NeoGuides / Dim Sum Decoded / And To Drink?

It's not called yum cha for nothing – alcohol is not a typical accompaniment to this meal. There are generally several varieties of tea available, but if you don't specify you'll get the default, which is usually oolong.

Other options include:

Po lay cha (pu erh in Mandarin), a strong, fermented tea, believed to aid digestion

Guk fa cha (ju hua in Mandarin), chrysanthemum tea with a sweet floral fragrance and a light taste

Teet Kwun Yum, also known as Iron Buddha tea, a variety of oolong believed to be helpful in lowering cholesterol

Lung Jiang, also known as Dragon Well, a very popular light green tea, named for the source of water used to soak the leaves prior to fermentation.

When you want more tea, simply lift the lid of the teapot and replace it at an angle (as if to let the steam escape). Someone will whisk it away and bring you a refill.