The Resy Guide to Dim Sum in Boston
With its frequent pushcart parades and bite-sized morsels tucked into steamer baskets, dim sum in Boston certainly boasts a level of pomp superior to most dining experiences. By one interpretation, it is Cantonese for “touch the heart,” and that it does. Its small dishes are typically served from breakfast to late-brunch hours, and are perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea.
With Boston’s Chinatown holding strong as America’s third largest and New England’s only ethnic Chinese enclave, dim sum culture has been embraced in local dining since the neighborhood’s founding over a century ago. Although some restaurants here traded in traditional table-to-table cart service for à la carte menus during pandemic times, this remains a shareable feast — perhaps now more than ever. Order a slew of dishes to cover your table with everything from chicken feet and shrimp rice noodles to sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves and egg yolk buns.
As part of our celebration of the form, we’ve gathered up some of our favorite dim sum places in and around Boston. So there’s only one thing left to say — let’s go!
