Travel the World in Saint Paul
Foreign-born residents make up nearly 20% of Saint Paul’s population, according to 2020 census data—making the capital city a unique melting pot of cultures from around the world. International culture is evident…
Dumpling Passport
Taste the flavors of the world right here in #MYSAINTPAUL.
Whether the dumplings are boiled, fried, steamed or in broth, you’re sure to find your fix at these delicious locations.
Though most known among Asian cuisines, dumplings are bite-sized treats that span the globe. These delicious pockets of dough stuffed with sweet or savory filling come in all shapes and sizes, which many cultures have claimed techniques and versions of their own.
Simply take your pick from these establishments, check-in on your pass upon visiting to earn points, and win great prizes along the way! The more check-ins you have, the more points and prizes you earn.
Is your favorite dumpling eatery missing from this list?
Email Ava Diaz at adiaz@visitsaintpaul.com
Prizes
Each restaurant visit is worth 100 points
- 500 points: Dumpling Passport Sticker
- 800 points: A chance to win gift cards to some of the featured Dumpling Passport locations
- 1,500 points: Dumpling Passport Crew Socks
- 3,000 points: The Ultimate Prize Package consisting of a sticker, socks and gift cards to some of the participating restaurants.
Participating Restaurants
Afro Deli & Grill
The menu at Afro Deli & Grill features a fusion of African, Mediterranean and American cuisines—all of which is prepared Halal. Head downtown to try beef, chicken or veggie sambusas, an east African-style dumpling, served with chutney hot sauce.
Boca Chica
This restaurant has served flavorful Mexican cuisine since 1964! As a cultural relic in the community, this is your go-to place for fresh tamales sourced from their grandmother’s recipe. Guests can choose one of two choices: chile ancho-seasoned pork or salsa verde chicken wrapped in corn husks and steamed and served alongside a chile gravy and sopa.
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine
Named after the neighborhood in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the co-owners were born in raised, Bolé is an authentic Ethiopian staple in the Como community. Have your try at beef or lentil filled sambusas seasoned with onions, garlic, and cumin.
Cecil’s Deli
This Jewish deli and restaurant has been a staple in the Highland Park neighborhood for over 70 years. Stop by for a bowl of matzo ball soup —a comforting chicken broth soup with fluffy matzo meal dumplings to complement.
Cheng Heng
Cheng Heng serves Cambodian and Laotian food in the heart of Little Mekong. Enjoy chive cakes, a pan-fried rice dumpling stuffed with chive leaves. Or try the deep-fried crab and cheese puffs served with a sweet dipping sauce.
El Burrito Mercado
The West Side is notorious for mouthwatering Mexican cuisine and El Burrito Mercado is your one-stop-shop for all things authentic in its restaurant and market. Purchase the tamale platter (equipped with two chicken or pork tamales) or opt for the take-and-bake tamales, located in the cold deli, to heat up and enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
eM Que Viet
This family-owned restaurant features contemporary takes on Vietnamese classics. Pay a visit to this showstopping joint to try a Minnesota State Fair favorite—from its Que Viet Concessions stand—the cream cheese wontons or try the delicious postickers.
Erta Ale Ethiopian
This Lowertown gem is a casual eatery offering a diverse menu of comforting eats. Stop in for the veggie sambusas filled with lentils, onions, jalapenos, savory spices, and served with your choice of a sweet dipping sauce or kochkocha (creen chili with herbs).
Groveland Tap
This neighborhood burger joint features a modern take on a Polish delight, perogies. Stop by for this eastern European favorite stuffed with potato, white cheddar, crispy onions, and served with a horseradish cream sauce.
Hoa Bien
Head to University Avenue and cozy up to a steaming bowl of wonton soup at this Vietnamese eatery. Or for a crowd favorite, snack on the crispy cream cheese wontons.
India House
India House is an elegant Indian eatery on Grand Avenue that packs a flavorful punch. Delve into their samosas, a South Asian-style dumplings made of pastry and stuffed with your choice of beef or vegetable (potatoes and peas).
La Grolla
This charming Italian eatery in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood offers an array of traditional pastas. The menu offers Gnocchi, a potato dumpling, and raviolis to suit your Italian-dumpling fix.
- Gnocci Salnetina: potato dumplings with garlic, fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella cheese
- Gnocchi Alla Bolognese: potato dumplings tossed in a meat sauce
- Ravioli Di Granchio: large ravioli pasta stuffed with stone crab and shrimp in a creamy lobster sauce
Little Szechuan
Cook your food just how you like it in a steaming hot pot at your own table. Enjoy all-you-can-eat house dumplings that marinate and cook in your choice of savory broth.
Mañana Restaurant y Pupuseria
Explore the East Side and enjoy a smorgasbord of Salvadorian-style dumplings made from a thick corn tortilla pocket. Mana Restaurant features 15 varieties pupusas to choose from like zucchini and cheese or chicken and cheese.
Master Noodle
Located on University Avenue, Master Noodle is home of the first Chinese hand-pulled noodles in Minnesota. Accompany your dish of fresh noodles with a selection of pan-fried or steamed pork or beef dumplings. Or try their pork mini buns and fried cheese wontons.
Moscow on the Hill
Head to the quaint Cathedral Hill neighborhood for a taste of authentic Russian cuisine. The menu features two versions of handmade dumplings:
- Pelmeni, a Serbian-style dumpling filled with beef and pork or a mushroom sauce and cheese
- Vareniki, a Ukrainian-style dumpling filled with potato, caramelized onion, and Asiago cheese, topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs
On’s Thai
This Thai kitchen in the Midway neighborhood features a diverse selection of delectable dumplings. Choose from steamed Shrimp dumplings topped with fried garlic and cilantro, chicken or veggie potstickers; curry puffs stuffed with potato, onion, and yellow curry, and of course cream cheese wontons.
Pad Thai
An authentic Thai staple on Grand Avenue, Pad Thai features comforting bowls of pork wonton soup. Or for a crunchier bite, the deep-fried cream cheese puffs.
Peking Garden
Located in Little Mekong, Peking Garden is a culinary hub for all things Chinese cuisine. Enjoy your choice of vegetarian or pork filled pan-fried or steamed dumplings.
Ruam Mit
Ruam Mit, located in the heart of downtown Saint Paul, features Thai and Lao eats. Venture in for its curry puff, a deep-fried pastry filled with coconut curried potatoes, chicken, and onions, or the fried cream cheese wontons served with sweet & sour sauce.
Sabrina’s Café & Deli
This cozy East African coffee shop in the heart of the Little Africa district serves up Mediterranean cuisine. Head in to try the crispy beef sambusas alongside its flavorful menu featuring gyros, falafel, and chapati wraps.
Sakura Restaurant & Bar
Sakura has been a staple in the downtown food scene for 35 years. Venture in to taste authentic Japanese cuisine and have a try at the pork or vegetable pan-fried gyoza.
Sawatdee
As the first Thai restaurant in the five-state area, Sawatdee has been serving up delicious eats since the early 80s. Stop in to try the pork or vegetable potstickers, the crispy cream cheese wontons, wonton soup or sarongs (noodle wrapped meat).
Trung Nam French Bakery
Located in the Frogtown on University Avenue is Trung Nam, a traditional French bakery with a Vietnamese flare. Stop in for a Banh Bao, a steamed bun stuffed with savory BBQ pork filling.
Types of Dumplings
Dumplings are a broad dish that consist of varieties of cooked dough, often wrapped around a sweet or savory filling. Discover different dumpling types available in the Capital City through our guide below!
Baozi or "Bao Buns"
Chinese | When steamed, the super soft, yeasty dough rises into a fluffy bread that are often filled with pork but can feature virtually anything inside.
Coxinhas
Brazilian | a thick deep-fried dough molded into the shape of a chicken leg (coxinha means "chicken thigh") and stuffed with pulled chicken.
Gnocchi
Italian | These dumplings are made from a combination of potatoes and what flour to create dense and chewy bite-sized pillows that are served in a sauce of choice.
Gyoza
Japanese | Closely related to the Chinese potsticker (gou tie) these crescent-shaped dumplings are made from wonton wrappers and are typically filled with meat, vegetables, or seafood.
Mandu
Korean | Commonly filled with pork, these pan-fried or steamed dumplings can also be filled with vegetables or other meat.
Matzo Balls
Jewish | These soft and squishy dumplings are served in a comforting broth and are made from matzo meal, which is an unleavened wheat bread.
Momos
Tibetan, Nepalese, and Indian | Denser dumplings (fried or steamed) made from a flour wrap filled with meat or vegetables.
Pelmeni
Russian | Pelmeni consist of a delicate, unleavened pocket filled with meat like beef and pork. This style of dumpling can be eaten in soup, fried, or dosed in condiments like butter, sour cream, vinegar, and sprinkled with herbs.
Pierogi
Polish | In Polish, pierogi is the plural form of pieróg, meaning “dumpling." It is a combination of wheat, meat, potatoes, and served with a dollop of sour cream and onions.
Potsticker
Chinese | Cresent-shaped dumplings that are filled with meat or vegetables and are first pan fried (on one side) and then steamed to create a soft and chewy texture.
Pupusa
Salvadorian | made from masa harina (a flour made from soaked and dried corn kernels), these pancake-like dumplings are stuffed with cheese, beans and/or meat and served with spicy salsas.
Ravioli
Italian | These stuffed pastas come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and filling types. Made from traditional pasta dough and then boiled, these pocket-sized delights are then smothered in a sauce to compliment.
Sambusas
Ethiopian | Similar to a samosa, this deep-fried triangular dumpling features an outer coating made from rice paper wrappers that are filled with ingredients like meats, lentils, and potatoes.
Samosas
Indian | These fried pockets are typically filled with ingredients like potatoes and peas, paneer, and keema (minced meat) and are often served with a chutney sauce for dipping.
Tamales
Mexican | A combination of meat, beans, and cheese are stuffed into a layer of soft masa harina prior to steaming in a wrap made of corn husk or a banana leaf.
Vareniky
Ukrainian | These dumplings are similar to pierogies and are usually eaten with sour cream, butter, and fried onions.
Wontons
Chinese | A small dumpling or roll with a savory filling, often of minced pork, usually eaten boiled in soup or fried.
Xiao Long Bao
Chinese | A popular dim sum dish, these delicate soup dumplings consist of meat and savory soup broth nestled inside a delicate and chewy wrapping.
Share your favorite dumplings and eateries on Instagram, Facebook, and X by tagging Visit Saint Paul and using the hashtags #MYSAINTPAUL and #DumplingPassport.
More Capital City Eats
Top Korean Restaurants in Saint Paul
One thing about Saint Paul is that we boast a diverse culinary scene, and our Korean restaurants add a flavorful touch to the city's food culture. With authentic ingredients and traditional cooking…
Best New Restaurants in Saint Paul
Make sure you’re on top of all the newest restaurant openings in the Capital City.*
The First Five Dishes to Try Inside Saint Paul’s Hmong Food Halls
The crispiest, juiciest, spiciest, biggest bite to take out of these culinary treasure troves.