Dumpling Specialist
Dumpling restaurant · Parkside
1119-1123 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116
Highlights
Northern Chinese breakfast & dumplings: sheng jian bao, XLB
Northern Chinese breakfast & dumplings: sheng jian bao, XLB
"There are only a few tables inside Dumpling Specialist, the hottest dumpling destination on this stretch of Taraval—so prepare to wait for a seat, or just cave, order your potstickers to go, and eat them on the sidewalk. Their precious xiao long bao are some of the best in the city, and require extra delicate handling. And know that no visit here is complete without a sticky rice roll, which is stuffed with youtiao and salty-sweet pork floss." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"The only downside to Dumpling Specialist is the fact that there are about four tables inside. It’s the hottest dumpling destination on this stretch of Taraval, so prepare to wait for a seat, or just cave, order your potstickers to go, and plop down at McCoppin Square for a picnic. In this case, all the hype does equal quality—these are some of the best dumplings in SF. Do whatever you can to get your hands on the precious xiao long bao, which are served in tin cups and require extra delicate handling. They’re tiny, adorable as hell, and you should pop them like candy (that is, after they cool off)." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez
"Dumpling Specialist is among the restaurants on Taraval Avenue serving jiaozi, or Northern-style Chinese dumplings, in an area SFGATE dubbed “Dumpling Row.” Here, you’ll see father-daughter team Paul and Rebecca Yu as they fold and serve seriously budget-conscious dishes along with the star of the show: dumplings. Don’t skip the pan-fried pork bun, the Shanghai dumplings, or the steamed pork and cabbage dumplings — although if you’re determined and hungry enough, the entire dumpling section is worth a try." - Paolo Bicchieri
"“Kim’s Convenience is a fantastic sitcom about a Korean-Canadian family that runs - yep, you guessed it - a convenience store. It’s a refreshing and much-needed depiction of first-generation Asian families, done justice by a hilarious cast of lovable, complex characters. And like my family (a plate of cut fruit, anyone?), one of Mrs. Kim’s love languages is food: she often shows up in her kids’ apartments to stock their fridges with containers full of leftover kimbap. For me, love is a plate of hand-folded steamed pork dumplings, which I’d order from Dumpling Specialist, along with their delicate, juicy xiao long bao and wontons doused in spicy chili oil.” -JC" - julia chen 1, lani conway
"Dumpling Specialist is Parkside’s hottest dumpling destination, as evidenced by the perpetual wait on weekends and most nights. That’s because they’re leading a masterclass in tiny xiao long bao. They have the most delicate wrappers out of any spot on this guide—the skins get all wrinkly around the pork filling and practically dissolve when they hit your tongue. It’s only five to an order, so do the necessary math to make sure everyone in your group gets their fair share, or prepare to end a friendship over the last one." - julia chen 1
