Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings, the Michelin-recommended chain known for its handcrafted xiao long bao, is expanding again in Maryland, with a new location coming soon to The Mall in Columbia. Nan Xiang is set to open at The Mall in Columbia, giving the Howard County shopping center another dining option as it works to refresh its retail mix.
The Columbia restaurant will mark the chain's third Maryland location once it opens, following debuts in Bethesda and National Harbor. Nan Xiang traces its roots back to 2006, when the company opened its first soup dumpling restaurant in Flushing, New York, according to Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao. The chain has since earned a Michelin Guide recommendation for nine consecutive years, per the same source.
Maryland got its first taste of Nan Xiang when the chain made its debut at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda in October 2025, with the restaurant located on the lower level at 7101 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 2350, according to MoCo Show. The chain then opened its second Maryland location at National Harbor in Prince George's County, expanding there on Wednesday, July 22, as reported by Eater DC. That National Harbor restaurant, a 6,000-square-foot space, sits at 180 American Way in Oxon Hill, according to The Baltimore Banner.
What's on the Menu
Nan Xiang is best known for its handcrafted xiao long bao, offering soup dumpling varieties that include pork, crab meat, chicken, truffle, scallop, abalone and vegetable. The chain also offers a popular “Lucky Six” basket with one of each signature flavor, a detail noted by MoCo Show in its coverage of the National Harbor opening.
Beyond the signature dumplings, the menu includes dim sum, handmade dumplings, noodle soups, stir-fried noodles, fried rice, rice cakes and Shanghainese specialties. Nan Xiang also offers an all-day breakfast menu featuring scallion pancakes, crispy dough sticks, soybean milk and traditional pastries. At National Harbor, the full menu is served daily from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and the location adds a daily happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. with $6 wine, cocktails, beer and sake, according to National Harbor's own listing.
No Opening Date Yet for Columbia
Columbia Location Scheduled for 2026 The Columbia restaurant is scheduled to open in 2026. It is set to join Fogo de Chão as a new addition to the mall's dining options, according to earlier reporting.
The Howard County opening fits into a broader growth pattern for the brand. The Banner has reported that Nan Xiang now has nine locations across the Northeast, with planned openings in states where it's already established as well as debut restaurants in Georgia and Illinois. The company has also expanded well beyond the East Coast, with Eater DC noting the chain had grown to 13 locations nationwide, and with a Sidney Street location now open at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh, per WTAE.
For now, Maryland diners eager for a taste of the Michelin-recommended dumplings can still head to the existing Bethesda or National Harbor locations while they wait on word from Columbia, as The MoCo Show first reported.
