Dim Sum Dreams: The Best Yum Cha Restos in Adelaide
Yum cha is a Chinese dining tradition featuring a range of dim sum dishes, often served with tea and eaten in groups.
Adelaide has its yum-cha game on lock, with restaurants like Star Dumplings and Ding Hao. They bring a variety of flavors and combinations, from authentic to modern ones.
Craving some? We got you! This article is the sauce for the CBD’s finest yum cha offerings.
Chef Dong
Address: 3/103 Payneham Rd, St Peters, SA 5069
Contact Details: (08) 8362 8878
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Tue – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
- Wed – Closed
- Thu to Sun – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
Chef Dong’s yum cha is as authentic as their traditional Chinese decor. For $20 to $40, you can get your taste buds on some next-level dumplings here.
The steamed sweet prawn and chive dumplings are a hit. Each bite of the soft, pillowy bun reveals succulent pork, a medley of fresh vegetables, and a rich, flavorful sauce.
Their earthy eggplant with black bean sauce adds more magic to the yum cha chow. The flavor can get too strong, though, but the creamy custard buns with egg yolks have this covered.
Kingdom Chinese Restaurant
From foodie_bites_
Address: 130 Grote St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8123 6498
Operating Hours: Daily – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9 pm
When it comes to top-tier Cantonese-style yum cha, Kingdom Chinese Restaurant is a big boss. Their umami-filled shark fin dumplings are top sellers, hitting that perfect balance of being savory and tender.
Spinach dumplings also grace the tables here, letting vegetarians in on the yum cha feast. But if you need something meatier, the savory and salty Shanghai pork and beef balls will do the trick.
Grab the sticky rice rolls as your sweet finale, and you can also cleanse your palate with their hot Chinese green tea.
Seng Kee Yum Cha
From fodisloved
Address: Market Plaza Food Court, Central Market, 95 Grote St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8123 6498
Operating Hours: Daily – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9 pm
Nestled right between Adelaide Central Market and Moonta Place, Seng Kee Yum Cha Restaurant is the perfect joint for those in need of a quick lunch. You can stroll in without the hassle of making reservations.
As for the food, our top pick is the scallop dumplings packed with prawns and coriander. The steamed beef tripe, a salty dim sum with meat from a cow’s stomach, is another must-try here.
Their specialty dessert, the creamy and sweet custard egg tarts, are also phenomenal. The only downside here is the lack of variety and food trolleys (you must line up to order), but their yum cha bites’ freshness and quality are top-notch.
Star Dumplings
Address: 27b Moonta St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: 0450 703 899
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 11 am to 9:30 pm
- Fri to Sat – 11 am to 10 pm
- Sun – 11 am to 9:30 pm
Star Dumplings isn’t as big as its competitors, but their yum cha is absolutely stellar. The fried pork and chicken dumplings have little grease, while the steamed prawn buns offer freshness and succulence.
And don’t even think about forgetting their homemade chili oil. This one is a dynamite sidekick, elevating the dumplings’ savory flavor, especially the steamed pork dim sum.
The waiting time is also just around 10 to 20 minutes, and it’s cozy inside, with just a few outdoor seats to snag. Moreover, their pricing won’t break the bank, with 15 dumplings costing around $12 to $15.
Fuji Dim Sims Hut
Address: 22 Field St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: 0425 633 311
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Fri 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9:30 pm
- Sat to Sun – 10:30 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9:30 pm
Fuji Dim Sims Hut’s yum cha highlight is the braised pork belly gua bao. This is a Taiwanese street food staple with melt-in-your-mouth pork belly wrapped in a folded bun resembling a taco.
But don’t forget the egg buns, offering a savory, sweet, and creamy combination, or the BBQ buns with smoky and peppery pork that truly steals the spotlight.
And since we love exceptional noodles and broth, their aromatic and spiced-up dumpling soup gets a shoutout. It’s particularly better on nippy winter nights.
Empress Restaurant
Address: 351 Greenhill Rd, Toorak Gardens, SA 5065
Contact Details: (08) 8333 1789
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Fri – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9:30 pm
- Sat to Sun – 10:30 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9:30 pm
Empress Restaurant is yum cha royalty, with over 30 years of culinary experience. We always go for the Shanghainese pork buns, little pockets of porky heaven—juicy, savory, and best topped with chili oil and a bit of lime or vinegar.
If you want to savor something new, don’t sleep on their yum cha specialty, the sweet and sour cold chicken feet with pickles. Gobble this with their trademark pork and chicken buns filled with BBQ sauce, and it’s a foodie fiesta done right.
Cap your meal with the jin deui, sweet sesame seed balls oozing with a sweet red bean or lotus paste.
T-Chow Chinese Restaurant
Address: 68 Moonta St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: 0449 534 688
Operating Hours: Daily – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
T-CHow Chinese Restaurant’s yum cha boasts authentic and unique flavors. They’re dishing out Chinese prawn, pork, and chicken dumplings with subtle sweetness and intense savoriness.
And if you’re rolling with team veggies, their vegetarian dumplings with tofu, scallions, and cabbages are pure plant-powered goodies.
For those brave enough to try something new, they serve jellyfish and shredded duck. It’s a garlicky and savory treat combining the unique gummy texture of jellyfish and the rich, gamey flavor of the duck.
Citi Zen Restaurant
Address: 401 King William St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8212 8383
Operating Hours:
- Mon – 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm
- Tue – Closed
- Wed to Sun – 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Citi Zen Restaurant is another spot for an on-point Cantonese yum cha experience. The best start is the veg tofu roll, which offers a fresh and slightly nutty taste.
On the other hand, their meat roll with oyster sauce is a savory grub. The tender meat harmonizes flawlessly with the thick oyster sauce.
This resto also has some banger noodles, particularly the ice noodles stuffed with prawn meat and drenched in sweet soy sauce. Round it all off with the sweet and chewy coconut sago jelly, and you’ll know why this spot is highly rated.
Ding Hao
Address: 36 Wright St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Detail: (08) 8211 7036
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
- Fri to Sat – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 11 pm
- Sun – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
Ding Hao’s yum cha is one of the most sought in Adelaide. This Chinese joint’s sweet and smoky char siew bao (BBQ pork buns) are some of the best chow in Wright St.
Our team’s go-to, though, is the char siu sou, a flaky pork pastry with a sublime mix of sweet and savory BBQ pork. This goes hard with the lo bok go, radish cake with a tender interior featuring gentle umami hints.
Star House Chinese Restaurant
Address: 1/31-39 Gouger St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8221 6303
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Fri – 11 am to 3:30 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
- Sat to Sun – 10:30 am to 3:30 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
Star House Chinese Restaurant is the cozy hangout where Chinese fams come to chill for the relaxed vibes and authentic (but a bit pricey) food. If you want to try all their yum cha highlights, it might cost you around $40 to $60.
But you’ll get your money’s worth with their top-tier steamed scallops and prawn dumplings. You can’t go wrong with their BBQ pork buns too.
Additionally, their Chinese donuts offer an irresistible sweet and savory profile. These are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside treat is a chart-topper among the kids.
Shanghai Teahouse Port Adelaide
Address: 220 Commercial Rd, Port Adelaide, SA 5015
Contact Details: (08) 8117 5852
Operating Hours:
- Mon – Closed
- Tue to Fri – 11:30 am to 9 pm
- Sat – 11 am to 1- pm
- Sun – 11:30 pm to 9 pm
Shanghai Teahouse isn’t messing around with their steamed dim sums. These savory bad boys are loaded with minced pork, cabbage, and eggs.
Plus, you can dunk them in homemade soy sauce or sweet chili sauce.
The shallot pancake is unmissable. It teems with spring onions blended in pastry and a side of homemade soy sauce made with a secret familial recipe.
And, of course, this is a teahouse, so prepare for some refreshing blends with their iconic green tea varieties. The Biluochun tea (“green snail spring”) is our favorite, with its fresh, vegetal flavor featuring sweet and nutty undertones.
Eastern Garden Chinese Restaurant
Address: Next to the Hoyts Cinema, Shop 15/185 The Parade, Norwood, SA 5067
Contact Details: (08) 8332 8606
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9 pm
- Fri to Sat – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
- Sun – 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9 pm
Eastern Garden Chinese Restaurant knows how to deliver remarkable yum cha flavors. Their spicy ox tripe offers a fiery kick with a tender, chewy texture, while the steamed stuffed tofu is a delicate blend of savory and silky goodness.
The sticky rice rolls are a satisfying combo of chewy rice and savory fillings, and the minced pork and peanut dumplings pop with savory nutty richness.
But our favorites are the prawn and lobster dumplings. They bring together sweet, briny, and umami notes.
