Before Din Tai Fung came to town, Joe’s Shanghai was where you went when the soup dumpling craving hit. The original Chinatown location was on Pell Street, but in late 2019 they moved into a bigger space on Bowery. It is brighter and roomier now, yet the old spirit is still there. Tables are close, the room hums, and it is clear people come for the food.
The menu is extensive, but most of the draw is the xiao long bao. The soup dumplings at Joe’s are larger than the ones at Din Tai Fung. Where DTF serves 10 small dumplings for $22, Joe’s gives you 8 for $14.95, but they are so substantial that I actually find them more filling and thus a better deal. As at DTF, the crab and pork version is the best pick.
What I like about Joe’s is that they have not polished the experience beyond recognition. The new room is cleaner and easier on the eyes than the old spot, but it is still Chinatown with everything that comes with it (though I miss the big waving cat that they had at the old location).
I was probably one of the people most excited for DTF to open in NYC, so I never thought I would say this, but when it comes to xiao long bao in the city, I actually prefer Joe’s Shanghai. The soup dumplings taste great, and the unpretentious setting, without lounge music or a push to order a cocktail will keep me coming back when I want XLB in NYC.
Read my very old blog post about my first visit to Joe’s Shanghai back in 2014 >>
Joe’s Shanghai, 46 Bowery, New York, NY 10013
