Winter Solstice (Dec 21) is a Great Excuse to Eat Dumplings

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When it comes to winter holidays in northern China, the festive food of choice is always dumplings, whether on today’s winter solstice (冬至 dōngzhì), or on the upcoming Spring Festival, which will fall on Friday, Feb 12, 2021.

The winter solstice practice of eating dumplings is thought to have originated in the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD), although records suggest that it could date back even further to the Western Han (206 BC-9 AD). A kindly doctor called Zhang Zhongjing took pity on some cold street children and prepared dumplings filled with lamb and other spices for them to eat. Since the dumplings were shaped like their chilblain-afflicted 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.”

Jiǎozi (饺子) is actually a catch-all term for dumplings, which is then divided into different types depending on how they are cooked: boiled dumplings are shuǐjiǎo (水饺), steamed dumplings are zhēngjiǎo (蒸饺), and pan-fried dumplings are jiānjiǎo (煎饺) or guōtiē (锅贴). Below is a list of our favorite places to eat this carby treat.

Baiweiyuan Dumplings (百味园饺子)

Somewhat of a Tuanjiehu area institution, Baiweiyuan is your classic dumpling joint, offering a range of fillings that can be ordered as either boiled or pan-fried dumplings. Their signature filling is an umami-packed mix of pork, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp, chives, wood ear mushrooms, and crab sticks. The cold appetizer dishes (aka liangcai 凉菜) are also very good here.

52 Tuanjiehu Lu, Chaoyang District (182 1003 9279)
朝阳区团结湖路52号

Baoyuan Dumplings (宝源饺子屋)

Baoyuan is a Beijing institution, even more so now that it has twice been awarded Bib Gourmand status in the 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 side of 6 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District (6586 4967)
朝阳区麦子店街6号楼北侧

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Beef & Dumplings (匠牛饺子)

The clue to this restaurant’s specialty is in the name, serving a number of different cuts of slow-braised beef alongside beef and pork dumplings with house-made wrappers, as well as warming beef bone soups. We particularly like the condiment bar in the middle of the restaurant where you can mix up your own dipping sauce.

5 Shunyuan Jie, Chaoyang District (5094 4979)
朝阳区顺院街5号

Xian Lao Man (馅老满)

Authentic Beijing-style restaurant Xian Lao Man 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

Xijiade Shrimp Dumplings (喜家德虾仁水饺）

This clean and efficient city-wide chain specializes in shrimp dumplings, with each dumpling purported to contain at least one whole shrimp. They only do a handful of fillings, so you won’t be paralyzed by choice like at some of the other restaurants on this list. Most branches have a bilingual menu, which makes it easy to order.

Kirin Place branch: 1/F, Kirin Place, Fu’an Xilu, Wangjing, Chaoyang District (5738 9388)
朝阳区阜安西路合声麒麟社1楼

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Photos: Dazhong Dianping, Unsplash 

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