What time is dim sum served?

Dim sum is a daytime meal, usually from mid-morning into the early afternoon. Weekends are busiest.

How do you order dim sum in Richmond?

Most places use an order sheet where you mark the quantity of each dish. A few still use carts.

What should I order at dim sum for the first time?

Start with har gow, siu mai, rice noodle rolls, barbecue pork buns and egg tarts. They are the classics every kitchen is judged by.

Do you tip at dim sum in Vancouver?

Yes. Tip as you would at any sit-down restaurant, around 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill.

Dish guide

Dim sum in Richmond and Vancouver: how to order, when to go

Mosey · November 11, 2026 · 4 min read

Dim sum is the meal people in Metro Vancouver plan their weekends around. Families fill huge dining rooms from mid-morning, tea is poured without asking, and a table that started with four dishes ends with fifteen. If you have never done it properly, Richmond is one of the best places in the world to start.

Where is the best dim sum in Vancouver?

Most locals would point you south to Richmond. The area around No. 3 Road and Alexandra Road, with Golden Village at its heart, has an extraordinary concentration of Cantonese restaurants, many of them large dim sum halls. Vancouver's Chinatown also has long-running places, but Richmond has the range. It is a short ride on the Canada Line SkyTrain from downtown.

What time should you go for dim sum?

Dim sum is a daytime meal, served from mid-morning into the early afternoon. Weekends are busiest, and popular places often have a line by late morning. To skip most of the wait:

Arrive early, close to opening.
Go on a weekday, when rooms are calmer and some places offer early discounts.
Make a reservation where the restaurant takes them, especially for a group.

Dim sum is better with more people. Four to six lets you order widely without wasting food.

How does ordering dim sum work?

Most Richmond restaurants use an order sheet: a printed list of dishes where you write the quantity next to each one and hand it to staff. A few still use carts that come round the room. Either way, dishes arrive as they are ready, so the table fills up gradually. Order a first round, see what you like, then order more.

Tea is part of the meal. You will usually be asked which tea you want, and there may be a small tea charge per person.

Which dim sum dishes should you order first?

Judge a kitchen by the classics. If these are good, everything else probably is too.

Dish	What it is	What good looks like
Har gow	Shrimp dumplings	A thin, almost translucent wrapper and shrimp with a snap
Siu mai	Open pork and shrimp dumplings	Juicy, well seasoned, not dense
Cheung fun	Steamed rice noodle rolls	Silky and thin, not gummy
Char siu bao	Barbecue pork buns, steamed or baked	Soft, with a sweet, savoury filling
Lo mai gai	Sticky rice in a lotus leaf	Fragrant and moist
Egg tarts	Custard tarts	Flaky or shortcrust pastry, wobbly custard

What are some less familiar dim sum dishes to try?

Once you have the classics, branch out: chicken feet in black bean sauce, turnip cake, taro dumplings, steamed spare ribs, congee, and sweet dishes such as mango pudding. Many Richmond menus also list regional and seasonal dishes; asking staff what is good today rarely goes wrong.

What is the etiquette at a dim sum restaurant?

Pour tea for others before yourself. Some people tap two fingers on the table to say thanks when someone fills their cup.
Leave the teapot lid ajar or flipped to signal you want a refill.
Share everything. Dishes come in small portions meant for the table.
Tip as you would at any sit-down restaurant, around 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill.

How much should you order for dim sum?

A loose rule is three or four dishes per person, more for big eaters. Order in rounds rather than all at once. Dishes come out hot and fast, and it is better to add a second round than to watch a steamer basket go cold.

Can you get dim sum for takeout?

Yes. Many places will pack dishes to go, and Chinese bakeries sell buns, egg tarts and other dim sum-style snacks over the counter all day. Steamed dumplings are best eaten straight away, though, because the wrappers firm up as they cool. If you take dim sum home, favor baked buns, turnip cake and sticky rice, which travel better, and reheat steamed items gently rather than in a microwave.

Is Richmond worth it just for dim sum?

Yes. Combine it with a walk along Alexandra Road, the Dumpling Trail that Richmond's tourism board publishes, or a stop at an Asian bakery on the way back. A weekend dim sum lunch is one of the defining Vancouver food experiences.

Mosey is built around rating individual dishes rather than whole places. Dim sum is the perfect example: one place's har gow can be the best in the city while its egg tarts are ordinary.

Common questions

Where is the best dim sum in Vancouver?
Most locals head to Richmond, especially around No. 3 Road and Alexandra Road, which has a large concentration of Cantonese dim sum restaurants.
What time is dim sum served?
Dim sum is a daytime meal, usually from mid-morning into the early afternoon. Weekends are busiest.
How do you order dim sum in Richmond?
Most places use an order sheet where you mark the quantity of each dish. A few still use carts.
What should I order at dim sum for the first time?
Start with har gow, siu mai, rice noodle rolls, barbecue pork buns and egg tarts. They are the classics every kitchen is judged by.
Do you tip at dim sum in Vancouver?
Yes. Tip as you would at any sit-down restaurant, around 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill.