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Hong Kong's Top 6 Family-Friendly Dim Sum Restaurants

Written by Clare Cassidy on Monday, 03 November 2014. Posted in Out & About, Life in the +852

Discover the city's top family-friendly spots to satisfy those dim sum cravings!

Hong Kong's Top 6 Family-Friendly Dim Sum Restaurants

As you’d imagine, Hong Kong is absolutely teeming with dim sum houses, but many of them are very formal settings and don’t really lend an atmosphere where children (and parents) can relax and enjoy their meal. So we’ve set out on a mission to find those that do welcome youngsters of all ages and cater to their needs and tastes.

 

Our list includes several great spots that we, here at GeoBaby, feel make the cut in regards to the ambience, child-friendliness and of course, the food! But we also wanted a few suggestions from an outside perspective, from someone who knows what they’re talking about. So, who better to ask than the concierges from some of Hong Kong’s top hotels, who know this city like the back of their hand? Read on to discover some great spots...

 

Hong Kong's top hotel concierges recommends...

 

1. City Hall Maxim's Palace

2/F, Low Block City Hall, Edinburgh Place, Central; 2521 1303; www.maximschinese.com.hk

 

Even if you’ve never been, you’ve probably heard of Maxim’s Palace somewhere down the line living here in Hong Kong. Why? Because it’s possibly the most famous restaurant in Hong Kong and has been around for decades. The chief concierges at the Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton and Auberge DB all seem to agree that indulging in a mishmash of Maxim’s dim sum specialties is regarded as the quintessential Hong Kong dining experience.


Though the restaurant has several venues across Hong Kong, Maxim’s Palace at the City Hall in Central is the most popular amongst tourists and locals; a grand dining hall with rows of large, round tables lined underneath flashy, ornate chandeliers. The dizzying and delectable assortment of Canton-style dim sum classics that are paraded from table to table via notable dim sum carts never fail to pack the place up. With its loud and cheerful atmosphere, Maxim’s is certainly an ideal setting for families, and welcomes children of all ages. If you’re bringing your little ones along, just ask the hostess to sort you out with a high-chair when you are being seated. 

 

accidentalepicurean/Blog

 

2. Dim Sum Square

G/F, 27 Hillier Street, Sheung Wan; 2851 8088

 

Recommended by Charlie Lin (W Insider at W Hong Kong) is a cosy, little family-friendly hotspot with a laid-back attitude: Dim Sum Square. Don’t expect anything fancy like Maxim’s or Luk Yu ‘cause this restaurant couldn’t be any further from that; at first glance, it may not look like anything special, but those in the know will tell you it’s a hidden gem. Nestled on the corner of Jervois and Hillier in Sheung Wan, Dim Sum Square is almost always packed, but it’s a dine-and-dash type of place, so you won’t have to wait long for a table.


Once you’re seated, you will be given a checklist menu (in English and Chinese) to fill out. To make it easier for us expats, there are photos of their most popular dishes on each table; tip: their minced beef and scallion rice rolls and steamed crystal shrimp har gow are to die for. Bring the kids and order a bunch of dishes to share; almost all of their dishes are under $25! Their mouth-watering and extensive menu is divided into sections including rice rolls, dumplings, deep-fried delights, steamed buns and desserts. And once you’re all full and merry, treat the little ones to some refreshing mango puddings before you mai dahn!

 

 

3. Luk Yu Tea House

G-3/F, 24 Stanley Street, Central; 2523 5463

 

Despite its notoriously brusque - borderline rude - service, the fact still remains that Luk Yu Tea House (established in 1933) is an iconic chunk of Hong Kong’s unique history, and a first choice for Assistant Concierge Eddie Ho from The Langham Place. In the heart of the maze of narrow backstreets lined with towering commercial buildings and modern stores, this charming, three-storey heritage building sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s simply impossible to miss the maroon and gold exterior, intricately latticed windows, stained glass panels and stacked, art-deco balconies lined with bright lanterns and plant pots; nostalgic features reminiscent of Hong Kong’s magical yesteryear.

 

Once you’ve been seated, ask for a high chair so your bub can join you at the table. And if they start yawning and dozing off, not to worry - the spacious restaurant accommodates more than enough room for your stroller, so pop your baby in for a nap while you finish off your old-style dai baoand deep fried pork-stuffed glutinous rice ballsin peace.

 

 

GeoBaby recommends...

 

4. DIM SUM

63 Sing Woo Road, Happy Valley; 2834 8893

 

We at GeoBaby aren’t the only ones who are seriously fond of this place - it’s a huge hit with locals and especially tourists, many of whom make the pilgrimage to savour the brilliant food at this dim sum Mecca during their stay in Hong Kong. Although the large sign is in Chinese, you will be able to locate it along Happy Valley’s main street, by looking for its dark, rosewood facade, gold characters, and colonial-influenced decor. As self-proclaimed specialists in the “Art of Chinese Tit-Bits” (hmm, interesting...) Dim Sum’s wide selections of the classics as well as their gourmet specials like their abalone dumplings, are nothing short of exquisite.

 

Just like Dim Sum Square, their menu is presented in the form of a paper slip for you to tick off. If you can’t read Chinese, don’t panic; just ask for their photo guide and the rest is smooth-sailing. Also, if you’re with the young ones, it’s advisable to just stick to going on a weekday as the weekend means long queues and that means restless children!

 

Dishes at Crystal Lotus (www.disneytouristblog.com)

Dishes at Crystal Lotus (Disney Tourist Blog)

 
 

5. Crystal Lotus

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Lantau Island; 3510 6333; www.park.hongkongdisneyland.com

 

If you’ve got a little one, day excursions to Disneyland are probably a trip you make occasionally. So, next time you’re there, why not pop into Crystal Lotus for a hearty dim sum meal, after your mini-me gets their Mickey Mouse and Cinderella fix? Now, we know that amusement park restaurants are usually overpriced like crazy and targeted at tourists without a clue about the exchange rate, but not this one. Plus, out of the six recommendations in this list, this one will excite your kids the most - just wait ‘til the food arrives!

 

Their award-winning menu items come in the shape of the characters from your kid’s favourite Disney movies! Try the Three Little Pigs char siu bao, Toy Story green army pork and veggie bun figures and Mickey’s seafood rice pancakes! If you’re treating your youngsters on their birthdays, make sure you order the Chicken Little steamed lotus seed birthday bunsbecause it is simply adorable!

 
 
 

6. DRAGON-i

UG/F The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central; 3110 1222; www.dragon-i.com.hk

 

A dim sum heaven by day, and a club-slash-model-and-glitterati-hangout by night, Hong Kong’s trendiest hotspot DRAGON-i makes our list of recommendations hands-down! Many of you may only know DRAGON-i to be that place you used to spend your Fridays and Saturdays getting tipsy and partying all night. But did you know they do an all-you-can-eat dim sum buffet from Monday through to Saturday for a great deal ($218 for adults; $108 for kids aged 3 to 11)? And like anything else with DRAGON-i,  they deliver all the way when it comes to the quality of the food!

 

So on Saturdays or on a weekday when your kids have a day off school, gather the whole family and head to DRAGON-i. There is loads of space to park your stroller, but unfortunately, they don’t provide high-chairs, so pack your bibs and portable high-chairs if you’ve got a little messy one! 

 

[UPDATE: Please note that DRAGON-i do provide high-chairs for little diners now - thank you Jacqueline Leahey for letting us know!]

 

 

 

 

 

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Clare Cassidy

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