Kiem Hing Dim Sum: Paramaribo's Morning Dumpling Ritual
Steaming bamboo baskets and iced tea just north of downtown
Why Go
Long before the rest of Paramaribo wakes up, the kitchen at Kiem Hing is already folding shrimp har gow and stacking bamboo steamers. This Grote Combeweg institution is where locals go for the city's most beloved dim sum-only-in-the-morning ritual, a delicious hangover from Suriname's century-plus Chinese heritage that you won't find written up in most guidebooks.
The Experience
Kiem Hing feels less like a tourist restaurant and more like a neighborhood clubhouse. Families crowd around round tables passing steamer baskets, aunties sip strong iced tea, and the servers keep the trolley moving without ceremony. It's bright, unfussy, a little clattery, and gone by 12:30 sharp on weekdays. Come hungry, come early, and be ready to point at whatever looks good on someone else's table.
What to Try
Order wide: shrimp har gow, pork siu mai, cha siu bao (barbecue pork buns), and the pan-fried radish cake are the classics locals reach for first. Don't skip the chicken feet if you're adventurous, and pair everything with a tall glass of house-made iced tea or a fresh tropical smoothie. If you're staying for a bigger meal, ask what's coming out of the hot pot kitchen that morning.
Insider Tip
Sunday is the destination day, both because they open at 08:00 (a half hour earlier than weekdays) and because it's the traditional Surinamese-Chinese family brunch outing, so the atmosphere is at its liveliest. Arrive before 09:30 to snag a table without a wait, and remember the whole place shuts by early afternoon, so this is a breakfast/brunch stop, never a dinner one. Cash is your safest bet.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Grote Combeweg 30A, Paramaribo, a short taxi ride north of the historic center. Hours: Tue-Sat 08:30-12:30, Sun 08:00-13:30, closed Monday. Phone: +597 473565 or +597 818 0200. Price range is very reasonable by international standards - a filling dim sum breakfast for two usually lands in the low SRD range. Order-ahead is available via Bestel.sr if you'd rather take it back to your hotel.
Pair It With
- Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (UNESCO) — After dumplings, walk 10-15 minutes south into the UNESCO-listed colonial center to burn off the calories along the wooden Dutch-Caribbean facades of Waterkant.
- Palmentuin — The royal palm garden is a short stroll from Grote Combeweg and makes a perfect shady digestif spot before the midday heat hits.
- Central Market (Centrale Markt) — Since Kiem Hing closes by early afternoon, chain your morning into a visit to the buzzing riverside market for spices, produce, and a look at multicultural Suriname in action.
- Fort Zeelandia — The 17th-century riverside fort and its museum are a natural next stop after brunch, an easy taxi or 20-minute walk from the restaurant.