The Best Spots For Dim Sum Around Seattle, According To A Local Cantonese Cookbook Author
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When it comes to dim sum, I'm a snob, and rightfully so. After all, I was still in the womb when I first enjoyed this incomparable Cantonese cuisine. My mother lived in Hong Kong, and her family is originally from Guangdong, the birthplace of dim sum. She raised me in New York City, where stellar dim sum is never hard to find, especially in Brooklyn, Flushing, and Chinatown. I also had the privilege to spend my childhood summers in Montreal and Toronto enjoying incredible dim sum, thanks to my foodie grandparents, who were also part Cantonese.
What's more, I'm the author of three Asian-themed cookbooks, including my second one, "Modern Asian Kitchen," which features recipes for iconic dim sum staples like char siu bao, har gow, and siu mai. Adding to that, I have also enjoyed dim sum in Hawaii, Hong Kong, Tokyo, the Philippines, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Portland, and across the Seattle area. So trust me when I say I know my dim sum, and I know what's genuinely good. Dim sum is practically in my blood.
In recent years, I've turned enjoying great dim sum across the Seattle area into an adventure with my family. Luckily for us, there are plenty of outstanding spots in our adopted home city.
Jade Garden in the Chinatown-International District
When my family and I moved to Seattle, one of the first neighborhoods we visited was the Chinatown-International District. (If it's your first time in Seattle, you must visit the Chinatown-International District.) We were on the hunt for dim sum, and found ourselves at Jade Garden. Back then, it was the spot that locals who knew their dim sum kept recommending to us.
This family-owned gem, with its traditional pushcarts weaving between tables, won us over immediately. The shrimp dishes, like har gow, had the plumpest, juiciest shrimp we'd had in a long time, and the portions were generous. We could say that the dim sum convinced us we'd feel at home in Seattle. The servers spoke English and Cantonese, and were friendly and happy to speak to us in either language.
We ordered all my favorites, from silky rice noodle rolls to bouncy beef balls to those irresistible salted egg yolk custard buns with their molten, golden centers. If you need heartier dishes to share, order the entrees, from cod and tofu in clay pots to big rice and noodle dishes. Also, try their seafood dishes; Cantonese cuisine excels in seafood offerings. However, these days, the pushcarts are gone, as QR-code ordering has become the norm at most dim sum restaurants. This was a shift that happened quietly but permanently in the post-Covid era.
Triumph Valley in the Eastside
If you love the iconic dim sum dishes, you can't go wrong with Jade Garden. However, if you're looking for dishes that are a little different and outside the box, venture out of Seattle toward the Eastside.
There's a must-try dim sum restaurant called Triumph Valley, which has two locations, one in Renton and one in Shoreline. Even The Seattle Times has crowned this restaurant for serving the best dim sum in the Seattle area. See, Triumph Valley has a unique menu, offering innovative, trendy, and colorful dishes that you usually find in Hong Kong or Vancouver, British Columbia. In fact, I see something new on their digital menu every time I visit.
You can order dim sum all day long, along with bigger plates such as Peking duck. Triumph Valley also has a lovely drink menu. Be sure to try the desserts as well, especially the ones with mochi or durian fruit when they're on the menu. The Renton location is also quite quirky. The restaurant is huge, and I believe it was a Western restaurant with a lounge and bar prior to becoming a dim sum joint. In the waiting area, you can play with the claw machines. One time, I won three plushies, and they sat with me as I enjoyed my favorite shrimp dishes.
Mr. Dim Sum in Tukwila
Now let's say you went shopping at a mall — such as Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila, to be specific — and you have a sudden craving for dim sum. Luckily for you, there's a dim sum spot right inside the mall called Mr. Dim Sum. Here you can order dumpling dishes all day long, or sit at the bar and watch the Seahawks or Mariners play. In fact, this spot may be the best one for you to enjoy dim sum as a solo diner.
Here, you'll be checking off dishes on a paper menu, and I recommend you ask for suggestions from your server if it's your first visit. In fact, ask about the tea as well, and which one would be best to order to pair with your meal.
Mr. Dim Sum offers popular traditional Cantonese dishes like chicken feet and bean curd rolls, along with congee and fried rice. There are also dishes that cater to the Western palate, such as hot and sour soup. Be sure to order the egg tarts and at least one of the baked buns. If you're up for it, order the "Four-Tune" buns off the menu, as they come with the barbecue pork, sweet taro, black sesame, and pork floss buns. All four are colorful, and appealing to children and adults alike.
Top Gun Seafood in Bellevue
If you find yourself in Bellevue, there are a few dim sum joints to try, and my favorite one in Seattle's sister city is Top Gun Seafood, near Factoria Mall. Top Gun has been a reliable Eastside anchor for years, with a loyal following. This restaurant is a bit of a nostalgic pick for my family and me, as we used to visit it more often before we discovered Triumph Valley and Mr. Dim Sum.
Fair warning, though — this spot is quite popular, especially on the weekends. Good luck to you if you're trying to find parking in the contentious lot. However, a busy parking lot is a sign that the food is stellar, so kudos to Top Gun Seafood. The menu here is similar to the ones you'll find at Triumph Valley and Jade Garden, and it sources seafood locally.
When the server asks you to choose a tea, order either the fragrant jasmine or chrysanthemum. The tea always comes piping hot. In the past, there was pushcart service, but now Top Gun operates with QR-code ordering as well. Be sure to order one of my favorite dishes, the fried shrimp on sugar cane. Also, try the springy and huge sponge cake and barbecue pork pies when you're there. This dim sum parlor is also a great spot for family dinners and Chinese wedding banquets.
Macky's Dim Sum in Issaquah
Last but not least, one of the best spots for dim sum around the Seattle area that I'd like to highlight is Macky's Dim Sum. It is also situated on the Eastside, over in Issaquah. What I love about this parlor is how it makes me feel like I'm enjoying dim sum in a Hong Kong teahouse. The restaurant has a homey, cozy feel, and the food tastes like the way my Cantonese grandparents made it.
Macky's has been a beloved Issaquah institution since 2010. The owners are Macky and Sonny Wong, a husband-and-wife duo. They used to run China Gate, one of the Chinatown-International District's most iconic dim sum palaces, which is unfortunately now closed. Back to Macky's, here you get to look at a physical menu that comes with colorful photos. You can't go wrong with ordering the traditional dim sum dishes. As with most dim sum restaurants, do skip the soup dumplings, because they don't specialize in making standout xiaolongbao. Macky's also has a great lunch and dinner menu that the locals love. While I haven't been to Macky's for a while now, I still have fond memories of my visits.