LA’s Top 5 Spots for Dim Sum

Hakkasan

In true Beverly Hills style, Hakkasan needed a little work done after just a year since it’s grand opening in 2013. But the fall facelift was well worth it! An expanded bar and general makeover to better compliment the original London location’s styling are gorgeous and alone worth a visit. But the high-end dim sum—including signature items like the golden crispy duck, XO scallop dumplings and roasted silver cod with champagne—is as delicious as always.

Bao Dim Sum House

Authenticity reigns supreme at Bao, which features great space for group dining as well as tucked-away corners for intimate experiences. Here, Hong Kong-style dim sum gets the west coast treatment, as seen in such delicious delicacies as pork and shrimp shumai (seen above) and fishcake. The sharable plates come out hot and fast at Bao, and the expert staff are always willing to suggest a personal favorite or two. A full bar and great sake selection are also the perfect accompaniment.

 The Church Key

Leave it to a hot restaurant on the Sunset Strip to take an ancient dining tradition and give it a little modern spin. The Church Key features outrageous and inventive fusion dishes, carted around the expansive space on dim sum carts (disguised as flight attendant carts) for diners’ enjoyment. If you’re expecting strictly Asian cuisine, however, you’ll be disappointed. Instead, Executive Chef Steve Fretz and his team go worldly and call on the dim-sum tradition of smaller plates and endless options. Church Key’s quintessential New York vibe is a welcome change of pace to California dining, with an industrial chic décor and raucous late-seating crowd.

 Blind Dragon

Care for a little karaoke with your meal? The newly opened Blind Dragon in West Hollywood takes the Chinese restaurant motif and infuses it with a little lounge sexiness, resulting in the playful, chic space that is the talk of the town. Brought to you by the h.wood Group, the force behind other L.A. hotspots including David Arquette’s Bootsy Bellows, Blind Dragon features dim sum dining, strong cocktails and plenty of celeb followers. Three private rooms are also available, starting at $150 an hour, so you and your guests can sing out with a bit of privacy.

Lunasia Dim Sum House

The long-awaited expansion of Alhambra’s Lunasia Chinese Cuisine has finally arrived in the heart of Pasadena in the shape of Lunasia Dim Sum House. With a menu that features no shortage of delicious dim sum options, the worst part of a Lunasia visit is narrowing down what to eat. Lotus lead wraps, salted pork dumplings and Macau-style roasted pork belly are all expertly cooked and plated beautifully. Just make sure to save a little room for their famous golden egg yolk buns and other fantastic dessert dishes.