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Imperial Lamian’s assorted soup dumplings.
Jeff Schear Visuals

12 Excellent Asian Dumplings to Eat in Chicago

From XLB to potstickers, here are some of the city’s best

by Kat Odell
1 comment / new
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Imperial Lamian’s assorted soup dumplings.
| Jeff Schear Visuals
by Kat Odell
1 comment / new

Fried, steamed, or boiled, folded around soupy or stewy fillings, dumplings come in all shapes and sizes, and are embraced by communities around the world. While the world of dumplings is vast and vinegary, this guide hones in specifically on savory Asian dumplings.

In addition to Eater’s picks, a number of Chicago’s top chefs also shared some of their favorite folded dough vendors, too. So whether eaters like dumplings in soup, or soup in their dumplings, read on.

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Furama Restaurant

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Long-standing Cantonese/Mandarin stalwart Furama offers one of the city’s most comprehensive dim sum rosters, which includes more than a dozen dumpling designs. From classic to more creative, try the chive and shrimp, or the the egg quail siu mai.

4936 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 271-1161
(773) 271-1161

Currently sitting at work dreaming about all these steamed goodies ❤️

A post shared by The Chicago Food CoOp (@chicagofoodcoop) on

Fat Rice

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If someone still hasn’t dropped by chef Abe Conlon’s Macanese-inspired Fat Rice, now is the time to go fresh off his James Beard Award win. Inspired by both the flavors of China and Portugal (as is the case for Macanese food), expect to find flavor-fueled plates, including his standby: pork and ginger dumplings in Sichuan chili oil with sweet soy and pork fat crumble.

2957 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-9170
(773) 661-9170
Fat Rice’s pork and ginger dumplings
Fat Rice

Also featured in:

Imperial Lamian

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Imperial Lamian’s rainbow dumplings are hued with vegetable dyes, and each color indicates a unique soupy filling, like duck, truffle, or crab. Customers can order a mixed batch, or stick to one flavor, but make sure to slurp cautiously to cool the molten center.

6 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 595-9440
(312) 595-9440
Imperial Lamian’s assorted soup dumplings.
Jeff Schear Visuals

Also featured in:

Duck Duck Goat

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Chef Stephanie Izard’s sleek Chinese number goes three ways on dumplings, offering a shrimp option in addition to the beef short rib and goat number. The latter ham sui gok with goat is her signature, and comes stuffed into a chewy glutenous rice shell.

857 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 902-3825
(312) 902-3825
Duck Duck Goat’s ham sui gok dumplings.
Leila Register

Also featured in:

Jade Court Chinese Cuisine

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When craving dumplings, BellyQ chef Bill Kim heads to Jade Court. And he notes that the Cheung family, which founded Chinatown’s Phoenix restaurant, now runs it. Kim suggests ordering the chicken potstickers: “They are nothing too fancy. No soup in the dumplings, just plump and delicious. Perfectly seared on double sides, served with spicy chili oil and soy dipping sauce.”

626 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 929-4828
(312) 929-4828
Jade Court’s potstickers.
Jade Court

Also featured in:

Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings

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Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings, or QXY for short, is the breakout dumpling darling of the last year, lauded for the clean cafe’s varied dumpling menu—with both the dumplings’ skins and fillings made in house. In fact, dumplings are formed and folded to order. While the menu is pretty deep and ranges from veg to seafood to meat fillings (fried, steamed, or boiled), go with the lamb-coriander for a sure thing. Pro tip: There’s no booze here, but eaters can BYO.

2002 S Wentworth Ave #103, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 799-1118
(312) 799-1118
Assorted steamed dumplings from QXY.
Kat Odell

Also featured in:

Cai

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Situated one level up in Chinatown Square, spacious Cai slings a swath of affordable dim sum and more. And it’s here that Pacific Standard Time executive chef Erling Wu-Bower retreats for dumplings, and his pick is the pan-fried pork pot stickers. And as a protip, he adds, “You can get it with a side of live turbot!”

2100 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 326-6888
(312) 326-6888

Hing Kee

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Chef Lee Wolen who runs both Boka and Somerset digs the Sichuan-style wonton in chili oil at Hing Kee. Says Wolen, “They are perfect. The dumplings are steamed in chili oil and a spicy sweet glaze. Each bite has the perfect spice and umami. They are also very affordable.”

2140 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 808-9538
(312) 808-9538

Also featured in:

MingHin Cuisine

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MingHin’s dim sum menu is long and daunting, with a number of dumpling preps bearing both distinct wrappers and fillings. The Chinese chainlet is especially adept with glutenous rice wrappers, try the shrimp dumplings with green chive, and don’t forget to splash on the vinegar.

2168 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 808-1999
(312) 808-1999

시카고 첫날 저녁

A post shared by Hyewon Lee (@hye_w__2) on

Also featured in:

Dolo Restaurant and Bar

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Chinatown’s contemporary Cantonese number Dolo landed on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America list three years ago, and for good reason. Ingredients here are better than you’d expect from most other restaurants in the nabe, and don’t miss the varied dim sum roster—which includes dumplings fried, steamed, and boiled, filled with everything from stewy pork to green chive and shrimp.

2222 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 877-5117
(312) 877-5117
Dolo’s assorted dim sum.
Facebook/Dolo Restaurant

Also featured in:

Northern City

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This unfussy Northern Chinese number centers around Dongbei cuisine (a style of Chinese cookery that incorporates many pickled ingredients, and more wheat in place of rice), and offers a number of dumpling preps. Hand-made Northern-style steamed dumplings are basically the restaurant’s take on soup dumplings, with other options like long fried beef potstickers.

3046, 742 W 31st St, Chicago, IL 60616
North City’s Northern-style steamed dumplings.
North City

Potsticker House

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This no frills Northern Chinese expert steams, fries, and boils a number of dumpling options. There are wontons in soup, dumplings stuffed with celery, and the house favorite: boiled pork.

3139 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 326-6898
(312) 326-6898

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Furama Restaurant

4936 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60640

Long-standing Cantonese/Mandarin stalwart Furama offers one of the city’s most comprehensive dim sum rosters, which includes more than a dozen dumpling designs. From classic to more creative, try the chive and shrimp, or the the egg quail siu mai.

4936 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 271-1161
(773) 271-1161

Currently sitting at work dreaming about all these steamed goodies ❤️

A post shared by The Chicago Food CoOp (@chicagofoodcoop) on

Fat Rice

2957 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

If someone still hasn’t dropped by chef Abe Conlon’s Macanese-inspired Fat Rice, now is the time to go fresh off his James Beard Award win. Inspired by both the flavors of China and Portugal (as is the case for Macanese food), expect to find flavor-fueled plates, including his standby: pork and ginger dumplings in Sichuan chili oil with sweet soy and pork fat crumble.

2957 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-9170
(773) 661-9170
Fat Rice’s pork and ginger dumplings
Fat Rice

Imperial Lamian

6 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

Imperial Lamian’s rainbow dumplings are hued with vegetable dyes, and each color indicates a unique soupy filling, like duck, truffle, or crab. Customers can order a mixed batch, or stick to one flavor, but make sure to slurp cautiously to cool the molten center.

6 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 595-9440
(312) 595-9440
Imperial Lamian’s assorted soup dumplings.
Jeff Schear Visuals

Duck Duck Goat

857 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

Chef Stephanie Izard’s sleek Chinese number goes three ways on dumplings, offering a shrimp option in addition to the beef short rib and goat number. The latter ham sui gok with goat is her signature, and comes stuffed into a chewy glutenous rice shell.

857 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 902-3825
(312) 902-3825
Duck Duck Goat’s ham sui gok dumplings.
Leila Register

Jade Court Chinese Cuisine

626 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60607

When craving dumplings, BellyQ chef Bill Kim heads to Jade Court. And he notes that the Cheung family, which founded Chinatown’s Phoenix restaurant, now runs it. Kim suggests ordering the chicken potstickers: “They are nothing too fancy. No soup in the dumplings, just plump and delicious. Perfectly seared on double sides, served with spicy chili oil and soy dipping sauce.”

626 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 929-4828
(312) 929-4828
Jade Court’s potstickers.
Jade Court

Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings

2002 S Wentworth Ave #103, Chicago, IL 60616

Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings, or QXY for short, is the breakout dumpling darling of the last year, lauded for the clean cafe’s varied dumpling menu—with both the dumplings’ skins and fillings made in house. In fact, dumplings are formed and folded to order. While the menu is pretty deep and ranges from veg to seafood to meat fillings (fried, steamed, or boiled), go with the lamb-coriander for a sure thing. Pro tip: There’s no booze here, but eaters can BYO.

2002 S Wentworth Ave #103, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 799-1118
(312) 799-1118
Assorted steamed dumplings from QXY.
Kat Odell

Cai

2100 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616

Situated one level up in Chinatown Square, spacious Cai slings a swath of affordable dim sum and more. And it’s here that Pacific Standard Time executive chef Erling Wu-Bower retreats for dumplings, and his pick is the pan-fried pork pot stickers. And as a protip, he adds, “You can get it with a side of live turbot!”

2100 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 326-6888
(312) 326-6888

Hing Kee

2140 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616

Chef Lee Wolen who runs both Boka and Somerset digs the Sichuan-style wonton in chili oil at Hing Kee. Says Wolen, “They are perfect. The dumplings are steamed in chili oil and a spicy sweet glaze. Each bite has the perfect spice and umami. They are also very affordable.”

2140 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 808-9538
(312) 808-9538

MingHin Cuisine

2168 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616

MingHin’s dim sum menu is long and daunting, with a number of dumpling preps bearing both distinct wrappers and fillings. The Chinese chainlet is especially adept with glutenous rice wrappers, try the shrimp dumplings with green chive, and don’t forget to splash on the vinegar.

2168 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 808-1999
(312) 808-1999

시카고 첫날 저녁

A post shared by Hyewon Lee (@hye_w__2) on

Dolo Restaurant and Bar

2222 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616

Chinatown’s contemporary Cantonese number Dolo landed on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America list three years ago, and for good reason. Ingredients here are better than you’d expect from most other restaurants in the nabe, and don’t miss the varied dim sum roster—which includes dumplings fried, steamed, and boiled, filled with everything from stewy pork to green chive and shrimp.

2222 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 877-5117
(312) 877-5117
Dolo’s assorted dim sum.
Facebook/Dolo Restaurant

Northern City

3046, 742 W 31st St, Chicago, IL 60616

This unfussy Northern Chinese number centers around Dongbei cuisine (a style of Chinese cookery that incorporates many pickled ingredients, and more wheat in place of rice), and offers a number of dumpling preps. Hand-made Northern-style steamed dumplings are basically the restaurant’s take on soup dumplings, with other options like long fried beef potstickers.

3046, 742 W 31st St, Chicago, IL 60616
North City’s Northern-style steamed dumplings.
North City

Potsticker House

3139 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60608

This no frills Northern Chinese expert steams, fries, and boils a number of dumpling options. There are wontons in soup, dumplings stuffed with celery, and the house favorite: boiled pork.

3139 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 326-6898
(312) 326-6898

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