Nanjing Xiaolong Baozi: Pleats Up or Pleats Down — Which Is Authentic?
One Name, Two Styles
Strictly speaking, xiaolong tangbao (小笼汤包) follows the Shanghai Nanxiang tradition — thinner wrapper, more broth, pleats facing down against the bamboo steamer. When you pick one up, it sags like a water balloon. The classic instruction: “first open the window, then drink the soup” — bite a small hole, slurp the broth, then eat the rest dipped in vinegar.
Xiaolong baozi (小笼包子), on the other hand, is the local Nanjing name. The wrapper is a touch thicker, the pleats face up, and the flavor leans savory with a subtle sweetness. It’s still filled with rich broth — that’s the soul of the thing, melted pork aspic — but it’s more balanced between wrapper, filling, and soup, never so extreme that you’d call it a “lantern on a plate.”
Old-school Nanjingers simply call it baozi (包子) — never tangbao. The “soup” is implied, not stated. You bite open a corner, sip the hot broth, then dip in Zhenjiang vinegar and eat.
Traditional Nanjing Xiaolong Baozi: Pleats Up, That’s the Rule
The defining feature of authentic Nanjing xiaolong baozi is the upward-facing pleats. Locals call it baozi, not tangbao.
The classic purveyors:
Xiao Shanghai → Railway King Xiaolongbao (铁路王小笼包)
Xiao Shanghai (Little Shanghai) was a beloved institution in old southern Nanjing. When it closed, its master chef opened a new spot called Railway King Xiaolongbao near Zhonghuamen metro station, carrying forward the same recipe and technique.
Sichuan Restaurant (四川酒家)
Located on Taiping South Road, this old establishment has been famous for its xiaolong baozi for decades. Despite the name, it serves authentic Nanjing snacks — thin-skinned dumplings with generous filling and that perfectly balanced savory-sweet broth.
Bao Shunxing (包顺兴)
A southern-city (城南) institution. Many Nanjingers’ childhood memories of xiaolong baozi begin here. Small in size, flawless in execution — pure authenticity.
Si He Chun (四鹤春)
An old-school noodle-and-dumpling house. Their xiaolong baozi follow the traditional method: a firm, compact meatball filling with plenty of broth. They’re equally known for their noodles.
Liu Changxing (刘长兴)
Founded in the late Qing Dynasty (around 1901), Liu Changxing is Nanjing’s oldest surviving century-old snack restaurant. Its xiaolong baozi hold legendary status — the kind locals have eaten since childhood, generation after generation.
Jiming Tangbao: The Outsider That Became a Local Icon
Nanjing has another famous soup dumpling — Jiming Tangbao (鸡鸣汤包) — but strictly speaking, it doesn’t belong to the traditional Nanjing xiaolong baozi lineage.
Jiming Tangbao originated from the Jiming Restaurant (鸡鸣酒家), founded after 1949. Its method is Suzhou-style: pleats facing down, thinner wrapper, more broth, sweeter flavor. The restaurant’s tangbao took the city by storm. When the original restaurant closed, the recipe survived through multiple offshoots:
- Jiming Tangbao (鸡鸣汤包) — The largest chain, with locations across the city. Standardized and the easiest for tourists to find.
- Xu Jianping Tangbao (徐建萍汤包) — Run by a descendant of the original Jiming chef. Among locals, this one has the best reputation for being closest to the original taste.
- Old Gulou Tangbao (老鼓楼汤包) — Another branch of the Jiming lineage, with several locations. Locals say the Taipingmen branch tastes the most authentic.
- Yin’s Tangbao (尹氏汤包) — Also traces its roots to the Jiming tradition, with multiple outlets around the city.
What to Eat in Nanjing: A Quick Guide
For traditional Nanjing xiaolong baozi (pleats up): Go to Sichuan Restaurant (Taiping South Road), Bao Shunxing, Si He Chun, Liu Changxing, or Railway King Xiaolongbao near Zhonghuamen station.
For Jiming-style tangbao (pleats down): Look for Jiming Tangbao, Xu Jianping Tangbao, Old Gulou Tangbao (try the Taipingmen branch), or Yin’s Tangbao.
The two styles aren’t in competition. A true Nanjing local eats both.