Last updated: August 23, 2023
Shu Jiao Fu Zhou in NYC’s Lower East Side might have the best, no-frills, most authentic dumplings in NYC.
The restaurant is amazing and you have to go there. I love dumplings, and I’ve lived in NYC for twelve years now.
Summary: After frequently binge-eating dumplings during the last 10 years throughout lower Manhattan, I’ve found that the best cheap dumplings in New York City can be found at Shu Jiao Fu Zhou Cuisine at 118 Eldridge St.
Visitor Information
Here’s what you need to know when you visit Shu Jiao Fu Zhou.
- Order: Pork and Chive Dumplings, 6 for $2.50, 10 for $3.50
- Cash Only: No credit cards, but WeChat might be accepted
- Hours: 9:30am to 9:30pm, 7 days a week
- Location: 118 Eldridge Street, NY NY on the SE corner of Broome and Eldridge
Menu at Fu Zhou Cuisine
This was the menu as of 2019 that was posted in their window:
What To Order at Shu Jiao Fu Zhou
These are my two favorites.
- Pork and Chive Dumplings: 6 for $2.50, 10 for $3.50
- Wheat noodle with Peanut Butter sauce: $2.50
Get the dumplings! I like the pork and chive (#4A on this menu), and they are by far the most famous.
The pork and cabbage (#4B on this menu, or #13 on inside menu: Pork and Cabbage Dumplings: 6 for $2.50, 10 for $3.50) are also tasty, but because they are less popular, they are often less fresh.
The noodles with peanut butter sauce are also very popular. As are the soups, and more. But this blog post is about the best dumplings in NYC, so get the damn dumplings.
Pro Tip: You can get 50 frozen dumplings for $11.
Inside Shu Jiao Fu Zhou Restaurant
30 seats are spread around the restaurant. It is not fancy at all; this is a barebones interior.
There is one large table in the center which seats eight people. I usually sit here by myself, with a few other random customers.
The staff is often yelling in Fujianese (like Mandarin) to each other, shouting out orders.
They store spare inventory in the entryway. There is sometimes no toilet paper in the bathroom. There are large open trash cans near the bathroom, and customers need to throw away their own garbage after eating.
This place is not hidden or secret. It is already a stop on some food tours. But the majority of customers seem to be local and Asian, which is a nice testament to the restaurant’s authenticity.
More Information
- Website: shujiaofuzhou.com
- Cash only.
- No alcohol.
- Bathroom available.
- Reviews: Yelp, Foursquare, TripAdvisor
The Competition
- Vanessa’s Dumplings, a popular NYC chain, is around the corner. It is more crowded, more expensive, and the dumplings are less good.
- Many more places that I’ve visited which I hope to list some day.
- Prosperity Dumpling: Closed a few years ago. The cheapest dumplings in Manhattan? RIP.
Conclusion
I like this restaurant a lot and I often times bring friends and family here. It is a great example of an authentic, fast, cheap Chinese spot in Manhattan’s Lower East Side (near Chinatown). Their dumplings are the best that I’ve found.
What I want to update on this post: Taste test Vanessa’s Dumplings nearby, Add pictures of me outside or inside Shu Jiao, Try the wonton soup and the fish balls. Get recommendations about what else to order besides dumplings from here. Have stuff that I should add to this post? Please email me!
- My friend Amy says: “The fish balls at that dumpling place are really good! Only exists in Fujian.”
Additional Photographs
These are a few more photographs I took on 1 June 2019:
Finally, a small plug: These dumplings make a great picnic snack. If you happen to be going to have a picnic in Central Park, may I humbly suggest that the absolute best picnic spot in Central Park is Sheep Meadow.
I want to visit North Dumpling in East Broadway on my next NYC visit to test them out.