Ipoh dim sum
Ipoh is like a mini Penang with its abundance of scrumptious delicacies. Klang Valley peeps would often travel 2 hours there for a day trip to devour all the Ipoh hor fun, tau foo fa, and chicken rice the city has to offer.
More often than not, the feast usually begins with another famous Ipoh offering – dim sum. There are plenty of famous dim sum joints in Ipoh that tourists would usually flock to to get their breakfast fix. If you need help narrowing down your options, check out these 11 dim sum places when you’re planning your next excursion here.
1. Hong Xing – unique dim sum renditions
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Situated right by the highway, it’s easy to make a stop at Hong Xing before journeying back to Kuala Lumpur.
Unlike some dim sum joints that serve you a miniscule prawn in their siew mai, Hong Xing’s dishes look plump and are filled to the brim with fresh ingredients.
Image credit: @qiuhong_0806
There are some unique renditions such as pan-fried fish paste with almond flakes and sunflower seeds alongside usual crowd favourites, siew mai and har gao (shrimp dumplings).
Patrons would also usually rave about their wide variety of creative desserts such as their dragon fruit jelly, mochi, honeydew sago, and more that regular dim sum restaurants don’t serve.
Price range: around RM4 per plate or basket
Address: 35 & 37, Jalan Bercham Bistari 3, Medan Bercham Bestari, Bercham, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: Fri – Wed 7AM-2PM (Closed on Thursdays)
Telephone: 05-545 3779
2. Canning – pork-free dim sum
Image credit: Canning dim sum
Unlike traditional dim sum places that are located in old kopitiams with minimal decor, Canning can be found in a bungalow that has been converted into a shop lot. Their decor is chic, modern, and attractive, so you know you can snap proper images for your IG feed here.
Image credit: @voodoo_doll93
Must-try items on their menu that are rarely found elsewhere include the lala mai (a spin-off from siew mai), smoked duck wrap, abalone dumpling, crispy carrot mochi, and colourful lau sa pau comprising of molten black sesame, salted egg, lotus, chocolate, and yam filling.
Price range: around RM5 per plate or basket
Address: 1, Lebuh Cecil Rae, Taman Canning, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: Thu – Tue 7AM-3.30PM (Closed on Wednesdays)
Telephone: 016-268 0535
3. Zui Le Xuan – sweet dim sum delicacies
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Zui Le Xuan has all the standard dim sum dishes covered, but what makes them stand out is their sweet dim sum delicacies that Chinese dessert lovers can look forward to.
Their molten salted egg yolk bun is their pièce de résistance – sinful, rich, gooey, and hot filling oozes out of a black charcoal bun once you bite into it or tear it open.
Image credit: Chong L., Foursquare
Those still looking to satisfy their sweet tooth should order the malai gao, a 4-layered steamed sponge cake that is light and airy.
Do take note that their menu is not fixed, as new items are added and taken down every now and then, so do give them a call if there’s a particular dish that you’ve been meaning to try.
Price range: around RM4 per plate or basket
Address: 28, Jalan Ng Seong Teik, Taman Pertama, 30100 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: Wed – Mon 7AM-2PM (Closed on Tuesdays)
Telephone: 012-486 0883
4. Yoke Fook Moon – opens for dinner
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Night owls would be happy to hear that Yoke Fook Moon operates both in the morning till noon, and again at night for dinner time.
Located within walking distance of Foh San and Ming Court, 2 other dim sum restaurants that are hugely popular with tourists, Yoke Fook Moon is perfect for those who like to enjoy their dim sum without a large crowd and a long waiting time for a table.
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Their menu is pretty traditional – you will find all your favourite dim sum staples here without the frills, though their char siew bao comes highly recommended. A fluffy white bun stuffed full with well-marinated char siew bits, it’s so popular that some would even pack them by the dozen.
Price range: around RM5 per plate or basket
Address: 65-69, Jalan Leong Sin Nam, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: Thu – Tue 6AM-1.30PM, 6.30PM-10PM (Closed on Wednesdays)
Telephone: 012-501 5616
5. Greentown – halal dim sum
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Greentown is famous among Muslims as it’s the only halal-certified dim sum in Ipoh.
Regular customers liked that the fried items are cooked to order so you won’t get that unpleasant oily, cold fried food taste as with such dishes that have been left out in the open for too long.
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They also have a couple of interesting Malaysian-fusion dim sum dishes such as their durian and cempedak pau.
Those with bigger appetites who tend to gripe about dim sum portions being very bite-sized will be glad to know that Greentown serves other savoury items such as salted egg fried rice, wanton noodles, and pan mee (all around RM8) to better satisfy big eaters.
Price range: around RM5 per plate or basket
Address: 10, Persiaran Greentown 4, Greentown Avenue, 30450 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: Mon, Wed – Fri 9AM-7.30PM | Sat – Sun 8.30AM-8PM (Closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Telephone: 012-398 2010
6. Soon Yuen – handmade Sichuan Beijing-style noodles
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Soon Yuen is a dim sum joint that’s frequently patronised by locals, away from the tourists’ radar. Their dim sum menu is pretty standard, you will find classic favourites such as siew mai, har gao, egg tarts, and the like.
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Even though they mainly serve dim sum, people usually flock there for their house speciality, the handmade Sichuan Beijing-style noodles (starting from RM6.80). The noodles are handmade and cut with a knife instead of a machine, then cooked and served in a piping hot bowl of Sichuan soup.
Price range: around RM5 per plate or basket
Address: 160, Pusat Perdagangan Tasek Indra, 162, Jalan Tasek Timur, Taman Tasek Indra, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: 7.30AM-2PM, Daily
Telephone: 011-1146 1668
7. Sun Kim Aik – huge portions at reasonable prices
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Also another favourite among locals, Sun Kim Aik is located further away from Ipoh town in Menglembu.
It has been around for decades, and is one of the oldest dim sum joints in Ipoh, which means that you’ll be guaranteed an authentic dim sum experience.
Their famous sang yuk pau – steamed pork meat in a fluffy white bun – usually sells out early so make sure you head there before 9AM to grab one.
Price range: around RM3.50 per plate or basket
Address: Jalan Lahat, Taman Falim, 30100 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: Thur – Tue 6.30AM-12.30PM (Closed on Wednesdays)
Telephone: 05-282 2634
8. Ming Court – high-quality dim sum
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Ming Court is one of the most popular dim sum spots in Ipoh. It’s not easy to secure a table here as there’s always a queue, even at 8AM, so do expect to wait 30 to 45 minutes for a table during peak hours.
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Their portion is quite small as the siew mai are literally bite-sized pieces, so big eaters will have to order a number of different plates to fill up their tummies.
Customers often praise Ming Court for their consistency in quality as most of their dishes are generally well-flavoured and well-made.
Price range: around RM3 per plate or basket
Address: 36, Jalan Leong Sin Nam, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: Fri – Wed 6AM-12.30PM
Telephone: 05-255 7134
9. Chooi Yue – unique lau sa pau
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Chooi Yue is a well-known name among locals. Although it’s brimming with people in the morning, it’s located away from the famous dim sum street that’s usually packed with tourists, so you don’t have to worry about facing a queue here.
Their lau sa pau (commonly salted egg yolk bun in dim sum joints) takes a different spin, with its filling being a mix of the usual molten salted egg yolk and pandan. It’s a perfect balance of sweet and salty and an addictive treat that will have you wolfing down more than one.
Price range: around RM4 per plate or basket
Address: 2, 4 & 6, Tingkat Taman Ipoh 12, Taman Ipoh Selatan, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: Fri – Wed 7AM-2PM (Closed on Thursdays)
Telephone: 016-534 5965
10. Hong Kong Dim Sum BFB – neighbourhood kopitiam dim sum
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A neighbourhood kopitiam dim sum catering to locals, Hong Kong BFB is another joint that offers patrons a more peaceful dining experience without a huge crowd.
Their deep-fried yam cake is recommended as it has the right amount of yam and meat filling to create a balanced bite, and it’s not too oily as well.
Reviews liked that their portions are just nice, not too big nor too small, so you can try out more varieties of the bite-sized snacks.
Price range: around RM3 per plate or basket
Address: 61, Persiaran Bandar Baru Tambun 16, Taman Ipoh Impian, 31400 Ipoh Garden, Perak
Opening hours: 6.30AM-1.30PM, Daily
Telephone: 010-220 3812
11. Nam Heong – the original Ipoh dim sum
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Nam Heong is a familiar household name not just in Ipoh, but in the Klang Valley too. These days, you can find a Nam Heong franchise outlet in most malls, but if you want a taste of the original Ipoh dim sum, head over to the rustic, non-air-conditioned Nam Heong kopitiam to savour their iconic egg tarts and white coffee.
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There’s often a long wait for their egg tarts (RM2.30 per piece) and it’s easy to see why. The pastries are baked daily right at the coffee shop, and the aroma of those freshly baked tarts every morning will have you salivating as you wait for your turn. Smooth, warm egg custard in a flaky, soft crust, Nam Heong’s egg tarts are hard to beat indeed.
Address: 2, Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours: 7AM-5.30PM, Daily
Telephone: 012-588 8766
Wide variety of dim sum places in Ipoh
Dim sum is truly an evergreen meal that people from all walks of life will enjoy, especially since there are now vegetarian and halal options available. From steamed to fried, savoury to sweet dishes, it’s a brunch that will satisfy all your tastebuds.
And with Ipoh already being a food haven, you will have all your meals, from breakfast to supper, well taken care of.
For more out-of-KL food guides, check these out:
- Bakeries in Penang for bread, pastry, and cake lovers
- 11 must-try local Sabah food
- 9 Semenyih food places for cheap eats below RM8
Cover image adapted from: @duet.foodies and @tyeatsalot