🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Sleep in and you'll miss the best meal of the day in Phuket, because the standout dim sum shops start serving from 5:30 to 6am, and many sell out before noon. The dim sum here was shaped by Hokkien and Cantonese Chinese who came to mine tin more than a century ago, so the flavors lean traditional — small baskets, easy prices, and often bak kut teh, congee, or wonton noodles served alongside.
10 dim sum breakfast spots Phuket locals actually go to
Ordered by age, popularity, and consistent reviews — not a verdict on who's tastier, since each shop has its own strengths. To be clear, prices and hours are approximate, so double-check with the shop.
Boonrat Dim Sum
A Phuket legend, making Cantonese-style dim sum from the original recipe for over a hundred years. Dozens of freshly steamed baskets, from har gow and shumai to all kinds of filled buns. It's packed before the sky even lightens, so if you want a seat you have to go genuinely early.
Juan Heang
Another shop over a hundred years old that Phuket locals treat as their regular. You'll spot it by the big dim sum steamer out front, with baskets puffing steam all morning. The dim sum is generously filled, and there's bak kut teh and single-plate dishes to order on the side.
Heng Heng
A full breakfast spot with steamed dim sum, fried items, khanom jeen, khao yam, and bak kut teh in a fragrant peppery broth. It's less hectic than the most famous shops, and the staff speak English — good if you want a relaxed meal without fighting for a table.
Super Dimsum
The draw here is that it stays open through midday, good for late risers. Plenty of dim sum to choose from, both steamed and fried, all fresh, plus bak kut teh, wonton noodles, and the full range of hot drinks. Mid-range prices.
Yok Dim Sum
A more modern setting than the old shops, with dim sum arranged in a glass case so you pick your own. Clean, friendly prices, and a good fit for families or anyone who'd rather sit comfortably in the air-con.
Jejai
Known for steamed buns with several generous fillings, plus fried crab spring rolls that a lot of people order again. It sits a little outside the old-town core near the bus terminal, but it's worth the trip.
Chuan Heang
Another old dim sum shop that's been going for over a hundred years, a snapshot of authentic Phuket-Chinese breakfast culture. Traditional baskets, flavors that aren't flashy but feel familiar to locals.
Kopitiam by Wilai
On Thalang Road right in the old town, decorated in retro style with historic Phuket photos. It isn't a pure dim sum shop, but it's a kopitiam where you can have a Peranakan-style breakfast. The standouts are stir-fried Hokkien mee and old-style coffee. It opens later than the dim sum shops, so it works for a late breakfast.
Rong Kopi
A retro kopitiam-style cafe with a photogenic setting. The highlights are old-style coffee and kaya toast spread with coconut custard. Good if you want the feel of an old coffee shop but with comfortable seating.
Kopi De Phuket
Local Phuket food paired with fresh coffee, on Thalang Road, serving both regional savory dishes and coffee. Good for anyone who wants southern Phuket-style food with a coffee in the old town without having to wake up too early.
Tips for a great dim sum run
The old shops like Boonrat and Juan Heang get very crowded and sell out fast, so if you want every basket, arriving before 7am is the safer bet. Late risers should pick Super Dimsum, which stays open till noon, or head into one of the old-town kopitiams that open later instead.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Phuket food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
What is "kopi," the old-style coffee, and why pair it with dim sum?
The word kopi comes from Malay and means coffee, while tiam comes from the word for an old inn — together, a kopitiam is the traditional coffee shop found across Southeast Asia, in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Phuket took this culture on fully. The old-style coffee here is brewed through a cloth sock, dark-roasted, sweetened with condensed milk, and bold enough to cut through the richness of dim sum. Locals almost always order a hot kopi or hot tea to go with their baskets.
- Hot kopi — black coffee with sweetened condensed milk, intense, the best match for dim sum
- Oliang — iced black coffee with sugar, refreshing in the heat
- Hot tea / black tea — for non-coffee drinkers, cuts through the fried items nicely
- Kaya toast — toast spread with coconut custard, the classic snack with old-style coffee
Dim sum dishes not to miss
Har gow / shumai
The basics every shop has — translucent shrimp har gow and minced-pork shumai. Start with these two.
Filled steamed buns
Char siu, custard, and bean fillings, steamed soft and hot. Some shops, like Jejai, offer several fillings to choose from.
Fried crab spring rolls
Crisp fried rolls with crab filling, a standout at several shops. Order alongside the steamed items for a full spread.
Bak kut teh
Pork-rib soup simmered with pepper and Chinese herbs, hot and fragrant. Have it with rice or just sip it on its own.
Straight talk
Many of Phuket's dim sum shops are old-school places — tables can be tight, parking is limited, and some are mainly cash. Bring cash and brace for queues on long weekends. But that's exactly the charm of eating breakfast like a real Phuket local.
Want a full-day Phuket Old Town plan, starting with a dim sum breakfast?
See the Phuket Old Town guide →