best-dumpling-spots-dublin-banner

We steamed through these 10 best dumpling spots in Dublin and tasted the city’s fines

One piece of wisdom I can impart to you is to never try new food on a first date. Years ago, I ordered a xiao long bao (steamed soup dumplings), thinking they were just any other dumplings. Big mistake.

As graceful as I tried to be, one ended up bursting mid-bite and redecorating my shirt—so embarrassing! My date was so nice about it, though. Still, it took me a while before I could recover from that ‘earth, please swallow me whole’ moment.

My friends eventually joined the picture. Despite my protests, they said ‘dumpling therapy’ would help me get over what happened. They dragged me to the best dumpling spots in Dublin below, so all I’d remember are the warm and tasty steamed wraps.

1. Little Dumpling 

Media credit: littledumplingrestaurant1 

Website: http://littledumpling.ie/ 
Address: IE, 27 Mary Street Little, Smithfield
Contact Details: +353 1 872 7577, (01) 4757777, [email protected] 
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday – 12 PM to 9 PM
Pricing: €10 to €20 per person
Facebook

Little Dumpling offers authentic, handmade dim sum (small dumplings) in Dublin for quick, casual bites. The signage of this small, bustling place looks small at first, but you can look for the Army Bargains shop next to it as a decent landmark.

We recommend the kimchi (Korean fermented veggie side dish) dumplings first. But if you want a more filling experience, we say order a roast duck rice dish or egg fried rice too! 

And for a sweet treat, we love the fried Nutella dumplings—great for kids as well.

Pro tip:

Little Dumpling gets filled easily due to its tiny space, so we suggest arriving early or snagging a weekday lunch to avoid waiting long.

2. Bullet 

Media credit: bulletrestaurant 

Website: https://bulletrestaurantco.ie/ 
Address: 27 Mary Street Little, North City, Dublin 7
Contact Details: +353 1 872 0099, [email protected] 
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday – 12 PM to 10 PM
Pricing: €10 to €20 per person
Facebook

Bullet is a chill spot popular for its Hong Kong-style roasted meats on its meals and dumplings in Dublin, with eco-friendly takeaway too!

As for the food, we especially like the pork belly and crispy roast duck executed in a bullet oven, which makes the textures even better. For rainy days, Cantonese noodle soups, such as beef brisket and fish balls, are just what you need. 

While this spot isn’t big on desserts, you can always go for ice milk tea or fruity bubble tea to end on a sweet note.

Handy hack:

Pressed for time? We recommend ordering online to skip the queue at Bullet to have your orders ready for pickup as soon as you arrive!

3. Boss Stop 

Media credit: rachmarie.s

Website: https://bossstop.ie/ 
Address: 24 South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2
Contact Details: +353 1 572 9906, [email protected] 
Operating Hours: 

  • Sunday to Wednesday – 12 PM to 10 PM
  • Thursday to Saturday – 12 PM to 10:30 PM

Pricing: €20 to €30 per person
Facebook

If you want modern takes on your Dublin dumpling, Boss Stop is big on Asian fusion to change things up a bit. 

Right off the bat, we’re in awe of the wide variety of dumpling flavours here. We like the spicy duck, but you can also go for beef, pork, chicken, and even vegan (with cabbage, garlic chives, bamboo shoot, and fried tofu).

Familiar desserts are also available, like chocolate brownies and vanilla ice cream balls. Still, we suggest trying something new, like the tang yuan (fried rice balls with a sweet filling).

Savvy suggestion:

Need to save money? We encourage visiting Boss Stop midweek for its happy hour specials with dumplings and drinks.

4. CN Dumpling 

Media credit: cn_dumpling.dublin 

Website: https://www.cndumpling.ie/ 
Address: 4b Montague St, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2
Contact Details: +353 1 559 9666, [email protected] 
Operating Hours: 

  • Sunday to Wednesday – 12 PM to 10 PM
  • Thursday to Saturday – 12 PM to 11 PM

Pricing: €20 to €30 per person

CN Dumpling has some of the most diverse dumplings we’ve seen in the city, making it a great spot for those new to Asian food.

Steamed, boiled, grilled, with spicy Sichuan broth, or rainbow (7 flavours in one!)—you name it, this trendy dining place probably has it.

There are also many fillings, like chicken, prawn, and veggie. Our advice is to mix these with delightful small plates like scallop in garlic or cucumber-jellyfish salad. 

Insider scoop:

Looking for a new drink? Why not try something with a kick? CN Dumpling offers a Sichuan cocktail. And let’s just say, this spicy quencher is quite an experience in itself.

5. Big Fan 

Media credit: bigfanbao 

Website: http://www.bigfan.ie/ 
Address: 16 Aungier St
Contact Details: +353 1 538 8886, [email protected] 
Operating Hours: 

  • Monday to Thursday – 5 PM to 10 PM
  • Friday to Saturday – 2 PM to 10 PM
  • Sunday – 2 PM to 9:30 PM

Pricing: €20 to €30 per person
Facebook

Those who hate repetitive dumpling flavours should check out Big Fan at least once. It’s known for its imaginative small plates, so the dishes are definitely Instagram-worthy.

The highlight for us is the Chun Li dumpling, with star ingredients like chicken and water chestnut, served with dark sour vinegar. The unique Black Dragon or the lobster-on-quid-ink-bun dish is another must-try for adventurous palates.

Friendly reminder:

Big Fan has high chairs on some tables. If you feel you’ll be uncomfortable with this, we recommend either arriving earlier (before the peak hours for lunch and dinner) or booking a table in advance.

6. Lucky Tortoise 

Media credit: lucky_tortoise 

Website: http://luckytortoise.ie/ 
Address: 17B, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Contact Details: +353 87 603 8618, [email protected] 
Operating Hours: 

  • Tuesday to Friday – 5 PM to 11 PM
  • Saturday – 12:30 PM to 11 PM
  • Sunday to Monday – Closed

Pricing: €20 to €30 per person
Facebook

Lucky Tortoise is a triple treat for your taste buds—it’s got Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese influences, with a family-friendly menu with shareable plates. 

Our favourites are the pork siu mai (traditional Chinese dumpling), pancetta (Italian cured meat from pork belly) potsticker, and sweet potato and miso. If it’s your first time, it’s smart to order à la carte (individually) to try a couple of things out first.

If you want to make the most of it, we suggest putting Korean wings, tempura (deep-fried Japanese dish), shrimp, or ramen into the mix too.

Cool idea:

Want more fun (and tasty) things to do with your crew? Consider joining Lucky Tortoise’s dumpling-making class. It’s fun and hands-on, and we think you’ll get bragging rights for your next family dinner.

7. Lisa‘s Yummy

Media credit: lisasyummy4clanbrassilst 

Website: https://deliveroo.ie/menu/dublin/warrenmount/yummy-yummy-takeaway 
Address: 4 Clanbrassil Street Upper, Harold’s Cross
Contact Details: +353 89 952 0227, 01 5519617
Operating Hours: 

  • Thursday – 9:30 PM to 1 AM
  • Friday – 9:30 PM to 2 AM
  • Saturday – 9:30 PM to 2:30 AM
  • Sunday to Wednesday – Closed

Pricing: €10 to €30 per person
Facebook

If it’s midnight and you’re still craving dumplings in Dublin, why not check out Lisa‘s Yummy? It’s a fusion bar boasting more than 15 kinds of cocktails and dumplings. 

It often hosts parties and group bookings too, and many guests like to dress up, so make sure to bring your A game. 

To complement your dumplings and shrimp plate, we recommend getting the Zombie cocktail (but this one is pretty strong with its triple-shot rum). We noticed most drinks are quite potent here, but you can also opt for red or white wine, though they’re pricier.

Just for fun:

Love to sing? Invite friends to Lisa‘s Yummy for a karaoke session. This is a great way to relieve stress on a Friday or Saturday night.

8. Hang Dai Chinese 

Media credit: hangdaichinese 

Website: https://www.hangdaichinese.com/ 
Address: 20 Camden Street Lower, Saint Kevin’s
Contact Details: +353 1 545 8888, [email protected] 
Operating Hours: 

  • Monday to Friday – 5 PM to 10 PM
  • Saturday – 2 PM to 10 PM
  • Sunday – 4 PM to 9:30 PM

Pricing: €20 to €50 per person
Facebook

Hang Dai Chinese is for dumplings and music fans! It has rotating DJ sets and a solid cocktail selection that can lift any mood when the sun goes down. 

The star dishes for us are the cheeseburger spring roll and pork dumplings, but we believe the half-roast Skeaghanore (an area in West Cork) duck is pretty good too.

Upstairs, the Gold Bar showcases fancy decor as well. You’ll find red leather and an amazing sound system that looks fun when you’re having after-dinner drinks.

Just some reminders:

You can typically walk in at Hang Dai Chinese’s outdoor space or bar area in the middle of the week. But if you want to dine indoors, it’s wise to make a reservation first.

9. Oh My Street Food 

Media credit: oh_my_street_food 

Website: http://www.ohmyfood.ie/ 
Address: 4 Westmoreland St, Temple Bar
Contact Details: +353 1 670 8200, [email protected] 
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 9 PM
Pricing: €10 to €20 per person 
Facebook

Oh My Street Food is simple and affordable yet flavourful with its Taiwanese treats. It looks sleek, clean, and well-lit for a bustling place.

Our top menu picks are the siu mai (traditional Chinese dumplings) and gyoza (Japanese dumplings), but we also found a weakness for donburi (rice) bowls and takoyaki (octopus ball dumplings). 

But if you need to feel fuller for lunch or dinner, we believe the spicy noodles mix well with most orders. For us, the milk tea here is also good at balancing out the spice.

For some peace and quiet:

Oh My Street Food has some catchy Mandarin and Cantonese songs in the background. But if you prefer eating somewhere peaceful, we suggest going upstairs for a more serene ambience.

10. Nightmarket 

Media credit: nightmarketd6 

Website: http://nightmarket.ie/ 
Address: 120 Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Contact Details: +353 1 538 5200
Operating Hours: 

  • Tuesday to Thursday, Sunday – 3 PM to 10:30 PM
  • Friday – 3 PM to 11 PM
  • Saturday – 2 PM to 11 PM
  • Monday – Closed

Pricing: €25 to €40 per person

Did you know Thai cuisine has dumplings too? Nightmarket offers authentic Thai cooking with bold flavours we think are worth adding to your foodie bucket list.

Our recommendations include kanom jeeb (steamed pork and prawn dumplings) and thoong thong (crispy filo chicken and prawn dumplings). We also appreciate the extensive wine list and cocktail options to maximise the experience.

For those driving:

Need to park around the Nightmarket? You can do so around Ranelagh, and it’s free after 7 pm. However, expect scoping the area for a couple of rounds before finding a decent spot.