Nan Xiang, the Michelin-recommended soup-dumpling brand from New York, quietly opened its first Georgia outpost last Friday inside the Mall of Georgia in Buford. The soft opening brings the chain’s Shanghainese xiao long bao and pan-fried pork buns to the metro Atlanta suburbs and sets a grand opening for Aug. 3. For local diners, it is the kind of New York import that can easily redraw weekend lunch lines.
As reported by What Now, the Buford shop began service last Friday and is currently operating daily from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The outlet notes that the Mall of Georgia location will hold a grand-opening celebration on Aug. 3.
The Nan Xiang brand traces its roots to a small Flushing storefront that opened in 2006, and the company points to nine consecutive years on the Michelin Guide’s recommended list. Nan Xiang's website frames the Buford restaurant as part of a broader nationwide rollout that already includes locations beyond New York.
Where it sits
The new outpost sits inside the Mall of Georgia complex in Buford, a major retail hub northeast of Atlanta. Simon Property lists the mall’s address as 3333 Buford Drive and notes heavy weekend traffic, which gives Nan Xiang a built-in audience for its busy dumpling counter.
What to order
During the soft opening, the Buford menu has centered on signature items: Lucky Six soup dumplings that bundle six different fillings, traditional pork xiao long bao, and pan-fried pork buns. The Nan Xiang site highlights those same top dishes alongside Shanghai-style noodles and fried rice, and the brand says fuller service will follow the grand opening. Nan Xiang's locations page lists the Mall of Georgia among its U.S. openings and shows the core menu staples fans expect.
What it means for Atlanta
Nan Xiang’s arrival follows a wave of New York and national Asian brands expanding into Atlanta’s suburbs, a trend tied to the region’s growing Asian population and robust strip-mall dining scene. The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution recently detailed that pattern and the local appetite for more authentic Shanghai-style flavors.
For now, the Mall of Georgia outpost is operating reduced hours during the soft open, and diners can expect expanded service after the Aug. 3 grand opening, with updates available on the brand’s site. As What Now notes, the restaurant aims to bring the same handmade technique that made its Flushing location famous to metro Atlanta.
