Everybody loves dumplings, but not everybody can make dumplings. Dumplings are undeniably both my favorite food and the love of my life, so I coerced some friends into diving into Yale's dumpling scene to find out which restaurant makes the best dumplings in New Haven.
Below is your comprehensive guide to all the dumplings New Haven has to offer-- read on to know which places to avoid when the cravings hit and where to best satisfy your need for steamed happiness (i.e. always).
Ivy Wok (316 Elm St)
"Good for when you're out of options because they seem to be literally always open, but not good for any other situation."
"When you're not well-versed in the dumpling world they're heavenly, but I can see why you think they're only good for a late night snack."
China King (942 Chapel St)
Steamed Chicken Dumplings ($5.55)"Wayyy too bready."
"I mean, I wouldn't say no if I was famished, but these are definitely not the best dumplings in New Haven."
Taste of China (954 Chapel St)
Steamed Vegetable Dumplings ($9)
"The veggie dumplings had WAY too much skin. There should 100% not be more skin than there is dumpling insides... literally not worth your money or time."
Chengdu Dumplings ($10) - Chengdu style pork dumplings in a spicy garlic sauce"These were good and came with a good 'red oil' sauce. However, they were meant to have shrimp and they didn't, and in comparison to the veggie dumplings, they were PUNY."
Jeera Thai (216 Crown St)
"If I had to describe their taste, I'd say "foggy" -- I don't know why or how else to explain them."
"They're really tasty, perfect skin-to-insides ratio and perfect inside taste. Definitely better than Taste of China."
Mecha Noodle Bar (201 Crown St)
"Why are their dishes beautiful."
Red Oil Dumplings ($8) - pork, shrimp, sichuan vinegar, cilantro"These were REALLY good. Very tasty and very substantial. The '色香味,' or the 'aesthetic-smell-taste' were all perfect. These are far superior to Taste of China's version and unlike ToC, they actually had shrimp in them."
Roasted Mushroom Dumplings ($8) - brown butter miso, arugula
"These were great. They kind of tasted like mushroom ravioli dumplings, which no one is complaining about."
"They're really filling. The insides are kind of just ground mushrooms, but the sauce they come with is very creamy and a bit heavy -- not a problem for us though!"
Basil Restaurant (142 Howe St)
Meat Dumplings & Vegetarian Dumplings ($4.95)
"A waste of everyones time, money and effort is all I can say..."
"There is way more skin than there is meat. That is not okay."
Great Wall Restaurant (67 Whitney Ave)
Chicken/Pork/Vegetable Steamed Dumplings ($4.25)
"Honestly, not bad. Definitely not the best, but infinitely better than some that we've tried."
"They give you 18! There is nothing better in the world than 18 dumplings... except more dumplings."
Other places that have dumplings that I did not get around to trying:
- Hunan House: Steamed Chicken/ Pork/Vegetable/Crystal Shrimp Dumplings, Pork and Vegetable Pot Stickers, Steamed Crab and Pork Soup Dumplings ($6.50-$7.95)
- K2 New Haven: Vegetable/Salted/Malay Chicken/Shrimp/ Chives/Pork/Taro Dumplings ($3.95-$5.95), Xiao Long Bao - aka Shanghai soup dumplings ($5.95)
- York Street Noodle House: (Steamed or fried) Kimchi/Veggie/ Shrimp/Chicken Dumplings, Shumai, Shrimp Harkaw ($4.00-$5.00)
- Anaya's Sushi & Ramen: Vegetable Gyoza and Chicken Gyoza ($4.95)
- Main Garden: Boiled Vegetable Dumplings and Boiled Pork Dumplings ($5.50)
Conclusion
Mecha Noodle Bar has the best dumplings (though they are more fusion cuisine than traditional), but make sure to go at weird times to beat the line (#SpoonTip: Try going Monday night around 5pm).
Otherwise, head over to Jeera Thai or Great Wall to avoid the dreaded bad-dumpling-induced feeling of betrayal.