Crab rangoon is a well-known Chinese food, but you may be surprised to learn it did not actually originate in China. Now a staple at restaurants across the United States, where did crab rangoons come from? Read on for the full origin story of this tasty delight.

What are Crab Rangoons?

Crab rangoons are a type of dumpling, typically associated with Chinese cuisine and served as an appetizer. The classic version of a rangoon features a Chinese-style wonton wrapper filled with a mixture of cream cheese, crabmeat, scallions, and garlic that is deep-fried in oil.

The crab rangoon is famous now, but it hasn’t actually been around for as long as you might think…

The History of Crab Rangoon

There are two different stories floating around about the invention of crab rangoon.  The first is that crab rangoon was invented for the World’s Fair in St. Louis in 1904. This seems plausible, because many of the foods we know and love today did originate at World’s Fairs through the years.  So when you’re eating crab rangoons in St. Louis, know that you might be eating them right where they were invented! However, there is no specific evidence that anything similar to what we consider a crab rangoon today was actually served at the 1904 World’s Fair.  

Fast forward about 50 years and you’ll find the next popular story about how crab rangoons were invented. Many people say that crab rangoon was created and first served in San Francisco or Oakland at Trader Vic’s. Trader Vic’s was a Polynesian-style tiki bar that reached its height during the tiki bar craze of the 1950’s and 1960’s. This legend contends that the owner of Trader Vic’s, Victor Bergeron, invented crab rangoon during the early 1950’s.  Again, the evidence for this story is lacking, but crab rangoon was in fact an appetizer listed on Trader Vic’s menus during this era.  

Crab Rangoon Today

No matter where it was created, crab rangoon can be found far and wide today.  Here in St. Louis, you can find crispy and authentic crab rangoon right here at PokeDoke. Crab rangoon is available at all 3 of our St. Louis restaurant locations, along with other delicious appetizers like Thai Sweet Chili wings, Miso Soup, and Gyoza.

You can even land a free order of crab rangoon if you visit PokeDoke on Fridays!  Crab rangoon is FREE with any $40 purchase every Friday. The history of crab rangoon remains a bit of a mystery, but the current deliciousness of it is not. So be sure to stop by and dig into the crunchy, creamy goodness of a crab rangoon!