I’ve tried my darndest to discover the best soup dumplings in Seattle. How many dumplings did I eat? I lost count a long time ago, but suffice it to say, I’ve tried enough to finally be confident in sharing my favorites.
Soup dumplings, or xiao long bao, were supposedly invented by a restaurant owner near Shanghai seeking to stand out in a competitive steamed bun market. They quickly became a hit due to their secret ingredient, aspic, a savory gelatin that melts as the dumplings steam, creating a rich and flavorful broth. Eventually, they got the name xiao long bao or “small basket bun.”
To make a great dumpling, the dough must be delicate, pleated, and thinner than your average potsticker dough. The filling also has to be equally balanced with ground meat and savory liquid, and don’t expect them to actually be in soup. Rather, the thickened broth is encased inside the dumpling. They’re also best enjoyed fresh and don’t travel well, so I would avoid ordering these bad boys for takeout.
Considering Seattle’s rich Chinese immigrant community, it only makes sense they’d bring with them the magic of these perfectly steamed, delicate, plump soup dumplings. So, to make sense of all your options, I’ve created a roundup of what I consider the ultimate comfort food.
Best Soup Dumplings in Seattle
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Din Tai Fung
website | neighborhoods: Downtown (get directions), Bellevue (get directions) U-District (get directions), & Tukwila (get directions) | sells them frozen? No
Din Tai Fung may be a chain restaurant hailing from Taiwan, but they pay extra special attention to the quality and authenticity of their dishes. They’re also my niece’s favorite restaurant, which means I’ve tried almost everything on their menu since we go often.
DTF’s xiao long bao is my favorite in the city since they’re so fresh. Like, you can literally watch the staff make them while you wait for your table kind of fresh. Plus the dining room is spacious and lively, so it’s the perfects spot for group dining in Seattle.
Aside from the dumplings, which I usually order with a variety of fillings, their spicy cucumber appetizer, rice cakes, and garlic green beans side dish are delicious and must-orders.
Pro tip: DTF doesn’t take reservations for large groups over 6 people, oddly. However, you can join the online waitlist and see estimated wait times from their locations page.
Dough Zone
website | neighborhood: U-District (get directions), Downtown (get directions), Chinatown-International District (get directions) & more on the Eastside | sells them frozen? Yes
Dough Zone is a chain that started in Bellevue and offers a wide variety of soup dumplings alongside pot stickers and dan dan noodles. Similar to DTF, the dining space is bright, spacious, and modern. I definitely suggest making a reservation in advance or, at the very least, adding yourself to the waitlist via Yelp or Google.
Their soup dumplings come with three fillings: Berkshire-Duroc pork, chicken soup, and crab and pork. I’m partial to the crab and pork xiao long bao since you get a mix of flavors, and I always tack on an order of green onion pancakes and the chicken vegetable wontons in hot and sour sauce.
MìLà
website | 278 106th Ave NE (get directions) | neighborhood: Bellevue | sells them frozen? Yes
Mìlà, one of the most popular frozen dumpling brands in the area, has a restaurant on the Eastside called Xiao Chi Jie where they got their start. It’s a casual space dedicated to authentic Chinese street food dishes like rice bowls, bao buns, dan dan noodles, and most famously, XLB dumplings.
You can get the dumplings with either pork, chicken, or shrimp, but I’m partial to the pork. If you don’t feel like dining in, you can order them frozen and steam them at home. In fact, I have a few bags in my freezer right now because they’re my favorite dumpling spot for takeout in Seattle.
Supreme Dumplings
website | neighborhoods: Bellevue (get directions) & Kirkland (get directions) | sells them frozen? No
Supreme Dumplings serves a lot of Chinese dishes, but they’re making some of the best xiao long bao soup dumplings in the greater Seattle area. They offer more flavor options than most: traditional pork, chicken, and shrimp with pork alongside creative spins like Szechuan spicy, truffle chicken, and pork with crab.
Texturally the soup dumplings are on the larger side, but they have the right wrapper density and the perfect little swirled pinch. You can also get them pan-fried to add some addictive crunch.
Definitely try the Szechuan to get a delightfully spicy and numbing sensation with each bite. But my favorite is the chicken XLB because it has some of the most deeply-flavored broth I’ve tried at a soup dumpling spot in Seattle.
Little Ting’s Dumplings
website | 14411 Greenwood Ave N (get directions) | neighborhood: Greenwood/Broadview | sells them frozen? Yes
Little Ting’s is another hole-in-the-wall spot that’s easy to miss but low key serves some of the best Chinese food in Seattle. Their menu consists of, unsurprisingly, dumplings and pot stickers, plus the classics like fried rice, hand-pulled noodles, and scallion pancakes.
The pork soup dumplings are my favorite, but they’re a close tie with the honey walnut shrimp. I also love that you can sometimes watch them making dumplings by hand. Just keep in mind they have way less manpower than the army Din Tai Fung employs to make their dumplings, so be patient and you’ll be well rewarded!
Hong Kong Bistro
website | 507 Maynard Ave S (get directions) | neighborhood: C-ID | sells them frozen? No
HKB is a spacious, more upscale spot in the Chinatown-International District serving all day dim sum in addition to a full length menu of Cantonese classics. They call their soup dumplings “Shanghai dumplings,” and while they’re smaller than most I’ve had, they manage to pack in a lot of broth. The broth is super flavorful and meaty, as if it’s been simmering for days.
As for the rest of their menu, I have a particular affinity for their honey walnut prawns, which have a subtle vinegar flavor that cuts through the sweetness beautifully. I also love the garlic pea vines, pan-fried shrimp dumplings, and their juicy, plump shu mai.
Mount&Bao
website | 12534 Lake City Way NE (get directions) | neighborhood: Lake City | sells them frozen? Yes
Mount & Bao is a little hole-in-the-wall spot serving generous portions of authentic Chinese dishes. Their dumplings are pricier than some other spots, but you get what you pay for, and I’ve never met a dumpling here I didn’t love.
For dumpling filling you can choose between beef, pork, chicken, fish, or vegetarian. They also have plump and bountiful shu mai, dan dan noodles, rice bowls, and tons more. The wontons in chili oil are fairly subtle, but the wontons have a beautiful, delicate texture. Adding a splash of vinegar or soy sauce from the table makes all the difference.
Ping’s Dumplings
website | 508 S King St (get directions) | neighborhood: C-ID | sells them frozen? Yes
Ping’s is a small mom-and-pop spot with vibrant green decor reminiscent of the 80’s. They specialize in, you guessed it, a variety of boiled dumplings along with pan-fried pot stickers, a few stir fries, and noodle dishes.
Their soup dumplings are delicate and flavorful. You can get them in a variety of fillings, including pork, beef, lamb, shrimp, and crab. Whatever you order, make sure to tack on some of their pan-fried pork and chive bao. They’re similar to traditional bao but less spongey and sweet, and the giant bites of chive pair beautifully with the savory crisp on top of each bun.
Purple Dot Cafe
website | 515 Maynard Ave S (get directions) | neighborhood: C-ID | sells them frozen? No
Around the corner from HKB is the popular late-night spot Purple Dot. They’re open till 3 AM on the weekends, and while I’m an early bird and have never visited that early in the wee morning hours, I’ve been around 10 or 11 PM and can attest to the number of people waiting for tables even at that hour.
In addition to their tea, which is complimentary and delicious, they serve every type of dim sum under the sun, along with soups, congee, stir fries, noodles, and rice dishes. You order their dim sum by marking how many you want on a sheet of paper. Similar to HKB, look for the “Shanghai dumplings,” which come stuffed with savory minced pork in a rich and juicy broth.
Xiaolongbao House
website | 14725 Aurora Ave N (get directions) | neighborhood: Shoreline | sells them frozen? No
You’d think by the name that Xialonghbao House only focuses on soup dumplings, but their menu is mostly made up of a ton of non-dumpling items. However, their think pork bun XLB are a must try if you’re looking for the best soup dumplings in Seattle.
They have a thicker wrapper and admittedly less soup inside than other spots. But they’re larger in size and have a fattier meat filling that imparts a ton of savory umami goodness. So while the texture and balance of liquid-to-solid isn’t as traditional, they’re making up for it in flavor.
Joyale Seafood Restaurant
website | 900 S Jackson St (get directions) | neighborhood: C-ID | sells them frozen? No
Joyale is a large Chinese restaurant known for being one of the last few spots to use dim sum carts. As their name implies, they have a lot of seafood dishes. So you can imagine my surprise to find that they also have pork soup dumplings.
Their version is petite and has a really moist and juicy meat filling. There’s also a nice mouthful of broth, but not so much that it comes gushing out. Definitely make sure these are a part of your table, along with their stir-fried pea vines, pork and peanut dumplings, and pork and chive dumplings.
ChiHo Bistro
website | 2330 2nd Ave (get directions) | neighborhood: Belltown | sells them frozen? No
ChiHo Bistro is a fancy Chinese-American restaurant in downtown Seattle. It feels almost like an intimate tavern or cocktail bar versus a spot to get Asian food classics. But that’s exactly what you’ll find here: entrees like duck, mapo tofu, and noodles alongside a bunch of dumplings.
Like Supreme Dumplings, ChiHo offers a bunch of different XLB flavors: pork, pork and crab, truffle, mala, chicken, and vegan. What makes them fun is that each has a vibrant color so you can tell them apart. Plus they have a sampler that’s a rainbow in the steamer basket.
I personally find their wrapper a touch thin, which puts the soup at risk of steeping out if the wrapper sticks to the steamer. But if you can work carefully, you’ll be rewarded with satisfying flavors. My favorite is the mala because of the juicy meat and numbing peppercorns.
Pro tip: While you’re here, don’t miss the spicy cucumber appetizer and truffled fried rice!
Mama Dough
website | 18230 E Valley Hwy Ste 156 (get directions) | neighborhood: Kent | sells them frozen? No
Ok, Mama Dough is a bit further afield in Kent about 30 minutes south of Seattle. But any list of the best soup dumplings in Seattle would be remiss for not mentioning this hidden gem inside 99 Ranch Market.
Mama Dough has a lot of Chinese dishes, but are best known for their xiao long bao. You can get them with pork, crab, seafood, or veggies. My favorite is the OG pork because its fat makes for the most succulent bite. No matter which flavor you choose, know Mama Dough has one of the best wrapper consistencies of any spot on this list.
More to eat around Seattle
After you make your way through this list of the best soup dumplings in Seattle, check out my other restaurant guides.
