18 Best Dumplings in China - TasteAtlas
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What to eat in China? Top 18 Chinese Dumplings

Last update: Wed May 15 2024
Top 18 Chinese Dumplings
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The pan-fried variety of the Chinese jiaozi dumpling, known as guotie, is a Northern Chinese dumpling typically filled with minced pork, Chinese cabbage, scallions, ginger, rice wine, and sesame seed oil. Crunchy and soft textures are achieved by a special method of preparing; while the bottom of the dumpling is frying, a small amount of liquid is added to the pan which is then covered, thus allowing the rest of the dumpling and the filling to steam.


When it comes to the shape, guotie should always be long and straight as it can stand more easily and it does not fall over during cooking. Goutie can be literally translated as pot sticks, so these dumplings are often nicknamed potstickers, especially in North America. 

MOST ICONIC Guotie

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Wang Fu
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Yang's Fry Dumpling
3
Xindalu China Kitchen
02
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The name tangbao or tangbaozi refers to a broad group of steamed Chinese soup-filled dumplings. Depending on the origin, dumplings can be made with leavened or plain dumpling dough which is usually wrapped around a gelatinous filling, twisted and sealed at the top, and then steamed.


While they steam, the firm filling (usually made with minced pork or crab meat) transforms into a flavorful soup, which stays safely secured inside the bun. Due to the nature of this Chinese delicacy, they are always served immediately after steaming, so the soup stays liquid and hot. 
VARIATIONS OF Tangbao

MOST ICONIC Tangbao

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Din Tai Fung Shanghai
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Din Tai Fung Beijing
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Paradise Dynasty
4
Jia Jia Tang Bao
5
Nanxiang Mantou Dian
03
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These Chinese dumplings known as jiaozi, consisting of a thinly rolled piece of dough which contains either meat or a vegetable filling, are one of the most popular and most commonly eaten dishes in China and East Asia. They can be served either as an appetizer or as the main course, always with a side of soy sauce-based dipping sauce.


Traditionally, jiaozi are always eaten for Chinese New Year. Depending on how they are cooked, jiaozi dumplings can be classified into three categories: boiled, steamed, and pan-fried, but when it comes to folding techniques, there are many, and the most popular one is known as pinched-edge fold, which results in crescent-shaped jiaozi, the most popular shape in China. 
VARIATIONS OF Jiaozi

MOST ICONIC Jiaozi

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Ho Lee Fook
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Mr. Shi's Dumplings
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Baoyuan Dumplings Restaurant
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Wang Fu
5
Xiàn Lǎo Mǎn
04
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Shuǐjiǎo are Chinese dumplings served without broth or soup, filled with various ingredients that are limited only by one's imagination. The boiled dumplings are a staple food of northern China. Some of the most popular ingredients for the filling include shrimp, cucumber, purple cabbage, ground pork, bean sprouts, vermicelli, and rice.


Shuǐjiǎo are especially popular during the Lunar New Year, when whole families in northern China prepare them, with some family members rolling out the dumplings, some mixing the ingredients for the filling, and some pinching them into crescent-like shapes. 

MOST ICONIC Shuǐjiǎo

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Ho Lee Fook
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Mr. Shi's Dumplings
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Baoyuan Dumplings Restaurant
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Xiàn Lǎo Mǎn
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Ah Chun Shandong Dumpling
05

Dumplings

SHANGHAI, China
4.6
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Xiaolongbao are soup-filled dumplings originating from the 19th-century Nan Xiang, what is today Shanghai's Jiading district. It is believed that the first form of xiaolongbao was sold by Huang Mingxian, a shop owner who wanted to evolve the classic dumpling due to the increased competition of neighboring vendors.


The dumplings are usually filled with a large volume of soup and minced pork, then steamed in a specially-designed bamboo steamer. Sometimes, xiaolongbao can also be filled with crab or shrimp meat. The dough is quite thin, and it is believed that it should be thicker than tang bao, but not as thick as shen jian bao

MOST ICONIC Xiaolongbao

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Din Tai Fung Shanghai
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Din Tai Fung Beijing
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Paradise Dynasty
4
Jia Jia Tang Bao
5
Nanxiang Mantou Dian
06

Dumplings

SUZHOU, China and  one more region
4.6
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Among the broad group of Chinese dumplings, shengjian mantou stands out as a unique pan-fried variety. Belonging to the category of soup dumplings, or soup buns, they are slightly different than the more famous xiao long bao. Shengjian mantou can be made with minced pork, vegetable, or shrimp as the base, often incorporated with cabbage and chives, then infused with soy sauce, sesame oil, and occasionally ginger and garlic.


The fillings are wrapped in a traditional soft leavened dough which might vary in thickness. When wrapped, the dumplings are pan-fried in shallow oil, and alternatively covered in water to produce the steaming effect. This technique provides texturally exciting dumplings, with a soft top and a crispy brown bottom. 

MOST ICONIC Shengjian mantou

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Yang's Fry Dumpling
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Yaba Shengjian
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Fengyu Shengjian Eatery
07
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One of China's favorite breakfast foods and an everyday snack, baozi - or simply bao, as it’s usually called - is a steamed bun, made with the so-called mantou bread, and stuffed with a wide variety of fillings ranging from savory to sweet, but they typically include various meats, seafood, or vegetables.


Most popular types are char siu bao, filled with Cantonese-style barbecued pork; the smaller, mincemeat-filled Shanghai-style baozi called xiao long bao or Shengjian mantou; and the succulent tangbao or guantang bau, large soup-filled bao buns made with pork or crab stock. 

MOST ICONIC Baozi

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Din Tai Fung Shanghai
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Din Tai Fung Beijing
3
Tim Ho Wan
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Paradise Dynasty
5
Jia Jia Tang Bao
08

Dumplings

GUANGDONG, China
4.4
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Shumai, literally translated as to cook and sell, is a staple of dim sum cuisine consisting of an open-topped dumpling filled with steamed ground pork, and sometimes finely chopped shrimp or Chinese black mushrooms. When it's cooked, shumai is often garnished with a single pea, a fish egg, or a small piece of carrot on top.


It originated in tea houses along the Silk Road in Cantonese China, and since then, the dish has spread throughout the world. In China, there are numerous regional variations of this flavorful delicacy, but it is also extremely popular in Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines. 
VARIATIONS OF Shumai

MOST ICONIC Shumai

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One Dim Sum
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Mott 32
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Ding Dim 1968
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Tim Ho Wan
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Lei Garden
09

Dumplings

GUANGDONG, China
4.4
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Cha siu bao are popular Chinese pork roast buns. Whether steamed or baked, they are always filled with a sweet and spicy grilled pork filling. Steamed varieties are delicate and soft, with a snowy white color, while baked chao siu bao have a light golden color and are usually covered in a glossy glaze.


The delicious filling inside the buns is usually traditional Chinese char siu pork - slowly roasted pieces of pork doused in a juicy barbecue sauce. The buns are an original Chinese invention, an authentic dish of the Cantonese region. Due to immigration and popularity of Chinese restaurants across the globe, pork roast buns have quickly spread to other parts of the world. 

MOST ICONIC Cha siu bao

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Tim Ho Wan
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The Eight
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Mott 32
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Shang Palace
5
Ding Dim 1968
10

Dumplings

TIBET, China and  one more region
4.4
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Momo dumplings were traditionally only filled with minced meat, but nowadays, the fillings have diversified to include vegetables, dairy, or a combination of both. They are native to Tibet and have been brought to the Kathmandu Valley by traveling Newar merchants, and thus Nepal, where they consider them as their own.


Thanks to Tibetan diaspora, momos are also today hugely popular in India. Momo dumplings are typically steamed, but they can also be fried. They are usually shaped either into purses or into half-moons (other shapes also exist). The best-known varieties include buff momos made with water buffalo meat, sha momos made with beef or yak meat, and khasi momos with lamb or mutton filling, while both jhol momos and C-momos come served in a spicy, hot sauce. 
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Dumplings
CHINA
4.3
12
Dumplings
GUANGZHOU, China
4.3
13
14
Dumplings
TIANJIN, China
4.3
15
16
Dumplings
GUANGDONG, China  and  one more region
3.4
17
Dumplings
SICHUAN, China
n/a
18
Dumplings
SICHUAN, China
n/a

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 18 Chinese Dumplings” list until May 15, 2024, 2,382 ratings were recorded, of which 1,967 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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