While the days of huge tea houses with carts serving dim sum brunch might be mostly over in the US, there are still plenty of places in Pennsylvania to indulge in an amazing dim sum feast. Traditional Cantonese dim sum consists largely of dumplings and other bite-sized dishes served in steamer baskets or little plates, but we’ve expanded the definition a bit to include all sorts of appetizers from provinces and cuisines across China. More important than stringent definitions is to find a great spot that makes fresh, delicious dim sum or dim sum-esque snacks, where you can order tons for the table and share everything family-style.
From steamed buns to soup dumplings to spare ribs to spring rolls, we’ve rounded up our top 11 picks for the best dim sum in Pennsylvania. How many spots can you check off the Pennsylvania Dim Sum Bucket List?
Philadelphia
Philly is home to a bustling Chinatown neighborhood, more or less nestled into the blocks between 9th and 11th Streets to the East and West, and Arch to Spring Garden Streets to the North and South. There are umpteen places to grab great Chinese food in these tight few square blocks.
Dim sum at Nom Wah
One of our perpetual favorites is Nom Wah Tea Parlor. The original Nom Wah is in NYC and the Philly outpost opened in 2015, bringing along with it an extensive dim sum menu, with each dish cooked to order. The dumpling game at Nom Wah is remarkably strong, with pretty much every steamed and fried variation you can imagine on the menu, but don’t stop there. Branch out and try some of the other items, like steamed chicken feet, scallion pancakes, and stuffed eggplant with brown sauce, to get the full effect of Nom Wah’s expertise. 218 N 13th St., Philadelphia; (267) 519-2889.
Dim sum at China Gourmet
For an authentic and unforgettable dim sum experience outside of Chinatown, head to China Gourmet in Northeast Philly. It’s the city’s largest Chinese restaurant and offers hundreds of free parking spots with massive dining areas that fill up quickly, creating a loud and festive ambiance. The “wow” factor carries through in the food and tea, which is delivered via traditional dim sum carts, pushed throughout the dining room to showcase dozens of dim sum bites, like shaomai, radish cakes, beef short ribs and sweets like pineapple bun and osmanthus cake. There’s so much to choose from that we suggest ordering freely and surprising yourself. Be ready for a line if you head here on the weekend. 2842 St. Vincent St., Philadelphia; (215) 941-1898.
Philly ‘Burbs
It’s easy to overlook Sang Kee Asian Bistro in Main Line Philadelphia, as it’s tucked into a shopping center and not really visible from the street. But that doesn’t stop this spot from being perpetually packed with families. The menu is loaded with authentic Chinese cuisine, and no meal is complete without a large dim sum spread, which Sang Kee refers to as “Asian tapas.” The Peking Duck Roll, steamed siu mai, and the crispy coconut shrimp are all great bets. Fill up the Lazy Susan in the middle of the table and enjoy a family-style feast! 339 Lancaster Ave. #6, Wynnewood; (610) 658-0618.
Dim Sum Court is Phoenixville’s beloved BYO dim sum eatery. It’s cute and cozy with a bevy of dumplings, buns, rolls and more. You can’t miss with the steamed crab meat pork soup dumplings, Shanghai shumai or scallion pancakes. The menu is vast, with plenty of other Chinese and Hibachi entrees to meet a variety of cravings and ten different bubble teas for the sweet-toothed. Make a reservation, if you can. 236 Bridge St., Phoenixville; (610) 881-5188.
Tom’s Dim Sum II is situated on Media’s charming State Street, and offers traditional Shanghai cuisine. There are no fewer than a dozen kinds of dumplings, including soup dumplings, as well as buns, wings, squid with salt and pepper, and so many other choices, like soups and veggie- and meat-based salads. If you don’t want to dine on dumplings alone, there are plenty of noodle dishes, stir fries and familiar entrees (think pork with garlic sauce and walnut shrimp) on the menu. 13 E. State St., Media; (610) 566-6688.
NEPA
FuDa Sushi, Hibachi & Chinese Restaurant is one of those restaurants that crowds all the mainstream Asian cuisines into its concept. There are sushi rolls, teriyaki, soba noodles and katsu dishes, standbys like egg foo young and Szechuan chicken, and hundreds more to choose. As you sift through the epic menu, don’t pass over the appetizers section, where you’ll find enough dim sum options to satisfy, like shrimp toast, steamed veggie dumplings and spare ribs. 480 Daleville Highway, Covington Township; (570) 848-2511.
Grab a cozy booth at Bamboo House, which has been open since 1987, and work through its small but mighty list of dim sum specialties, like chicken in tin foil, egg rolls, shrimp toast and fried wontons. There’s also a dim sum sampler for a little of everything. If you’re still hungry, bypass the standard issue dishes and try one of the house specialties instead, like Chow May Fun (noodles with shrimp chicken and pork), or a seasonal seafood dish, like lobster with ginger and scallions. 1150 Mount Tom Rd., East Stroudsburg; (570) 424-2460.
Central PA
Shangrila Chinese Restaurant in York’s dim sum go-to. Its menu, which spans Cantonese, Hunan and Szechuan cuisine, features dim sum classic like fried or steamed pork dumplings, fried shrimp balls and scallion pancakes. Along with plenty of meaty options, there’s a great vegetarian selection, too. We suggest the hot and sour soup to kick things off and fried bananas for dessert. 2150 White St., York; (717) 854-3333.
You’ll love the Szechuan version of dim sum at State College’s Yummy Cafe, with a menu full of that authentic spicy-numbing peppercorn taste. Scroll through the appetizers for great dim sum options like juicy steamed pork buns, golden buns and pan fried pork dumplings, but don’t stop there. There’s plenty of stir fries, noodles, chili dry pots and big bowls of hot pot. 320 E .Calder Way, State College; (814) 308-9826.
For a fun and fusion-y dim sum spot in State College, check out Bistrozine. Beloved by college students and locals alike, the shareables section of its menu is replete with dumplings and other tasty bites, including cheeseburger dumplings, crispy duck roll and shrimp tempura. The rest of the menu offers an array of modernized takes on Chinese (fried rice), Japanese (tempura, ramen), Thai (satay) and Korean dishes (kimchi bulgogi tots) dishes. Don’t miss the Chocolate Matcha Lava Cake for dessert. 312 W. Beaver Ave., State College; (814) 862-9110.
Western PA
At The Parlor Dim Sum & Cantonese BBQ, all of your dim sum dreams can come true. Copious varieties of dumplings are complemented by dishes like rice crepes, turnip cakes and braised skin chicken feet. Do save some room for a house noodle dish, like the Singapore Style, with roast pork, onions, peppers, egg and curry, or a comforting bowl of congee. If you go with a big group, roll up your collective sleeves and tackle one of the barbecue entrees, like the Trio Rice Plate, with duck, roast pork and soy chicken (don’t worry vegans, there’s a whole plant-based section of the menu, as well!). 4401 Butler Ave., Pittsburgh; (412) 586-4796.
Go behind the scenes at Squirrel Hill’s Every Day Noodles, as chefs craft hand-pulled noodles and dim sum behind a viewing window. Though its namesake noodles are anything but “everyday”, like the Dan Dan noodles with spicy peanut vinaigrette, you won’t miss out by sticking to the dim sum selection. Fluffy steamed, then pan fried pork bao, rolled onion beef pancakes and shrimp-pork potstickers all offer eye-popping visuals, textures and, most importantly, flavor. Try sweet bean crispy pancakes or egg yolk buns for a transcendent dessert. 5875 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh; (412) 421-6668.
In Pittsburgh’s North Hills, Wei Lai Handmade Dim Sum will knock your socks off with traditional Guangzhou dishes with a contemporary twist and artful presentation. It will be hard to choose from the menu of handmade dim sum, with pork soup dumplings, veggie bao, barbecue pork buns, braised beef tripe and salted egg custard buns, so we suggest bringing friends and ordering as much as possible. Noodles, rice and lo mein entrees round out the authentic Cantonese and Taiwanese offerings. 3200 McIntyre Square Dr., Pittsburgh; (412) 364-9933.
Where’s your go-to spot for the best dim sum in PA? Let us know in the comments below or on the PA Eats Facebook and Instagram pages!
- Cover and dumpling in chopsticks photos: Dish Works
- Nom Wah photo: Miled Eats
- China Gourmet photo: Nick Deezy (Eats with Deezy)
- All other photos: BigStock
