The Ultimate Guide on Where to Eat Dumplings in Beijing
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Those who have lived in China for a while or who know a little bit about Chinese food culture will be more than aware that every festival in China seems to have some kind of special food associated with it. When it comes to winter holidays, the festive food of choice in northern China is always dumplings, whether on the recently-passed winter solstice (冬至 dōngzhì), which fell on Sunday, Dec 22 or on the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Saturday, Jan 25, 2020.
Most people will be familiar with eating dumplings during Spring Festival, but the Chinese festival calendar actually mandates the eating of dumplings twice a year – at least in northern China anyway (in southern China the winter solstice is associated with eating 汤圆 tāngyuán, or glutinous rice balls). The winter solstice practice of eating dumplings is thought to have originated in the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD), although records suggest they could date back even further to the Western Han dynasty (206 BC-9 AD). A kindly doctor called Zhang Zhongjing took pity on some cold street children with chilblains on their ears and prepared dumplings filled with lamb and other spices for them to eat. Since the dumplings were shaped like ears (if you squint a bit), Zhang named the dish 祛寒娇耳汤 qū hán jiāo ěr tāng, literally translates as "dumpling soup that gets rid of the cold."
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Whatever their origins, jiǎozi (饺子) is a catch-all term for dumplings, that is then divided into different types depending on how they are cooked: boiled dumplings are called shuǐjiǎo (水饺), steamed dumplings are called zhēngjiǎo (蒸饺), and pan-fried dumplings are called jiānjiǎo (煎饺) or guōtiē (锅贴).
You can grab a plate of dumplings at pretty much any northern Chinese restaurant (or pick up a frozen bag in pretty much any supermarket) but below is a list of our favorite places to eat this carby treat
Baoyuan Dumplings (宝源饺子屋 bǎoyuán jiǎozi wū) is a Beijing institution, even more so now that it has been awarded Bib Gourmand status in the first-ever Beijing Michelin Guide. The menu has a huge selection of dumpling fillings, which you can choose to have served in colorful wrappers, naturally dyed with fruits and vegetables. Don't miss the crispy rice dumplings, the rice making for a great textural contrast with the soft purple wrappers.
North of 6 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District (6586 4967)
朝阳区麦子店街6号楼北侧
Authentic Beijing-style restaurant Xian Lao Man (馅老满 xiàn lǎo mǎn) serves up some great dumplings, personal favorites being the cabbage and peanut dumplings, and the house special with shrimp, pork, and crab. With plenty of vegetarian fillings, plus lamb and beef options, Xian Lao Man is a great choice for groups of diners with various dietary requirements.
252 Andingmen Neidajie, Dongcheng District (6404 6944)
东城区安定门内大街252号
Xiaoheng Dumpling (小恒水饺 xiǎohéng shuǐjiǎo) is city-wide dumpling chain and does one thing — boiled dumplings — and they do it well. They offer a fairly extensive selection of meaty and vegetarian fillings (albeit with no fancy fusion options like some of the places on this list), of which our favorite are the "three treasures," with pork and shrimp.
Dongzhimen location: B1/F, Dongzhimen Ginza Mall, 48 Dongzhimen Waidajie, Dongcheng District (8418 5707)
东城区东直门外大街48号东直门银座B1
For those looking for a more upmarket dining experience, Rosewood Beijing's Chinese restaurant, Country Kitchen, dishes up an array of Northern Chinese specialties, including versions of both steamed and fried dumplings. Their pot-stickers (锅贴 guōtiē) are incredible, topped with a thin lattice of starch left behind as the water evaporates from the pan during the cooking process.
3/F, Rosewood Beijing, Jing Guang Center, Chaoyang District (6535 0066)
朝阳区京广中心北京瑰丽酒店3层
The amiable Mr. Shi has a veritable Beijing dumpling empire these days, having expanded Mr. Shi's Dumplings (老石饺子馆 lǎo shí jiǎozi guǎn) from one shop on Baochao Hutong to locations in Cheniandian Hutong, Parkview Green, and Jiuxianqiao. The original location packs in both local residents and tourists for their wide selection of well-executed boiled and pan-fried dumplings. If you want something out of the box, try the cheese-stuffed dumplings (best fried, in our experience).
Baochao branch: 74 Baochao Hutong, Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District (8405 0399)
东城区鼓楼东大街宝抄胡同74号
Satisfy your craving for premium dumplings at Xiding (喜鼎海胆水饺 xǐdǐng hǎidǎn shuǐjiǎo), which specializes in sea urchin-stuffed dumplings. The signature uni dumplings (RMB 88) come packed with a tremendous umami flavor and slight sweetness from sea urchin, which is offset with additional pork to round it out. Best yet, these are great value when compared to the wallet-burning price of fresh uni at Japanese restaurants.
Mon-Fri 10am-1.30pm, 5-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-10pm. NLG-15, B1/F, Taikooli North, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (5360 1288)
朝阳区三里屯路11号太古里北区地下一层NLG -15号
From the team behind hutong hotel The Orchid, Furongji serves a mix of classic and creative dumplings and other dim sum dishes. However, while the menu and the interior are far from traditional, this is not fusion. As the team says, Furongji isn’t just about slapping different colored skins on the dumplings or adding truffles; it’s about cooking with freedom and fun. Try the wontons with soy sauce dressing and toasted garlic.
Tue-Sun 11am-10pm. 63 Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng District (5394 5228)
东城区宝钞胡同63号
READ: 4 Hearty Dishes to Warm You up This Winter, and Where to Find Them
Photos: Shutterstock
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