Best Dumpling Restaurants in Denver Right Now (2024 Guide)

I put together a video covering what I think are the best dumpling spots in Denver right now, mixing in some of the newer arrivals with a couple of classics that have been holding it down for years. Here's a breakdown of every place I covered.

Nana's Dim Sum and Dumplings

Nana's is one of the newer spots that's gotten a lot of attention, and for good reason. The dim sum angle makes it a little different from the straightforward dumpling shops — you're getting a broader spread of options, which is nice if you're going with a group that wants to try a few different things. It's a solid addition to what's available on the Denver side of the metro.

Bryan's Dumpling House

Bryan's is a good example of what's been happening in Denver's dumpling scene — a focused, no-frills approach where the dumplings are clearly the whole point. I appreciate spots that don't try to do too much. If you're someone who just wants a solid plate of dumplings without a lot of noise around it, Bryan's is worth putting on your list.

Seoul Mandoo

Korean dumplings don't always get as much attention as their Chinese counterparts, but mandoo is genuinely great and Seoul Mandoo is doing them well. The style is a little different — often bigger, with a chewier wrapper — and it's worth trying if you haven't spent much time with Korean-style dumplings specifically. Good to see a dedicated mandoo spot in Denver.

Linglon Dumpling House

Linglon is another newer entry and one of the spots I was glad to find. Dumpling houses in Denver have historically skewed toward Chinese-American menus that cover a lot of bases — Linglon keeps things more focused, which tends to be a good sign. It's the kind of shop that feels like it was opened by people who actually care about getting the dumpling right.

Dumpling King

The name is doing some heavy lifting here, and from what I've seen, it's not entirely wrong to be confident. Dumpling King has been part of the wave of new spots that's made Denver's options genuinely competitive. Worth checking out, especially if you're already in the area and looking for somewhere to land.

Cholon

Cholon has been around long enough to be considered a Denver classic at this point, and it earns its place on a list like this even though it's not a dedicated dumpling shop. Chef Lon Symensma built a reputation for his soup dumplings specifically, and they've been a draw for years. If you're downtown and want dumplings that are a step up in terms of the overall dining experience, Cholon is a reliable answer. Fair warning: it's a nicer restaurant, so the price point reflects that.

Star Kitchen

Star Kitchen is the old-school dim sum option in this group, and it's been around for a long time for good reason. It's out on Morrison Road, not exactly downtown, but if you've never been to a traditional dim sum service — carts rolling around, picking dishes as they come by — Star Kitchen is a pretty good introduction. It's not flashy, the room is no-frills, and that's part of what makes it feel like the real thing. Expect a wait on weekends.

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A few broader thoughts on the Denver dumpling scene after spending time at all of these places:

The improvement in the past few years is real. Denver has historically lagged behind cities like Houston, LA, or even Seattle when it comes to Chinese and Korean food specifically, and while we're not at that level, the gap is closing. The number of dedicated dumpling shops — places where dumplings are the main event, not an afterthought on a giant menu — is genuinely new for this city.

If you're newer to the dumpling world and not sure where to start, dim sum at Star Kitchen or Nana's gives you a low-pressure way to try a lot of things at once. If you already know what you like — soup dumplings, pan-fried, a specific regional style — the newer spots like Bryan's, Linglon, and Dumpling King are worth exploring one by one. Seoul Mandoo is a good call specifically if you want to try the Korean side of things.

None of these places are going to replace a trip to the San Gabriel Valley or Flushing, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But for Denver, this is a meaningfully better situation than we were in a few years ago, and it keeps getting better. The fact that I can make a video with this many dedicated dumpling shops in one metro area would not have been possible not that long ago.

If you want to see all of these spots in action — what they actually look like, what comes out of the kitchen — check out the full video on YouTube. I walk through each one with footage so you can get a real sense of the vibe before you go.