Lunasia Dim Sum House(Alhambra)
Dim sum restaurant · Alhambra ·
Jumbo dim sum, chef specialties, and traditional dishes
Jumbo dim sum, chef specialties, and traditional dishes
"It’s always a good time for dim sum, and no one does it better than Lunasia Dim Sum House, where har gow, shu mai, bao, and chicken feet are made to order (no carts) and served from morning to night. Dishes can lean pricey thanks to modern touches like black truffle and gold leaf, but portions are generous and it’s best enjoyed with a group to sample widely. I make a beeline for the massive pork shu mai and the deep-fried crispy shrimp rolls with their crackly, light texture; the panda bun isn’t the most delicious item, but it’s definitely the cutest. You need a vegetable, period, so get the pan-fried broccoli with garlic—one order is big enough for the table—and I usually add the house-special cucumbers, too. A variety of teas (chrysanthemum was a welcome flavor) arrive in heavy iron kettles. Across locations in Alhambra, Pasadena, Torrance, and Cerritos, quality stays consistent; at the Pasadena outpost, parking is scarce but two stories of seating make it easier to snag a table after brunch hours, and it sits next door to Badash Bakes for a treat while you wait. Insider tip: take advantage of the all-day hours; brunch lines can hit an hour or more at all locations, but parties of at least eight can reserve to skip the wait." - Sarah Medina
"When it comes to the realm of dim sum, Lunasia is king. We’ve yet to find a single miss on their 100+ item menu, but if you are, for some reason, not ordering enough food to feed an entire football team, here’s the game plan: Jumbo pork siu mai, followed by pan-fried string beans. A crunchy shrimp roll. Add in an order of the Macau-style roasted pork belly, before finishing with one or two of the shrimp har gow, depending on your level of stir-craziness. All three of their locations (Alhambra, Pasadena, and Cerritos) are open for delivery and takeout, call or order through their app." - kat hong
"The time has finally come for your inner circle to meet your significant other’s inner circle, and the pressure of a full sit-down dinner is just too much. Good news - there’s always Lunasia. The all-day dim sum spot in Alhambra is a SGV staple, and serves some of our favorite pork siu-mai dumplings in town. The gigantic dining room feels more like a banquet hall than a restaurant, and is filled with massive round tables that guarantee everyone will have multiple options for conversation." - brant cox
"Anyone who’s ever had brunch in this town knows one thing—you’re going to wait in line. The most unfortunate part? It’s rarely ever worth the wait. Except, of course, if we’re talking about dim sum at Lunasia. The space and menu aren’t much different than the other top dim sum places in the SGV. But the difference here is that the food simply tastes better. While we’ve been impressed with almost everything we’ve tried, you’ll want to go in with the game plan, which for us means the pork siu-mai, spinach and shrimp dumplings, and the pan-fried string beans with minced pork." - cathy park, sylvio martins, brant cox, andrew ryce
"What To Order: Jumbo Siu Mai, Spinach Dumpling, Egg Custard Tart Few places have done more to spread the dim sum gospel across LA than Lunasia, which in addition to its original location in Alhambra, now has branches in Pasadena, Torrance, and Cerritos. Unlike other dim sum restaurants that might switch over to a broader Cantonese menu once brunchtime is over, Lunasia commits to all dim sum, all the time. And that focus pays off. You’ll find a mix of traditional dim sum and splashier items decorated with squid ink or dabs of caviar, but in general everything on Lunasia’s 100-plus item menu ranges from solid to impressive, including their glorious, signature softball-sized siu mai. The Alhambra flagship, which is basically a giant luxury dining hall at bottom of a big apartment complex, has the best food and longest waits, but if there’s another branch closer to you, it’s probably your best bet for a classic dim sum experience." - garrett snyder, brant cox, fiona chandra, sylvio martins
