Handmade and Heartfelt: How Oh Dumplings Became a Brooklyn Favorite
With handmade dumplings, inventive recipes, and deep community roots, Oh Dumplings! is redefining Chinese street food in Brooklyn.
From Cobble Hill startup to a bustling multi‑location dumpling destination—discover how Sam and his partner combined Northern and Southern Chinese traditions into a neighborhood favorite.
From Office Job to Dumpling Dreams
After several years of working in an office, Sam realized the 9-to-5 lifestyle wasn’t for him. “I just don’t feel like I’m an office person,” he recalls. What he did love, though, was food—especially cooking and experimenting with new recipes. Around that time, a friend who shared his passion (and happened to be from Northern China, where dumplings are a culinary staple) sparked an idea: what if they opened a dumpling shop?
They started small, testing recipes and experimenting with flavors. “We were just trying different things we thought could be successful,” Sam explains. The duo’s big breakthrough came in 2017, when they opened their first shop in Cobble Hill. The neighborhood’s lack of Chinese cuisine and close proximity to Sam’s home in Sunset Park made it the perfect starting point. “There were mostly Thai restaurants in that area back then,” he says. “Not much Chinese food.”
Their timing was serendipitous. Oh Dumplings! opened with a focus on takeout just before the pandemic, which ended up being a surprising advantage. “Our business didn’t slow down that much because of all the takeout orders,” Sam notes. They’ve since expanded to three locations, all in Brooklyn, where Sam has lived for over two decades.
Fresh Flavors, Familiar Roots
While traditional dumplings are the foundation, innovation is what sets Oh Dumplings! apart. Their best-selling item? A house-made chicken dumpling that’s completely original. “The chicken one—we created it from scratch. It took about a month to develop,” Sam says proudly. Unlike the classic pork “tripod” dumplings found in most shops, this one blends familiar comfort with something entirely new. Customers now ask for it by name.
Beyond dumplings, Oh Dumplings! also offers Northern Chinese specialties like "Jian Bing (煎饼)" (savory stuffed flatbreads) and handmade buns, recipes inspired by Sam’s co-founder’s hometown of Tianjin. “One of our chefs is very skilled with dough,” Sam explains. “He can make different kinds of buns, noodles, dumpling wrappers all from scratch.” The team even customizes sauces to suit local preferences for bold, balanced flavors: “sweet, sour, and spicy.”
Community Ties
For Sam, the heart of Oh Dumplings! isn’t just the food. It’s the people. “We love hearing customers tell us they love our food… and they keep coming back,” he says. “We become friends.” That community connection is a key reason they’ve kept their operations rooted in Brooklyn. Local customers have embraced Oh Dumplings! as a go-to spot, creating a loyal, diverse customer base.
But even with strong neighborhood support, running a restaurant has its difficulties. Rising food costs are one of the biggest challenges. “Prices are going up everywhere,” Sam shares. “But we try not to pass that on to the customer. We want to keep our food price-friendly.” That commitment to affordability, especially for street food-style offerings, is part of what keeps customers coming back, but it also requires careful balance behind the scenes.
Growing Steadily
Oh Dumplings! isn’t slowing down. The team is already eyeing a fourth Brooklyn location, with hopes to open by the end of this year or early next. “We’re still looking for the right space,” Sam says. The goal is to keep stores close enough for efficient supply runs while continuing to grow their customer base. Eventually, they may even venture into Manhattan.
“We also plan to create food and menus that fit more of a dining experience,” he explains.
For those dreaming of opening a restaurant, Sam offers simple, hard-earned advice: “Start small. Get to know the market and the community. And try to create something that’s not already everywhere.”