STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — First there were loaded potato skins at TGI Fridays. Then came tacos and margaritas at Lobo Loco. Now, if all goes according to plan, soup dumplings are next.
The prominent restaurant building at The Crossings, the shopping and dining district connected to the Staten Island Mall, New Springville, has sat empty since Lobo Loco’s closure. Soon, the answer to what comes next could be Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings.
Mall representatives said the Michelin Guide-recognized chain is expected to open there in 2027, bringing one of the region’s best-known soup dumpling brands to the borough.
The brand behind the broth
Founded in Flushing, Queens, in 2006, Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings traces its roots to Nan Xiang, a canal town near Shanghai where the delicate, broth-filled dumplings, known as xiao long bao, originated centuries ago. Today, the restaurant has grown into a regional destination for Southern Chinese cuisine and is regularly featured in the Michelin Guide. On its website, the company stated it prides itself on being a haven for those who value “the warmth of home-cooked meals, family dinners, and community.”…