New York

Best Soup Dumplings in New York

XLB pilgrimage: Flushing to Manhattan

A proper xiao long bao is engineering: a skin thin enough to see through, pleated shut, holding hot soup that only releases when you bite. New York takes them seriously in two places at once. Flushing is the heavyweight, where Shanghainese kitchens fold to order and the standard is set. Manhattan holds its own with East Village dumpling shops and Midtown Shanghainese dining rooms. The technique to eat one without a burned mouth: lift by the knot, rest it on the spoon, bite a small hole, drink the soup, then finish it with black vinegar and ginger.