The humble dumpling, which has a history that spans 2,000 years, comes in many guises, but it is the Chinese who have created some of its finest forms. From soup-filled xiaolongbao and crescent-shaped jiaozi to pan-fried potstickers, these pinched dough parcels, whose diverse shapes stem from the nation's distinctive geography, are a dim sum staple.

“Dumplings are a marvellously universal dish across China and every variety reflects its roots,” says Ms Juanzi Tan of Sichuan-inspired restaurant chain BaoziInn in London. “In the cold landscapes in the north, jiaozi are thick-skinned and accompanied by vinegar while their southern relatives have thinner skins and more delicate flavours. The third variety reflects the cold, wet environment of inland provinces such as Sichuan, where the generous use of chilli is said to help drive away the cold.”

Today is National Dumpling Day, so we’ve picked out six dumpling restaurants, from the rustic to the refined, to get your dim sum fix in London and New York.

A background in anthropology and an intensive research trip to China equipped chef Mr Andrew Wong well for taking over his parents’ Chinese restaurant in Pimlico, which, one Michelin star later, has become one of London’s top spots for regional Chinese cooking. Its lunchtime dim sum menu is a particular draw. Mr Wong’s soup-filled Shanghai dumplings with ginger vinegar, pork and prawn dumplings crowned with crackling and a sublime duck yolk dessert in the form of a peach showcase his creativity.

**awong.co.uk **

At the no-frills Jen Café, the focus is on Beijing jiaozi, which have thicker skins and dough made from wheat rather than rice flour. Behind a bright jade façade in the heart of Chinatown, chefs can be seen crafting their wares throughout the day. Their batches of freshly steamed dumplings filled with spicy pork, spring onion and chives are one of the city’s best budget lunch options. Pan-fried potstickers and wonton soup also make worthy alternatives on a menu as perfectly formed as the jiaozi displayed in the window.

4-8 Newport Place, WC2

BaoziInn’s four London restaurants serve sophisticated street-food inspired by China’s northern Hunan and Sichuan provinces. Each has its own specialities, including barbecued meats, noodles and buns, but the standout dumplings are a constant. Sichuan-style chao shao dumplings – savoury, slippery crescents of pork and ginger – and classic pork and prawn wontons in rich XO sauce come highly recommended, as do the beautiful baskets of jewel-like jiaozi, which feature dough coloured naturally with beetroot, turmeric, spinach and carrot.

**baoziinn.com **

Further enhancing his reputation as one of New York’s top dim sum chefs, Mr Joe Ng launched RedFarm with restaurateur Mr Ed Schoenfeld in 2013. Two more restaurants, including one in London, have followed. Mr Ng takes a modern approach to traditional Chinese dishes and his elevated jiaozi anchor a menu that uses the highest quality ingredients – think lobster, truffle and snow-pea leaf. The playful Pac-Man dumpling platter, compete with black sesame-seed eyes, may draw attention, but Mr Ng’s soup-filled xiaolongbao rank among the best in the city.

**redfarmnyc.com **

Flushing in Queens has one of the world’s largest Chinese communities outside of Asia and boasts an inevitably strong suit when it comes to dim sum. Among the best is White Bear on Roosevelt Avenue, which – with paper menus stuck to the wall and dishes served on polystyrene plates – is a back-to-basics diner that lets its wonton dumplings do the talking. Menu entry Number 6 is the dish that draws the crowds. Pale-skinned hong you wontons are filled with tender pork and come dressed with pickled vegetables and a life-affirming kick of chilli oil that more than justifies the journey east.

135-02 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing, NY

Mimi Cheng’s began life when, inspired by their mother’s Taiwanese cooking, sisters Mses Hannah and Marian Cheng quit high-flying corporate roles to set up a dumpling shop in the East Village. Using locally sourced produce and pasture-fed organic meat, their menu of potstickers is served alongside an intense vinegary dipping sauce, while collaborations with big-hitting chefs such as Mr Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park and Contramar’s Ms Gabriela Cámara warrant repeat visits. 

mimichengs.com