From Chinatown to Wicker Park

Qing Xiang Yuan — better known to its regulars as QXY Dumplings — just filed a Retail Food Establishment license for 2018 W Division St, planting its flag in Wicker Park as of April 3, 2026. If you've ever waited in line at the original 2002 S Wentworth Ave location in Chinatown, you know this is a big deal. The restaurant built one of Chicago's most devoted dumpling followings on the strength of fresh, handmade dumplings and nothing else. No gimmicks. No fusion. Just dumplings.

The Second Act Has a Wine List

The Wicker Park outpost isn't just a carbon copy of the original. According to Hoodline, the new location will feature wine pairings and an Off Color tea lager — a collaboration with one of Chicago's most respected craft breweries. The restaurant is still awaiting a liquor license, which means the full experience isn't quite ready yet, but the food license is live and the kitchen is coming online.

What It Means for the Neighborhood

Ward 1 covers a stretch of Chicago that includes Wicker Park, Bucktown, and Ukrainian Village — neighborhoods that have seen plenty of restaurant turnover in recent years. A second location from an established, critically loved Chicago original is a different kind of arrival than another fast-casual chain. Division Street, in particular, has been a corridor in flux. QXY's arrival signals that operators with real reputations are still betting on the neighborhood's dining density.

No confirmed opening date has been announced beyond the license filing. Given the pending liquor license, expect a soft opening before the full wine-and-dumpling experience goes live. Worth watching — and worth the wait.