Best dumplings in Sydney
Juicy, bite sized and best eaten with good company
The city has never been short on options for great dumplings, from cult Enmore Road institutions to warehouse dining rooms in the CBD. Some spots will even have you watching the skilled chefs make them right in the window while you wait for a table. They don’t get much fresher than this.
But, a handful of local favourites are perfect for those cheap-and-cheerful nights with good food and good friends.
Need an excuse to eat some of Sydney’s best dumplings?
National Dumpling Day lands on Saturday, the 26th of September, and if there was ever a weekend to go looking for the best dumplings in Sydney, this is it.
We have spent the week checking which of those specials are actually confirmed for 2026, because plenty of venues quietly run the same dumpling deal every year without bothering to update the date on their website. Below, you will find the specials we have verified so far, worth building a Saturday around, followed by our running list of the best dumplings in Sydney for whenever the craving strikes, Dumpling Day or not. One day specials tend to be tightly timed and limited in supply, so treat opening hours and sold out warnings as real, and call ahead if a booking matters more than a queue.
Uncle Ming's trades on speakeasy energy, tucked below street level on York Street with low light and a serious whisky list. The dumpling menu covers both Northern and Southern Chinese styles, and the chicken and miso version is the one to order first. Pair it with whisky and apple juice, then stay for another round.
- Good for
Lotus built its name on colourful, house made xiao long bao, some dyed with beetroot or spinach, filled the traditional way underneath. The Summer Hill original has a neighbourhood feel, while the newer Circular Quay site adds harbour views to the menu. Selected dumplings for $1 each, Saturday 26th September, 12pm to 3pm.
- Good for
Dan Hong keeps the dim sum menu at Mr Wong straighter than the rest of his empire, and it works. The warehouse dining room on Bridge Lane gets loud and lively at lunch, when trolleys and steamer baskets move fast between tables. Order the steamed scallop and prawn dumplings, then stay for the roast duck.
- Good for
Tucked in a laneway in Chippendale, Spice Alley isn't just one restaurant but a collection of more than a dozen Asian eateries. Chinese, Singaporean, Malaysian, Japanese and more are all on the menu, allowing you to go on a continental dumpling tour in just one location.
- Good for
A Chatswood regular for weeknight dumplings, New Shanghai turns out reliable Shanghainese classics including a properly soupy xiao long bao. The fit out is sleek rather than traditional, which makes it an easy pick for dinner before a movie or a catch up with friends who cannot agree on cuisine.
