Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐
Taiwanese restaurant · Ravenna ·
Taiwanese chain famed for Shanghai-style soup dumplings
Taiwanese chain famed for Shanghai-style soup dumplings
"One of the most sought-after tables in Seattle is at this outdoor mall where paychecks transform into Restoration Hardware loveseats. Waits can be over an hour, but that’s plenty of time to judge everyone by what kind of shopping bag they have. (Apple? Nerd. Nothing? Yikes.) Don’t forget your branded handlebag of leftover pork wontons to make everyone jealous on your way out. A who’s who of UW students and their Aritzia purchases The Lululemon scuba hoodie in heathered core ultra light grey" - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, kayla sager riley
"A dumpling superchain is leaving its current University Village space and moving into the shopping center's old Bartell Drugs; the new restaurant will occupy about 18,000 square feet—more than double the size of the old location—and the interior will be extensively redesigned so it won’t feel like "slurping soup dumplings in an old pain relief aisle." The new site is slated to open sometime in 2026." - Harry Cheadle
"Din Tai Fung doesn’t need a kids’ menu, because its selection of dumpling and noodle dishes is already pretty all-ages friendly. But the chain (with locations in University Village, Pacific Place, and Lincoln Square in Bellevue), goes out of its way to accommodate young children with high chairs and plastic, kid-friendly plates that stick to the table. If you’ve spent all day as a family at one of the malls where DTF operates, chances are you could all use a soup dumpling or three." - Harry Cheadle
"It’s no secret that Din Tai Fung is hands-down the best dining option at University Village. This means you’ll wait at least 45 minutes for a table as you compete with big families and people with delusions of grabbing a "quick lunch" before an Apple Store appointment. But the xiao long bao inside this massive, steamy dining room will be the most exciting meal you'll experience here. Just jot down orders on a paper slip, and sit back as bamboo steamer baskets multiply until your table smells like a saxophone reed." - aimee rizzo
"Fans flock to this well-known chain for baskets of xiao long bao made with Kurobata pork. They’re fantastic, even if they lack the tell-tale droop and hot broth found at DTF’s home in Taiwan. The shrimp and pork shao mai, which carry the combined flavor of land and sea, are another gorgeous choice amidst a wider selection of dumplings, buns, and wontons." - Jay Friedman
