Mr. Shi's Dumplings — Restaurant in Beijing

Mr Shi's Dumplings (老石饺子) namesake dumplings are sublime.

The classic boiled dumplings are very strong renditions of the classic northern dumpling - thick and juicy with good skin.

Their trademark fried dumplings (煎三面较), though, are as unique as they're delicious. The flash frying sears the outside of the filling, forming a thin, crusty layer on the outside that prevents the savory juices on the inside from leaking out until you take a bite, even though the dumplings are open on one side. Everything about them works perfectly.

Their menu is overwhelming, with likely over a hundred variations on fillings, many of them very unusual. The cheese works very well, and I also enjoyed the coriander and other herb pairings.

The whole place is incredibly on the beaten track of Beijing tourism, and looks like a typical backpacker's haunt with the signatures on the walls and the foreign cash under glass on the tables, but who cares when they're making some of the best dumplings...

Yes, if you find yourself walking into an alley off the main road wondering if you are going to the right place- you are. Mr. Shi's is marked only by a small red title sign listed as an address on its building. Of the western-friendly place in Beijing, Mr. Shi's is the best to go to if you want a pretty authentic Chinese meal that is high quality and easy to order. We had beef noodles, kung pao chicken, curry and pork dumplings. All the food was delicious, and the staff was so helpful in ordering it all. I really appreciated finding this place and they made our trip to Beijing worth it. I highly recommend getting your dumplings boiled as opposed to fried. While not as traditional as steaming, the food is much more enjoyable when...

Please note: This restaurant is around 100-200m metres from the pin on google maps, it’s no longer on number 74. It is still on the same side and the same street, closer to the drum tower. There is a clear sign outside at the street to this place, so you cannot miss is.

We had some lovely dumplings here. The (I think owner) also speaks well enough English. They have an indoor seating as well as a few tables outside, which we used in the afternoon to sit in the sun.

They also have some special European beer, like Hoegaarden,...