Dim Sum House Plots Third Location, Private-Event Space and New Cafe

Courtesy of Dim Sum House by Jane G’s

The big restaurant opening news in Philly this week is that Dim Sum House by Jane G’s is finally (finally!) picking up a third location. Expansion has been rumored forever, in the works for years, hinted at with pop-ups, and now it’s a real thing. The new restaurant location will be just north of Girard at 1214 North American Street (on the ground floor of the Liberty Square apartments), and it’s opening on…

Well, actually, no one seems to know exactly when it’s opening. But it’ll be soon. Or soon-ish. Like, definitely this year. Totally. Or maybe early 2023. Seriously, though, the opening date is still very much up in the air, but I do have some details for you.

The new spot is going to be big. Sure, you might be saying to yourself that the existing locations in Rittenhouse and University City are already pretty sizable operations, but this one is even bigger. When it opens, the new Dim Sum House will seat more than 100 people inside and another 100 outside on a covered patio (a first for Dim Sum House). The Shanghainese and Cantonese dim sum restaurant will also have a 20-foot bar, private-event spaces, and a total of something like 9,000 square feet for drinking cocktails and slurping xiao long bao.

Owner Jane Guo and her son, Jackson Fu, are excited to get things rolling with their opening. Which will happen, you know…eventually. In the meantime, Guo and Fu have something else to keep them occupied: In addition to getting the new Dim Sum House up and running, they’re also immediately debuting a second concept called Xi West. This is a full-on private event space and wedding venue attached to the University City Dim Sum House at 3939 Chestnut Street.

Jackson Fu in front of upcoming location at 1214 North American Street / Photograph by Kory Aversa

Xi West is its own thing, with a separate entrance, its own vibe and banquet menu. But the two spaces are also connected: You’ll walk in and go upstairs for Dim Sum House or hook a hard left for Xi West.

So why am I telling you about a wedding venue here in the restaurant section? Because Xi is going to be more than just weddings. Guo and Fu are planning on using the space for food festivals, dumpling cook-offs, and large-group dining. Most notably, when not in use for events, they’re thinking about using the front of the space as a neighborhood cafe with snacks, pastries, coffee and more. It’ll be a spot for students to hang out and study, for neighbors to get together — perfect for the student-heavy population in University City.

The whole daytime cafe idea was integral to Xi West’s design. Guo and Fu were adamant that the space not be dark and empty on those days when it’s not being used for catering, so the design of the coffee shop was baked into all the plans from the beginning. No word yet on exactly when this part of Xi’s identity will be revealed to the neighborhood, but as always, you’ll know more when I know more.

Pork and crab soup dumplings / Courtesy of Dim Sum House by Jane G’s