Everyone should try a dim sum meal at least once, as much for the atmosphere as the food. It's eaten primarily for breakfast or lunch, or as an afternoon snack with tea. On weekends, restaurants offering dim sum (mostly Cantonese restaurants) are packed with local families. On weekdays, they're popular with shoppers and businesspeople. Prices are low and you order only as much as you want. Simply look over the steaming baskets being pushed around by trolley and choose what appeals to you. Fancier restaurants, particularly those in hotels, offer dim sum from an English menu rather than carts; they claim that since the food is cooked to order, it is fresher, but the prices are also higher. In most restaurants that offer dim sum, one pays by the basket, and each basket usually contains two to four items of dim sum; the average price is about HK$20 to HK$30 (US$2.60-US$3.90). The prices given below, unless otherwise specified, are per basket; expect to spend HK$60 to HK$100 (US$7.80-US$13) per person for a light meal. You'll find most of the restaurants below serve more than dim sum. However, since dim sum is such a special Chinese tradition, they are emphasized here.

Kowloon

The Chinese CANTONESE--A refined, modern, and fancy setting for dim sum, with correspondingly high prices. There are no trolleys here, but there's a dim sum menu with about 20 different offerings.

In the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 67 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. tel. 852/2311 1234, ext. 2881. Dim sum HK$28-HK$48 (US$3.65-US$6.25). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:45pm and Sun 10:30am-2:45pm for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

City Chiuchow Restaurant CHIU CHOW--Although it's a Chiu Chow restaurant, this place serves its own dim sum, which is not too surprising if you consider that Chiu Chow food has been greatly influenced by Cantonese food.

East Ocean Centre, 98 Granville Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui East. tel. 852/2723 6226. Dim sum HK$16-HK$25 (US$2.10-US$3.25). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11am-4pm for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Fook Lam Moon CANTONESE--This is a Hong Kong old-timer, with an atmosphere that is reminiscent of an earlier era. There aren't any trolleys here, however--just a Chinese menu. Ask an English-speaking waiter for translations.

53-59 Kimberley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. tel. 852/2366 0286. Dim sum HK$26-HK$60 (US$3.40-US$7.80). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Jade Garden Chinese Restaurant CANTONESE--An easy place for the uninitiated, this Cantonese chain is tourist-friendly and conveniently situated across from the Star Ferry terminus. It offers views of Victoria Harbour and trolleys of dim sum. There's another branch at 25-31 Carnarvon Rd. (tel. 852/2369 8311; MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui), serving dim sum daily from 7:30am to 5pm.

Star House (4th floor), 3 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. tel. 852/2730 6888. Dim sum HK$16-HK$38 (US$2.10-US$4.95). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 11am-3pm, Sun and holidays 10am-3pm, for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Serenade Chinese Restaurant CANONTESE--This is my top choice for inexpensive dim sum with a view. Located up on the first floor of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, next to the Star Ferry, it offers views of Victoria Harbour and dim sum served from trolleys. Bright and cheerful, it's more upmarket than some but more casual than hotel restaurants.

Hong Kong Cultural Centre (1st floor), Restaurant Block, Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. tel. 852/2722 0932. Dim sum HK$13-HK$40 (US$1.70-US$5.20). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 11am-3:30pm, Sun and holidays 10am-3:30pm, for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Shang Palace CANTONESE--One of Kowloon's most elaborate Chinese restaurants comes complete with red-lacquered walls and Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Because it provides a menu in English, this is a great place to try dim sum for the first time, not to mention the fact that its dim sum is among the best in town--a bit more expensive, but worth it. Choose your dim sum from the menu, which changes every 2 weeks and always includes more than a dozen varieties.

In the Shangri-La Hotel, 64 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui East. tel. 852/2733 8754. Dim sum HK$28-HK$40 (US$3.65-US$5.20). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, Sun and holidays 10:30am-3pm, for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Spring Moon CANTONESE--As you'd expect from a restaurant in the venerable Peninsula hotel, this is a very refined and civilized place for the humble dim sum, with an English menu that lists more than a dozen dim sum and more than two dozen varieties of Chinese teas available for lunch. In addition, from 3 to 4:30pm, there's a Chinese version of the British afternoon tea, with a fixed-price menu for dim sum and tea (HK$165/US$21). The restaurant is decorated in an Art Deco style reminiscent of how the restaurant would have looked in 1928, the year The Peninsula opened, with cuisine that changes with the season.

In The Peninsula hotel, Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. tel. 852/2920 2888. Dim sum HK$38-HK$54 (US$4.95-US$7). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Super Star Seafood Restaurant CANTONESE/SEAFOOD--This lively and popular seafood restaurant, filled with locals, is one of Tsim Sha Tsui's best places for trying authentic dim sum in a typical Chinese setting. There's no English menu, so you'll just have to look at the offerings of the various trolleys.

83-97 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. tel. 852/2366 0878. Dim sum HK$15-HK$36 (US$1.95-US$4.65). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 7am-5pm for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Tsui Hang Village Restaurant CANTONESE--Tsui Hang Village, a modern restaurant located in a shopping complex across from the Miramar Hotel, offers inexpensive plates of dim sum. There's a branch across the harbor on the second floor of the New World Tower, 16-18 Queen's Rd., Central (tel. 852/2524 2012; MTR: Central), serving dim sum Saturday from 11am to 5pm and Sunday and holidays from 10am to 5pm.

Miramar Plaza, 1 Kimberley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. tel. 852/2368 6363. Dim sum HK$18-HK$38 (US$2.35-US$4.95). AE, MC, V. Mon-Sat 11:30am-5pm, Sun and holidays 10am-5pm, for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Yan Toh Heen CANTONESE--One of Hong Kong's top Cantonese eateries, this elegant restaurant with large windows treats diners to views of the harbor. A daily changing menu offers about two dozen varieties of dim sum.

In the InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. tel. 852/2721 1211. Dim sum HK$30-HK$60 (US$3.90-US$7.80). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon-2:30pm for dim sum. MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui.

Central

Luk Yu Tea House CANTONESE--The most authentic dim sum teahouse in Hong Kong is often so packed with regulars that mere tourists can't get a seat. Furthermore, trolleys with dim sum are pushed through the place only until 11am, after which there's only a Chinese menu. Yet it's worth the effort to come here; try to bring along a Chinese friend to help you with your selections.

24-26 Stanley St., Central. tel. 852/2523 5464. Dim sum HK$25-HK$55 (US$3.25-US$7.15). No credit cards. Daily 7am-5:30pm for dim sum. MTR: Central.

Shanghai Garden SHANGHAINESE--Popular with area office workers for lunch, this pleasant restaurant offers dim sum from its lunchtime menu.

Hutchinson House (1st floor), Murray Rd., Central. tel. 852/2524 8181. Dim sum HK$18-HK$48 (US$2.35-US$6.25). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am-3pm for dim sum. MTR: Central.

The Square CANTONESE--This smartly decorated restaurant, next to Hong Kong Station, offers only a dozen or so dim sum on weekdays but a greatly expanded dim sum menu on weekends and holidays. The steamed barbecued pork buns here are among the best I've had. Try to reserve a window seat from which you can watch the Star Ferry as it comes and goes from the Central pier.

Exchange Sq. II, Central. tel. 852/2525 1163. Dim sum HK$16-HK$58 (US$2.10-US$7.55) weekdays, HK$40-HK$58 (US$5.20-US$7.55) weekends and holidays. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11am-3pm for dim sum. MTR: Central.

Yung Kee CANTONESE--Famous for its roast goose, Yung Kee also offers dim sum weekday afternoons and throughout most of the day on Sunday, with an English dim sum menu.

32-40 Wellington St., Central. tel. 852/2522 1624. Dim sum HK$14-HK$24 (US$1.80-US$3.10). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 2-5pm, Sun and holidays 11am-5pm, for dim sum. MTR: Central.

Zen Chinese CANTONESE--Starkly modern and hip, this Cantonese restaurant offers dim sum daily from an English menu, with more varieties available on the weekend.

The Mall, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Central. tel. 852/2845 4555. Dim sum HK$28-HK$48 (US$3.65-US$6.25). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, Sat 11:30am-4:30pm, Sun 10:30am-4:30pm, for dim sum. MTR: Admiralty.

Wan Chai

Fook Lam Moon CANTONESE--This branch of the well-known, expensive Cantonese restaurant offers dim sum from a Chinese menu only (no trolleys). Ask an English-speaking waiter for translations.

35-45 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai. tel. 852/2866 0663. Dim sum HK$26-HK$60 (US$3.40-US$7.80). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am-3pm. MTR: Wan Chai.