NYC: North Dumpling on Essex Street

North Dumpling has been among my favorite places for cheap dumplings for years. It was my friend Alex, who introduced me to the tiny shop on Essex St. on our way for Happy Hour canned beer at 169 Bar. Alex always gets the scallion pancake, which I also tried the first time I was there, but ever since I tasted the hot & sour soup, my standard order has been dumplings and hot & sour soup. You can choose between steamed or fried dumplings, and I always get the steamed ones. Not because I don’t like fried dumplings, it’s just an old habit.

The hot soup at North Dumpling may not be the best hot soup you’ve ever tasted, but it’s decent and well worth the $2 price tag. You pay $4 (cash only) for 10 Chives & Pork dumplings, and even though the price has gone up $1 since my first visit back in 2017, it’s still dirt cheap, and the dumplings are juicy and delicious. In fact, the dumplings have been consistently tasty every single time I’ve been there, so I thought it was about time I dedicated a blog post to this place.

There is plastic cutlery available, so you can get a spoon for your soup and a fork for your dumplings. Not sure if there are chopsticks available, I haven’t seen any, and I haven’t bothered asking. The condiments include a basic set of soy sauce and hot chili sauce, so I’ll usually splash a bit of both on top of my dumplings and my soup before digging in. When I’m hungry, I tend to overestimate my appetite, and 10 dumplings seem like way too little, which is why I always get the hot & sour soup on the side. Halfway in, I usually end up asking for a box to get the rest to go:)

Most people get the dumplings to go, as the seating inside the shop is limited. Seward Park is just across the street, so if the weather is nice, I would go for a bench in the park instead.

Remember that it’s cash only...

North Dumpling just opened a new branch on Division St. in Chinatown. Haven’t been there yet, but it’s on my list!

North Dumpling, 27A Essex St, New York, NY 10002