The Best Dumpling Restaurants in Beijing

A time-honored brand, Xian Lao Man has been one of the most prestigious restaurants in town that specializes in imperial court food, old Beijing cuisine, and most importantly, dumplings. The restaurant has several branches in Beijing, the most popular ones are the Andingmen branch, the Gulou branch, and the Dongsi branch, which only provides vegetable dumplings (good news for vegans!).

Jin Gu Yuan is not big or conspicuous, but it’s always packed with customers thanks to its delicious dumplings. The most popular dumplings here are the signature Spanish Mackerel Dumplings and the Four Happiness Dumplings, the latter is made of four kinds of seafood fillings. Jin Gu Yuan also serves pot stickers and other dishes, in case dumplings aren’t your only love.

The dumplings at the Bao Yuan Dumpling House are not only delicious, but also good-looking. With a plate of multi-colored dumplings served to your table, you will go home with both a satisfied stomach and your Instagram photo of the day. What’s more, you can find dumpling fillings that you won’t be able to taste anywhere else, like Kung Pao Chicken and Mapo Tofu.

There are two reasons to visit Lao Shi Dumplings: fried dumplings and special flavored dumplings. The signature fried dumplings are put into three categories: two-side fried dumplings, three-side fried dumplings and four-side fried dumplings. The special flavored dumplings are so special that they can be a little odd, like the Cheese Chicken Corn Dumplings and the Chocolate Apple Three-side Fried Dumplings. Would you dare to try them?

It’s probably much easier to find a dumpling restaurant with traditional Chinese-style decor than one with classy, modern decor in Beijing, but Yi Xuan will definitely be your option if you need to, say, treat your business partner to a nice meal of dumplings. The dumplings here are made with an authentic recipe from Northeastern China. The service is meticulous and the prices are not expensive at all.

Weihai Yintan is more of a seafood restaurant than a dumpling house, and it only has two kinds of dumplings: the Spanish Mackerel Dumpling and the Mantis Shrimp Dumpling. These two flavors are enough to make Weihai Yintan one of the best places for dumplings in Beijing. The seafood here is all transported from Weihai, a coastal city in Shandong Province. Make sure you check with the restaurant before you go, as it has varied hours throughout the year.

Nanjing Impressions is a nationwide chain restaurant that specializes in Nanjing food, but it has earned a spot on this restaurant list because its Golden Fried Dumplings are delicious! Plus its other dishes are tasty and cheap, so you will be able to experience the ambiance of an ancient Chinese restaurant without draining your wallet.

A pot sticker is a kind of fried dumpling with two sides left open, slightly different from ordinary dumplings, but delicious all the same. The Menkuang Pot Sticker in Qianmen is one of the best places for pot stickers in Beijing. It has both meat and vegetable dishes, so vegetarians and vegans can eat here as well.