7 dim sum restaurants in Burnaby you need to try

Growing up, one of my fondest memories was having dim sum with my extended family. Not only was it the time to see my grandparents and play with my cousins, it was also the time for me to indulge in har gow, siu mai, and tiny flakey egg tarts. We’re sure many Beacon Readers have missed socializing over steamers and plates of tiny delights, and we have just the list for you.

Here are some of the best dim sum restaurants in Burnaby.

Highly rated by the locals, this dim sum restaurant at Delta Hotel is a great place to go for a hearty dim sum lunch with the family. It has a wide variety of dim sum to choose from with some interesting flavour combinations, such as the steamed rice roll with shrimp and pickled radish, and its grand decor and friendly service are appreciated by many returning customers.

Address: 4331 Dominion Street

For those who are craving dim sum but don’t have much time for the full dining experience, this Shanghai style dim sum restaurant at the Crystal Mall has got you covered. Its juicy Shanghai style steamed pork buns (xiao long bao) and pan-fried pork buns (sheng jian bao) are especially popular, so be sure to check them out!

Address: Food Court at The Crystal Mall (4500 Kingsway)

Located in Royal Oak, this location was occupied by several generations of dim sum restaurants. The latest occupant, Joyful Seafood Restaurant, has been quite popular with local dim sum lovers because of its authentic dim sum. It offers quite a few vegetarian options, such as steamed rice rolls with mixed mushrooms and stir-fried buddha’s delight.

Address: 5665 Kingsway

Further down Kingsway towards Edmonds is another busy dim sum restaurant, Lee Garden. Reservations are recommended as there is usually a wait. It does traditional dim sum flavours well, and adds in delicious twists such as black truffle in vegetarian dumplings and corn and cordyceps militaris in steamed rice rolls.

Address: 6401 Kingsway Street

This Shanghai-style dim sum restaurant in Metrotown is perfect for those who want a casual experience with delicious and juicy dumplings and buns. It’s a small restaurant with a less extensive menu, but its steamed soup buns (xiao long bao) and pan-fried pork buns (sheng jian bao) are flavourful and authentically Shanghainese. It also has refreshing desserts such as taro tapioca and the purple stew, perfect to end a meal with.

Address: 4689 Kingsway Street

Originally a wonton noodle restaurant, Neptune Wonton Noodle now serves delicious and creative dim sum as well. Cute cartoony dim sum were all the craze a couple of years ago, but they’re quite hard to find these days. Pop into Neptune Wonton Noodle for a cute turtle pineapple bun or a fluffy strawberry mousse bear!

Address: 4405 Central Boulevard, 2nd Floor

Located just outside Burnaby, Western Lake is the gold standard for many in the metro Vancouver area. To make up for their comparatively limited dim sum selection, their portions are big and affordable. A staple in the local community, they recently raised over $10,000 for the BC Children’s Hospital’s COVID-19 Response Fund.

Address: 4989 Victoria Drive, Vancouver