With over 260,000 TikTok views, Summer Dumpling draws curious foodies to its cosy space. While the menu boasts a variety of dumplings and noodles, the experience delivers mixed results—some dishes shine, but many others fall short of being memorable. For locals craving dumplings, it’s worth a visit, but perhaps not for those travelling across London.
If you’re on TikTok, you’ve probably heard of Summer Dumpling by this point, as they’ve amassed well over 260,000 views between multiple viral videos. Naturally, I had to get down to the bottom of it to see if it’s worth the hype.
They did warn me about the queues that form outside, but I was not expecting such a tiny space inside. Though small, the space they’ve made here is cosy and carefully curated. Each element on the table, down to the adorable, unique chopstick holders fits the vibe and shows attention to detail. They also feature paintings for sale on the walls executed by Asian artists.
Their menu is split into five categories of dumplings, with respective sections dedicated for starters and noodles. We did our best to try one of each, though of course we could only eat so much. However, as only two people, I am proud to say we did eat 29 dumplings, a bowl of noodles, a side of pickled radish, and a slice of Basque cheesecake. As such, I feel quite qualified to get into the experience at Summer Dumpling.
Highlights:
- Viral Sensation: Over 260,000 views on TikTok, sparking curiosity.
- Compact Charm: A cosy, curated interior with unique decor and art by Asian artists.
- Mixed Reviews: Dumplings varied from good to average; standout was the prawn dumpling in lobster broth.
- Noodles & Dessert: Both were enjoyable but not exceptional; cheesecake was store-bought quality.
- Final Verdict: Worth a visit for local dumpling lovers, but not a destination spot.
Our first round of dumplings included chilled lobster broth and open prawn dumplings, pork and Chinese cabbage boiled dumplings, and corn and chicken pan-fried dumplings. For our second round, we opted for two more of the pan-fried variety, as we had seen others with rectangle-style dumplings with a crispy skirt and we wanted to find those. This time, we wanted to taste the vegetarian option—mushroom, tofu, and glass noodle—plus the prawn and chicken.
Nothing about their dumplings was bad in any way. My least favourite was the mushroom; even as a lover of both mushrooms and tofu, this one leaned too woody and earthy for me, and was slightly wet inside. Every other style was good—great, even—but not groundbreaking. The pork and Chinese cabbage boiled dumps reminded me of a pierogi; while the filling was slightly mushy, the wrapper was sturdy and the flavour was good. The chicken and corn dumplings and the chicken and prawn potstickers were equally good, with good flavour and a nice crispy skin, but nothing revolutionary. While the filling for these was a bit dry with the prawn being ground up with the chicken, the spicy mayo they served on the side provided a welcome richness.
The noodles were equally average—nothing bad, nothing incredible. They were cooked perfectly, and their inclusion of peas somewhere in the sauce added an interesting flavour (for those of you who like peas). But they were, essentially, pasta noodles cooked with ground pork and chickpeas on top. Was it anything I couldn’t make myself at home? No.
And for dessert, you guessed it, nothing bad but nothing amazing. The cheesecake was cheesecake. Yummy, but nothing I couldn’t buy at the store.
The only bite of the night that was truly unique and delicious were the prawn dumplings in lobster broth. These dumplings had a layer of meat at the bottom, topped with a whole piece of prawn, atop a pool of rich lobster bisque. The lean filling paired beautifully with the creamy, flavoursome lobster sauce, creating a super memorable bite. In fact, in an effort not to waste any of the delicious lobstery-ness, we poured the remainder of our noodles into the bowl to soak up all the goodness.
Overall, my verdict: if you’re really craving dumplings, and Summer Dumpling is nearby, definitely pop on in to grab yourself some dumplings. But is it worth travelling across London for or queuing for an hour? Unfortunately not.
