Yum cha — the weekend dim sum ritual — is sacred in Markham's Cantonese community. Here are the best spots in 2026.
1. Casa Imperial — Cathedral Town
The benchmark. Cart service, traditional menu, no shortcuts.
2. Crown Princess — Steeles East
The longstanding favourite for serious yum cha. Get there by 10 AM weekends.
3. Pearl Garden — Highway 7
Modern, busy, consistent. Service is fast even at peak.
4. Diamond Banquet — Times Square
Slightly under-the-radar; excellent dim sum and a quieter room.
5. Lobster King — Pacific Mall area
Best for groups. Lobster preparations are the showpiece; dim sum is excellent supporting cast.
6. Phoenix Garden — Highway 7
Quiet neighbourhood favourite; standout shrimp dumplings.
7. Forestview — Markham Road
Cantonese-Hakka crossover; the BBQ pork buns are city-best.
The yum cha menu, decoded
Steamed dumplings: har gow, siu mai, chiu chao fan guo. BBQ: char siu bao, BBQ pork bun. Rice rolls: cheung fun with shrimp, beef, or pork. Fried: spring rolls, sesame balls. Vegetable: gai lan with oyster sauce. Dessert: mango pudding, egg tarts. Drink: tea (jasmine or pu'er).
See our complete dim sum guide for more.
About the Author
Food & Dining Editor
Marcus Wong has been writing about food in the Greater Toronto Area for over a decade. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Unionville, he brings a lifelong appreciation for Cantonese and Pan-Asian cuisine to his restaurant reviews, alongside an enthusiasm for the increasingly diverse dining scene across Markham and Richmond Hill. He visits every restaurant he writes about, almost always more than once, and pays for his own meals.
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