Dim sum is a meal where you point at a passing cart, grab a few small plates, and somehow end up with a table covered in dumplings, buns, and custard tarts. California has some of the best places in the country to eat this way, from giant banquet halls in the San Gabriel Valley to busy dining rooms in San Diego, San Jose, and Sacramento.
This list covers seven restaurants that still roll out the carts and serve the classics, plus a few dishes you might not find anywhere else. Skip breakfast, bring friends who like to share, and save this list for your next weekend brunch.
1. NBC Seafood Restaurant, Monterey Park, CA
Early risers get a real advantage here, since the doors open at 8 AM every single day of the week. That makes NBC Seafood one of the easier dim sum stops in the San Gabriel Valley to fit into a morning plan.
The dining room is a huge banquet hall at 404 S Atlantic Blvd, and the carts keep moving through it. Expect a lively, busy scene on weekends, when crowds pack the place from morning into the afternoon…