Dumplings and noodles in Palo Alto

Almost every food culture wraps something in dough or stretches it into noodles. Palo Alto's mix of residents shows it. Within a couple of miles you can eat Shanghai soup dumplings, Cantonese dim sum, Georgian khinkali, Nepali momo, Inner Mongolian lamb shaomai, Vietnamese pho, Japanese udon and Burmese coconut noodles. Most are a short walk from University Avenue or California Avenue.

This guide is organized by dish rather than by country, so you can chase a craving across cuisines. Ramen has its own guide. Every place named here was confirmed through its own website, the farmers market's vendor list or a verified page in our business directory in October 2026. The exception is Tai Pan: its website has not been updated recently, so call before you go.

Dumplings by style

Soup dumplings and pan-fried buns

Chef Zhao Kitchen has cooked Shanghainese food at Edgewood Plaza since 2016. Start with xiao long bao, the pleated soup dumplings Shanghai is known for. Then add the pan-fried pork buns, sold six to an order with crisp bottoms. The menu also has handmade noodles and rice cakes, which makes it a one-stop dumpling and noodle meal. It is closed on Mondays and breaks between lunch and dinner.

Imperial Treasure on California Avenue cooks dishes from several regions of China. It names soup dumplings from Shanghai as one of three signatures, alongside Beijing roast duck and a Sichuan chicken dish.

How to eat a soup dumpling: lift it gently into a spoon, bite a small hole in the side, sip the broth, then eat the rest with a little black vinegar and ginger. Biting straight in sends hot soup down your chin.

Dim sum

Taste on University Avenue is a Szechuan restaurant with a dim sum list running from pork, shrimp and chive dumplings to shiu mai, barbecue pork buns, custard buns and molten lava buns. Its cold appetizers include pork wontons in chili oil, a good bridge between the two styles.

Tai Pan on Waverley Street has long served Hong Kong-style Cantonese food, with a separate dim sum menu of more than 80 items covering seafood, meat and vegetarian choices. Its website has not been updated recently and still shows old pandemic-era notices, so call before you go. Our dim sum guide covers both restaurants in more depth and our Chinese food guide covers the wider scene.

Dumplings beyond China

Khinkali at Bevri

Bevri on University Avenue serves the food of the country of Georgia. Khinkali are large, hand-folded dumplings with a twisted knob on top and hot broth inside. Hold one by the knob, bite a small hole, drink the broth, then eat the dumpling. Georgians traditionally leave the doughy knob on the plate. Bevri also bakes khachapuri, the cheese bread, in a wood oven and runs a tip-free policy.

Momo at Rara

Rara on California Avenue is a Nepalese restaurant named for Nepal's Rara Lake. Momo come 10 to a plate, filled with vegetables, minced chicken or minced buffalo and seasoned with Himalayan spices, then served with a tomato and sesame sauce. A momo sizzler adds noodles and vegetables on a hot plate. It is an easy dish to share before dal bhat sets.

Lamb shaomai at Tie Mu Zhen

Tie Mu Zhen on El Camino Real serves Inner Mongolian food built around lamb. Its shaomai are open-topped steamed dumplings with thin, translucent skins and a seasoned lamb filling. The same kitchen serves lamb soup with oat noodles, a staple of the northern grasslands. A separate menu covers Sichuan plates.

Noodles by style

Pho at Pho Ha Noi

Pho Ha Noi at 185 University Avenue serves northern Vietnamese pho. When it opened in 2023, local coverage described a bone marrow beef broth simmered for 24 hours and a free-range chicken pho. The menu has its own vegan section, including a vegan pho. Our Vietnamese food guide has more.

Udon at Marugame and Taro San

Marugame Udon on University Avenue makes thick wheat noodles to order in an open kitchen, then serves them in broth with a line of tempura and rice bowls. Taro San Japanese Noodle Bar at Stanford Shopping Center also makes its own udon and lists niku udon with beef, tori udon with chicken and a seasonal truffle udon, plus izakaya plates.

Burmese noodles at Rangoon Ruby

Rangoon Ruby on Emerson Street covers a wide range of Burmese noodles. Mohinga is a catfish chowder with rice noodles, lemongrass and ginger. Nan gyi dok pairs thick rice noodles with a coconut chicken sauce. The rainbow salad uses four kinds of noodles. The menu calls its Burmese take on pad thai its most popular dish.

Thai noodle bowls at HolyShred

HolyShred opened on El Camino Real in August 2026 as a fast-casual Thai counter. Its signature dish is shredded chicken noodles with vermicelli, a tangy sauce, romaine and crispy chicharrón. Vegan specials include herb-infused noodles.

Chilled rice noodles at Asian Box

Asian Box at Town & Country Village lets you build a box on a base of chilled rice noodles, rice or salad. The company says the whole menu is gluten-free, which makes it a rare noodle option for diners who avoid wheat.

Dumplings at the Saturday market

The downtown farmers market vendor list includes two dumpling stalls. Bao Bao Express sells fresh dim sum, dumplings, buns and boba tea. Bun Bao sells frozen steamed buns, dumplings and sesame balls ready to heat at home. The market runs Saturday mornings on Gilman Street year-round. See our farmers markets guide for parking and timing.

Ordering tips

1. Order dumplings first, noodles last. Dumplings should be eaten straight from the steamer. Noodles fill you up.
2. Share. Most dumpling orders come in sixes, eights or tens. A table of four can try three or four kinds.
3. Mind the broth. Soup dumplings and khinkali are full of hot liquid. Let them rest for a minute.
4. Ask about wheat. Nearly all dumpling wrappers and most noodles are wheat. Rice noodle dishes at Pho Ha Noi, Asian Box and Rangoon Ruby are the safer bets. See our gluten-free guide for more.
5. Check the afternoon gap. Chef Zhao Kitchen and Pho Ha Noi both close between lunch and dinner. Tai Pan lists a similar break, but call first to confirm it is serving.

Dumplings and noodles to go

Dumplings travel better than noodles. Steamed dumplings keep their shape for 20 minutes or so, while pan-fried buns lose their crunch. For noodle soups, ask for the broth on the side so the noodles do not swell in transit. Pho Ha Noi takes online orders through Toast. Taste has its own online ordering. Bun Bao's frozen buns from the Saturday market are made for reheating at home.

Frequently asked questions