The best San Francisco dumplings to eat right now, SFGATE dumpling columnist Margot Seeto revisits the tastiest bites she ate last year, Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE; illustration by SFGATE. Chef Fung puts the brother into a wonton soup at The Night Market in South San Francisco, California on November 10, 2022. What constitutes a dumpling, you ask? Friday 11:30 am - 3:30 pm and 5:00 - 10:00 pm newsletter, 900 North Point St Ste B201, San Francisco, CA 94109, 1039 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108, probably as good a version of the traditional Russian meat-filled dumpling as you can find in the city, 525 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110, 13 Phenomenal Vegan Restaurants in San Francisco, 17 San Francisco Restaurants With Spectacular Views. The 12 Best Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) In The Bay Area - SFist When ordering wu tao go, experts suggest pairing it with a glass of Rose, a popular pink wine. Where to Find DC's Best Dumplings, According to the City's Top Chefs We tapped local chefs from spots like Maketto, Moon Rabbit, Lucky Danger, and more to help us find the city's best dumplings. Where to Eat and Drink in San Franciscos Chinatown, 10 San Francisco Spots to Ring in the Lunar New Year. The 8 Best Dumpling Restaurants In San Francisco | boam Third location: 6247 College Ave., Oakland. Yummy Dumpling isnt a restaurant, but a shop in the Sunset thats been selling frozen dumplings for years. Finding the best spot to satisfy your Dumplings craving shouldn't be so tough. Best Dumplings San Francisco, CA - Last Updated February 2023 - Yelp Here are the 17 go-to restaurants to try for any fan of Chinese cuisine in San Francisco. Everyone knows San Tung for its dry-fried chicken wings, but if this classic Inner Sunset spot has a number two fan favorite, that designation would have to go to the restaurants potstickers, which are big, juicy, and properly crispy-bottomed. If not, dont leave without at least one order of their xiao long baotheyre on the bigger side, and plenty juicy. Yuanbao Jiaozi is all about the dumplings, freshly made by hand, boiled, and served straight-up or in soup. Line up along the counter and pick from a fresh array of dumplings from pots of boiling water. The menus highlights include lots of lamb dishes; stretchy, semi-translucent cold noodles (or mian pi); and the meat-stuffed sandwiches known as rou jia mo, or Chinese burgers.. You can call ahead or walk up to place an order. The crystal dough is expertly flattened and pleated by hand, resulting in a delicate bite that is difficult to achieve so consistently. #3533 of 13189 places to eat in San Francisco. Follow Binis Kitchen on Instagram for updates on its Post Street store. Second location: 2015 Chestnut St., San Francisco. A post shared by Eater SF (@eater_sf) on Apr 16, 2017 at 1:12pm PDT, Head to this Outer Sunset gem for Shaanxi cuisine, which many Americans became acquainted with thanks to Xian Famous Foods in New York. Oops. Writer living in British Columbia who loves to travel and explore new destinations. Open daily, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. $15 credit card minimum. a bit out of the way, but definitely worth it. Run by Paul Yu, the chef whoused to operate Dumpling Kitchena few blocks down on Taraval, this pint-sized restaurant has a tight menu focused on an array of very classic boiled dumplings and xiao long bao all tasty, affordable, and conveniently portioned out for one person, which makes it easy to sample a couple of different items. The wonderfully textured wrappers hold a variety of delicate fillings, like fish with green pepper or shrimp with zucchini. United Dumplings is a Bernal Heights restaurant that serves traditional Chinese dumplings, like great xiao long bao and wontons in chili oil, plus noodles and rice dishes. It is appropriate that the restaurant is located in the Design District of San Francisco as their uniquely, creative designer dumplings come in all different sizes, shapes, and colours including ones that resemble macarons and the King-Dum soup dumpling which comes adorned with flowers and a coloured straw since it is so big youll need a straw. The exterior of The Night Market in South San Francisco, California on November 10, 2022. Also not to miss: the shrimp har gow, which tucks shrimp inside a translucent wrapper in cilantro sauce, and lobster siu mai, open-top darlings traditionally filled with shrimp, but here with Maine lobster, served with butter, chives, and white truffle oil. A post shared by Dancing Yak | Restaurant & Bar (@dancingyaksf_). If theres one thing we look for in a dumpling spot, its incredible xiao long baoand this Hayes Valley spot delivers. One of the largest medieval centres in Europe, it is dominated by the university, with 13 courtyards, magnificent frescoes and one of the most beautiful churches in the city, the Church of St John.. Bund Shanghai can be found in San Franciscos Chinatown under a yellow awning. Follow her on Instagram to see cooking demos and more. Published on 1/26/2022 at 5:06 PM. I still stand by the giant, gingery potstickers, but I needed to mention the har gow as challengers (or friends!) And who can forget the King Dum, a king-sized soup dumpling that fills an entire bamboo basket, straw-sipping required? Russians and Ukrainians have sought comfort over legions of long snowy nights from dumplings stuffed with meat (pelmeni) or veggie or sweet (vareniki) fillings. For food, we got the seared pork bao, shrimp and pork siu mai, chili pork dumplings, and the xiao long bao. He then adds a secret amount to each batch of pork-and-shrimp-based wonton filling. 16 spots for juicy xiaolongbao, tender steamed fish, and crispy pork belly. The restaurant is now offering bags of frozen dumplings as well. Open Wednesday through Monday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Closed Tuesday. Also, ordering the har gow, which come with a small pipette of lobster butter, is never a bad idea. 21 of San Francisco's Best Dumplings Eater 21 Great SF Dumpling Spots To Try Infatuation, 2021 Restaurant details Start an order Dumpling Time Express Asian, $$, South of Market 4.4 4.0 21 Great SF Dumpling Spots To Try Infatuation, 2021 San Francisco's New Restaurant Openings Infatuation Restaurant details Start an order China Live by SF Weekly Staff 05/20/2009 4:00 am. There are plenty of punchy dishes to choose from whether it be cumin lamb or boiled won ton in chili oil but Supervisor Gordon Mar elected the business for the registry due also to its stalwart representations of Chinese living and history on the walls. Though the restaurant doesnt employ a Sichuan chef, the slippery wontons in red chili oil are also uncommonly good. Instead, regulars at this Excelsior mainstay mostly come for the kitchens northern Chinese dough-based dishes: chewy hand-made noodles; big, Beijing-style crepes and pancakes; and little stir-fried flour balls. How lucky San Francisco is to have a Beijing restaurant whose whole reason for being isnt its Peking duck? We'll start a periodical pilgrimage to Parkside to eat their xiao long bao. Best Dumplings - SF Weekly Its an especially gluten-free friendly menu with plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians, too. Delivery & Pickup Options - 865 reviews of Lai Hong Lounge "Lai Hong Lounge is the reincarnation of the old Lichee Garden that's been around for many years. Open Wednesday through Monday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Closed Tuesday. Anna Voloshnya's borscht with mushroom dumplings. Dumpling House in the Castro serves dumplings, buns, turnip cakes, potstickers, wontons, and Hong Kong-style wonton soup. For more information on chef Anna Voloshynas upcoming cooking classes and Ukrainian relief fundraisers, visit her website. But their xiao long bao is what keeps this spot in our dumpling rotation. Its probably best known for its tremendous variety of steamed buns, but the steamed dumplings starting with the classic har gow and shumai are also fantastic, not to mention exceedingly inexpensive. Every hour on the hour, our stomach sends a signal to our brain requesting a dumpling. Momos stuffed with ground turkey, lamb, or vegetables in a spicy roasted tomato-cilantro sauce are sold by La Cocina graduate Binita Pradhan at her restaurant in SOMA, her kiosk in FiDi (next to Montgomery BART), and her Ferry Building farmers market stand. Think of these dumplings as beautiful perfection. Restaurants cant pay to show up on this list, so enjoy the best food with no agenda. A wonton noodle soup at The Night Market in South San Francisco, California on November 10, 2022. Food Challenge: Best Soup Dumplings () in the San Francisco Bay Area Best dim sum in San Francisco. This Michelin-star restaurant serves up delicious dumplings which include such specialities as crab and pork soup dumplings, steamed beef or vegetarian dumplings, cabbage and pork dumplings, and chive and pork or chive and shrimp dumplings. You should note that Good Luck Dim Sum is cash only, and also be prepared to wait in line. Where to go when you really want dumplings. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. 70 tips and reviews. A spread of various dumplings and other fare at Hang Ah Tea Room, in San Francisco's Chinatown, on Wednesday July 20, 2022. Lai Hong Lounge - San Francisco, CA - yelp.com This Outer Richmond go-to spot serves them ten at a . Or go for the neighborhood staple that even your grandparents ate at, a restaurant like Peking Restaurant on Noriega Street that just joined the Legacy Business Registry? Mama Jis is a very solid option if youre craving dumplings and are near the Castro. The restaurant offers a decent amount of seating and even a few tables outside the entrance where diners can enjoy their delicious deep-fried shrimp dumplings, Shanghai dumplings, or pea sprout shrimp dumplings in rice paper, cooked till translucent in appearance. Are These the Best Dumpling Spots in the Bay Area? | KQED Zheng spent time learning the secrets of making a perfect xiao long bao (XLB) in China, so youll also be happy with an order of those, or any of the classic Northern Chinese dumplings. There is an array of steamed, fried, and soup dumplings served daily, prepared both in a traditional manner or contemporary. Best Dumplings in San Francisco, California: Find 26,678 Tripadvisor traveller reviews of the best Dumplings and search by price, location, and more. Upon purchase, customers receive an instruction sheet to be able to prepare their dumplings when they get home. But its one of our favorite spots for xiao long bao, which come with chewy wrappers and a well-seasoned pork filling. With Voloshynas instinctual cooking skills, how could I be surprised that I ended up loving this dish? The deep-fried wontons were bite-sized pieces of fun, with thin dough wrappers of steaming-hot, freshly fried morsels shattering into tiny pieces with each bite, tempered by a cooling sweet chili sauce. Here Are the Hottest New Restaurants in the East Bay, March 2023, These Are the Hottest New Restaurants in San Francisco, March 2023, 13 Gloriously Golden Doughnut Shops in San Francisco, The best soup dumplings, Cantonese barbecue, and hand-pulled noodles across San Francisco. New York native, ex-New Orleans resident. The casual first-floor market restaurant in George Chens massive, multi-venue complex is known for customer favorites like its crisp-bottomed sheng jian bao and its Peking duck sesame pockets. Fitting that the first and latest dumpling columns would come full circle to both feature a perennial favorite the classic har gow. There are lots of great eats in the Mission but there was no dedicated place to drown yourself in dumplings of all shapes and sizes until Bao debuted in mid-2021. The stand out dim sum dish is soup dumplings. There are now three Dumpling Time locations around the city, including an express location that has a slightly pared-down menu. A post shared by Eric Cheung (@hing_lung_co._sf) on Aug 9, 2019 at 2:21pm PDT, Where to Eat and Drink in San Franciscos Chinatown. Open Wednesday through Monday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-9 p.m., closed Tuesday. . newsletter, 4401 Cabrillo St, San Francisco, CA 94121, A post shared by Old Mandarin Islamic Rest (@oldmandarinislamic), 1801 Alemany Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94112, 1261 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133, A post shared by Eric Cheung (@hing_lung_co._sf), 4 Embarcadero Center, Street Level, San Francisco, CA 94111, 13 Phenomenal Vegan Restaurants in San Francisco. Is it better to opt for something a bit newer, a restaurant like Mister Jius that pays homage to those hanging ducks in so many Chinatown storefront windows? Opening hours: Monday - Thursday 11:30 am - 3:30 pm and 5:00 - 9:30 pm The first-level Market restaurant in George Chen's years-in-the-making Chinese food emporium knows no regional boundaries, which means that, dumpling-wise, the menu ranges from Dongbei-style long potstickers to Sichuan-style working hands wontons in chili oil and the exceptionally juicy, not-technically-a-dumpling pan-fried buns known as sheng jian bao. Stop by either their Stevenson Street and Spear Street locations to get your fix. Good Luck Dim Sum, 736 Clement St., San Francisco. Palette now offers frozen pork, chicken, and seafood dumplings (15 pieces for $18), so you can satisfy your many dumpling cravings at home too. Yummy Dumpling is a small shop that offers customers the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of frozen dumplings. The 11 Best Places for Dumplings in Outer Sunset, San Francisco To be able to keep exploring the city to the fullest, there are many different districts throughout, specializing in various international cuisine. Dumpling fans, read on for our favorites, from new-wave spots that add twists on tradition to old-fashioned stalwarts. Where to Feast on Savory Chinese Buns in Montreal. The spoon-size dumplings were simultaneously satisfying yet light. 85 tips and reviews Ben Chen: Amazing XLB (Shanghai Dumplings)! Hefty har gow at Good Luck Dim Sum, top, and at Chase Luck on Ocean Ave, below. 10 San Francisco Spots to Ring in the Lunar New Year. In the kitchen, the team of chefs wraps all the dumplings by hand. Send her dumpling tips at: margotseeto@gmail.com. Its time to take comfort in comforting the owners of these spots that have delighted us for years and reward them with our patronage in this time of need. All that visitors will see is a kitchen area and freezers where the dumplings are stored for purchase. Located in the Financial District, diners will find a more upscale white-table clothed dining experience at City View Restaurant. Something went wrong. The thick, wonderfully textured wrappers hold a variety of delicate fillings, like fish. Must-order dishes include salt-baked chicken, clams stir-fried with basil, and braised pork belly with shrimp paste. Try the noodles or green beans too. Sandy Zheng pours some sauce on Grandma's Pork Pot Stickers at United Dumplings in San Francisco, Calif. on Aug. 29, 2022. Where to Stock Up on Frozen Dumplings in the Bay Area. View 11 places on map. Fisherman's Wharf. Sunday 11:30 am - 9:30 pm. A holiday present from Voloshyna turned out to be a new favorite dumpling dish. Open Wednesday through Monday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Closed Tuesday. The Bay Area night market where Hong Kong-style street food comes to life, San Francisco chef supports Ukraine with homemade dumplings, How San Francisco's 'queen of momos' made dumplings go viral, Giant, gingery potstickers: Chase Luck Bakery in SF lovingly stuffs its dumplings with unique flavors, SF's Hang Ah Tea Room is Americas first dim sum restaurant, with 102 years of stories to tell, SF's new dumpling darling uses mac 'n' cheese, bulgogi fillings. Its been scientifically proven that eating Dancing Yaks momos will raise your serotonin levelsat least for the next hour. Theyre wrapped in a thick, chewy dough before being steamed, pan-fried, and then sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions. A fan favorite in Jackson Square, Great Eastern offers hungry customers dozens of dishes to choose from. 9 Best Places For Dumplings In San Francisco, California 1001 Howard Street (6 St.), 1 Post Street (Market). 415-589-7940 or www.delpopolosf.com Dumpling Alley Lots of Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area sell frozen dumplings, but . The Best Chinese Restaurants in San Francisco - Eater SF The inside of a shrimp dumpling at Good Luck Dim Sum in the Inner Richmond in San Francisco, Calif. on Jan. 11, 2023. Dumplings can be boiled, baked, steamed or fried. And, like Dragon Beaux, Palette Tea House also serves the colorful xiao long bao with five different flavors, including a tasty crab roe with a turmeric wrapper. Saturday 11:30 am - 10:00 pm