Din Tai Fung is a world-renowned Taiwanese restaurant chain known for its xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). The chain has over 150 locations across Asia, Australia, the United States and the Middle East. Din Tai Fung is famous for the quality and consistency of its food, especially its xiaolongbao which are handmade fresh daily with ultra-thin wrappers and piping hot broth inside.
How did Din Tai Fung get started?
Din Tai Fung was founded in 1958 by Yang Bingyi in Taiwan. Yang’s goal was to produce the perfect xiaolongbao. He hired chefs who had expertise making the dumplings and had them undergo extensive training to master the 18 intricate folds required to make each dumpling. Din Tai Fung operated as a cooking oil retail shop in its early days but became so popular for its dumplings that Yang eventually converted it into a full-fledged restaurant.
When did Din Tai Fung begin expanding internationally?
Din Tai Fung remained a local Taiwanese chain for decades. It wasn’t until 1996 that it opened its first international location in Tokyo, Japan. Encouraged by the success abroad, Din Tai Fung began expanding to other Asian countries in the early 2000s. The first Din Tai Fung in mainland China opened in Shanghai in 2004. In 2010, Din Tai Fung crossed the Pacific and opened in Los Angeles, marking its first location in the United States. The chain continues to grow globally today.
What makes the food at Din Tai Fung special?
Several key factors contribute to the distinctive food quality at Din Tai Fung:
Obsession with details
Din Tai Fung is meticulous about every aspect of its food preparation. It selects premium ingredients and adheres to exact cooking methods perfected over decades. For example, its xiaolongbao broth must contain precisely 20 folds to achieve the ideal texture. Din Tai Fung’s meticulous methods result in explosive xiaolongbao with tender skins and flavorful broth every time.
Handmade fresh daily
All Din Tai Fung dumplings are made completely by hand every day on-site at each restaurant. There is no freezing or mass production. Dumplings are crafted individually by trained chefs. The handmade process allows precision shaping and pleating that machines cannot replicate.
Proprietary recipes
Din Tai Fung’s recipes have been refined over 60+ years but remain highly confidential. The recipes for staples like its xiaolongbao filling and signature chili sauce are known only to a handful of chefs. This secrecy ensures consistency across all restaurants.
Highly skilled chefs
Chefs at Din Tai Fung undergo at least one year of intensive training before being allowed to craft dumplings. Many have trained for several years. Their knife skills and shaping techniques have been perfected through rigorous practice. Only the most skilled chefs are qualified to make Din Tai Fung’s dumplings.
Quality control
Din Tai Fung enforces stringent quality control measures. Each batch of dumplings is checked by weighing samples to ensure uniformity. Dumplings with even slightly imperfect pleats are discarded. This quality control guarantees that every customer enjoys flawless dumplings.
What is unique about Din Tai Fung’s xiaolongbao?
Din Tai Fung’s xiaolongbao stand out for several reasons:
Ultra-thin, delicate skins
The xiaolongbao skins are made from a secret ratio of flours that results in an incredibly delicate texture. They are pleated with numerous intricate folds using skillful hand techniques. The skins almost melt in your mouth.
Rich, flavorful broth
The broth inside each xiaolongbao is packed with savory pork flavors. Din Tai Fung masters the ideal level of seasoning. Every dumpling bursts with hot, aromatic soup.
Fresh, high quality ingredients
The filling uses premium pork minced daily on-site. Only fresh, refined oils are used in cooking. The stuffing has a pleasant texture and clean pork essence. No artificial flavors are added.
Perfect consistency
Years of refinement have allowed Din Tai Fung to perfect the texture of the xiaolongbao filling. It has an ideal sticky, soft texture that enhances the dumpling experience. The consistency stays the same across all restaurants.
Intricate pleating
Din Tai Fung’s xiaolongbao are pleated with up to 18 intricate folds by hand. The pleating technique requires extreme skill and practice. It adds artistic flair while also sealing in the broth.
What is on the menu at Din Tai Fung?
While best known for xiaolongbao, Din Tai Fung serves a diverse menu with many highlights:
Appetizers
| Item | Description |
| Cucumber salad | Chilled cucumbers with a refreshing garlic vinaigrette dressing |
| Soy sauce noodles | Noodles with sesame sauce, vinegar, soy sauce and shreds of cucumber |
| Potstickers | Pan-fried pork dumplings with cabbage and scallion stuffing |
Noodles and rice dishes
| Item | Description |
| Beef noodle soup | Braised beef broth with noodles, beef shank and bok choy |
| Pork chop fried rice | Rice stir-fried with pork chops, egg and soy sauce |
| Dan dan noodles | Spicy Sichuan noodles with preserved vegetables and minced pork |
Dim sum
| Item | Description |
| Shrimp & pork shao mai | Open-faced dumplings filled with shrimp, pork and bamboo shoots |
| Soup dumplings | The signature xiaolongbao filled with soup and pork |
| Sticky rice wraps | Glutinous rice stuffed with Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp |
Desserts and drinks
| Item | Description |
| Taro cake | Griddle cake made from taro root coated with crispy externals |
| Jasmine tea | Floral jasmine green tea |
| Tapioca milk tea | Bubble tea with milk, tapioca and brown sugar |
How has Din Tai Fung innovated its menu over the years?
While staying true to its Taiwanese roots, Din Tai Fung has introduced creative new menu items over the decades:
Localized dishes
Din Tai Fung adapts elements of its menu to local tastes in the countries where it operates. This includes offering soup dumplings with crab and pork in Japan, and chicken xiaolongbao for certain markets.
Dessert menu
Traditional desserts like taro cake and red bean pancake were added to the menu. Newer desserts include chocolate xiaolongbao filled with molten chocolate.
Seasonal offerings
Special dumplings only available certain times of year keep the menu feeling fresh. Recent seasonal items include pumpkin xiaolongbao for autumn and sakura cherry blossom dumplings for spring.
Collaboration items
Din Tai Fung partners with other brands on creative mash-ups. Collabs have resulted in dumplings with Hello Kitty, green tea chocolate truffles, and black truffle xiaolongbao.
Beverage expansion
The beverage options have vastly expanded beyond basic tea and soda. Customers can now enjoy fresh fruit teas, slushies, milk teas, and coffee drinks like latte and cappuccino.
What are some notable facts about Din Tai Fung?
Beyond its renowned food, Din Tai Fung is an impressive business operation:
Michelin star restaurant
The original Din Tai Fung location in Taipei earned a Michelin star in 2010, a rare honor for a restaurant specializing in dim sum and noodles. Only the highest quality dining establishments receive a Michelin star.
$1 billion USD franchise
Din Tai Fung surpassed $1 billion USD in total franchise value in 2016. It continues to grow at a rapid clip, especially in North America.
10,000 dumplings per day
Each Din Tai Fung restaurant makes around 10,000 xiaolongbao daily. The global chain produces millions of dumplings per day.
2000+ employees
The Din Tai Fung training academy in Taiwan has trained over 2000 chefs. The program prepares chefs for deploying to all the restaurants globally.
Gluten-free menu
Din Tai Fung offers extensive gluten-free options, including gluten-free xiaolongbao skins and noodles. Very few restaurants supply this level of gluten-free choices.
What are people saying about Din Tai Fung?
Din Tai Fung generates tremendous buzz both from critics and everyday diners:
Reviews and ratings
Din Tai Fung consistently earns 5 star ratings on review sites like Yelp and Google. Food critics almost universally praise it as one of the world’s finest dumpling restaurants.
Public fascination
Videos documenting everything from Din Tai Fung’s dumpling folding techniques to the massive queues outside restaurants have gone viral online. Din Tai Fung has clearly caught the public’s imagination.
Awards and media coverage
Din Tai Fung wins awards on a regular basis, appearing on rankings like BuzzFeed’s “Top 50 restaurants in the world”. Its global expansion and MICHELIN star have been covered by major media outlets like the New York Times and CNBC.
Loyal fans
Devoted foodies who have visited Din Tai Fung locations around the world maintain blogs and social media accounts documenting their love of the chain. Some fans have tattoos of the Din Tai Fung logo.
Cult status
The obsessive level of detail Din Tai Fung puts into its dumplings approaches a cult-like status in the eyes of hardcore food lovers. No other dumpling chain commands this degree of devotion.
How can you eat at Din Tai Fung?
If you want to enjoy the Din Tai Fung experience:
Find a location
Use the store locator on DinTaiFungUSA.com to find a restaurant near you or in a city you’re traveling to. Locations exist across Asia, the US West Coast, and East Coast cities like New York.
Make a reservation
Reserve a table on OpenTable or directly through Din Tai Fung’s website. Walk-in wait times can be 2+ hours at peak dining times, so reservations are highly recommended.
Preview the menu
Decide what dumplings and side dishes you want to order in advance. The menu has so many options that choice paralysis can set in!
Order xiaolongbao
No visit is complete without trying the shop’s legendary soup dumplings. Order a couple orders so you can sample different flavors.
Dine off-peak times
Avoid the lunch and early dinner rushes if you don’t have a reservation. You’re more likely to get a walk-in table at off-peak times.
Conclusion
From its origins as a tiny Taiwanese shop to a global restaurant empire, Din Tai Fung has stayed true to its initial mission of creating the perfect xiaolongbao. Its unwavering commitment to quality through meticulous technique and secret recipes keeps fans coming back year after year. Din Tai Fung’s popularity shows no signs of fading anytime soon, as new food lovers continue discovering the joy of sinking their teeth into the chain’s flawless soup dumplings. For the authentic Din Tai Fung experience, find a location near you and prepare your tastebuds for some of the best dumplings in the world.
