Drive along the San Gabriel Valley’s endless boulevards, and you’ll be hit by a riptide of noodle houses and dim sum halls. The smell of toasted garlic and chile wafts through its more than 300 square miles, in an expanse known for decades as a regional and modern Chinese food mecca.
Of all the staple foods, one delicious, juicy entity arguably remains king of this land: dumplings. Found in all shapes and sizes, they can be enjoyed over breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Sometimes they have lacy, crispy skirts, and sometimes they are chewy, broth-filled bombs of delicious joy. Either way, you’ll find the best dumplings in Los Angeles among the neighborhoods that make up the San Gabriel Valley.
This up-to-date guide was crafted by two dumpling-obsessed experts in the industry who also reside in the San Gabriel Valley. If you live there, too, this guide can act as a gentle reminder not to take the scene for granted. If you are a food-obsessed person, this guide will surely help craft the dumpling crawl of your dreams. From minced fish to chopped shrimp to tofu-filled to an oversized XLB, there is a dumpling for everyone here.
Here are the best ones. — Javier Cabral