It's soup season! Soup dumplings, also known by their Chinese name Xiaolongbao, are proof that good things come in small wrappers. Steamed to perfection in a basket, the buns are traditionally prepared with pork, with alternative fillings including other meats and vegetables for an equally juicy mouthful. Veritably bursting with flavor, the soup dumplings at these NYC restaurants cannot be beaten.
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162 Montague St., Brooklyn / 718.550.3888 / Website
Criminally good, Din Soup Dumplings provides an outlet for the insatiable dumpling lover in all of us. The pork soup dumplings, steamed in a succulent broth, are a must-try, and we also love the spicy pork chop noodles as a perfect accompaniment.
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13 St. Marks Pl. / 212.388.9238 / Website
We bow down to this Lower East Side joint. With a chic exterior, the soup dumplings served inside are anything but minimalist. The piping hot dumplings come with every ingredient imaginable, from black truffle to crab meat to chocolate. In summary, you can't go wrong with these dumplings.
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21 Mott St. / 212.766.6311 / Website
Famously, Shanghai 21 has soup dumplings for all occasions. It can be impossible to choose, but diners can rest assured that all have delicate skins and fragrant broth. We are particularly partial to the crab and pork with black truffle variations. That said, there is no going wrong when every soup dumpling is so right.
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Multiple locations / Website
Manhattanites rejoice; the dumpling king has risen from Queens. This top Flushing destination has opened locations in Koreatown and the East Village so New Yorkers everywhere can indulge. Now, you don’t have to travel to enjoy this beacon of classic Chinese cuisine, with the pinnacle being the soup dumplings bursting with flavor.
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177 Prince St. / 212.328.7880 / Website
Perhaps better known for the Peking duck, the soup dumplings at this Soho spot are a culinary masterpiece in their own right. It is indisputable that this restaurant has soupy goodness to spare. Fusing heritage flavor with contemporary flair, you’ll want to try the pork soup dumplings described as “bite-sized explosions of porky goodness” and chicken soup dumplings characterized as “good for the soul.” If anyone needs us, you can tell them we're busy nourishing our souls.
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7 E. 48th St. / 212.333.3868 / Website
Nothing short of spectacular, you won’t take a long time at Joe’s Home of Soup Dumplings. The signature soup dumplings have a mysterious habit of disappearing soon after they arrive at the table. Aromatic and tender, we can’t possibly imagine why. You’ll have to return and investigate this mystery time and time again.
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13 Mott St. / 212.233.0788 / Website
It doesn’t take a village to discover why Noodle Village is a popular lunch spot. As the namesake implies, the noodle soup is tremendous, and the dumplings are just how we like them: quick, cheap and easy. But don’t let that fool you when there’s nothing more decadent than the flavor packed into each bite.
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1633 Broadway / 212.287.9178 / Website
These soft soup dumplings have officially taken the city by storm. This Taiwanese restaurant chain beloved on the West Coast has been NYC's ‘it girl’ ever since hitting the New York restaurant scene. Our fair city is the lucky recipient of DTF's first East Coast location, and we hope they never leave.
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Multiple locations / Website
The ultimate comfort food, Shanghai You Garden serves up soup dumplings done right. Thwaw authentic Shanghainese dumplings are crafted with a special method to ensure consistency and quality for an undeniably magical taste. The Garden Special soup dumplings are a must-have. They are a colorful delight with shrimp, pork, crab and squash placed in a steaming hot traditional bamboo basket.
A wise man once said soup dumplings are a balm for the soul. We, also wise, feel inclined to agree. After you try one of these nine spots, you will concur that soup dumplings have taken the internet by storm for good reason.
Photography by: courtesy of Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao
