1485 Eureka Road, Suite 150, Roseville, 916-886-8132, uncledumpling.com@uncle_dumpling_

After years of living and traveling abroad, I’ve learned the golden rule for finding the best food: Go where the locals go. You’ll assuredly feel like you’re amongst the Shanghai locals at Uncle Dumpling, tucked neatly away in a quaint Roseville strip mall, where—on my visit—many local Chinese expats had come to savor the flavors of their homeland. While I have yet to visit China, those in the know seem to agree that this newly opened establishment is here to stay, and for one good reason (or eight per order): The dumplings are delicious.

Hailing from Nanxiang in Shanghai, xiao long bao—soup dumplings—are small, steamed buns prepared and served in a traditional bamboo steaming basket. Uncle Dumpling, originally established in Shanghai in 1997, brings the traditional flavors of xiao long bao—and other Northern Chinese staples—to suburban Roseville in a fresh, fun, space.

I asked our server, Daisy, for her advice on what to order, being unfamiliar with much of the menu. She recommended starting with the stir-fried green beans, which had a beautiful kick and tasty pork niblets scattered throughout. Talk about a tasty way to kick things off.

For entrées, we ordered the spicy pork xiao long bao and the beef noodle soup with a side of cucumber salad. The dumplings, beautifully presented in a bamboo steamer basket with a delightful dipping sauce, certainly had our mouths watering and checked the box for cultural tradition. The cucumber salad, topped with a slurp-worthy dressing, was crisp and light.

Personally, the beef noodle soup was the major hit of the meal (I am, admittedly, a giant soup fan). To me, there’s almost nothing better than the comfort of hot, steaming noodles, alongside tender beef shank, a subtle burn of chiles, and beef-broth-soaked bok choy.

All of this came to a tasty, decadent end with an order of chocolate xiao long bao: chocolate-filled dumplings with a thick slice of strawberry at the bottom. Originally ordering them to go—because we were so stuffed—we made the mistake of trying one. We ended up finishing all five.

Naturally, we needed to take a stroll after such a filling and fulfilling meal. As we circled the plaza watching many families and children walking about, the line for Uncle Dumpling exponentially grew—proof that good food news travels fast. 

Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4:30-8:30 p.m. (Sunday); 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-8:30 p.m. (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday); 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4:30-9 p.m. (Friday, Saturday); closed Wednesday

TRY THIS: Stir-Fried Green Beans, Popcorn Chicken, Spicy Pork Xiao Long Bao, Beef Noodle Soup, Pan-Fried Pork Buns, Pork & Shrimp Wonton Soup, Scallion Pancake, Shanghai Noodles, Chocolate Xiao Long Bao

DRINKS: Beer & wine (sake)

TAB: $$

HEADS-UP: Dumplings (and most of the sauces) are made in-house; open kitchen, so you can watch the chefs while you wait; small front patio; reservations accepted; vegetarian options; family-style dining is encouraged