Level 1, 1 Teed St, Newmarket, ph (09) 523 3696
Mama Kan set up Pearl Garden back in 1975 with just eight tables, 30 plates and 30 bowls. The restaurant has grown massively, but still harks back to these humble beginnings, with younger generations of the Kan family still working in the restaurant.
The smiling service is some of the most chipper we've seen during a bustling mid-morning yum cha service - giving us a sense there's a lot of pride in these delicious dim sum. The pork and cashew dumplings are worth a try and the prawn toast with slithered almonds was good enough to convince those who weren't sold on yum cha that this cuisine is worth a rave.
We suggest snagging a seat in the covered courtyard out the back among the delightfully tacky decorations. We've been lucky with tables here, but do yourself a favour and make a booking to save a long wait in the stairwell on busy mornings.
Photo / Steven McNicholl
2. Dragon Boat
7/3 Elliot St, Auckland Central, ph (09) 379 6996
This Elliot St eatery is a favourite with inner-city workers we've spoken to. The ever-attentive service makes for a quick and satisfying turnaround, great if you're in a hurry. The pork siu mai are carefully wrapped in silky pastry that slides around in the soy sauce and tastes perfect, our dish of the day. The prawn and coriander steamed buns were bulging beauties, not too sticky (if you leave them to cool a little) and full of flavour. The dessert tray appealed, filled with rainbow-coloured cakes and custards, although yum cha sweets don't usually do it for us - with the exception of an occasional mango pancake. A minor note: we did fork out a little more for this yum cha lunch than the others in our top five.
3. Sun World
2a York St, Newmarket, ph (09) 520 3218
This Newmarket Chinese restaurant was packed the first time we popped in, with more than an hour waiting on the grubby street for a table - to be fair it was 1pm on a Sunday, dim sum prime time. Our subsequent Sun World encounter was also a Sunday, but earlier, more like brunch - and we were quickly seated. Take this tip, or book a table. Either way, yum cha lovers need to sample the delicious goods and standout service here.
The eager and helpful staff bring a bit of banter, laughing along with us as they approach the table. The waiter refills our tea, brings new plates and recommends his own favourite dishes for us to try - prawn and spinach and prawn-only steamed dumplings; pork sui mai and a gelatinous and sweet sesame balls. They don't disappoint. We also can't go past the steamed pork buns - it would be rude to come to Sun World and not sample the fluffy, sweet and well-stuffed balls.
4. Grand Harbour
Photo / Getty Images
18-28 Custom St West, Auckland Central, ph (09) 357 6889
We can't have a best yum cha list without mentioning crowd-favourite Grand Harbour. This downtown spot, open for more than a decade, is the most well-known and arguably well-loved yum cha destination in Auckland - just ask any of the hungry patrons overflowing out the doors waiting for a table on any given weekend. My food-loving friends with an Asian heritage tell me this is the most authentic Hong Kong-style yum cha you can get in the City of Sails. These guys cater for massive groups, with space to seat up to 300, and Grand Harbour circulates more than 70 types of steaming dim sum around the restaurant.
Among our favourites are the crunchy prawn cutlets and the prawn and snowpea steamed dumplings. If you can, grab a table near the kitchen so you get first dibs on the fresh goodies - a perfect place to spin around steamers of dumplings on the lazy susan.
5. Jade Dragon
Photo / Richard Robinson
72-78 Victoria Street West, Auckland Central, ph (09) 363 6000
The streets around Sky City are undergoing a major facelift, and we can't wait to see the finished pedestrian-friendly product. Among the dining gems in this part of town is Jade Dragon, up a few escalators in the Sky Tower building. You're best off sitting on the express side, cosying up in one of the wall-side booths to pick the best plates as the trolleys bustle past. The opposite side feels more formal and lacks the yum cha buzz. Yum cha lovers always have their go-to dishes, so once again we recommend this place's pork buns and any selection of the steamed dumplings. The Asian greens add a hint of healthy to your meal - well-cooked, with a bit of crunch, and just the right amount of oyster sauce: not so salty your tongue curls up. Treat yourself to a couple of larger plates - the crispy squid and sweet and sour pork are worth it.
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