Mass. Hidden Gems: The best dumplings I’ve eaten in Worcester

In terms of pure flavor, the soup dumplings from Yume Dumplings might be my favorite thing to eat in Worcester. Every time I’ve gotten them, I’ve done a little dance like I’d just won a prize.

In a way, I had. There aren’t many places outside of Boston where you can get a good soup dumpling.

There are plenty of places in downtown Worcester to grab a solid lunch or early dinner. Shawarma Palace is a great value. Armsby Abbey’s mac & cheese is unmatched. Chashu has awesome ramen.

But if you’re coming in from out of town for something at the DCU Center or Palladium (or stuck with jury duty at the courthouse), you’ll probably need to get something to eat at some point.

There’s no single place in downtown Worcester I’d recommend checking out more than Yume Dumplings. It’s the ideal combination of solid value, tasty food and menu items you won’t find in many other places in these parts.

Massachusetts Hidden Gems | Yume Dumplings in Worcester

Since opening in early 2024, Yume Dumplings has carved out a niche as a hidden gem amid the city’s buzzing scene with a creative and colorful menu of Asian fusion offerings.

You’ve got the signature soup dumplings, which are savory pouches of delight packed with a broth that gives a flavor boost to the meaty filling.

The gyoza-style pan-seared pork dumplings are a big hit, as are the crab rangoon. But other than those mainstays, the menu steers away from the conventional Chinese-American takeout fair. (No General Tso’s or sesame chicken.)

Owner Samuel Cheng had a different vision in mind when he opened Yume Dumplings. He wanted to serve the foods he grew up eating — along with some new creative twists.

What is on Yume’s menu?

As the name would suggest, Yume has plenty of options when it comes to dumplings. You’ve got soup dumplings, pan-seared dumplings, wontons and shumai.

Those serve as the savory foundation of Yume’s menu. But where the spot really stands out is with its creative spins on other mainstays of Asian cuisine.

Yume has a great Japanese-style chicken katsu on rice. But if you want something with some wow factor, get the sandwich, which combines the best of a chicken katsu with a Chick-Fil-A sandwich — featuring a massive cutlet more than double the size of the bun it’s served on.

The chicken katsu sandwich from Yume Dumplings in Worcester.(Nick O’Malley, MassLive)

At one point, a friend told Cheng that he needed to put fried rice on the menu. However, the kitchen at Yume didn’t quite have the right setup to properly make fried rice in a wok.

So instead, Cheng came up with what he calls a “deconstructed fry egg rice.” It’s a rice bowl topped with a fried egg and chili paste. It’s on the eater to cut open the still-runny yolk and mix it with the rest of the bowl, creating an interesting spin on fried rice.

There’s also a small-but-solid lineup of coffee and dessert options at Yume. The dalgona-style whipped coffee is a sweet and smooth pick-me-up. The Hong Kong-style French toast, topped with condensed milk and filled with either peanut butter or Nutella, packs a sweet punch.

From waffles to dumplings, thanks to COVID

The husband-wife team of Samuel and Crystal Cheng have been in the restaurant business together for 16 years. Back in 2017, they opened Blue Shades on Park Avenue in Worcester. Back then, they focused on coffee and Liege-style waffles — while incorporating some dumplings and other buns.

Blue Shades was a great spot. But like many other businesses, it closed after the pandemic hit. After closing the cafe, Samuel Cheng got to spend some more time with family. He also did some soul-searching to figure out what he really wanted to do.

He realized cooking was the answer.

“I wanted something that my kid, my wife and I love to eat. We love a variety of good food,” Cheng said.

After one year in business, it looks like the Chengs were on to something with their Asian fusion concept. Cheng is thankful for the support they’ve gotten from their customers, especially those who remember them from Blue Shades.

Cheng says he still runs into customers who miss the waffles from Blue Shades, adding that he might bring them back — someday.

What to know about the restaurant

Check them out: Website | Facebook | Instagram

What’s the address? – 5 Pleasant St., Worcester, MA, 01608

What’s the parking situation? – There is street parking right outside the restaurant on Pleasant Street and multiple garages nearby. There is no free designated parking lot for the restaurant.

When are they open? – Here are the listed business hours at the time of writing.