The 10 Best Dim Sum Restaurants in Calgary for When You’re Craving Authentic Chinese Cuisine
My friends and I used to fight a lot over food, simply because we could never decide on what to eat together.
Some of us would prefer something spicy, while others would be craving something sweet. This made choosing a restaurant extremely challenging and time-consuming.
Thankfully, by some miracle, we discovered dim sum. The huge variety of flavorful dishes ensured that there was something for each of us.
Since we love going around the city, we’ve had the chance to try a lot of dim sum restaurants in different locations. Listed below are the best ones in Calgary that left a lasting impression.
1. Silver Dragon Restaurant
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Address: 106 3 Ave SE
Contact details: +1 403 264 5326
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday to Saturday – 9:00 AM to 10:30 PM
- Sunday – 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Must-order: Salted Egg Yolk Custard Buns
Silver Dragon is one of the many dining establishments you’ll find in Calgary’s bustling Chinatown. They’ve been around since 1966 and we have a feeling that they’ll be sticking around for longer.
When you order, you might think the portions here are small. But with over 200 dishes on the menu, we choose to see it as a chance to try more of their delicious food.
It can be a little overwhelming to decide what to get, but there are a few items that regulars agree on as the best.
The Crystal Shrimp Dumplings are our go-to for fresh, savory goodness. On the other hand, we like to end our meals here with the sweet and creamy Salted Egg Yolk Custard Buns.
Almost everything else on the menu is just as excellent, though. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have stayed in business for this long. So don’t be afraid to order other items, too.
| Pro tip: If you’ve never been to an authentic dim sum restaurant before, Silver Dragon Restaurant is a good place for your first time. They have menus to order from, but the real highlight is the pushcarts from which you can just pick out whatever dish looks good. |
2. U & Me Restaurant
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Address: 233 Centre St S #201
Contact details: +1 403 26 5988
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Must-order: Chicken Feet
U & Me Restaurant places a lot of importance on preparing healthy and nutritious food for their customers. Because of this, they only use the freshest ingredients for their dim sum dishes.
Despite sticking to authentic Chinese flavors, they’re still willing to accommodate dietary preferences. Just let them know if you’d like any changes to your order, and they’ll prepare it in such a way that you won’t even notice anything lacking.
At this restaurant, we always have to order the chicken feet. The sauce they use is so reminiscent of barbecue that we can’t help but indulge.
And for the price that you’ll be paying for these dishes, we bet that you won’t expect just how big their portions are.
| Pro tip: U & Me Restaurant highly recommends only having their dim sum dishes as appetizers. For your main course, you can choose something more filling from the chef’s special menu of the month. |
3. Central Grand Restaurant
Address: 295–1623 Centre St N
Contact details: +1 403 277 2000
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Must-order: Steamed Shrimp Dumplings
Central Grand Restaurant is our go-to place when we start craving authentic Cantonese flavors. Many of the diners here have been customers since the restaurant first opened in 1998.
We find their dim sum menu very convenient since it’s served by size. Depending on the size of your group and your appetites, you can get small, medium, large, or extra-large dim sum plates.
From all the things we’ve tried here, it’s the seafood dishes that really stand out. We especially enjoy the steamed shrimp dumplings because of the generous and tasty filling.
| Pro tip: Central Grand Restaurant is used to hosting big parties and functions. They have 2 VIP rooms which you can book for any kind of private celebration. |
4. Great Taste Chinese Restaurant
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Address: 123 2 Ave SE
Contact details: +1 403 265 9880
Operating Hours:
- Monday, Wednesday to Thursday – 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Friday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM
- Tuesday – Closed
Must-order: Steamed Crab & Pork Dumplings
We can certify that Great Taste Chinese Restaurant lives up to its name. This place blends many Chinese culinary styles to create flavors that lots of Calgarians have fallen in love with.
They’re known for their fast and friendly service. Each dish comes out of the kitchen within 5 to 10 minutes of you ordering and is always served with a smile. Even when the place is busy, the waitstaff still manages to check in and ask you what you think.
We also find their menu to be very useful for first-time diners. They have lots of vibrant pictures showing their dishes so you can find which ones look appealing to you.
Just be sure to try their Steamed Crab & Pork Soup dumplings. These have a rich, savory broth inside that we often find ourselves craving on cold days.
| Pro tip: If you don’t have time to swing by Chinatown to dine at Great Taste Chinese Restaurant, you don’t have to miss out. You can order their dim sum online, and it’ll arrive at your doorstep still hot and ready to eat. |
5. Bill’s Peking House
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Address: 16061 Macleod Trl SE #335
Contact details: +1 403 278 3338
Operating Hours:
- Monday, Wednesday to Thursday – 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Friday to Saturday – 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Sunday – 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Tuesday – Closed
Must-order: Pan-fried Pork Buns
Bill’s Peking House has been a Calgary institution since 1988. They even won an award from the Calgary Herald for being the best Chinese Restaurant in the city back in 2007.
Today, they’re still one of the top choices for dim sum in the area. They make everything fresh daily and it’s reflected in the quality of the food.
We personally prefer their fried dim sum dishes. Their pan-fried pork buns, in particular, taste deliciously complex. While the exterior is crispy and golden brown, the bun is fluffy and the pork filling is juicy.
And although it technically doesn’t count as dim sum, a visit here isn’t complete without trying their Peking Duck. Nothing compares to the mouth-watering taste of the juicy meat with a bit of crispy skin and lots of sweet hoisin sauce.
| Pro tip: Whatever your thoughts are on Bill’s Peking House, make sure to write them down. The staff offers a free drink, tea, or spring rolls to those who make the effort to write a Google review for the restaurant. |
6. Golden Sands Chinese Restaurant
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Address: 5010 Centre St N
Contact details: +1 403 455 2777
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Tuesday, Thursday to Saturday – 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Wednesday – Closed
Must-order: Colorful Crab Meat & Scallop Dumpling
Whenever my friends and I hang out early in the day, we always try and make it to Golden Sands Chinese Restaurant. They only serve their dim sum menu from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM/
You may have heard of this restaurant before because they’ve been included in a lot of magazines’ ‘Top 10 Chinese Restaurants in Calgary’ lists. We can’t help but agree with all of them.
The food here is what you would expect from a Chinese celebration. Each one looks and tastes amazing. Their portions are quite generous as well.
We appreciate that they have lots of vegetarian options too. It’s not just a few plates but a huge selection of perfectly cooked and seasoned vegetable dishes.
The colorful crab meat and scallop dumplings deserve a shout-out. These bite-sized treats are bursting with savory goodness. The whole table usually ends up fighting for the last piece when we order this.
| Pro tip: Those who love taking pictures of their food would love the Golden Sands Chinese Restaurant. Make sure to order the delicious Swan Taro Puffs because they come with an array of colorful, edible flowers. |
7. Cherry Inn Restaurant
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Address: 6722 4 St NE
Contact details: +1 403 274 2282
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday – 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Saturday – 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Sunday – 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Must-order: Grilled Pork Dumplings
Cherry Inn Restaurant has been around for 40 years but many still consider it as a hidden gem. Part of this is because it’s not flashy by any means.
It’s a simple, family-run business that serves traditional Chinese food. However, one thing has made it last this long: their dumplings.
Prepare to lose count of how many pieces you’ve had. I personally would be very happy even if these dumplings were the only things I could eat for a whole week.
But if you want to order it with something else, make sure to get their Ginger Beef. It has this tangy, spicy sauce that we can never get enough of.
Their service is also always on point. The owners are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. It’s hard not to be regulars with how happy they always are when greeting new customers.
| Pro tip: Cherry Inn Restaurant has limited seating, so it’s not uncommon to see it full during the day until the evening. Based on experience, the best time to eat here is right after they open, before noon. |
8. Claypot Asian Food Kitchen
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Address: 2122 Crowchild Trail NW
Contact details: +1 403 452 9855
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Must-order: Smoked Beef Brisket Bao Buns
Claypot Asian Food Kitchen isn’t the kind of place that you would typically associate with dim sum. They have a lot of innovative dishes that you wouldn’t normally see on a Chinese menu.
But it’s because of that creativity that made us include them in this list. We can guarantee that you’ll have a dim sum dining experience here unlike any other.
They only have a limited menu compared to most Chinese restaurants. However, every dish packs a punch. Each one is beautifully plated and bursting with flavor.
A lot of their customers order the noodles and the spring rolls, but our go-to has always been the Smoked Beef Brisket Bao Buns. As appetizers, they’re light, tasty, and have just the right amount of chili that keeps us wanting more.
| Pro tip: Bring your kids to Clay Pot Asian Food Kitchen. Not only do they have kid-friendly dishes, but the animated art that they project on their walls keeps the children entertained. |