The best Chinese dumplings in Milan
After a few years from the first time you asked me for a list of the best Chinese dumplings in Milan, here is finally the long-awaited list!
As you know, I love to discover the cultural and territorial differences at a gastronomic level, which is why this article is developed by geographical areas: it is not a simple list of scattered dishes chosen according to my personal taste, but an accurate subdivision of these specialties based on origin.
Chinese dumplings are generally associated with dim sum, a southern Chinese style of cooking (Guangdong: Canton and Hong Kong) that includes a wide variety of dishes to be enjoyed alongside tea - "yum cha", or "drinking tea". is the practice that concerns this type of consumption and draws its origins from the ancient Silk Road.
Dim sum includes mainly steamed or plated ravioli and many other light specialties such as changfen (stuffed rice pasta "cannelloni"), baozi (steamed bun, such as char siu bao, with pork braised and caramelized), fengzhua (crow's feet) or sweet preparations such as mala gao (steamed sponge cake).
China is a boundless territory, the size of a continent, so there are many different recipes for dumplings. In Milan today some Chinese entrepreneurs wanted to invest in the restaurant business, allowing them to taste authentic and modern recipes from their homeland.
In this list you will find places that offer handcrafted Chinese dumplings made with high quality ingredients: they are practically unknown places (sincere and no frills), restaurants that have made the history of Chinese cuisine in Milan, or small workshops.
If you want to try Chinese street food dumplings in Chinatown (along with many other specialties) read this article. On the other hand, if you are interested in the development of Chinese-Italian cuisine still quite popular in our country, read here.
SOUTH CHINA / Guangdong (Canton and Hong Kong)
Guandong rdumplings are part of the dim sum tradition. Prepared mainly by steaming (often in crystal paste, which becomes semi-transparent during cooking) or grilled (with a slightly thicker dough), these dumplings have a refined type of closure depending on the filling. The flavor is delicate and not spicy.
Here are the main types of dumplings that can be distinguished in the style of dim sum:
Har gao 蝦餃: transparent and smooth, with prawns
Chaozhou fenguo 潮州粉粿: with peanuts, pork, dried shrimp, Chinese mushrooms, Chinese chives and garlic
Ravioli di erba cipollina cinese 韭菜餃
Xiaolongbao 小笼包; 小籠包: with hot broth, meat or fish
Guotie 鍋貼: braised with cabbage and meat
Shao mai 烧卖: with meat, shrimp and mushrooms
Ravioli di taro 芋角: with crushed taro, meat, shrimp and mushrooms
Wonton 雲吞: with meat and shrimps
Lon Fon
Milestone of Chinese catering in Milan, family-run and open for over 40 years. Ideal for a dinner with family or friends.
I advise you to try them all: steamed prawns, special in water, grilled meat, "4 colors", steamed meat and steamed vegetables. 🌎 http://lonfon.it 📍 Via Lazzaretto 10, Milan 📞 02 2940 5153 💰 $$$
Kim Bar Chinese Bistrot
Small simple but cozy bistro specializing in Hong Kong-style dumplings with different fillings including fish, meat and / or vegetables. Ideal with friends. 🌎 https://www.facebook.com/kimbarmilano/ 📍 Via Correggio 16, Milan 📞 339 293 6017 💰 $$$
Ta Hua
Historic reference in Milan for classic and modern Hong Kong cuisine, it offers a vast selection of dumplings suitable also for celiac sufferers.
Elegant but not too formal, perfect for an important occasion, romantic or with friends. 🌎 http://www.tahua.it 📍 Via Gustavo Fara 15, Milan 📞 02 4548 8800 💰 $$
Fratelli ravioli
Small simple but substantial place where you can consume dumplings from the most classic to the most particular and colorful ones, always rigorously handmade. 📍 Via Casale 3, Milan 📞 02 836 1778 💰 $$
Ravioleria Hui Hui
Nice and well-kept dim sum bar that offers artisanal dumplings steamed or grilled. The classic meat dumplings have the particularity of containing celery. 📍 Via Cesare Correnti 21, Milan 📞 02 835 6612 💰 $$$
Ristorante Zaoyidian
A very spartan little place specializing in snacks and Chinese breakfast: the steamed xiaolongbao are not to be missed.
📍 Via Padova 84, Milan 📞 333 506 8526 💰 $
EAST CHINA / Zhejiang
The coastal province of Zhejiang is located south of Shanghai. The cuisine of this area presents dishes with a soft, light taste and a great variety of fish and vegetables.
Within this macro-category there are different styles of cuisine: Hangzhou (dishes elaborated with simple ingredients such as bamboo shoots), Shaoxing (dishes based on freshwater fish and chicken), Ningbo (especially seafood ) and Shanghai (prevalence of dim sum).
Generally the ravioli of this area have a thick paste, but not too much.
Houije 后街
No-frills venue specializing in Rui'an County City cuisine.
Here people come to enjoy the spectacular Chinese pork and chive dumplings served on a hot plate. 📍 Via Paolo Lomazzo 14, Milan 📞 02 331 1188 💰 $
Hua Cheng
Spartan trattoria, kitschy and full of substance. People come here to eat in abundance with friends, the homemade grilled dumplings are excellent. 🌎https://www.facebook.com/Trattoria-cinese-Hua-Cheng-130482827007108/ 📍 Via Giordano Bruno 13, Milan 📞 02 345 1613 💰 $$
Xiao Hutong
Small place with a few seats where you can taste or take away some excellent grilled dumplings with meat, vegetables or even with the addition of cheese.
📍 Via Paolo Sarpi 50, Milan 💰 $$
NORTH CHINA
The cuisine of northern China (also known as Pekingese cuisine) is characterized by a strong Mongolian influence (just think of the hot pot) and favors spiced mutton and goat meat (as opposed to the cuisine of southern China, where the plenty of pork) and tagliatelle (langpi) instead of rice.
The dumplings made in this area have a very thick dough: the skill of the cook is found in the realization of the dough (which must be light) and in the cooking (almost always by boiling), since it is easy for the dumplings to remain raw given the thickness.
Today it is still very difficult to distinguish this type of dumplings from all the other types, but luckily in Milan many restaurants are offering this specialty, in my opinion, unmissable.
Ravioli di Lu Pechino 北京卢记饺子
Family-run no-frills restaurant where you can enjoy some of the best Beijing dumplings in Milan. Here you will find twenty different types of dumplings, the portions are extremely generous. 🌎 https://www.facebook.com/raviolidilupechino/📍 Viale Brianza 15, Milan 📞 02 9194 3779 💰 $
Dong Bei Si Fang Cai
Definitely spartan place where you can taste the home cooking of Dongbei, a region of north-east China. Pay attention to the portions: I've never seen them so abundant! Go as a group so as not to advance anything. 📍 Via Carlo Imbonati 56, Milan 📞 377 812 4055 💰 $$
Shi Yunjia
A no-frills tavern where you can taste excellent dumplings among the most disparate, the recipes here are really many and one better than the other. 📍 Via Giuseppe Giusti 14, Milan 📞 377 825 5584 💰 $
Griglieria ZhiSha 炙膳烤肉
Excellent welcoming Chinese grill where to eat, in addition to grilled preparations, excellent abundant and tasty dumplings. 📍 Via Carlo Farini 38, Milan 📞 353 305 0778 💰 $$$
Chef J
Neat and welcoming restaurant serving Manchurian cuisine, an area located in the north-east of China.
The entire menu will surprise you with truly unmissable treats including boiled dumplings stuffed with chives, scrambled eggs, shrimp and meat. 🌎 https://www.chefjmilano.com/ 📍 Via Carlo Farini 70, Milan 📞 02 688 9918 💰 $$$
Ravioleria Fast Food
Microscopic dumplings laboratory with some stools where you can eat some of the best northern dumplings ever in the city. My favorites are the classics with pork and cabbage to be dressed with vinegar.
There are other locations of this laboratory (my favorite is this one in the list, located in Nolo): Uomo grasso ravioli in Via Augusto Anfossi 5 and Ravioleria di Meixia in Piazzale Lagosta 10. 📍 Via Antonio Antonio Porpora 111, Milan 📞 377 887 8158 💰 $
WEST CHINA / Sichuan
The cuisine of western China is characterized by the cooking method of smoking and the massive use of spices, especially spicy ones - such as chilli and the famous Sichuan pepper, able to numb the mouth.
This gastronomic style, which has become all the rage in Milan recently thanks to successful restaurants, includes some sub-categories concerning the city of Chonqing and Hunan (which unlike Sichuan cuisine presents dishes with a drier flavor and with less amount of oil).
The western ravioli have a not too thick paste, boiled and seasoned with spicy sauce.
Guishu
Small trattoria serving genuine homemade Sichuan dishes and dumplings. 📍 Via Giuseppe Broggi 12, Milan 📞 02 9935 3448 💰 $$
Mao Hunan
Restaurant entirely dedicated to the cuisine of Hunan (south-east China), where Mao Tse-tung was born. 🌎 https://www.facebook.com/ristorantemao/ 📍 Via Nicola Antonio Porpora 5, Milan 📞 02 4978 7361 💰 $$
Asian Bistrot
Nicely decorated and welcoming restaurant where you can enjoy a variety of very spicy Sichuan dishes, including dumplings. 📍 Via Lazzaro Palazzi 15, Milan 📞 02 2953 7358 💰 $$
Fan Wu
Among the most authentic Sichuan cuisine restaurants in town, very nice and cozy. 📍 Viale Tunisia 30, Milan 📞 02 4969 0934 💰 $$
Jinyunfang
Rustic place to enjoy long chao shou, wontons dipped in spicy sauce with crumbled peanuts and spring onion - a typical Chengdu snack ("chao shou" is a term used in Sichuan to indicate wontons). 📍 Via Pellegrino Rossi 28, Milan 📞 02 8724 4616 💰 $$$$
Miao Chinese Restaurant 妙记
Neat and welcoming restaurant specializing in Sichuan cuisine. Dumplings are among the most delicate tasted to date in this category.
📍 Via Padova 26, Milan 💰 $$$
