Nan Xiang Express Brings Fast, Quality Shanghainese Cuisine to Williamsburg

May 10, 2023

North Brooklyn is welcoming another fast-casual East Asian eatery. This Saturday, June 3, Nan Xiang Express (167 Grand St.), will have a soft opening in Williamsburg.

Nan Xiang Express is a small chain of fast-casual restaurants known for soup dumplings. The company is quickly expanding with the space in Williamsburg, plus two others in New York after recently opening a storefront in Queens this past March.

Nan Xiang's co-founder and owner Eddie Zheng said, "We are inspired by the dedication of customers who were willing to travel long distances to enjoy the soup dumplings at Nan Xiang during the pandemic… we decided to expand our reach and bring the delicate dumplings to more neighborhoods in the country."

Nan Xiang Express’ older sibling, Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, was first introduced to Queens in 2006 and has been chosen as a Michelin-recommended restaurant for the past nine years. Unlike Xiao Long Bao, Nan Xiang Express will focus on takeout and delivery, hoping to provide the same high quality food in a faster format.

Nan Xiang Express’ menu showcases a variety of Shanghainese dishes. Appetizer options include vegetable and shrimp spring rolls, red bean puffs, scallion pancakes, cucumber salad, and four happiness sponge tofu, to name a few.

The menu's signature dim sum section includes items like pan-fried dumplings, wontons, pork buns, and Shanghai siu mai. The menu continues with selections of fried noodles, pan-fried crispy noodles, and udon, plus noodle soup options and fried rice cakes.

Nan Xiang Express’ menu concludes with four soup dumpling options. Choices include Nan Xiang signature pork soup dumplings, crab meat and pork soup dumplings, chicken soup dumplings, and gourd luffa, shrimp, and pork soup dumplings.

Nan Xiang Express’ prices hover around $20 per person, aiming to provide the same quality as its Michelin-recommended sibling at an affordable price.

In Williamsburg, Nan Xiang Express will be open everyday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.