Yum cha is a lively affair where friends and families sip endless tea, swap stories, and demolish baskets of dumplings together. The term yum cha is derived from Cantonese words yám meaning ‘to drink’ and chàh, ‘tea’ — literally ‘to drink tea!’. Sydneysiders — known for their love of brunch — have embraced this mid-morning Cantonese tradition. Most weekends you’ll spot lines of hungry Sydney folk outside yum cha eateries, ready to grab a table, wave down a trolley lady or ‘auntie’, and tuck into fresh pork buns, yellow-hued tarts and crunchy chicken’s feet — all washed down with fragrant Jasmine tea.
1 Royal Palace Seafood Restaurant, Haymarket
Brimming with happy patrons, this is one of Sydney’s old-school yum cha institutions. Located in the heart of Chinatown, it boasts quintessential decor of seafood tanks and white tablecloths, and attracts locals and tourists with its high-quality Cantonese food and fast-paced service. Diners keep coming back for mango pancakes, red rice rolls and fried mochi balls with black sesame filling. Expect lots of plate clinking, chopstick tapping and tea sipping while you eat your fill.
Where: 393-399 Sussex St, Haymarket
royalpalace.au
2 One Dining Teahouse and Restaurant, Darling Harbour
Prefer yum cha with a side of serenity? Nowhere rivals the tranquility of One Dining Teahouse, inside the Chinese Garden of Friendship. Hint: you may want to save this venue for a fancy grown-ups-only dining experience. The setting and menu are both designed to be slowly savoured — contemporary design and Cantonese delicacies await, all with views of lily ponds and gardens. A highlight of the Yum Cha Set Menu is the colourful, hand-folded dumplings, each bursting with flavour.
Where: Corner Pier Street & Harbour Street, Darling Harbour
onedining.com.au
3 Ocean Treasure, Cabramatta
Gather the entire crew for yum cha at this sprawling modern eatery inside Cabramatta Bowls Club. Under the skilled direction of acclaimed chef Stevenson Su, the menu boasts innovative Cantonese delights as well as all-time favourites like steamed dumplings (siu mai) and salt and pepper lobster. Try Su’s signature Lychee Prawn, with a ‘lychee’ look, the perfect crunch and juicy prawn inside, or the delicious crowd pleaser, Steamed Pyramid Shaped Pork Belly. Ocean Treasure seats up to 300 diners and has free parking on site, ideal for large gatherings.
Where: 82 Longfield Street, Cabramatta
cabrabowls.com.au/oceantreasurecabramatta
4 Feng You Dim Sim, Hurstville
This petite no-frills eatery in Hurstville doesn’t have the traditional trolley ladies, just simple dim sim made fresh to order. Sit indoors or out in the pet-friendly courtyard, circle what you’d like on the paper menu, then sip tea while you wait. All the Cantonese mainstays are here: har gao, siu mai and rice noodle rolls, with the crisp and chewy pan-fried Chinese chive dumplings a fragrant standout.
Where: 164 Forest Rd, Hurstville
instagram.com/fengyoudimsim
5 Golden Century, Crown Sydney
The original Golden Century in Sydney’s Chinatown was legendary — a beloved late-night spot for rockstars, politicians and chefs grabbing a bite post-shift. Closing in 2021 amid COVID chaos, Golden Century left fond memories of tablecloths streaked with XO sauce from its cult XO Pippies, under the glow of fish tanks. Thankfully, founders Eric and Linda Wong have reinvented their culinary magic at Crown Sydney. Expect sparkling harbour views instead of seafood tanks, elegant banquette seating, first-rate yum cha and the signature Golden Century people-watching scene.
Where: Crown Sydney, Level 3/1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo
crownsydney.com.au
6 Star Capital Seafood Restaurant, Chatswood
Chatswood has an authentic Chinese foodie scene, and a local fave is this bustling Hong Kong-style yum cha restaurant with traditional decor and friendly staff pushing dim sum carts. The atmosphere is lively — perfect for weekend family feasts. Enjoy plump shrimp dumplings, silky yellow-hued egg custard tarts, and roast pork rice. Star Capital also gets the thumbs up from Recipe Tin Eats’ Nagi Maehashi — she loves the generous portions, authentic dumplings and on-point service.
Where: 399 Victoria Ave, Chatswood
7 The Panda Yum Cha, Macquarie Park
This upscale Chinese restaurant in Northern Sydney offers an elevated yum cha experience, ideal for elegant family dining. The whimsical interior is reminiscent of a Chinese market with decorative bamboo screens, tufts of greenery, and a jostle of woven lanterns on the ceiling. Order via QR code or peruse the trolley offerings, like spinach and prawn dumplings, and XO stir-fried radish cake. Room for more? You’ll love the Panda Buns with Black Sesame, almost too cute to eat.
Where: Shop 3390/55-61 Talavera Rd, Macquarie Park
pandayumcha.com
8 Vinh Phat, Cabramatta
Vinh Phat has been serving affordable Cantonese-Vietnamese cuisine since 1985, drawing food-loving Sydneysiders who eagerly line up for a table. There’s no flashy decor or website, just consistent flavours, good-value options and a cheerful atmosphere. At Vinh Phat, queue as early as possible for your yum cha fix. Among their biggest crowd pleasers are century egg congee, mango pancakes and the Teochew-style deep-fried tofu skin rolls filled with prawn and water chestnut, simultaneously crunchy and juicy.
Where: 12/10 Hughes St, Cabramatta
9 Garden Palace, Haymarket
One of Sydney’s newest additions to the yum cha scene, Garden Palace promises an authentic and satisfying dim sum dining experience. The trolley ladies are friendly, the chicken feet are tender and the custard tarts are warm and flaky. Bright, modern and airy, the restaurant is located on Level 2 of the Chinatown Centre. Be sure to try some of the 10 varieties of cheung fun (rice noodle rolls), served fresh from the kitchen — not from the carts — so don’t forget to ask for them. We love the crunchy and chewy lettuce and fried donut version.
Where: Level 2, 405/411 Sussex St, Haymarket
10 Royal Treasure, Burwood
For a spirited, old-world yum cha outing in Sydney, the spacious Royal Treasure is known for its energetic atmosphere and time-honoured flavours. There’s always the joyful din of diners, carts being wheeled around and a touch of typical yum cha family chaos. Among Royal Treasure’s popular dishes are zha liang — crispy Chinese fried dough (youtiao) wrapped in silky rice noodles; simple stir-fried kale with a touch of garlic; and tender pork ribs in black bean sauce.
Where: Shop 16, Level 2, 27-31 Belmore Street Emerald Square, Burwood
royaltreasure.com.au
