Dumpling Plus quietly slipped into the Delmar Loop's University City lineup on May 1, taking over the former Blue Ocean space and turning it into a compact shrine to Shanghai-style soup dumplings. The kitchen keeps its focus tight: xiaolongbao are the star, offered steamed, pan-fried or in a six-piece "Lucky Six" sampler, with a small supporting cast of wontons and street-food style snacks. Staff say the dumpling wrappers are handmade every day, and a back counter setup lets guests watch as each one is folded before it disappears into bamboo steamers.
As reported by St. Louis Magazine, Dumpling Plus opened May 1 at 6335 Delmar Boulevard in the former Blue Ocean storefront. Manager Chin Zhang told the magazine that the dumplings are "handmade fresh every day" and that the interior borrows design inspiration from Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden. The profile also notes that each table is pre-set with soy sauce, chili oil and vinegar, so diners have the standard soup-dumpling setup ready to go.
Menu Highlights
According to Chowbus, steamed xiaolongbao come in six flavors: pork, crab meat and pork, black-truffle pork, chicken, mala pork and shrimp and pork. Order the "Lucky Six" sampler and you get one of each. The kitchen also turns out wonton soup, regular dumplings, pan-fried dumplings and a short list of Chinese street-food sides, making it easy to build a shared spread or keep things simple for takeout.
Kitchen And Craft
St. Louis Magazine reports that chef Yaya Wang, who previously cooked for Din Tai Fung, runs the kitchen, and that the team uses specialty wheat flour sourced from New York to fine-tune the texture of the wrappers. The dining room leans into Shanghai-inspired design touches, with backlit booths, folk-art panels and steamer-basket lids mounted above the prep counter. A window at the back gives diners a direct view of dumplings being folded and steamed. Zhang also walked the reporter through the xiaolongbao basics for first-timers: place the dumpling on a spoon, add a bit of sauce, take a small bite and then sip the broth.
Space, Hours And Ordering
According to Dumpling Plus's website, the restaurant is located at 6335 Delmar Blvd and keeps hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The site links to an online ordering portal for pickup, and the menu is also available through third-party delivery services for anyone who would rather stay home. The contact page lists a local phone number for takeout questions and timing.
With the St. Louis Magazine profile now out, Dumpling Plus is firmly on the radar for Loop diners chasing authentic xiaolongbao. The stripped-down, steam-first menu and visible dumpling-making operation make it an easy, low-fuss stop for a quick, hot meal in University City.
