The Best Dumplings in Toronto
Here are the best dumplings in Toronto: the spots we keep going back to!
Almost every cuisine has some version of the dumpling, but few have done as much with it as China. The idea is simple: wrap a little filling in dough, cook it and eat it hot. From there, though, the possibilities multiply depending on the region, the season and who’s doing the folding.
In northern China, jiaozi are everyday food and holiday food at the same time. Families often get together to make them by the dozen for Lunar New Year. The boiled versions, usually filled with pork and cabbage or chives, are what many people grew up eating at home. Around Shanghai, things get a bit more playful. Xiaolongbao (also known as soup dumplings) hide a spoonful of hot broth inside a thin wrapper, which is why first-timers quickly learn to take small bites. Sheng jian bao are pan-fried until their bottoms turn crisp, so you get some crunch along with the juicy filling.
The good news is that you don’t need a plane ticket to taste good dumplings. Toronto dumplings reflect the many Chinese communities that have settled here over the years, and the range of Chinese dumplings Toronto has to offer is wide. Some spots focus on northern-style boiled dumplings. Others are all about the soup dumplings Toronto regulars happily wait in line for. A few make just one thing and do it very well. Some are tiny, busy rooms where everything is folded to order. Others are neighbourhood institutions that have been feeding Chinatown for years.
What they all share is what makes dumplings so easy to love. They’re comforting without being heavy, cheap enough for a weeknight and made for sharing, even if everyone keeps an eye on the last one. A plate of dumplings and a little dish of black vinegar can turn a quick lunch into the highlight of your week.
Here’s where we go when the craving hits: our picks for the best dumplings in Toronto, from Chinatown to Highway 7. For more Chinese restaurants recommendations, check out our list of the best Chinese restaurants in Toronto!
Yummy yummy dumplings
This tiny room on Huron Street, just steps from Dundas, has dumpling history in its walls: it’s where Mother’s Dumplings first opened before moving to Spadina. Yummy Yummy carries on in the same spirit. It’s small, plainly decorated and focused on one thing. The draw is a long list of dumplings made from scratch and folded to order, so there’s a short wait between ordering and eating, and it’s worth it. The wrappers have a soft, slightly chewy bite you can’t get from a frozen bag. The menu is long enough that regulars end up with personal favourites and rarely agree. Come with a couple of friends, order more plates than seems reasonable and pass them around. It’s a no-frills Chinatown meal, and it doesn’t pretend to be anything else.
Toronto
Sang-Ji Fried Bao (DownTown)
Sang-Ji specializes in sheng jian bao, the pan-fried buns that Shanghai eats for breakfast. Each one is half bun, half soup dumpling. The bottoms come out of the pan golden and crisp, the tops stay soft and the inside holds a filling of pork and rich broth that sets as jelly before cooking and melts in the pan. Start with the original pork. The truffle version is for those who like a strong hit of truffle. A splash of the house vinegar adds a sour, malty note that cuts the richness. Bite a small hole first and let the steam out, or risk burning your tongue. The Yorkville location on Charles Street is often packed, so many people get their bao to go. Montrealers will know the name: Sang-Ji also opened a location there!
Toronto
Xiao Long Bao
Out in Scarborough, Xiao Long Bao is part of the Shanghainese food scene north of the 401, the kind of place where the menu matters more than the decor. The name suggests soup dumplings, so obviously you need to get them! But the side dishes are worth ordering too. The meat pies come with a crisp shell and a filling full of hot juices, so take your first bite slowly. The wontons are big and stuffed with pork and chives, served in broth for a cold day. It’s a good option for a weekend lunch with friends when you want a few dishes to share and don’t feel like going downtown.
Toronto
Mom's Pan-Fried Bun老娘水煎包 | Richmond Hill
The Chinese name on the sign, 老娘水煎包, translates loosely as “Mom’s pan-fried buns,” and that’s the house specialty. Shui jian bao are fried and then steamed in the same covered pan. They come out fluffy on top and crisp and golden underneath, usually filled with braised pork. They’re breadier and more filling than Shanghai’s soupy sheng jian bao (more on those below), and they’re meant to be torn into while they’re still hot. The sticky rice siu mai are worth the trip on their own: open-topped wrappers packed with savoury glutinous rice, chewy and very comforting.
Richmond Hill
Northern Dumpling Kitchen 興隆軒
It’s worth the drive up Highway 7. In a Richmond Hill plaza, Northern Dumpling Kitchen keeps the decor simple and lets its northern Chinese cooking do the talking. The menu goes well beyond dumplings, with cold platters, braised dishes, noodles and a few Sichuan plates. Still, the dumplings are the reason to come, and the lamb dumplings are the ones to order. Lamb is a staple across northern China, and its slightly gamey richness gives these a depth pork can’t match. A dip in black vinegar with a bit of chili oil is all they need. Add an onion pancake roll with sliced beef or a plate of pan-fried dumplings, and you have a generous meal at a gentle price.
Richmond Hill
