Look, extra-large soup dumplings are never going to taste quite the same as the standard size — the ratios are off. But if you’re desperate to try one, head to District Kitchen in Malden, the only purveyor of ginormous soup dumplings in the area. The restaurant — revamped in late 2018 to focus on Sichuan cuisine — also serves a variety of other interesting (and attractive) dumplings, including cuttlefish, pork, and chive dumplings in a black cuttlefish ink wrapper and lobster, pork, and cucumber dumplings in a red wrapper. Try the giant dumpling for the novelty factor, but focus on the other dumplings.

Dim sum spot Ming’s Seafood has locations in Malden and Quincy. Its enormous dim sum selection is full of gems (don’t miss the crispy shrimp in red rice rolls), including several dumplings. Try the steamed shrimp dumplings in cuttlefish wrappers or the chow chow dumplings with the crunch of peanut waiting inside.

Wang’s is great because it’s great, but it’s also great because it’s cheap. Get 12 dumplings made to order for under $10, or get 50 frozen dumplings for around $25, depending on the filling. Note: All of Wang’s dumplings are good, but one shouldn’t sleep on the pork with green bean. (As of early January 2022, Wang’s has been briefly closed for remodeling, so call first before heading over.)

Chalawan serves an upscale mix of Southeast Asian cuisines. Dumplings aren’t a focus of the menu; in fact, there’s just one dumpling option, but it’s an absolute must. Aunty Wang’s steamed snapper dumplings, featuring a delicate seafood flavor, are served with chile and black vinegar sauce.

Zoe’s — a popular Somerville spot that features hefty selections of both Sichuan and Hunan cuisine — offers a variety of dumplings. From steamed juicy pork buns to spicy Sichuan dumplings with peanuts, an eater can’t go wrong.

Home Taste is perhaps best known for its hand-pulled noodles — go get them now — but the dumplings are also the truth, especially the thick-skinned, pan-fried pork dumplings. There’s a location in Arlington, too.

The peanut-y dun dun noodles are exceptional, but Mary Chung’s suan la chow show (pork or shrimp wontons topped with a sweet and spicy sauce and raw mung bean sprouts) are essential in Greater Boston’s dumpling canon.

One of the Boston area’s best new-ish pop-ups, Mimi’s Chūka Diner — cofounded by B&G Oysters alums Ted Woo and Jon Awerman — is inspired by chūka ryori, a style of cuisine in which dishes with Chinese origins are cooked in a Japanese style. While a permanent restaurant may eventually be in the plans, Mimi’s is residing at Artifact Cider’s Cambridge taproom through spring 2022, offering a rotating menu of dumplings and more. (Frozen dumpling delivery is also available on Sundays, and there are often frozen dumplings available at Ebisuya Japanese Market in Medford.) In the dumpling realm, Mimi’s typically offers two types of gyoza (including a vegan one) and Sichuan spicy pork wontons.

Got a Sunday night dumpling craving? No worries: Dumpling Kingdom in Allston is open late every night. The Taiwan-style pan-fried dumplings are special, and the mini juicy buns with pork are also worth your dollar. This Allston shop is a sibling to Chinatown’s Dumpling Cafe (listed below).

Go to Taiwan Cafe for the ma po tofu; stay for the Taiwan-style pan-fried dumplings. Chinatown is the city’s best food neighborhood, and these are among its best dumplings. The soup dumplings, too, are a must.

Gourmet Dumpling House has some of the best offal in the city of Boston — the ox tongue and tripe, especially — but the name doesn’t lie: It’s all about the dumplings, especially the Sandong-style pan-fried variety (but also the soup dumplings).

This Audubon Circle-adjacent Chinese-American business is not exactly a restaurant anymore, but it still offers a great selection of dumplings — try the cheddar scallion potato dumplings — ready to reheat at home, alongside a few other items. In fact, the Mei Mei team is going all in on the dumpling business these days, selling several varieties at an ever-growing list of farmers markets.

It’s hard to go wrong with anything on the menu at Myers + Chang. Get anything that’s wok-charred (but really, get anything), and get an order of the classic Mama Chang’s pork and chive dumplings.

Bess’s Cafe in Brookline is perhaps best known for its scallion pancake wraps, but the dumplings are also worthy of this list. Try the chicken dumplings with Sichuan sauce or the pan-seared pork and chive dumplings.

JP Seafood has some of the best sushi in the city proper (as well as the best katsu), but its gyoza should not be ignored. It comes in steamed and fried versions, and an eater is allowed to order half and half, which is absolutely the play here.