Dumplings

A chained restaurant that serves variety of dumplings and Beijing treats

A chained restaurant that serves variety of dumplings and Beijing treats

A long-standing dumpling restaurant by BUPT

This chain serves delicious dumplings at an affordable prices (about RMB 30 for a plate of a dozen).

Try their tantalizingly salty pork and mushroom (RMB 26 per plateful), the tart pickled vegetable dumplings (RMB 27), celery and pork dumplings (also RMB 27), and shrimp only dumplings (RMB 37). 

At their UTown location, you can watch staff members roll and fold those mouthwatering morsels from the glass-encased open kitchen near the doorway.

Popular Beijing dumpling brand makes the jump from streetside, mom and pop style shops in the hutongs and Sanliutn to a shopping mall franchise kiosk. Highlights include fried "beef burrito" dumplings (RMB 25 for four plump, crunchy, meaty dough cylinders), boiled egg and cabbage jiaozi (RMB 32 for a plateful) and a few quintessentially Northern style sides like cucumber and garlic salad (RMB 10) and tofu and celery stirfry (RMB 10 for a small plateful).

Yi Pin Xiao Long is a chain restaurant offering reasonably priced xiaolongbao and noodle dishes in a neat and modish setting.

Xiding is a cozy and relaxing traditional-style Chinese restaurant, kitted out with spacious rosewood furniture, and extraordinarily friendly staff. The menu spans a range of dumplings (a plate of their signature sea urchin dumplings is RMB 68 for 15) as well as a variety of Chinese dishes, including roast pigeon (RMB 68), sauteed vermicelli with duck (RMB 58), and sweet peas with lily.

Opened in April of 2015, severs with fried and boiled dumplings as well as jia chang cai.

In the hotel setting that is typical of provincial government restaurants, this one surprises with its solid dishes. Although the staff aren't used to having foreigners, they are friendly and attentive. The disanxian is delicious, not too sweet, with the aubergine and potato having been fried until the outside was slightly crunchy. Other good dishes include the traditional Heilongjiang guobaorou, which is crispy but not too heavy.

This dumpling joint does one thing, and they do it well. Watch the chefs stuff the parcels with one filling after another, including a mala rendition, and many vegetarian and meat options.