The World’s Largest Din Tai Fung Opens Its Doors in NYC

The opening of a new Chinese restaurant in New York City is not exactly newsworthy — unless, of course, it’s Din Tai Fung.

The acclaimed Taiwanese chain, known for its expertly made Xiao Long Bao, was founded in 1958 and has several American outposts among its 181 global locations — including multiple restaurants in California, Oregon, and Washington state, as well as a buzzy restaurant in Las Vegas’ Aria Resort & Casino. But it’s the chain’s newest opening in midtown Manhattan that has excited even the most jaded of New York diners — especially Asian immigrants craving a taste of home.

And while there was a well-documented two-year wait, it was worth it.

Clocking in at an impressive 25,000 square feet that seats 450 guests at any given time, the space — designed by New York-based Rockwell Group — is unlike its other locations, which have a decidedly more casual vibe: Din Tai Fung New York is noticeably more upscale with a main entrance that’s essentially a glass cube.

Once inside, guests descend a winding staircase that leads into a dimly lit room that’s reminiscent of a traditional Chinese garden with “areas inspired by the process of moving through a bamboo forest, central pavilion, and courtyard.”

Beyond that, Moon Gate artwork — “circular openings in garden walls, used as passageways in traditional Chinese gardens” — abound as a central motif. And the 16-seat bar, a feature of many stateside locations, boasts an impressive drinks list that includes premium spirits, cocktails, beer, and wine.

“The distinctive look and feel of Din Tai Fung in New York City reflects a deliberate strategy and vision based on the location. As the first one on the East Coast, a great deal of attention was devoted to its design,” says Aaron Yang, co-executive vice president of the Din Tai Fung Restaurant Group and grandson of founder Yang Bing-Yi. “Inspired by the restaurant’s proximity to the Theater District, the design uses scale throughout to create theatrical visual effects like the tapestry-inspired ceiling in the central dining room. This location, alongside Taipei’s iconic 101 site, stands as the largest Din Tai Fung globally and one of New York City’s most expansive dining venues.”

Deciding on the size and selecting this location was a strategic advancement of the company’s mission to share culture through food. “We felt it made sense for the design of the restaurant to reflect the grandeur of its size and location in the heart of the Theater District and Times Square,” Yang continues. “As the first Din Tai Fung location on the East Coast, creating a wow factor and staying true to our roots were important factors in the design process.”

And given that the New York restaurant expects to make more than 10,000 dumplings a day for the throng of 3,000 to 4,000 guests, it’s important to know that the restaurant is remaining steadfast in its service and consistency. After all, this chain is lauded for its exacting standards: At every Din Tai Fung restaurant, you can always expect to watch a team of chefs work their magic in the chain’s signature glass-enclosed kitchen. The dumplings will always weigh 21 grams and have 18 folds. And based on a recent visit, the servers are trained to learn the menu inside-out and deliver speedy service.  

“Consistency starts with a strong commitment to our grandfather’s values and legacy. As an independently owned family business, we value our product, the guest experience, and our employees over profits,” says Albert Yang, co-executive vice president, as well as Aaron’s brother. “This philosophy influences our business-and-operations approach every day, including a no-exception commitment to our craft. We have training SOPs [Standard Operating Procedures] with digital assets and live training requirements for each role. On the culinary side, we have a dumpling training program in the United States, while Taiwan uses an apprenticeship program. Our Dumpling Training managers at all restaurants ensure the quality and consistency of our dumplings, and for those training, it can take six months and up to a year to be productive and skilled at dumpling-making.”