Joe's Shanghai (Flushing)

Joe's Shanghai in Flushing, Queens, at 136-21 37th Avenue, is the Flushing branch of the well-known soup dumpling house that established its reputation in Manhattan's Chinatown. Flushing is one of the largest and most varied Chinese food districts in the United States, and this restaurant sits in the heart of it, close to Main Street and the Flushing–Main Street subway terminal of the 7 line. The cuisine is Shanghainese, and the kitchen is best known for xiao long bao, the delicate steamed soup dumplings filled with seasoned pork or a pork-and-crab mix and hot broth. The pork and crab soup dumplings are the emblematic dish and are traditionally eaten by lifting the dumpling into a spoon, nibbling the wrapper to release the soup, and adding vinegar and ginger. Scallion pancake, lion's head meatball, noodle dishes, braised pork and vegetable sides fill out a menu built for sharing. The dining room is a large, busy space with round communal-style tables, steaming bamboo baskets and a family-focused, high-volume feel, and noise can be high at peak hours. Dress is casual. Beverages are simple, including hot tea, soft drinks and beer. The restaurant generally accepts walk-ins, and weekend lines are common, particularly for lunch and early dinner, so visitors often arrive early or accept a wait. Prices are moderate, with dumpling baskets in the low double digits and a shared meal for two typically around forty to sixty dollars. Because the restaurant is in Queens rather than Manhattan, visitors usually reach it by subway or bus and often combine it with a wider Flushing food walk that includes other Chinese regional cuisines, bakeries and the food courts around Main Street. It suits travellers looking to experience the city's outer boroughs and their strongest immigrant food traditions within New York City.