My favorite kind of meal is one where I never have to open a menu, and in Florida, dim sum halls make that dream real. Rolling carts squeak past your table stacked with bamboo steamers, and all you have to do is point at whatever smells amazing.
Half the fun is the surprise, watching the next cart appear before you’ve even finished the shrimp dumplings on your plate. Grab a pot of hot tea, bring some hungry friends, and let the carts do the work.
1. Tropical Chinese Restaurant, Miami, FL
Weekend lunch at this Bird Road institution feels like a family reunion you weren’t officially invited to, but everyone’s happy you showed up. Carts loaded with steamers wheel from table to table, and you simply nod at the ones you want.
The kitchen turns out classics that keep locals loyal, from steamed shrimp dumplings called har gow to leek dumplings for the vegan crowd. Peking duck and shrimp wonton soup round out the heavier hitters if the small plates leave you wanting more…