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It's always the perfect time to seek out a steamer basket of xiao long bao, or soup dumplings, those beloved Chinese treats typically packed with meat and a mouthful of piping broth within their puckered dumpling skins. From Chinatown all the way to Flushing, these are the best soup dumplings in NYC.
Shanghai Cafe Deluxe: Quite possibly the best in the city, the soup dumplings on offer at this Chinatown cafe stand out for the deeply savory, porky broth inside. 100 Mott St. (212-966-3988)
Shanghai Asian Manor: The deeply pleated beauties at this Chinatown spot feature exemplary dumpling skins: thin and handmade, they envelop a toasted-sesame–tinged broth and a nice meaty filling. 21 Mott St. (212-766-6311; shanghaiasianmanor.com)
Shanghai Asian Cuisine: This narrow Chinatown dining room serves up delicious dumplings with delicately chewy skins and a pork broth infused with the sweetness of cabbage. 14 Elizabeth St. (212-964-5640; shanghaiasiancuisine.com)
456 Shanghai Cuisine: Originally opened in 1963, this dependable Shanghainese spot steams soup dumplings with perfect, chewy skins and a gingery pork broth. 69 Mott St. (212-964-0003)
Joe’s Ginger: This perennially packed Chinatown eatery has must-order soup dumplings, with nicely tender skins and balanced broth. 25 Pell St. (212-285-0333; joeginger.com)
Old Shanghai Deluxe: You might walk right by this unassuming corner spot in Chinatown, but think twice before you do: its soup dumplings feature respectable skins and a broth aromatic with ginger and sesame. 50 Mott St. (212-566-4884)
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao: When you visit this always-crowded spot in the Chinese heart of Flushing, you’ll see a basket (or two) of its eponymous dumplings on every table. The long bao are large, plump and made to order. 38-12 Prince St., Queens (718-321-3838)
Kung Fu Xiao Long Bao: This Flushing spot features excellent soup dumplings with impressively thin skins and a rich, swine-forward broth. 59-16 Main St., Queens (718-661-2882)
The Bao: This relative newcomer to the East Village is an offshoot of its Flushing relative Kung Fu, serving the same excellent xiao long bao. 13 St. Marks Pl. (212-388-9238)
Yu Garden Dumpling House: With a nice ratio of filling to broth, the soup dumplings at this Flushing locations are super tasty. 46-20 Kissena Blvd., Queens (718-886-2676)
Annisa: For a departure from the usual pork soup dumplings, visit chef Anita Lo’s globetrotting West Village flagship, which serves a divinely rich foie gras soup dumpling crowned with an additional lobe of seared liver. 13 Barrow St. (212-741-6699; annisarestaurant.com)