy roast pork, as well as roast chicken and duck.

Cantondishes also has another Jinbocho location specialising in Chinese-style hot pot and other stir fried dishes.

If you’re searching for a proper taste of Hong Kong, look no further than Legendary Hong Kong. Located just a few minutes from Ueno Park, the casual eatery serves up a range of Cantonese dishes including dim sum, congee (rice porridge), roast pork and wonton noodle soups. 

Stop by for dim sum and order the tri-coloured siu mai, steamed beef dumplings, spring rolls and cheong fun vermicelli rolls before venturing into the sweet section of the menu. Be sure to get the pig-shaped steamed buns filled with rich custard cream, mini egg tarts and mango coconut sago pudding. The restaurant even has classic pineapple buns, which you can order simply with butter, or go the extra mile and have it stuffed with juicy slices of char siu for a decadent sandwich.

From the name, you might expect this restaurant to serve French food rather than dim sum. However, Le Parc is one of Tokyo’s best, serving up proper dim sum made by a seasoned Hong Kong chef. From the folding of the dumplings to the wrapping of the rice vermicelli rolls, each item is made with utmost precision and care. Pair that with Le Parc’s warm interiors, and you’ve got the perfect place to enjoy authentic dim sum.

You can order dishes a la carte, in a multicourse meal or in lunch sets where you can sample house specialities like savoury cheong fun (rice vermicelli rolls) filled with your choice of shrimp, char siu or scallops, xiao long bao soup dumplings, and steamed garlic chive dumplings. The extensive menu also features a number of sweet dim sum items like steamed ma lai go cake, mango pudding and fried sesame balls.

Tim Ho Wan is a Hong Kong institution and a must-visit for cheap and quick dim sum. The venue is called the ‘cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world’, and is so popular that it has expanded across the globe, with restaurants in 12 different countries. Tokyo is now home to two locations including this spacious eatery in Hibiya, which also features a takeaway stand. 

True to its Hong Kong sibling, Tokyo's Tim Ho Wan offers handmade dim sum, based on original recipes and at reasonable prices. Menu standouts include the baked char siu bao buns, prawn and garlic chive cheong fun (rice vermicelli rolls that are always popular in Hong Kong), the steamed egg cakes, osmanthus flower jelly, and more.

This modern dim sum bistro was started by famed restaurateur Alan Yau, who's best known for founding the restaurant chains Wagamama and Hakkasan in the UK. Yaumay offers a well-curated dim sum menu that has all the classics plus some new creations. Steamed dumpling favourites including shrimp har gao and pork siu mai feature alongside original items such as venison puffs, Peking duck dumplings and grilled jamón ibérico. 

The interior design also reflects this updated approach to dim sum. The spacious restaurant is anchored by an island counter surrounding the bustling show kitchen, a concept inspired by Tokyo’s counter-style restaurants. The table dining space, on the other hand, is a nod to old-fashioned Parisian bistros, with its leather armchairs, huge windows and a fireplace framed by bookshelves.