Top 7 Dim Sum Spots in Orlando

It is not so much a dish as it is considered a meal, like brunch. Often interchangeable with the term ‘Yum Cha’, which in Chinese means ‘drink tea,’ dim sums were known to initially be served as a snack during tea time. The meal can be traced back to the Song, and Tang dynasties, and the modern form of dim sum is believed to have originated in Guangzhou. Most Orlando restaurants today, have signature dim sums that are unlike what any other restaurant would serve. So here are the top spots to hit in the city of Orlando, if you want a hearty dim sum meal. Each of these best restaurants in Orlando serve some fascinating varieties of dim sums.

Located at 1212 Woodward Street, Ming’s Bistro doesn’t look like much, ambience-wise. But it is one of the restaurants that several people swear by, especially for their Spicy Chicken Feet. The dim sums are hot and delicious, served as they are ready. Some of the must-try dishes at this restaurant are the egg tart, chive buns, seafood dumplings, shrimp-stuffed eggplant, pork spring rolls, crispy taro dumplings, baked pineapple buns, and egg custard. Apart from the dim sums, the menu has a long list of roasts and barbeques, soups, noodle-soups, congees, rice dishes, and stir-fries. A delectable congee topped off with eggs, sausages, and bacon is just what the epicureans order on a gloomy day. The simplicity of egg custard and the sharp taste of the pineapple bun really make you wonder if sweet should only be served as dessert. The watercress with sliced pork soup sounds interesting as does the roast duck appetizer. The Cantonese style preparation of the duck appetiser leaves a strong taste of sauce that has the amazing flavour of the drippings and juices of roasting. The triple barbeque sampler on rice is something that can be shared by a group. The dim sum cart goes around with many varieties of they popular asks, but doesn’t keep all of their dim sum varieties. Menus come with dim sum pictures that make ordering easier for new customers who have little knowledge of the different varieties of food being served.

This being one of the best restaurants in Orlando, it is almost always full beyond capacity and can definitely put in a better system for order taking and customer seating. Customers are advised to come in early as the place can get crowded as the day progresses just like most Orlando restaurants. Ming’s does take out orders but doesn’t deliver food. Reservations are to be made via phone on (407)898-9672 as online reservation is not an enabled service at Ming’s.

Restaurant timings: 10.30 am to 9.30 pm on all days.

A casual and relaxed environment is what you can expect at the Golden Lotus. The compact and well maintained restaurant has an amazing variety of dim sums. The all day dim sums are to-die-for and they are served piping hot. The fried striped bass with sweet and sour sauce is a house special that deserves mention. Also very popular on the menu are the beef chow fun, rice paste rolls, black sesame glutinous rice balls, baked roast pork puff pastries, shrimp dumplings, taro dumplings, and pork sui mai. The puff pastries have the lightest and flaky texture with a buttery and delectable taste. As you bite into it, the flavour of roast pork hits you and the two blend in to melt in your mouth. The striped bass is simmered to cook in juices, leaving it crispy but tender while blending in with the sauces. Try the egg congee, intestines, and pepper pork chops too. The service staff is friendly and polite. Birthday celebrations here are made special with birthday wish inserts in every menu presented to the table. The restaurant is a great place to drop by with colleagues too, if you are in the area. The extensive menu with pictures makes it easy to order. The wine list, however, doesn’t have too much variety like other Chinese Orlando restaurants. You would be better off ordering a nice tea to pair off with your dim sums. Be aware, thought, that dim sum service is on until 4 pm after which you could try some of their other dishes. Touted to be one of the best restaurants in Orlando for dim sums, Golden Lotus should be on your list of places to try.

The restaurant is located at 8365 South John Young Parkway in Orlando. For reservations you can call (407) 352-3832.

Restaurant timings: 11 am to 10 pm on all days.

Popular for their authentic Cantonese style dim sums, Lam’s Garden serves up the most perfectly shaped, soft and steamy dim sums. The sesame buns are so soft like pillows that you could bury your face inside them. Try the roast duck for sure while you are at Lam’s Garden. The chicken feet with black bean sauce is meaty and scrumptious. The must try dim sums are the turnip cakes with xo sauce and the steamed lotus seed buns. The stir fried shrimp with asparagus is a very popular dish that looks delicious and tempting. If you enjoy your appetisers then you can order the appetiser platter called the Pu Pu Platter for 2. It consists of fantail shrimp, barbequed ribs, chicken wings, steak on sticks, and egg rolls. Moo Goo Gai Pan is a poultry dish par excellence and is made with sliced breast of white meats that are delicately sautéed with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, snow peas, bok choy, and water chestnuts. The Lychee duck is a special dish that has succulent and tender duckling served in a sweet and pungent sauce with pineapple and lychee nuts. Apart from these, there are a dozen foo young and Lo Mein that you could try. The fried shrimp lo mein with soft egg noodles is definitely worth tasting. One of the seafood dishes to try is the delicately sautéed crystal conch which are served with a side of crispy bean curd. Another interesting seafood item is the dried and shredded scallops which are served with some mouth-watering stir-fried snow peas. This is one of the best restaurants in Orlando to have an extensive menu with over 150 dishes and it can be a gargantuan task to make up your mind if you are coming here for the first time.

The restaurant does take-out as well as delivery. Reservations can be made by calling (407) 896- 0370. It is located at 2505 East Colonial Drive in Orlando.

Restaurant timings: 11am to 10 pm on all days.

If you are looking for the best restaurants in Orlando to serve authentic Hong Kong-style dim sums, then Chan’s is the right place for you. The restaurant, like all Chinese places in Orlando is quite non-descript and easy to miss. But the food is touted to be fantastic and is comparable to the best restaurants in Orlando. Even on weekdays when the restaurant is not packed, they have a good varieties of dim sums to go around. The custard buns, chicken’s feet, sesame steamed buns, and Char Siu Bao or Pork steamed buns are delectable varieties of dim sum. The radish cakes or Lo Bak Go, are delectable dish made with shredded radish and rice flour. Try the ginger beef dish here which is marinated in yummy oyster and soy sauce, and is finished by tossing with tender and fresh ginger juliennes . It is a succulent slice of beef tenderloin that is lightly sautéed with ginger, scallions and cooked in own natural sauce. Some of the casseroles are simply superb too. The chicken and eggplant casserole with salty fish is an intriguing combination casserole whose taste lingers in your mouth long after you are done. For the seafood lovers, there is exquisitely braised sea-cucumber in brown sauce, sliced abalone with oyster sauce, sautéed scallops with prawn, or assorted seafood in bird’s nest.

The vegetarians do get their options too. The Buddha’s delight is a tasty dish made with the most fragrant, dry aged vegetables, fancy tiger lily, wood ear mushrooms, bob chic, golden mushrooms and black mushrooms, stewed into a flavourful brown sauce. The braised bean curd with assorted vegetables like snow peas, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and shallots is another vegetarian dish to try out if you are avoiding meat. The fried rice is pan fried and pretty delicious.

Chan’s is located at 1901 East Colonial Drive and can be reached for making reservations by calling on (407) 896-0093. Their website provides more information too.

Restaurant timings:

Monday- 11 am to 10 pm

Tuesday- 11am to 9 pm

Wednesday- 11am to 9 pm

Thursday- 11am to 11pm

Friday- 11am to 11pm

Saturday- 10am to 11 pm

Sunday- 10am to 11 pm

Mr. Wong’s is barely noticeable when you are driving down Colonial drive. The entrance merely says ‘Chinese Cuisine,’ and there is no sign that it is Mr. Wong’s until you enter. The restaurant is next to Sapporo Ramen near 1^st Oriental Supermarket. While at Wong’s, try out the shrimp dumplings. They are plump, juicy, and absolutely delightful to taste. Pan-fried chive dumplings at this Orlando restaurant, are another must-try. The chives are tender, translucent and fragrant, and are pan-fried on one side to give you a tango of crispy and soft all in one bite. The fried taro dumplings are crisp, hot, and they literally melt in your mouth. The ground beef and cilantro filling in the steamed rice crepes is fragrant and tender yet juicy. The fried shrimp balls are crispy, aromatic, and golden balls of delight that should definitely be ordered. Some dishes that you don’t find in most restaurants would be the shark fin (not real) dumplings, pork rice paste rolls, and scallion pancakes. The delectable scallion pancakes also known as Cong You Bing, are savoury and unleavened flatbreads, that are folded with scallions and oil. The scallions are minced with sauces and seasoning and the dish is pan-fried to give it a crispy yet chewy texture. The Sheng Jian Bao are pork filled gelatinous balls that melt into your soup and are the best item to order if you go around breakfast timings.

The restaurant is open from 10.30 am to 12.at midnight This is one of the best restaurants in Orlando to be open so late in the evening. It can be contacted by phone on (407) 440-4609.

Peter’s Kitchen China Bistro

Peter’s Kitchen is one of the newer entrants in a list of best restaurants in Orlando, but it has made quite the mark on its patrons. The restaurant has won Orlando Weekly magazine’s Best New Restaurant for 2018 and Best Chinese for 2019. The menu has an extensive list of dim sums alongside some traditional Hong Kong style barbeque and live seafood. Patrons also enjoy the décor which is way more contemporary that any of the other chinses restaurants in town. It is clean and unpretentious with decent service. On their list of must try dim sums are the garlic chive buns, pork and shrimp siu mai, chicken feet with black sauce, and beef tripe with satay. Try the aromatic sticky rice in lotus leaf is all kinds of delicious goodness that is wrapped into small packets of heaven. The rice, flavoured with shrimp, shiitake mushroom, lap cheong, pork belly and chicken, is wrapped and steamed in lotus leaf. When unwrapping it, you get the whiff of lotus leaf blending in with the aroma of meat, shallots, and seasoning. As you savour the dish, all the flavours come together in a perfect way. The garlic chive buns with egg, mushroom and chives have a delectable flavour with each bite and they are so soft and squishy to touch. Apart from the dim sums, the restaurant has the most excellent char siu pork, which is Cantonese style barbequed pork. The pork slices ooze barbequed flavour with every bite and you will be left wanting for more. Weekends see the dim sum cart being pushed around with bamboo and steel steamers serving the most popular asks from the dim sum menu. The restaurant is located at 3922 East Colonial Drive and can be contacted by phone on (407) 895-8147. The restaurant is open between 11am and 9.30 pm on all days except Wednesday when the restaurant is closed. Dim sums are served until 8pm until otherwise mentioned.

Located in the Fort Lauderdale area, this small restaurant in South Florida is one of the most authentic Chinese restaurants you can find in all of America. This place is named after the famous restaurant in Hing Kong, which is known for its stellar dim sums. Toa Toa doesn’t let down its namesake and is one of the best restaurants in Florida. Chef Wong of Ta Toa started working in Dim Sum kitchens at the young age of 15 so that he could support his family. He was a quick learner and had soon mastered the fine art of dim sum making. The consistency of the food that is offered at Toa Toa is laudable and has not changed over the past several years. The lines outside the restaurant during the weekend speaks volumes about the quality of the restaurant. The sui mai dumplings, steamed ha-gow shrimp dumplings, rice paste noodles, and the steamed buns are some of the favourites at this restaurant. Dessert buns such as the flaky egg tart, sweet custard buns, and sesame balls filled with lotus seeds are popular too. All dishes are made to order and are prepared from scratch. No refrigerated, pre-cooked ingredients go into making any of the scrumptious dim sums that reach a customer's table. This has been a tradition that they follow since they opened in 1990.

Florida has opened up to Asian food in a big way, with many retailers selling ingredients required in traditional Asian cooking. Supermarkets that solely cater to the Chinese and Asian population of Florida, have shot up in many localities, thus making ingredients easily available. This has led to increased popularity in authentic Hong Kong and Cantonese dim sums in Orlando and the rest of Florida. The list of restaurants provided may not be a comprehensive one, but they include some of the best restaurants in Orlando to serve delectable Chinese fare. Although wait time and service quality may not be what most Americans expect, you certainly get used to the Chinese hospitality at these restaurants which focus on dishing out the best food that one could possibly imagine finding in the state of Florida. So, go out to the best restaurants in Orlando and figure out if dim sums are your thing, because once you get a taste of these dim sums, you are never going anywhere else for your Chinese.