Chinese New Year has gone off with a bang in Sydney, with people around the country gathering to share in the festivities of the Year of the Rooster. In addition to red envelopes, dragon dances and temple visits, the humble dumpling forms an important part of the Lunar New Year celebrations. 

According to tradition, eating steamed dumplings around New Year is thought to bring good luck. The tasty morsel itself has a shape that is similar to a Chinese tael, or ingot, representing prosperity. In fact, another tradition sees families place a coin inside a dumpling to be discovered by one lucky punter. 

 

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Jan 27, 2017 at 3:18pm PST

Whether you’re hoping for a good year, or you just can’t resist the smell of freshly cooked dumplings, we’re dishing out some of the top dumpling destinations in Sydney to explore on your next visit. 

Luyu & YumYum, Newtown 

Situated snugly in the bustling suburb of Newtown, you’ll find the delectable Luyu & YumYum. This tea house-inspired eatery offers a range of mouth-wateringly good dumplings which you can sample in either a quartet or a mix of six different flavours. Your options range from the vegetarian fungi dumpling, made with King Oyster and Chinese mushrooms, carrot, coriander and celery, to the ‘Kiss Me’ soup dumpling, a creation of chicken, ginger and shallot with homemade soup.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also try the caviar dumpling, or the ‘snow white’ creamy soup dumpling – prawn, asparagus and bamboo shoot wrapped up in chrysanthemum-infused dough.

While you’re here, why not enjoy one of the bar’s tea-infused cocktails, like ‘Kiss of the Dragon’, made with Hendricks Gin and Luyu’s Rose Tea, or the Mr Yumyum Jasmine Tea, a fragrant combination of elderflower, lychee liqueur and Luyu’s Jasmine Tea Vodka. 

Mr Wong, Merivale

A local favourite, Mr Wong in Merivale is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. The chic, welcoming interior is decorated with an eclectic mix of colonial and traditional touches from the woven French chairs to mounted Chinese fans and paintings across the exposed brick walls.

Here a delectable Cantonese-inspired dim sum feast awaits, with the dumplings forming an integral part of the menu. Start out with steamed scallop and pork shumai, before testing out the chive and roast duck or eggplant and chicken char sui dumpling. Ready to up your game? The King crab with golden soup dumpling is a true treat, as is the Szechuan style lamb dumpling.

Eat to your heart’s content, and don’t forget to whet your whistle with a cocktail from the menu – each drink is inspired by a different Chinese province, making Mr Wong a true culinary journey.

Din Tai Fung, throughout Sydney 

This beloved restaurant chain started out as a food stall in Taipei in 1972, but it has spread throughout the world, gaining a mountain of accolades for its dumplings.

You can find seven stores in Sydney alone, pumping out countless dumplings each day, made to Din Tai Fung’s specific proportions: they all weigh in at 20.8-21.2 grams when filled. Made fresh and steamed for exactly 3 minutes, you can be sure that each dumpling will be as delicious as the next. 

Make sure you get to the restaurant early, as lines can form pretty quickly, especially around the CBD. 

If you’re visiting Sydney and you have a hankering for dumplings, you can find a range of compact cars, perfect for zipping around the city at East Coast Car Rentals. Whether you need to pick up a vehicle at the airport or in town, we’ve got you covered.