Audubon Circle dumpling place that closed due to pandemic to re-open in South Boston

The Boston Licensing Board today approved plans by Mei Mei to open a cafe - and a new dumpling factory - at 58 Old Colony Ave. in South Boston.

Mei Mei, which started as a dumpling food truck, closed its cafe at the start of the pandemic to concentrate on large-scale production of dumplings for sale at farmers markets and the like.

The new location will include a cafe aimed at people with a hankering for dumplings for lunch and early afternoon, along with a seasonal patio and a production area that includes a dumpling machine and a packaging room for expanding Mei Mei's line of packaged dumplings.

Mei Mei also plans a series of evening dumpling-making classes.

The new cafe has a formal opening date of Jan. 21.