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Best Cantonese Har Gow in Toronto

“A proper har gow has a precise number of pleats — traditionally at least seven — and dim sum chefs are judged by diners on this detail alone.”

Cantonese Har Gow

What the real thing tastes like

Whole shrimp are wrapped in a wheat-starch-and-tapioca-starch dough (not wheat flour, which would turn opaque and chewy), hand-pleated into a specific fold count, and steamed until the wrapper turns translucent enough to see the pink shrimp through it. The wrapper's thinness without tearing is one of the hardest skills in dim sum kitchens.

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Reviewers judge wrapper translucency and thinness (should be barely there, never gummy or thick) alongside shrimp freshness and snap. Torn or overly thick wrappers are treated as a clear sign of a rushed or inexperienced kitchen.

Order it here when it has

  • delicate thin wrapper
  • fresh snappy shrimp
  • beautifully pleated

Walk away when you see

  • wrapper tears if mishandled
  • small portions
  • bland without dip

Restaurant-level rankings for Toronto land as the Polydish review engine processes this city's reviews. Explore the dish itself while you wait —

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