Mei Mei Dumplings is a cafe located in South Boston’s Iron Works development, featuring creative Asian fusion fare such as scallion pancake cheeseburgers as well as serving as a classroom for dumpling making classes.
Mei Mei Dumplings
Overall Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 stars
Address: 58 Old Colony Ave, Boston, MA 02127
Neighborhood: South Boston
Perfect For: Creative dumplings in an upbeat cafe
Hours: Tue – Thu 11:30am – 2:30pm, Fri – Sat 11:30am – 8pm
Reservations: No
Parking: Street
Links: Website, Menu
Cost: $20 per person (food only)
Mei Mei Dumplings was founded in 2012 as a food truck by James Beard Award winning chef Irene Li and her two siblings. Mei mei means “little sister” in Mandarin, and dumplings were some of the Li siblings’ favorite childhood foods.
This cafe has a cheery and upbeat interior, with colorful chairs and bright wall art. In addition to being a cafe, Mei Mei is also a dumpling factory and classroom. Their class offerings include a dumpling class, scallion pancake class, noodle class, and more. Since the restaurant doubles as a classroom, note that the dining room may not available if a cooking class is being held, in which case you can order takeout only.
Mei Mei’s menu includes seven dumpling options — dumpling party (a sampler plate), lemongrass pork dumplings, cheddar scallion potato dumplings, five spice tofu dumplings, curried sweet potato dumplings, cheeseburger dumplings, and cumin lamb dumplings — as well as side dishes like sweet potato hash cake and scallion pancakes. They also offer a “Double Awesome Sandwich” with eggs and cheese tucked into a scallion pancake, a scallion pancake cheeseburger, and a kale salad. If you prefer not to order in-person, you can order online for delivery or pickup.
I ordered the cheddar scallion potato dumplings (photographed above), which came with the option of pan seared or crispy fried. I chose pan seared for a lighter version. These dumplings featured creamy potatoes, Cabot cheddar cheese and butter from Vermont, and garlic. I thought they were a delicious and creative take on traditional dumplings, and I enjoyed pairing them with the refreshing apple chili sauce.
I also ordered the sweet potato hash cake (photographed above), which came as a pair in a wrapper. These delicious savory treats are extra crispy and contain sweet potato, bacon, and shiitake. I enjoyed the rich flavors and contrasting textures of these hash cakes. Mei Mei Dumplings sources many ingredients from local New England farms; the sweet potato is from Schartner Farms and the bacon is from Lilac Hedge Farm.
Overall, I enjoyed the food and ambiance at Mei Mei Dumplings. If I returned, I would be interested in trying their cumin lamb dumplings and scallion pancakes. My only complaints are that the portion sizes are on the smaller end, the menu is rather limited, and there is no available dine-in seating when classes are being held.
