Where to Find the Most Delicious Guotie'er in Beijing

As a local Beijinger, I grew up eating 锅贴儿 Guōtiē'er (potstickers), pan fried Chinese dumplings that are often made with meaty fillings like pork or shrimp. I remember as a kid, my mom loved to make dumplings for my family, however, sometimes she made more than we could ever finish, and she would just put the rest of the dumplings in the fridge. Then the next morning, she would take them out and pan fry these dumplings until they were golden and crispy and serve them for breakfast.

So, if you ever want to experience some of the delicious joy I've had growing up and wondering where you can find these potstickers in Beijing, below are a few restaurants that I recommend.

Menkuang Guotietu

If you ever ask any Beijinger to pick their favorite place for potstickers, Menkuang Guotietu will definitely top the list. Although this humble place is not big, and their potstickers look no different than the regular ones you can find at any average restaurant, once you take a bite, the meaty gravy inside the perfectly fried dumplings will hit just right. Don't miss their millet porridge, the millet makes for a great textural contrast with its rich fiber and nutrients

Menkuang Guotietu 门框锅贴涂
Meishi Street Zongshu Bypass No.21, Xicheng district
西城区棕树斜街21号

Xinhe Restaurant

This is another authentic Beijing-style restaurant that serves up some of the city's greatest potstickers. Their must-order signature dish is the 三鲜锅贴儿 Sān xiān guōtiē er, which are potstickers that usually come with three different ingredients. These potstickers come with a shrimp and pork filling inside and is seasoned with vinegar and hot pepper.

Taking a quick glance at these fried dumplings, one might notice that all of them are served open. But why is it like this? Well, there is actually something nostalgic about the way the food is presented at this restaurant. In the past, it used to be the Beijing tradition to break open the dumplings to let customers see what the filling was as a way of making the dish more appetizing. Their potstickers also come with free millet porridge and pickles, making it a great side dish.

Xinhe Restaurant 新和小馆
Yonghegong Street No.155, Dongcheng district
东城区雍和宫大街155号

Ping'an Guotie

If you've never been to this place before, you have to try their fried dumplings with pumpkin and pork filling. The sweet flavor that the pumpkins carry works wonders with the pork.

Unlike other sanxian fillings that often come with leek, their sanxian stuffing comes with pork, mushrooms, and shrimp, making it quite an out-of-the-box yet tasty experience for your taste buds. But it's not just their pot stickers that attract many customers, their pig's feet, when dipped in garlic sauce mixed with soy sauce, is also mouthwateringly good.

Ping'an Guotie 平安锅贴
Shuiduizi Unit Inner Building 3 Xianan Pingfang, Chaoyang district
朝阳区朝阳北路水碓子小区3号楼下南平房

18k Gold Potsticker

Satisfy your craving for potstickers at 18k Gold Potsticker, which specializes in a variety of flavors for fried dumplings. Their signature RMB 19.9 combo comes packed with three fillings including pork, leek and zucchini for you to choose from. For cold dishes, you can choose from shredded see weed or shredded tofu. Trust me, this place won't disappoint.

18k Gold Potsticker 18k 黄金锅贴
Shimen Streey No.A6 Joy Wood F1,Shunyi district
顺义区仁和镇石门街6号院1号楼101-a06

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Images: Dianping