Handheld Bites

I found Best Dumplings while randomly searching for local New Jersey spots on Yelp. After seeing the reviews and the photos of their dumplings, I knew I had to bookmark it.

I finally stopped by on a hot Friday afternoon with a friend. The restaurant has outdoor dining, and the interior is bright and welcoming, with a staircase to the right, dining tables to the left, and the kitchen and register toward the back. I decided on the 15-piece beef and pork dumplings. They don’t usually do a half-fried, half-steamed split, but since my friend ordered the dumpling soup—which uses steamed dumplings—they were kind enough to accommodate my request!

After we ordered, I was handed a buzzer to let us know when our food was ready. I slipped it into my pocket and completely forgot about it. I didn’t even realize it was going off until I saw someone else’s buzzer vibrating, so learn from my mistake: don’t keep the buzzer in your pocket!

While waiting, I took a look around. There is additional seating upstairs, and the whole place has a lovely, homey vibe. I even spotted a sewing machine upstairs, which reminded me of home.

When our order arrived, the dumplings looked fantastic. They weren’t huge, but you could tell they were homemade, and the soy sauce mix looked exactly like something my mom would make.

Best Dumplings - Fried and steamed dumplings

I started with the steamed dumpling; it tasted very fresh and had that genuine, home-cooked quality. Dipping it into the soy sauce mix definitely enhanced the flavors. The fried version was even tastier—though, in my opinion, everything tastes better fried! Again, that soy dipping sauce added the perfect kick.

Even though it was 15 dumplings, I managed to finish them all. I left full but not overstuffed; it was such a fresh, clean meal. I’ll definitely be back, and I’m already planning to return for the hot dumpling soup once the weather cools down. They even sell frozen dumplings, which I plan to grab for my family.