Singapore's Dim Sum Scene Has Never Been This Good

Whether you're the type to queue at 6am for freshly steamed har gow or prefer a lazy weekend brunch with bottomless siu mai, Singapore's dim sum game is stacked. From heritage hawker stalls pushing out trolleys since the 1970s to sleek hotel restaurants plating up truffle-laced dumplings, the city has a bamboo basket for every budget. We ate our way through dozens of spots and narrowed it down to the 30 absolute best — here are the standouts you need to hit first.

Hotel Heavy Hitters

If you want dim sum with white tablecloths and impeccable service, the hotel restaurants deliver. Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza remains a perennial favourite, with their baked barbecue pork buns consistently ranking among the city's finest. Expect to spend around S$50-80 per person for a full spread. Shang Palace at Shangri-La Singapore is another powerhouse, where Chef Mok Kit Keung's delicate prawn dumplings and custard buns justify the premium pricing. For a celebratory dim sum session, Summer Palace at Regent Singapore has been turning out Cantonese classics for decades, and the pan-fried carrot cake alone is worth the trip.

Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant

📍 320 Orchard Road, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, Singapore 238865

📞 +65 6831 4605

⏰ Sat-Sun 10.30am-2.30pm (dim sum brunch)

🗺 View on Google Maps

Shang Palace

📍 22 Orange Grove Road, Shangri-La Singapore, Singapore 258350

📞 +65 6213 4473

🗺 View on Google Maps

Best Bang for Your Buck

Not every great dim sum experience requires a hotel lobby. Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant in Jalan Besar is a late-night institution — open till 6am on weekends — where regulars swear by the mee sua kueh and signature liu sha bao at around S$4-6 per dish. It's loud, it's packed, and the fluorescent lighting is deeply unflattering, but you'll keep going back. Dim Dim Sum along Mosque Street in Chinatown offers Hong Kong-style baskets at hawker-friendly prices starting from S$3.80, while Victor's Kitchen draws a loyal Cantonese crowd to its Sunshine Plaza outlet for no-frills classics done right.

Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant

📍 183-191 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208882

📞 +65 6225 7788

⏰ Mon-Sat 6pm-6am, Sun 10am-3pm & 6pm-6am

🗺 View on Google Maps

Buffet-Style Dim Sum Worth the Splurge

For those who want quantity alongside quality, several spots run all-you-can-eat dim sum deals that actually deliver. Crystal Jade Golden Palace at Paragon offers a weekend dim sum buffet from around S$58++ per adult, featuring over 40 items including their acclaimed xiao long bao and char siew sou. Yàn at National Gallery Singapore pairs elegant surroundings with a rotating dim sum menu that's a step above most hotel buffets — the chilli crab xiao long bao is a local twist that actually works. If you're further east, Peach Garden at Hotel Changi runs a weekend brunch with harbor views and generous portions that make the journey worthwhile.

Crystal Jade Golden Palace

📍 290 Orchard Road, #03-22 Paragon, Singapore 238859

📞 +65 6734 6866

🗺 View on Google Maps

Hidden Gems and Hawker Finds

Some of the best dim sum in Singapore hides in the most unassuming spots. Zi Yean Bistro is a kopitiam-style operation where retired hotel chefs turn out restaurant-grade har gow at hawker prices — think S$1.50-3 per piece. Lim's Kitchen at Alexandra Village Food Centre does a brisk morning trade in siew mai and glutinous rice that disappears by noon. And for something different, Tim Ho Wan — the Michelin-starred Hong Kong import at Plaza Singapura — still draws queues for its baked BBQ pork buns at around S$5.50 for three.

Tim Ho Wan

📍 68 Orchard Road, #04-29 Plaza Singapura, Singapore 238839

⏰ Daily 10am-9.30pm

🗺 View on Google Maps

The Verdict

Singapore's dim sum scene runs deep, and honestly, you could eat a different spot every weekend for a year without repeating. But if you're only hitting one this month, make it Swee Choon for the atmosphere and value, or Wan Hao if you want to treat yourself. Grab a group of four, order too much, and argue over the last siu mai — that's dim sum done right.