Mother's Dumplings on Postcard

"Chinatown is full of delicious 24 hr asian restaurants galore. Our studio has been battling a debate of the ages between which dumpling house is the best on Spadina and we’ve narrowed it down to two. Just south of College on Spadina is this gem of a restaurant called Mother’s Dumplings. Pan Fried, boiled and our favorite steamed dumplings are staples here and with well priced house craft beer options it’s the perfect group outing spot." - Tennis

On the Grid : Mother's Dumplings

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@michelinguide

"Chef-owner Zhen Feng has folded so many dumplings for Toronto that she might as well be the city’s honorary mother. In 2005 she opened a small, eight-table nook on Huron Street. Five years later, she relocated to a much larger space and by then had boiled, steamed and pan-fried her way to becoming a city institution in the heart of Chinatown. The menu boasts all manner of Chinese dishes, but stick to the namesake specialty, which are rolled out and folded at all hours by a dedicated team in the back. One could make a meal out of just the boiled pork and dill dumplings, but other types are also worth dipping into. On the way out, bags of frozen dumplings are available for take-home when the craving hits and Feng’s kitchen is closed for the day." - Michelin Inspector

Mother's Dumplings

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@onthegrid

"Mother's Dumplings, Chinatown by Tennis. Chinatown is full of delicious 24 hr asian restaurants galore. Our studio has been battling a debate of the ages between which dumpling house is the best on Spadina and we’ve narrowed it down to two. Just south of College on Spadina is this gem of a restaurant called Mother’s Dumplings. Pan Fried, boiled and our favorite steamed dumplings are staples here and with well priced house craft beer options it’s the perfect group outing spot."

Toronto

test

Or Gal

Google

This is the first restaurant on the Michelin guide where the food doesn’t get five stars. Now, don’t get me wrong, the food in my opinion is good, however it doesn’t completely outshine its competitors. I’ve gone to other Chinese spots where the food was marginally worse but significantly cheaper. If you want to just grab some tasty dumplings (as this is the restaurant’s specialty) and a few additional side dishes, go ahead it’ll be tasty and slightly more expensive. Just don’t come here expecting your mind to be blown. Still, it’s nice and I recommend at least trying.

Mister Morelight

Google

Stumbled upon this one by luck, we only found out later that they have been around for a while. Very welcoming and attentive staff, this is the restaurant’s strong point. We ordered shrimp & pork dumplings and beef rolls. Of the two (2) options, the beef rolls were actually the stand out item. The dumplings are good, I mean, most dumplings resemble each other, but as others have pointed out, the walls are thick as a brick so we found them less refined than other places. Average on the dumplings. For management : you might want to clean your tables more often, ours was greasy and sticky, does not leave a good first impression (minor detail but still). Atmosphere is dated but I kinda of love the retro feel, feels authentically kitschy which is fun. Credit cards not accepted : only cash or debit. Overall, good value for money and above average service makes this a recommendable stop on Spadina. P.S.: if this review was helpful, please leave a quick 👍, thank you 🙏

Mark Offtermatt

Google

Stopped in for lunch when the conference I was attending ran out of food and I had to go find something elsewhere. Found out after the fact that it's mentioned on the Michelin Guide website. We ate light owing to our reservations at another Toronto restaurant later in the evening, so we kept it limited to Steamed Dumplings and the Sesame ball dessert.the Steamed dumplings were filled with pork and green onion. They were packed with flavor and prepared quite well. The service was okay. It was a little too warm and humid inside though.

Angelina Aurora

Google

Really enjoyed the pork and chive dumplings. They were definitely flavourful . I absolutely loved the green onion pancake. It was crunchy and flaky on the outside, and soft on the inside ;however, the 5 spice marinated beef was not worth it. I wouldn't recommend getting that it you don't enjoy cold meat with little to no flavor. Overall, loved the service and will be back for the green onion pancake!

M Ht

Google

Not really sure why this place is on the Michelin Guide. It’s a really popular, all the seats were taken and there was a line for it. The dumplings are handmade and made fresh. They tasted okay but they are not the best I’ve ever had. I feel like they were a bit lacking in flavor. The chilli oil provided was also underwhelming and didn’t add much to the experience. General Tso chicken was not an order I was proud of, it tasted too tangy and made me feel too bloated after. The staff were all friendly but they were also super busy with all the customers. Overall, there wasn’t a rememberable flavour about the dishes and I’m not sure if it is compelling enough to make me come back.

Nick K

Google

10/10 dumplings. Flavours universally good. Soup noodle also great, though I personally like a touch more chew to the noodles. The broth was exactly the nostalgia I was craving.

Tim Lam

Google

We got to Mother’s Dumplings on a Tuesday right when they opened and were seated right away. Even though we were the first to order the food came out a little slower than I expected. It looked like there were only two people helping out. That said the staff was friendly and did their best waiting in the tables as more people arrived. When we left about an hour later all the tables were occupied and there were a few groups waiting to be seated. We wanted to get a a few things that were different and ended up getting the Potato Salad, Boiled Pork and Chives Dumplings, Lamb Shiu Mai, and the Beef Onion Roll. We really enjoyed the Beef Onion Roll and the wrap was crispy and packed a lot of flavor. We also liked the Potato Salad, which was really different than the other julienne potatoes you would find at other Chinese restaurants. Instead of a vinegar base they used Kimchi Juice. The Lamb Shui Mai was interesting, but I prefer the original with pork filling. The lamb tasted good, but there wasn’t the explosion of flavors that you would get with the pork variety. Lastly, we wanted to like the dumplings more, but we thought that they were similar to other dumplings that you can find in the area. That’s not to say they were bad, but with the Michelin label we expected more. Overall, we had a really enjoyable experience and we will definitely come back for other things we didn’t get to try.

KP G

Google

Mother's Dumplings on Spadina is a culinary gem in Toronto's Chinatown. Specializing in traditional handmade dumplings, each bite bursts with authentic flavors and textures. The menu offers a wide selection of dumpling varieties, including vegetarian and vegan options, ensuring something for every palate. The cozy atmosphere and friendly service enhance the dining experience, making it a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Whether dining in or taking out, Mother's Dumplings promises a taste of homemade comfort and satisfaction.

Or Gal

Google

This is the first restaurant on the Michelin guide where the food doesn’t get five stars. Now, don’t get me wrong, the food in my opinion is good, however it doesn’t completely outshine its competitors. I’ve gone to other Chinese spots where the food was marginally worse but significantly cheaper. If you want to just grab some tasty dumplings (as this is the restaurant’s specialty) and a few additional side dishes, go ahead it’ll be tasty and slightly more expensive. Just don’t come here expecting your mind to be blown. Still, it’s nice and I recommend at least trying.

Mister Morelight

Google

Stumbled upon this one by luck, we only found out later that they have been around for a while. Very welcoming and attentive staff, this is the restaurant’s strong point. We ordered shrimp & pork dumplings and beef rolls. Of the two (2) options, the beef rolls were actually the stand out item. The dumplings are good, I mean, most dumplings resemble each other, but as others have pointed out, the walls are thick as a brick so we found them less refined than other places. Average on the dumplings. For management : you might want to clean your tables more often, ours was greasy and sticky, does not leave a good first impression (minor detail but still). Atmosphere is dated but I kinda of love the retro feel, feels authentically kitschy which is fun. Credit cards not accepted : only cash or debit. Overall, good value for money and above average service makes this a recommendable stop on Spadina. P.S.: if this review was helpful, please leave a quick 👍, thank you 🙏

Mark Offtermatt

Google

Stopped in for lunch when the conference I was attending ran out of food and I had to go find something elsewhere. Found out after the fact that it's mentioned on the Michelin Guide website. We ate light owing to our reservations at another Toronto restaurant later in the evening, so we kept it limited to Steamed Dumplings and the Sesame ball dessert.the Steamed dumplings were filled with pork and green onion. They were packed with flavor and prepared quite well. The service was okay. It was a little too warm and humid inside though.

Angelina Aurora

Google

Really enjoyed the pork and chive dumplings. They were definitely flavourful . I absolutely loved the green onion pancake. It was crunchy and flaky on the outside, and soft on the inside ;however, the 5 spice marinated beef was not worth it. I wouldn't recommend getting that it you don't enjoy cold meat with little to no flavor. Overall, loved the service and will be back for the green onion pancake!

M Ht

Google

Not really sure why this place is on the Michelin Guide. It’s a really popular, all the seats were taken and there was a line for it. The dumplings are handmade and made fresh. They tasted okay but they are not the best I’ve ever had. I feel like they were a bit lacking in flavor. The chilli oil provided was also underwhelming and didn’t add much to the experience. General Tso chicken was not an order I was proud of, it tasted too tangy and made me feel too bloated after. The staff were all friendly but they were also super busy with all the customers. Overall, there wasn’t a rememberable flavour about the dishes and I’m not sure if it is compelling enough to make me come back.

Nick K

Google

10/10 dumplings. Flavours universally good. Soup noodle also great, though I personally like a touch more chew to the noodles. The broth was exactly the nostalgia I was craving.

Tim Lam

Google

We got to Mother’s Dumplings on a Tuesday right when they opened and were seated right away. Even though we were the first to order the food came out a little slower than I expected. It looked like there were only two people helping out. That said the staff was friendly and did their best waiting in the tables as more people arrived. When we left about an hour later all the tables were occupied and there were a few groups waiting to be seated. We wanted to get a a few things that were different and ended up getting the Potato Salad, Boiled Pork and Chives Dumplings, Lamb Shiu Mai, and the Beef Onion Roll. We really enjoyed the Beef Onion Roll and the wrap was crispy and packed a lot of flavor. We also liked the Potato Salad, which was really different than the other julienne potatoes you would find at other Chinese restaurants. Instead of a vinegar base they used Kimchi Juice. The Lamb Shui Mai was interesting, but I prefer the original with pork filling. The lamb tasted good, but there wasn’t the explosion of flavors that you would get with the pork variety. Lastly, we wanted to like the dumplings more, but we thought that they were similar to other dumplings that you can find in the area. That’s not to say they were bad, but with the Michelin label we expected more. Overall, we had a really enjoyable experience and we will definitely come back for other things we didn’t get to try.

KP G

Google

Mother's Dumplings on Spadina is a culinary gem in Toronto's Chinatown. Specializing in traditional handmade dumplings, each bite bursts with authentic flavors and textures. The menu offers a wide selection of dumpling varieties, including vegetarian and vegan options, ensuring something for every palate. The cozy atmosphere and friendly service enhance the dining experience, making it a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Whether dining in or taking out, Mother's Dumplings promises a taste of homemade comfort and satisfaction.

Mother's Dumplings

Mother's Dumplings

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