We fell for this restaurant’s small, unassuming Fenton location when making selections for the Sauce Best New Restaurants of 2022. Tiger Soup Dumplings has built a steady following over the last few years, and with a second location recently opened in Des Peres, we think this is only the beginning. The succinct menu is topped by Shanghai-style soup dumplings filled with beef, pork, chicken or shrimp and cheese. While steamed dumplings are more traditional, the pan-fried versions are equally good. The interior of these little parcels of joy is very hot, and the soup can squirt in any direction – follow the guide on the wall to avoid burns. Pair your dumplings with a side of the cold, crisp cucumber salad and the spicy wontons.
Multiple locations, tigersoupdumplings.square.site
The Sauce 75 is a photomosaic of the best in St. Louis dining. This list is a celebration of the diverse skills, techniques and culinary traditions that meet across our region. In sum, it tells a story about where St. Louis has been, where it is now and where it’s going next. Many great and good St. Louis restaurants have not made the cut. (Seventy-five is a lot fewer than you think!) Restaurants are constantly growing and evolving and go through ups and downs. Newly opened restaurants can take time to find their feet: There are a few exciting new places we’re cheering for, but which we feel haven’t yet fully hit their stride.
This article appears in January/February 2025.