Top 5 dumplings in Toronto
Published January 30, 2025 at 11:40 am
Dumplings in Toronto can be found prepared in a variety of ways: steamed, boiled and pan-fried. You can find almost any filling you desire, from super meaty to vegetarian, but one of the most commonly found fillings is pork accompanied by other ingredients like shrimp and veggies. Dips like chili oil, soy and vinegar are typically found on the table for dipping.
One of the best things about getting dumplings in Toronto is that most restaurants operate like mini factories where you can see the full process of dumplings being made by hand, often while you’re eating the end result. They also often offer frozen dumplings to take home.
Here are some of Toronto’s top dumpling spots.
5 – The Daily Dumpling Wonton Co.
Locations of this cute and cozy restaurant on College and in the Annex specialize exclusively in wontons. Dumplings are folded and cooked within view of the tiny dining room of their College and Ossington location.
Their classic Shanghai style is filled with pork and mustard greens, but they also make vegan dumplings and even lobster dumplings among other varieties. You can order them served in soup, or with one of their signature sauces: a creamy peanut sauce, mildly zinging chili oil or ginger soy.
The wrappers are very delicate and almost silky, and their fillings from pork to vegan options are super tasty.
North York and Charles Street locations of this low-key restaurant serve huge, round pan-fried soup dumplings, which you can watch being made through a window while you eat at Charles Street.
Orders of a few dumplings at a time look a little small, but are very filling due to their heartiness. Eat these dumplings with care, and you’ll be rewarded with an experience that’s crispy, crunchy, steamy and meaty.
Tear a hole in the thick dumpling skin and blow on the boiling soup inside to cool it off, then slurp the searing savoury broth inside very carefully, cradling the dumpling in a spoon. The dumpling skin on top is soft and pliable, while the bottom is crispy and crunchy.
A generous portion of juicy pork is the classic filling, but they offer other options as well.
3 – Juicy Dumpling
Even if you only have a few bucks and a couple minutes to spare, you can grab a quick order of some of Toronto’s tastiest soup dumplings at this Chinatown restaurant. If you’re in a hurry, scarf them down standing up at their window counter.
The steamed pork soup dumplings are the go-to order here, with extremely delicate wrinkly wrappers that release delicious warming broth with the slightest poke. Scoop one up and suck out the soup, then down the rest in one bite. It’s a comforting experience that heats you from the inside out. They also make crab and pork soup dumplings.
There are other styles of dumplings available here too, like juicy buns and pan-fried chicken dumplings.
2 – Dumpling House
Dumplings are being made all day in the window of this no frills Chinese restaurant. When ordered pan-fried, they come served upside down with a fully intact lacy crust on top thanks to the cooking process. This results in dumplings that are chewy and crispy, with a pleasant crackle when you bite into them.
There are plenty of options for fillings on the menu. The pork and shrimp dumplings have a filling that’s nice and tender with big pieces of juicy shrimp.
This is Toronto’s Michelin Bib Gourmand dumpling restaurant. Many styles of dumplings are served here, from pan-fried to boiled to steamed to juicy pork soup buns. There’s a full-on dumpling making operation at the back of the spacious restaurant so you can see how all the magic happens.
The restaurant is family owned, and their dumplings are so delicious thanks to traditional family recipes from Northeastern China.
Pan-fried beef and celery dumplings are a standard option, with a crispy crunchy crust on the bottom and a bold meaty flavour that’s well balanced by the celery.
