Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, the soup dumpling chain that made Cherry Hill its first New Jersey home, has opened two more locations in the state.

The Flushing, Queens-based restaurant launched outposts at American Dream in East Rutherford and Hadley Center on Stelton Road in South Plainfield this month, NJBIZ reported. The openings bring the chain's New Jersey count to three, all tracing back to the late 2022 debut at Towne Place at Garden State Park on Haddonfield Road.

Co-founder Michael Ma said in a statement to NJBIZ that the expansion lets the chain share its traditions with new communities. "Every new restaurant gives us the opportunity to introduce another community to the tradition of Xiao Long Bao and the joy of sharing a meal together," Ma said.

The chain now has 16 locations nationwide.

Founded in 2006, Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao has earned Michelin Guide recommendations for nine consecutive years, according to NJ.com. Additional openings are planned in Connecticut, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio and New York.

The American Dream location sits on Level 3 of the East Rutherford mega-mall, becoming the property's 12th full-service restaurant among more than 110 dining options, according to ROI-NJ. A grand opening celebration is set for Saturday, Oct. 10, featuring a traditional lion dance, a complimentary dumpling giveaway and a live dumpling-making demonstration.

Both new locations feature open kitchens where diners can watch chefs mix, roll, fill and hand-pleat dumplings before steaming them. The menu spans soup dumplings, noodle dishes, stir-fries, scallion pancakes and breakfast items like fried dough sticks with warm soybean milk served all day.

The Cherry Hill location, which restaurant review site The Infatuation included on its list of the 20 best restaurants in South Jersey, helped establish the brand's suburban footprint. Eddie Zheng, the Philadelphia-based franchisee who brought the restaurant to Garden State Park, told the Courier-Post in November 2021 that he chose Cherry Hill because of its proximity to Philadelphia and easy parking.

The expansion is part of a broader national push. Boozy Burbs reported the chain is targeting markets throughout the Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. A fast-casual spinoff, Nan Xiang Express, already has 12 locations, including one in Lawrenceville.