Xi Xiaoji (Wuxi soup dumplings)

Xilongji is a well-known local food chain founded in Wuxi in 2005, specializing in Wuxi-style xiaolongbao (steamed soup dumplings) and traditional Jiangnan wontons. This branch sits right next to Dangkou Ancient Town in the Xishan District, making it a convenient stop for a meal while visiting the historic canal area.

Unlike the milder and saltier soup dumplings of Shanghai or Suzhou, Wuxi xiaolongbao is famous for its savory-sweet profile and rich, dark soy-braised broth. The dumplings feature tender pork wrapped in a thin, translucent dough with tightly pinched pleats. Xilongji is known for slightly modernizing the traditional recipe, balancing the broth's characteristic sweetness so that it remains rich and soupy without feeling overly heavy.

In addition to the classic pork xiaolongbao, the menu offers variations such as crab roe and whole shrimp dumplings, alongside comforting bowls of wontons served in bone broth or tossed dry with scallion oil and spices. To avoid burns from the boiling broth inside, place the dumpling on a soup spoon, nibble a small opening in the skin to sip the broth first, and enjoy the rest with shredded ginger and black vinegar.