High Camp Taphouse: The Best Dumplings I've Ever Had
Six years living in Asia, decades of dining around the world, and the best dumplings I've ever tasted turned up in Sisters, Oregon.
We enjoyed some wonderful meals during our Oregon trip, but one restaurant stood head and shoulders above everything else.
High Camp Taphouse in Sisters.
And it wasn't even close.
I've spent six years living in Asia, traveled through Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and more, and enjoyed decades of dining throughout the United States and Europe.
So when I say High Camp served the best dumplings I've ever had, I'm not making that comparison lightly.
And the rest of the meal was every bit as memorable.
The Best Dumplings I've Ever Had
Everything about those dumplings worked.
The flavors were distinctive, the filling and wrappers had exactly the right texture, and they arrived at the perfect temperature.
Then there was the sauce.
Sometimes a sauce overwhelms a dish or tries to disguise something that's missing. This one did neither. It enhanced the dumplings without covering up their wonderful flavors.
There wasn't one particular ingredient that made them exceptional.
It was how everything came together.
I've eaten plenty of dumplings over the years, including some in the countries where they're part of everyday life.
These were my favorites.
Our Own Little Tasting Menu
We sat inside and decided to take our time.
Rather than ordering everything at once, we ordered one dish, enjoyed it, and then chose another.
Dumplings. Samosas. Bao. Drunken noodles.
It became our own little tasting menu.
The staff were terrific, taking time to explain the dishes and helping us explore the menu. Each new plate gave us another reason to keep going.
We probably should have stopped ordering sooner.
We didn't.
And we don't regret a bite.
High Camp also had approximately 20 craft beers and ciders on tap during our visit, giving beer enthusiasts plenty of choices to accompany the food.
More Than a Great Meal
As remarkable as the food was, the people made the experience even better.
We spent quite a while talking with the owner, who told us about his years working as a Sherpa and his many climbs on Mount Everest.
That alone made for a fascinating conversation.
But we also learned about High Camp's connection to Nepal.
During our visit, we were told that 10% of sales helped support a mission providing approximately 70 children in Nepal with resources for school, including clothing and supplies.
Several staff members had traveled with the owner to Nepal on mission trips. They weren't simply explaining unfamiliar dishes from a menu. They had personal connections to the community and culture behind the restaurant.
That added something special to an already extraordinary meal.
We came for the food, but we left impressed by the people and the purpose behind the business.
Would We Go Back?
In a heartbeat.
High Camp wasn't simply our favorite meal of the week. It was one of the most memorable dining experiences we've had anywhere.
The dumplings alone would bring me back.
Add the samosas, bao, drunken noodles, genuinely helpful staff, and the conversation with the owner, and you've got a restaurant we'd gladly revisit.
The Curated Upgrades Recommendation
🟢 GO FOR IT!
If you're visiting Sisters, Oregon, make time for High Camp Taphouse.
And to my friends on the East Coast, I'm only half joking when I say you should buy a plane ticket.
If you're already in Sisters, you have no excuse.
Seriously. Get in there and eat.
You don't want the FOMO.
For more of our firsthand Oregon experiences, visit Eating Our Way Around Bend and Redmond: The Hits, Misses, and Surprises.