Where to Eat Dumplings Today to Celebrate Winter Solstice

Those who have lived in China for a while or who know a little bit about Chinese food culture will be more than aware that every festival in China seems to have some kind of special food associated with it. The biggest festival on the calendar in December (really more of an astronomical phenomenon, if we're quibbling), is the winter solstice, known in Chinese as dōngzhì (冬至), which this year falls on Wednesday, December 21.

Most people will be familiar with eating dumplings during Spring Festival, but the Chinese festival calendar actually mandates the eating of dumplings twice a year – at least in northern China anyway (in southern China the winter solstice is associated with eating 汤圆 tāngyuán, or glutinous rice balls). The winter solstice practice of eating dumplings is thought to have originated in the Han dynasty when a kindly doctor called Zhang Zhongjing took pity on some cold street children with chilblains on their ears and prepared dumplings filled with lamb and other spices for them to eat. Since the dumplings were shaped like ears (if you squint a bit), Zhang named the dish qū hán jiāo ěr tāng (祛寒娇耳汤), literally translates as "dumpling soup that gets rid of the cold."

You can grab a plate of dumplings at pretty much any northern Chinese restaurant (or pick up a frozen bag in pretty much any supermarket) but below is a list of our favorite places to eat this carby treat:

Baoyuan Dumplings (宝源饺子屋)
This dumpling institution has a huge selection of dumpling fillings, which you can choose to have served in colorful wrappers, naturally dyed with fruits and vegetables. Don't miss the crispy rice dumplings, the rice making for a great textural contrast with the soft purple wrappers.
North of 6 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District (6586 4967)
朝阳区麦子店街6号楼北侧

Din Tai Fung (鼎泰丰)
This Taiwanese chain might be more well-known for its dim sum, but also has a range of dumplings on the menu, with branches conveniently located around the city in Dongzhimen, Parkview Green, Zhongguancun, and more.
Dongzhimen location: 24 Xinyuan Xili Zhongjie, Chaoyang District (6462 4502)
朝阳区新源西里中街24号

Mr Shi's (老石饺子馆)
The amiable Mr Shi has a veritable Beijing dumpling empire these days, having expanded from one shop on Baochao Hutong to locations in Cheniandian Hutong, Sanlitun, and Jiuxianqiao. The original location packs in both expats and tourists for their wide selection of well-executed boiled and pan-fried dumplings. If you want something out of the box, try the cheese-stuffed dumplings (best fried, in our experience).
Baochao location: 74 Baochao Hutong, Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District (8405 0399)
东城区鼓楼东大街宝抄胡同74号

Click "Read more" for the rest of the list.

Photos: Wikimedia commons