Cai’s Dim Sum Teahouse

We went here on a Wednesday evening and were the only guests in the place. It was a special buffet set up that night so we got to serve ourselves. The food was quite good and the husband and wife who own the place were very friendly. We will definitely go again as its unique to find authentic Chinese food in this area.

We went to Brattleboro during 4^th of July weekend and on the first evening looking for a place to eat (already tired and hungry over the long drive from Hoboken) quick search in Unilocal returned this place. I called and Adam mentioned that although it was advisable to have prior notice but they would be happy to host a quick dinner. The food was delicious. Adam and his wife were very nice hosts. Adam also gave us some ideas on what to do and what to see. Really glad we found this place!!!

This afternoon we has the chance to try out Cai’s Dim Sum while spending the afternoon at Gallery Walk. We originally decided to try this stand after seeing the fresh dumplings being made, but while waiting in line our mouths began to water looking at all the other delicious foods.
We ended up purchasing an order of dumplings, a pork bun and a tea egg which were all great. The dumpling filling was incredibly fresh and the pork bun had a great consistency. The tea egg didn’t quite suit our taste, but our friends loved them.
In the end the food was great, the staff was polite and the whole experience was enjoyable. The only critiques were that the price was a bit high, the line took a while and paying a dollar to swipe our credit card was unexpected.

13 of us thoroughly enjoyed a remarkable dim sum brunch here this past Sunday. Most of us had not yet dined here although a few of us were familiar with Cai’s culinary skills by way of Brattleboro Farmer’s Market. I think I speak for everyone there when I say we’d go back in a heartbeat!
The space itself is part art gallery, featuring chef Cai’s lovely paintings, and part dining room. As our food was being prepared our host Adam made us feel most comfortable, even offering us slippers as is customary in many Chinese homes. Once the food began to arrive we settled in for a true feast. We had all placed our orders in advance so Cai and Adam would have all the ingredients on hand and as fresh as possible. They not only filled our orders but made additional to insure all had a taste, not just the person (s) who placed the orders. Platters of food streamed from the kitchen. Several types of dumplings and buns (both meat & veggie), stir-​fried greens & ginger, shrimp stuffed cucumber, marinated eggplant, fish & tofu soup, won ton soup, Vietnamese spring roll, Gong Bao Jim Ding (chicken, cashew, jicama, sweet pepper), stir fried beef, Da Bing (scallion pan-​fried bread). We were every bit as stuffed as Cai’s delicious dumplings when we left.
Thank you Adam and Cai for a dining experience that was every bit as much fun as it was tasty, we shall return!

This place is absolutely excellent — it was, by far, the best meal I have had in quite some time and the best meal I had in Vermont. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, the prices were very reasonable, and the art was beautiful.
Cai’s Dim Sum does not have any regular hours (contrary to what the Unilocal listing indicates), and they only take reservations by appointment. My friend and I dropped by unannounced and we were very pleasantly surprised they could accommodate us. As our meal was being prepared, the chef’s husband showed us around the gallery and gave us a mini private tour. The chef, who prepared excellent food, is also a very talented artist. The husband was incredibly friendly, and a lot of fun to talk to. He waited on us during the evening and was attentive but not at all overbearing.
We went a little overboard and ordered about ten items off the menu and everything was delicious. The greens (chard) and garlic were good, the rice noodles with tofu and turmeric were good, the Vietamese spring rolls were good. My favorite dish, however, was the vegan soup with yam noodles, which had a very flavorful broth and was even better with the hot sauce. The steamed bun was absolutely delicious and also like nothing else I’ve ever had — it was totally and thoroughly stuffed with greens and the bread portion was very thin and slightly crispy — very different from the usual bread-​heavy steamed bun. For my beverage, I had the sour plum drink, which was made with smoked sour plums and imparted a strong and delicious flavor.
This dinner was the highlight of my trip to Vermont and I highly, highly, highly recommend it. Please be sure to call ahead for a reservation. The couple also informed us that they sell food at the farmers market on Saturday, which is also probably pretty tasty, but certainly a very different experience.

This is truly authentic asian cooking served in a unique gallery setting. The hosts are wonderful people and their artwork was a great experience. You have to make a reservation but it is so worth it!