When the mood for yum cha strikes, nothing will satisfy you until you are among the carts piled high with baskets containing all your favourite morsels. Everyone deserves to experience this absolute satisfaction, but sadly it can be tricky to weed out the dodgy yum cha serving up lukewarm, rubbery dim sum, from the greats cooking up steaming parcels of pure heaven.
Not to worry, we have done the hard yards for you and compiled a list utter gems in the Brisbane yum cha scene. Here are our top picks of the best yum cha restaurants in Brisbane.
Landmark
Sunnybank and Chermside
Known for their phenomenal yum cha is Landmark Restaurant. Brisbanites come from far and wide to eat at this iconic yum cha style restaurant, known for its authenticity and utterly amazing roast duck. The tea selection is also something to write home about, so grab a bamboo basket and start eating.
7 Palace
Inala
Tucked away in Inala, this yum cha, seafood, and Chinese restaurant is well worth the drive out of the CBD. Whether you're after breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anything in between, 7 Palace is there to bring you the goods on the daily. Specialising in their seafood dishes you can order an entire fresh crab if you're a sea critter lover, and for dessert, nothing beats their classic custard tart or mango pancakes.
Bamboo Basket
Southbank
Not quite your traditional yum cha but too good not to mention is Bamboo Basket. Have a seat in their restaurant with a full view of the skilled chefs cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Witness first-hand the delicate art of assembling every kind of dumpling under the sun. We recommend the soup dumplings; they are a work of art, wonder, and magic all wrapped up in a delicious parcel.
Chu The Phat
West End
This Asian fusion spot dishes up baskets and baskets of yum cha dishes to wash down with bubbly Aperol spritzes every Sunday. Bonus, Chu The Phat's yum cha feast will only set you back $30pp. For that price you’ll get a selection of vegetable spring rolls, prawn toast, chicken ribs, steamed duck buns, wok greens and dumplings in flavours like prawn and garlic chive, pork and cabbage, wagyu beef, pan fried mackerel and, wait for it, vegemite and cheese. Do we even need to mention you can sip on free iced tea while you wait for those bamboo baskets to come piling out?
Golden Lane
Sunnybank
Serving up what has to be every yum cha dish in the world is Golden Lane. This stylish restaurant seats 300 people, feeding everyone a fresh take on traditional Chinese food. By applying both Eastern and Western cooking techniques Golden Lane moves with the times, enhancing traditional cuisine rather than getting stuck in it. Stop by for their legendary dim sum and you won’t be disappointed.
Yum Cha Cuisine
Carindale
Rocking nine locations in South-East Queensland (the closest being Carindale) is Yum Cha Cuisine. This franchise is award-winning and does yum cha right. Providing a chilled environment to relax, share food, and chow down on some quality bao, Yum Cha Cuisine never fails to bring us the best when it comes to all forms of Chinese-style bites.
King Tea
Paddington
It's always a good time for yum cha, and at King Tea, the earlier the better. Every Saturday and Sunday, the modern Chinese spot dishes up 1.5 hours of all you can eat dumplings and small plates between 10am–11.30am—for the bargain price of $20pp. Hellooo bulk spring rolls and potstickers for brunch, goodbye being able to do up the top button of our jeans.
Brisbane Phoenix
Brisbane City
Whether you’re a yum cha regular or you’re completely new to the joys of over ordering baskets of pork xiao long bao and having to basically roll yourself home, Brisbane Phoenix will be sure to have you grabbing the chopsticks for a feast of epic proportions. A dark and moody restaurant, with a black, red and gold colour palette reflecting its Chinese origins, Brisbane Phoenix will have you lost for words at the sight of their specialties like crab xiao bao and prawn and garlic chive dumplings.
Haoke
Sunnybank
To wrap up we have another Sunnybank fave, Haoke Chinese Seafood Restaurant. Though a tad small, this place is the real deal, leaving the cosmetic trimmings of other, lesser yum cha aside and focusing all their attention on the food. The offerings are traditional, tasty, and legitimately brilliant, as is the fact that they are open until 2am 7 days a week. Midnight spring rolls anyone?
King of Kings
Fortitude Valley
Lording over Chinatown Mall is a Fortitude Valley veteran, King of Kings. As one of Brisbane’s most iconic spots for yum cha, King of Kings is filled with a bustling energy unlike any other place. It has been synonymous with old-school yum cha for decades and within that time, the menu hasn’t changed much, and that’s a big part of the appeal. They’ve also got one hell of an egg-custard tart recipe.
Taste Gallery
Sunnybank
For something delightfully fresh, tasty and a bit different, hit up Sunnybank’s Taste Gallery. The restaurant's menu is loaded with traditional favourites and some epic vegetarian options. Try a few of their house specialties, including shallot pancakes and steamed mini pork buns—you won’t be disappointed.