Mother's Dumplings

Chef-owner Zhen Feng has folded so many dumplings for Toronto that she might as well be the city’s honorary mother. In 2005 she opened a small, eight-table nook on Huron Street. Five years later, she relocated to a much larger space and by then had boiled, steamed and pan-fried her way to becoming a city institution in the heart of Chinatown. The menu boasts all manner of Chinese dishes, but stick to the namesake specialty, which are rolled out and folded at all hours by a dedicated team in the back. One could make a meal out of just the boiled pork and dill dumplings, but other types are also worth dipping into. On the way out, bags of frozen dumplings are available for take-home when the craving hits and Feng’s kitchen is closed for the day.