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- Dumplings Around the World (And Where to Eat Them in NYC)
Dumplings Around the World (And Where to Eat Them in NYC)
Dear Hyphenly Readers,
“Food is one of the most powerful connectors for immigrants. It's how we remember home: the smells, the flavor, even the feel of it, the texture can really bring us right back.”
At Immigrantly, food is our common language. Some of us love to cook, others avoid the kitchen—but all of us love to eat. And if there’s one comfort food that truly crosses borders and cultures, it’s the dumpling.
Whether steamed, fried, baked, or boiled, dumplings are a bite-sized culinary comfort that tells a story of migration, memory, and home. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite dumplings—and where you can find them in New York City.
Xialongbao Xiaolongbao are iconic Shanghai soup dumplings. Delicate parcels filled with hot broth and meat. Bite gently and slurp the soup inside! |
Momo Soft, steamed, and often served in a spicy jhol (broth), momo are a comforting street food staple in Nepal and Tibet. |
Manti Popular in Turkish and Armenian kitchens, manti are typically filled with spiced meat and topped with yogurt and garlic butter. |
Empanadas A fried pastry with meat filling common in Spain, Latin America, North Africa, and the Philippines! Each region puts its own spin on this crispy, handheld pastry—filled with meats, veggies, or cheese. Try Empanada Mama for a Latin diner experience |
Ravioli Stuffed Italian pasta pockets with endless variations—creamy ricotta, pumpkin, spinach—you name it. Try the homemade pasta at Zia Maria |
Pierogi These hearty potato dumplings are a staple in Polish cuisine and a symbol of home for many Eastern Europeans. |
If you're based in NYC, check out a hands-on dumpling-making class! For $65/person, you'll learn to make dumplings from scratch—filling, folding, and all.
Also, don’t forget to follow us for our monthly #HeritageOnYourPlate series featuring immigrant food stories and recipes.
📣 Culture Check-In: We want to hear from you!
What’s your favorite immigrant-owned restaurant? A place that brings you comfort or reminds you of home? Fill out our poll and share your go-to spot—we’ll feature reader submissions on our socials!
Out of the dumplings above...which one gets your vote? |
🎙️ Podcast Pick of the Week
Join Saadia and Jenny as they talk about the politics of food in Singapore. Here’s a small snippet: ❝ “When we talk about instances of cultural appropriation, what I always try to point people to is when, when we live in an unequal society, when certain groups have more power than others, we're always going to have instances of appropriation. Because appropriation at its core, it could be inspiration, but because there's power evolved, it can turn into appropriation.” |
This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.
Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.
We’re currently accepting blog pitches and offer a small honorarium—send your pitch to [email protected]
This month, we are particularly looking to feature stories from queer immigrants. We are looking for personal stories that are queer in all senses of the word – whether it’s your coming-out story, a movie that changed your life, how queerness looks in your culture and family, profiles on queer elders you’ve learned from, and more.
Visit us at www.immigrantlypod.com.