A small chain established in New York and Boston, Nan Xiang Express brings their popular Shanghai-style dim sum, including crab and pork soup dumplings, crispy bottom buns, braised beef noodle soup and shredded beef and pepper noodles to the ground level of Durham’s Blue Light Living Apartments.
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Hours:
Monday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM Thursday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM Friday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM Saturday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM Sunday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
I fear these may be the best dumplings I've ever had
Order at the counter or at a kiosk and the service is super fast. The outside is a bit deceiving because the inside is quite nice with cool lights everywhere. We got a bunch of different things to try, my favorites were the pork soup dumpies and the wonton in the peanut sauce.
I didn't love the wings but the general tsos chicken was good too. The chicken comes with rice on the side so don't accidentally order extra rice like we did.
Such a great spot for a quick bite, pretty cheap too!
Alexander
Apr 14, 2025
5
It is a rare and delightful thing to discover a restaurant that warrants a journey, and Nan Xiang Express is, without question, one of those treasures. Though it requires more than half-hour’s drive from my corner of the Triangle, the experience it offers is so thoroughly rewarding that distance becomes a trivial concern.
Let us begin with the crown jewel: the soup dumplings. Steamed to a gossamer perfection, each delicate pouch is filled with rich, aromatic pork broth that bursts forth with flavor. These are not merely good soup dumplings; they are, without hesitation, the finest in the region. A careful sip, a touch of vinegar, and then the whole dumpling, an orchestra of textures and taste in a single, elegant bite.
My visit extended beyond dumplings, and I was impressed by the shredded beef and pepper noodles; robust, deeply savory, and perfectly balanced. The wontons in spicy peanut sauce were another highlight; comforting yet complex, with a gentle heat and nutty depth that lingered pleasantly on the palate.
Having had the pleasure of dining at both the original Nan Xiang in Flushing, New York, and its Manhattan counterpart, I can attest with confidence that the craftsmanship here is every bit as authentic, and perhaps even more refined.
Nan Xiang Express is a gift to this area, and I look forward to returning again and again. Excellence, it seems, travels well.
Christine Wei
Apr 12, 2025
5
Came with a bunch of friends and enjoyed it! Very crowded but nice vibes, couldn’t hear the music above the din. I got the beef pepper noodles (dry) and they were quite delicious! Not super authentic and somewhat oily but still tasty. Service was definitely good for the number of people there.
Cindy Chan
Mar 26, 2025
4
The Crab Pork Dumplings were amazing. The Pineapple Mojito is on point. Just make sure you shake it well so that the syrup on the bottom mixes. The Crispy wings were not flavorful. No salt at all, but it was juicy. Definitely go for the seasoned ones.
jack prucha
Feb 2, 2025
5
Popular restaurant with many Asians eating here. Three at our table had various boba reas which they liked. I had the Thai lemon tea which has a different but good flavor.
Udon noodles were good and plentiful. Eating the leftovers today.
Daniel Perry
Jan 19, 2025
5
Everything on the menu is excellent. The dumplings, noodles, fried rice, savory pancakes AND chicken wings were all perfect. You can order in person, at a kiosk, or from a QR code on your table, which I really liked.
NSA
Dec 23, 2024
4
if you are craving soup noodles this is the place.the place is surprisingly super cute and looks brand new.
self order at a machine, pick up your table number and wait to have it delivered. simple.
they have dumplings, some appetizers and boba.
the dumplings were great, the shrimp spring roll was low on shrimp and under fried in my opinion
other than that cute new place.
edit
went back twice, food the second time AMAZING, the third time we ordered the same exact things and it was cooked completely differently and disappointingly .the scallion pancake for example had way less meat than the time before and was raw in the middle of the dough ...the pot stickers not crispy
lowering one star for standard ..
I do really like the visual effects,I wish they would keep them on versus the music artist picture on the big screen
NSA
Nov 19, 2024
5
if you are craving soup noodles this is the place.the place is surprisingly super cute and looks brand new.
self order at a machine, pick up your table number and wait to have it delivered. simple.
they have dumplings, some appetizers and boba.
the dumplings were great, the shrimp spring roll was low on shrimp and under fried in my opinion
other than that cute new place
John Lei
Nov 11, 2024
4
Soup dumpling and noodles are very good! Highly recommend most things they have. They also serve bubble tea and cocktail/beer if you want it. However, I would not suggest the chicken wings. they are oily and it's a dip sauce not coated. Just go down a couple blocks to chicken bee for quality chicken. Would visit again for soup dumplings!
diana solis
Nov 7, 2024
3
My experience at this location was not terrible. The drinks are awesome! On the other hand they have a variety of food on their menu and this is what I got and what I think about what I got. View the pictures
Ty lee
Oct 22, 2024
5
Stop over to have lunch after visiting nearby Duke Garden. There's a good selection of Chinese food available. Tried three different types of steamed dumplings which are quite good. You can order from the counter or place your order on the touch screen menu. Service is fast and friendly. Indoor seating can be slightly crowded.
Amy Crapo
Oct 1, 2024
5
I ordered online and picked up. They were quick, and nice. The pork soup dumplings were so good!! The coconut mango slush was so refreshing after walking dogs all day!!
Cindy LEE
Aug 29, 2024
5
First time visiting Nan Xiang Express! We ordered pork soups dumplings, crab meat and pork 🦀 soup dumplings, beef scallion pancake, cucumber salad, pork wonton soup peach smoothie and mango smoothie. My favorite is the chicken dumplings soup, and beef scallion pancake. Be careful with the juice in the dumplings 😄! Put dumpling on your spoon, bite the top of the dumpling off pour out the soup or just stick the whole dumpling in your mouth.
Qi Qi
Jul 22, 2024
5
The food here is fantastic! I highly recommend the crab and pork soup dumplings—they actually have soup inside. The noodles are also delicious.
Di Hu
Jul 21, 2024
5
We came in for a light dinner but ended up having much more! With so many options from dumplings to noodles and rice, everything we tried was delicious. The xiaolongbao, in particular, was exceptional. The service was great too!
Chunge Wang
Jul 21, 2024
5
This is a delicious and energetic Chinese eatery! They have so many kinds of authentic soup dumplings, appetizers, rice bowls and boba drinks! We got our food really quick and everyone is really nice and friendly ! We loved their mango tango drink, soup dumplings, sweet potato fries and scallion oil noodles! The interior design and decor are also really fresh and chic for people to just eat and hang out! I would definitely recommend Nanxiang to anyone who is craving yummy Chinese food in Durham!
Chen Zhao
Jul 21, 2024
5
The soup dumplings and stir fried noodles are delicious! 😋 Great selection of boba tea. Will definitely be back to try other dishes, highly recommended!
