The East Village is losing one of its most beloved dumpling destinations—and, frankly, that’s a lot to swallow.
Mimi Cheng’s is closing its East Village restaurant at 179 Second Avenue on September 11, 2026, ending a 12-year run for the Taiwanese-style dumpling shop. The restaurant, founded by sisters Hannah and Marian Cheng and named after their mother, has been serving up handmade dumplings since 2014.
The closure comes as the restaurant’s lease expires, but before anyone starts mourning like they’ve lost the last dumpling on Earth, there is some good news: Mimi Cheng’s isn’t actually disappearing.
The sisters are shifting their attention toward the brand’s growing frozen dumpling business, which has already expanded beyond New York and into stores nationwide, including Whole Foods. In other words, Mimi Cheng’s is trading a tiny East Village storefront for a much bigger freezer aisle.
Over the years, Mimi Cheng’s built a devoted following with its Taiwanese-inspired dumplings, including the signature chicken-and-zucchini dumpling based on the family recipe. The restaurant also became known for some seriously New York collaborations, including dumplings inspired by Katz’s Deli and Pizza Loves Emily. Because in this city, apparently anything can be put inside a dumpling if you believe hard enough.
The final days are getting one last delicious send-off, with the restaurant bringing back its Emmy Burger Dumpling, a collaboration with Pizza Loves Emily.
For the East Village, though, the closing still marks the end of an era. Mimi Cheng’s wasn’t just a quick stop for dumplings—it became part of the neighborhood’s ever-changing food identity.
So if you’ve been meaning to make one last visit, consider this your sign. Get the dumplings, order the sauce, and don’t wait until September 12. The freezer aisle will still have them, but the East Village won’t.
