Manhattan dumpling lines can stretch down the block, but the 7 train offers a smarter plan. Ride it to the last stop at Flushing-Main St in Queens, and you land in one of the best dumpling neighborhoods in the country.
Soup dumplings, chili oil wontons, crispy pan-fried buns and northern-style boiled dumplings are all within a short walk of the station. Prices often run lower than in Manhattan, and the menus go deeper into Shanghainese and northern Chinese cooking.
Some of these spots are sit-down restaurants with long menus, while others are counters where you order fast and eat faster. Here are seven Flushing stops worth the subway ride, each with its own reason to be on the list.
Bring an appetite, a little patience for weekend crowds, and some cash for the smaller counters.
1. Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings – Flushing, Flushing, NY
Few dumplings in Queens carry as much fame as the xiao long bao at Nan Xiang. The restaurant sits at 39-16 Prince St, about two blocks from the Flushing-Main St 7 train station, so the trip from the platform to the table is a quick one.
The soup dumplings are the reason to come. They have thin, delicate skins, a rich broth inside and a well-seasoned filling.
Order a basket for the table, then branch out.
The Shanghainese menu goes well beyond dumplings. Look for scallion pancake wrapped with beef, rice cakes with shredded pork, seafood crispy noodles and pork and vegetable wonton soup.
Vegetarians can pick from four happiness kaofu, turnip ham puffs and garlic cucumber salad.
Hours are generous, from 8 AM until midnight most days and 1 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations are not accepted and a wait is common, especially on weekend evenings.
Weekday mornings and afternoons tend to be calmer. Expect to spend roughly $20 to $30 per person.
2. Shanghai You Garden, Flushing, NY
Budget-minded dumpling fans should know the math at Shanghai You Garden. Most meals land between $10 and $20 per person, and the restaurant has offered free steamed dumplings with orders over $10.
It is also known as a cash-only spot, so plan ahead.
You will find it at 135-33 40th Rd, just off Main Street near the 7 train. The handmade soup dumplings have thin skins and a generous amount of soup, which is exactly what you want from a good xiao long bao.
Beyond the baskets, the Shanghainese menu includes grandma’s braised pork, rice cake with shredded pork, ham hock in wine sauce, beef noodle soup and stinky tofu for the adventurous. There is also a full vegetarian menu with dishes like scallion pancakes and salted tofu pudding.
Doors open at 9 AM on weekdays and 8:30 AM on weekends, making it a strong breakfast stop. Saturdays get the heaviest crowds.
Reservations are accepted, which helps with groups.
3. Zhu Ji Dumpling House, Flushing, NY
Six in the morning is when Zhu Ji starts serving on weekdays, which tells you a lot about this place. It is a breakfast-first counter at 40-52 Main St, right along the busy 7 train corridor.
There is no grand storefront here. The setup is simple, fast and cheap, with most orders costing between $1 and $10.
The morning crowd comes for soy milk, tea eggs and dumplings. Pork dumplings and fried dumplings anchor the menu, and the pork and vegetable buns come out crispy on the bottom.
Scallion pancakes and sheng jian bao round things out.
The spot has been feeding Flushing for more than 20 years. I would save this one for an early start before a day of eating.
Weekend hours begin at 6:30 AM on Saturday and 7 AM on Sunday, and it stays open until 9:30 PM. Delivery is not offered, so come in person.
4. White Bear, Flushing, NY
Order by number at White Bear. The #6, wontons in chili oil, is the dish that put this small counter on the map, and it is the one most people come for.
The shop sits at 135-02 Roosevelt Ave, near the elevated 7 tracks. Space is tight, there is no table service and there is no restroom.
Treat it as a quick stop.
The homemade wontons arrive in a spicy, savory chili oil. A plate of a dozen has typically cost around $10, and paying in cash is the safe move.
The #17, noodles in hot sauce, is another regular order. Wonton soup is available for anyone who wants less heat.
Check the calendar before you go. White Bear closes on Wednesdays and keeps hours from 10 AM to 6:30 PM the rest of the week, so this is a lunch or early dinner stop rather than a late-night one.
Saturday afternoons tend to be the busiest.
5. CHELI FLUSHING, Flushing, NY
Need a dumpling stop that also works for a birthday dinner? CHELI is the dressed-up pick on this list.
Located at 133-42 39th Ave, an easy walk from the 7 train terminal, the restaurant focuses on Shanghai and Jiangzhe cooking. The dining room has a polished design, and service is attentive.
The xiao long bao have fairly thin skin and plenty of soup. Pair them with the signature braised pork belly, Longjing shrimp or the sweet and sour fried whole fish.
Showier dishes include the Song Dynasty Flaming Beggar’s Chicken and the hot stone braised rice. A full vegetarian menu is available too.
Plan on $30 to $60 per person. Dinner reservations are recommended, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Hours run from 11 AM to 11 PM most nights and until midnight on Fridays and Sundays.
6. Liu Liu Sheng Jian, Flushing, NY
Soup dumplings get the headlines, but sheng jian bao deserve a turn. These pan-fried pork buns are the specialty at Liu Liu Sheng Jian, a food court stall at 136-20 Roosevelt Ave by the Flushing 7 stop.
The buns are made fresh by hand, and the kitchen is visible from the counter. Because each one is folded by hand, the wrappers vary slightly in thickness.
The result is fluffy on top and crunchy, toasted on the bottom. The pan-fried pork buns with sesame are the main event.
Prices fall in the $1 to $10 range, so this works as a snack between bigger meals. Seating is food court style, and takeout is easy.
Hours are not consistently posted, so check before making a special trip.
7. Handmade Dumpling, Flushing, NY
Union Street rewards anyone willing to walk a few extra blocks from the train. Handmade Dumpling, at 35-46 Union St, is the quietest name on this list.
The focus is northern-style dumplings, served in a no-frills room. The fillings go beyond the usual pork and chive, with combinations you do not see on most menus.
The dumplings are juicy and packed with meat. Steamed vegetable dumplings are also on the menu for non-meat eaters.
This is the kind of place I would visit when the bigger names have long waits. Expect to spend $10 to $20 per person.
It is open 9 AM to 9 PM Monday through Saturday and 10 AM to 8 PM on Sunday. Sunday mornings get busy, while weekday evenings are usually calmer.
Seven stops, one subway line and plenty of dumplings make Flushing an easy food day. Save this list for your next ride to the end of the 7.
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