This guide is part of our review of the Best Dim Sum Restaurants in America. Sign up for our newsletter to get recipes, dining tips and restaurant reviews throughout the year!

Although the history of the Chinese community in Atlanta dates back to the 1890s, it’s commonly agreed that very few Chinese immigrants lived in the city before the Hart–Celler Immigration Act passed in 1965. As a result, Atlanta’s Chinese community lacks the deep Cantonese core found in other cities and includes a more diverse mix of ethnic Chinese from Taiwan, mainland China and other parts of Asia.

Consequently, Atlanta’s dim sum scene lacks a certain stability and depth found in other areas long populated by immigrants from southern China. The fortunes of Atlanta’s dim sum restaurants seem to rise and fall behind kitchen-hopping chefs and the occasional closure opens a culinary gap that can quickly tumble diners toward the provenance of all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets.

» Read more: Our Ultimate Dim Sum Menu Guide with Pictures and Translations

Finding good dim sum in Atlanta requires following the northward migration of the local Chinese community from Buford Highway toward the Gwinnett County suburbs. While venerable dim sum houses like Canton House and Oriental Pearl near the original Buford Highway International Corridor faithfully turn out dim sum classics and collect local “Best of…” awards, more exciting cooking now takes place up the highway in Duluth.

Mirroring patterns in other metropolitan areas with suburban Chinese communities, fresh new restaurants opened as Atlanta’s Chinese community moved northward in the early 2000s. East Pearl Seafood and Best BBQ are lauded for dependable cooking, though enthusiasm among reviews frequently cools as a restaurant matures or loses its chef to another kitchen.

» Read more: The Best Teas for Dim Sum

For now, consider Atlanta’s dim sum landscape a work in a progress. As gateway to the New South, Atlanta stands to benefit as universities and professional opportunities attract more Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans to the area. With time, more restaurants will emerge to serve them and the broader local community.

Read on! Here are the five best dim sum restaurants to try in Atlanta, listed in alphabetical order and shown on a map to help you find them.

Where To Find The Best Dim Sum in Atlanta

Restaurant Key: Classic — big and boisterous, the full dim sum hall experience. Elevated — exceptional views or ambiance create a more refined dining experience. Modern — fusion or innovative takes on dim sum classics. Hole in the Wall — the food’s the only reason to go, and that’s a good thing.

A. Best BBQ Cantonese Cuisine — Hole in the Wall
2300 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Duluth, GA 30096

“…this grocery store on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth holds the answer to my dumpling dreams: dim sum made fresh to order without waiting on carts.” – Creative Loafing

B. Canton House — Classic
4825 Buford Hwy.
Chamblee, GA 30341

“…when you talk about dim sum in Atlanta, Canton House is one of the first names that comes up. The restaurant has consistently won awards for Atlanta’s best dim sum and their packed parking lot often demonstrates just how much it is loved.” – Red Tricycle

C. Dim Sum Heaven — Hole in the Wall
5203 Buford Hwy
Doraville, GA 30340

“I opted for this homey nook that serves dim sum all day. For $30, I had a crazy abundance of little dishes: delightful radish cakes, pan-fried pork dumplings, more patty-shaped dumplings with shrimp and chives…there’s plenty to like about Dim Sum Heaven’s friendly staff and tasty food. Put it on your list.” – myAJC

D. East Pearl Seafood — Classic
1810 Liddell Ln.
Duluth, GA 30098

“…East Pearl serves up some of the tastiest and most innovative dim sum that rivals some of the best. Instead of flashy décor, you get excellent food which is all that really matters anyway.” – Haute Living

E. Oriental Pearl Restaurant — Classic
5399 New Peachtree Rd.
Chamblee, GA 30341

“…dim sum is a proud specialty here, and you’ll find all the standards. But Oriental Pearl also has the stuff you won’t always find elsewhere – platters of rapini in brown sauce, gelatinous, addictive radish cakes, [and] fist-sized fried shrimp balls.” – Georgia Trend

Let us know what you think! Do you have a better restaurant to recommend? Comment below!