I’ve spent years eating my way through Chinatown’s dim sum restaurants, and I’ve picked up the proper customs along the way. Mostly by watching what regular diners do and asking questions. The number of times I’ve seen people order their entire meal in one go, or completely miss the tea signals, is honestly quite funny. But these little things actually matter if you want to get the full experience. So here’s what I’ve learned about doing dim sum properly in Chinatown, without looking like it’s your first time.
1. Master the tea ceremony
The whole tea thing is bigger than you’d think at dim sum. When someone pours for you, tap two fingers on the table. It’s a thank you gesture. There’s this story about how it comes from a Qing dynasty emperor who travelled disguised as a regular person. His companions couldn’t bow to him without giving away who he was, so they used their fingers instead to show respect.
Pour for everyone else before filling your own cup. Start with whoever’s oldest at your table, then go round. Here’s the clever bit: when you need more tea, just tilt the lid so it’s sitting askew on top of the pot, or flip it upside down. Staff clock this straight away and bring you a fresh pot. Much better than trying to catch their eye.
2. Order strategically, not all at once
Right, this is where most people mess up. Don’t order everything in one massive go. It arrives lukewarm and takes up your whole table, which is awkward.
Start with maybe 2 or 3 dishes per person. Stick to steamed things first. You want har gow (the prawn dumplings), siu mai (pork and prawn ones), and char siu bao (those fluffy BBQ pork buns). Get those sorted, then see what else takes your fancy once you’ve tried them.
The whole point is to order in rounds. Fresh stuff keeps coming out hot from the steamer, you’re not drowning in food, and you can actually try different things without committing to a mountain of it.
3. Use chopsticks properly
Quick chopstick rules that actually matter: never stick them upright in your rice. It looks like funeral incense and makes people uncomfortable. Don’t point them at anyone, and definitely don’t stab your food with them like a fork.
When you’re taking something from a shared plate, flip your chopsticks round and use the end you haven’t had in your mouth. Or just use the serving spoons. That works too. Sounds fussy but it makes sense when you’re all sharing from the same plates.
One more thing: don’t rub wooden chopsticks together to get rid of splinters. Makes it look like you think the place is dodgy. Most Chinatown restaurants use decent chopsticks anyway.
4. Share dishes the right way
The whole meal’s designed for sharing. Each basket usually has 3 or 4 pieces, and everyone just helps themselves. When something new arrives, give it a second before diving in. Lets people say if they don’t want any.
The lazy Susan (that turntable thing) needs to go clockwise. Never spin it when someone’s mid-reach. You’ll end up whacking them or sending their food flying. If what you want is on the far side, just ask someone to pass it over.
5. Know what to order beyond the basics
Once you’ve got the basics down, branch out a bit. Cheung fun (those silky rice noodle rolls) are brilliant. Get them with prawns or char siu. Lo bak go sounds weird (it’s turnip cake) but when they pan-fry it so it’s crispy on the outside? Genuinely one of the best things on the menu.
Chicken feet divide people, I’ll be honest. The texture’s a bit odd at first but they’re worth trying. It’s all about that sticky black bean sauce anyway. For pudding, custard lava buns or egg tarts are your safest bet. Golden Phoenix and Orient on Gerrard Street do really good versions of all these.
6. Time your visit wisely
Traditionally, dim sum’s a late morning through early afternoon thing. Though loads of Chinatown places serve it all day now, which is handy. Best time to go is between 12 and 2pm. Everything’s coming out fresh and hot.
Weekends get absolutely rammed. Sunday dim sum is a proper family tradition, so expect queues. Go on a weekday lunchtime if you can. It’s quieter and you won’t be waiting ages for a table.
7. Look for quality indicators
When you’re hunting for the best dim sum Chinatown London has, look at who’s eating there. If it’s full of Chinese families, that’s usually a solid sign. Listen out for whether people are speaking Cantonese. Another good indicator.
Skip anywhere with massive picture menus outside and staff practically dragging people in off the street. The actually good places don’t need to try that hard.
8. Understand the bill and service
Most places stamp a little card on your table every time something arrives. That’s your bill. Some still do the trolley thing where you pick as they wheel past, though it’s getting rarer.
Service charge is usually 12.5%. Check your bill because some add it automatically, some don’t. If you’re paying cash, just round up a bit instead of leaving random coins scattered everywhere.
Final thoughts
Honestly, dim sum etiquette isn’t as complicated as it sounds once you’ve done it a few times. Just pace yourself, share everything, and pay attention to those little customs. They matter more than you’d think.
Grab a table somewhere on Gerrard Street, bring some mates, and give it a proper go. Makes a massive difference when you actually know what you’re doing.
Disclosure: This is a paid guest post provided by a third party.