QXY Dumplings, the Qing Xiang Yuan favorite known for tightly packed handmade soup and pan-fried dumplings, is bringing its operation to Division Street in Wicker Park with a full-service second location. The new restaurant will carry the brand's dumpling-heavy menu to the North Side and layer in an unexpected twist: a wine pairing program that will share the stage with QXY's lineup of house teas. The team says city inspections are complete, and they are eyeing a soft opening in the coming weeks.
What To Expect At The Wicker Park Outpost
As reported by Block Club Chicago, QXY has taken over the storefront at 2018 W. Division St. and plans to welcome both reservations and walk-ins. The outlet notes that the new dining room, which general manager Jesse Li described as "still QXY," will debut with a menu that closely mirrors the Chinatown original. A wine pairing program is expected to roll out in the summer, and the team plans to offer bottled beers such as Asahi and Tsingtao once a liquor license is in hand.
From Chinatown To Division Street
QXY, short for Qing Xiang Yuan, launched inside the Richland Center food court in 2014 before moving into a standalone Chinatown restaurant at 2002 S. Wentworth Ave., according to the restaurant's website. The site also lists the Chinatown location's hours as 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and recounts QXY's history of selling dumplings to-go and popping up around the city.
Licensing And Beverage Plans
City liquor application records show that Rong Tai Corporation filed on March 4, 2026, for a "consumption on premises" license at 2018 W. Division St., a key step toward selling beer, wine, and other alcoholic drinks. That filing appears on the City of Chicago liquor application portal, suggesting QXY is moving quickly to secure the approvals needed for its planned wine and bottled beer offerings.
Tea-Lager Collab Already In Place
QXY has already dipped into the local beer scene for complementary pours. Off Color Brewing's Sī Fáng, a lager brewed with black tea and osmanthus in collaboration with QXY, is listed on Off Color Brewing as "available at QXY." The collaboration signals a broader beverage play that leans into tea-inflected or tea-adjacent drinks rather than sticking strictly to traditional pairings.
Where It Fits On Division
The Division Street address, most recently home to El Bagel Cafe and located next to tasting-menu spot Valhalla, joins a growing roster of openings along the Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village stretch. Eater Chicago previously noted new signage in the windows at 2018 W. Division St. as part of a broader wave of restaurants moving into the neighborhood.
General manager Jesse Li told Block Club Chicago that the opening days are meant to feel familiar for existing fans, saying, "We didn't want to change anything for the soft opening." He added that bigger shifts, including a more developed wine program, will follow once the staff settles into the new space. Until all the permits and licenses are finalized, QXY's Chinatown restaurant will remain open and continue serving the full menu.
