A modern bistro serving authentic Cantonese-style dim sums
Hong Kong Bistro in the International District was introduced to us by a friend. I told him about my endless love for Asian food, and he said he knew the best dim sum place in Seattle.
And he wasn’t wrong…
I first dined at Hong Kong Bistro in 2021 and immediately fell in love with their dim sum.
There are so many options to choose from, and without fail, we always end up overeating here
I usually get so full eating all the dumplings that I never get the chance to try the main course menu, but I’ve promised myself I’ll do that this year. Let me know if you’ve tried it or have any favorites, I’m especially interested in the Hainan chicken rice and Peking duck.
Another thing I love is the neon font and signage, it feels very Hong Kong. If only the buildings around it were closer and taller.
Hong Kong Bistro is the kind of place you stumble into once and then start recommending to everyone who’ll listen.
This is one of the older restaurants in Chinatown, owned by Yixiu Li and Tianbin Liang, and runs on a simple philosophy: dim sum should be “fresh and hot because we make it when you order,”
The interior is built like a traditional Cantonese café, with servers constantly running around taking orders and bringing plates to the table.
But they also have a modern touch with contemporary artwork, earth-tone wood, modern furnitures, challenging the old stereotypes.
These kinds of fast-paced eateries emerged during colonial rule in Hong Kong and blended traditional and Western influences in what is called a cha chaan teng, which translates to “tea restaurant.”
Because the orders take a while to arrive, I always find myself amused by the hustle and watching people react to their first bite.
I always hear hums of “hmm” and “so good.”, which makes me chuckle thinking I’m going to do the same in a matter of minutes.
Hong Kong Bistro is a steady presence in a neighborhood where older restaurants are constantly fighting to stay open.
If you’re tracing Seattle’s food institutions, Hong Kong Bistro isn’t just another dim sum place; it’s a story of fresh-to-order Cantonese cooking, a modernized Chinatown dining room, and a late-night café keeping Hong Kong flavors alive in the heart of the ID.
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