The Best $12 Meal in Manhattan: A Hidden Dumpling Shop in Chinatown

I’m a New Yorker, which means I have strong opinions about food. And one of my strongest opinions is that Dumpling Galaxy in Flushing is overrated. It’s fine, but people act like it’s the second coming of soup dumplings. No. The real magic is in a tiny, no-name shop at 88 East Broadway in Chinatown. It’s called “Nice Dumpling,” and if you blink, you’ll miss it.

I’ve been going there for three years now. It’s a hole-in-the-wall with maybe ten seats, a handwritten menu taped to the wall, and a grandmother making dumplings in the back. The prices haven’t changed since I first went: $12 gets you a dozen soup dumplings (xiao long bao) and a bowl of cucumber salad. It’s the best deal in Manhattan.

The Dumplings Are Perfect

The soup dumplings at Nice Dumpling are made fresh every morning. The skin is thin but sturdy enough to hold the broth. You pick one up with your chopsticks, dip it in the black vinegar and ginger, and bite carefully—the soup gushes out in a warm, porky wave. The filling is seasoned simply with ginger, soy, and a hint of sesame oil. It’s not fancy, but it’s honest. You can taste the quality of the ingredients.

I’ve been to Din Tai Fung, the famous Taiwanese chain. Their dumplings are more consistent, but they cost $18 for eight. Nice Dumpling gives you twelve for $10. And honestly? I prefer Nice Dumpling’s texture. Din Tai Fung’s skins are a bit too thin, like they might tear. Nice Dumpling’s have just enough chew.

The Cucumber Salad Is the Sleeper Hit

For $2, you get a bowl of smashed cucumbers with garlic, chili oil, and rice vinegar. It’s cold, crunchy, and spicy. It’s the perfect palate cleanser between dumplings. I’ve tried to recreate it at home, but I can’t get the balance right. There’s something about the way they smash the cucumbers—it creates more surface area for the dressing to cling to.

The Atmosphere Is Zero Stars (And That’s Perfect)

There’s no decor. The floor is sticky. The chairs are mismatched. The only music is the sizzle of the stove and the grandmother yelling orders in Cantonese. I love it. There’s no pretense. You’re there for the food, not the vibe. If you want a trendy restaurant with Edison bulbs and exposed brick, go somewhere else. This is for people who care about what’s on the plate.

The Secret Menu Item

If you ask nicely, they’ll make you a plate of pan-fried pork buns (sheng jian bao). They’re not on the menu, but they’re incredible. The bottom is crispy and golden, the top is fluffy, and the inside is a ball of savory pork. They take 20 minutes because they make them fresh. Worth the wait.

Why This Matters

New York is getting more expensive every year. A meal at a decent restaurant costs $30 minimum. But places like Nice Dumpling remind me why I love this city: you can still find incredible food for cheap, made by people who have been doing it for decades. No algorithm, no hype, just good food.

Go before it gets discovered by a food blogger and the lines become unbearable. I’m almost nervous writing this, because I don’t want it to change. But the grandmother deserves the business. Go, eat, and thank me later.

Pro tip: pay in cash. They don’t take cards.