Tim Ho Wan's Sham Shui Po storefront has once again landed in the latest Michelin Guide, extending the dim sum brand's run to 17 straight years of recognition. The fresh nod arrives in the chain's first full year under the Jollibee Group and in the middle of an international growth push that includes a newly reopened, company-operated outpost in Irvine, California. For both diners and investors, it is a neatly timed test of whether a hand-crafted dim sum legacy can scale without losing its edge.
Sham Shui Po Snags Another Bib Gourmand
The Sham Shui Po branch appears in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau as a Bib Gourmand, the tag Michelin reserves for spots that serve high-quality food at good value. That listing, along with Tim Ho Wan's 17-year streak in Michelin selections, was spotlighted in a MediaOutReach release carried by Voice of Alexandria.
Jollibee Bets On Training To Protect Craft
The Jollibee Group credits chef training, tighter operations, and careful sourcing for keeping Tim Ho Wan on Michelin's radar even as the brand grows. "Tim Ho Wan's recognition in the Michelin Guide is a reflection of the care and discipline behind the brand," Jollibee Group CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong said in a company statement, according to the group's announcement. The Jollibee Group has made that stewardship pitch central to its expansion story.
The Expansion By The Numbers
The case is backed by sizable metrics. Reporting on the brand's performance shows Tim Ho Wan's system-wide sales jumping from roughly Php1.3 billion in 2024 to about Php8.1 billion in 2025, while its Hong Kong footprint doubled to 10 locations in roughly a year. Those figures were laid out in coverage of the group's results that cast Tim Ho Wan as a fast-rising contributor to Jollibee's international portfolio, as reported by BusinessWorld.
Irvine Brings Michelin-Recognized Dim Sum To SoCal
Stateside, Southern California diners are already feeling the ripple effect. The company's first company-operated North American location has reopened in Irvine's Diamond Jamboree shopping center, serving Tim Ho Wan's signature baked barbecue pork buns alongside Irvine-only items, according to local reporting from Eater LA. The chain's U.S. website lists the Irvine shop among its active locations and lays out the broader American footprint and operating hours, per Tim Ho Wan USA.
From 20 Seats to a Global Dim Sum Brand
Tim Ho Wan started as a tiny 20-seat shop founded by Mak Kwai Pui and Leung Fai Keung, then shot to global fame after earning a Michelin star within its first year, a rise noted for years in regional coverage. The full takeover by a Jollibee subsidiary closed in January 2025, shifting control of operations and giving the new owners room to standardize training and supply chains, according to local business reporting. Philstar detailed the acquisition terms and the rationale behind the move.
What Comes Next
Looking ahead, Jollibee has sketched out aggressive international targets for Tim Ho Wan, using a profitable Hong Kong base as the quality benchmark while opening new company-operated and franchised stores overseas. For now, the storyline is fairly straightforward: a Hong Kong dim sum concept that once made headlines as the world's cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant is being reshaped into a scalable global brand, and that Michelin recognition remains a core part of its pitch. The Jollibee Group says future expansion will continue to track against Hong Kong quality standards as new markets come online.
