The story
On Xinyi Road in Taipei’s Da’an District stands the original Din Tai Fung, the restaurant that turned a humble cooking oil shop into a global icon of Shanghainese cuisine. Founded in 1958 by Mr. Yang Bing-Yi, the story begins when tinned cooking oil threatened his business. At a friend’s advice, he dedicated half his shopfront to selling xiaolongbao. Those delicate, handmade dumplings – each with exactly 18 folds – became so popular that the oil business was soon abandoned entirely.
Today, the Xinyi branch remains the standard bearer for the brand, recognised by the Michelin guide with a Bib Gourmand award for its good quality, good value cooking. The restaurant’s philosophy is simple: quality is the lifeblood of the business. Every step – from selecting natural ingredients to preparing handmade dough and fine-tuning the cooking process – receives painstaking care.
The menu spans nearly 100 dishes, but the xiaolongbao remain the heart of the experience. The Pork Xiaolongbao are the classic: thin, delicate skins holding a hot, savoury broth. For something more adventurous, the Truffle and Pork Xiaolongbao pairs juicy pork with whole slices of earthy truffle. Beyond dumplings, signature dishes include Pork Chop Fried Rice, where golden fried rice is topped with a Shanghai-style crispy pork chop, and the House Special Spicy Shrimp and Pork Wontons, wrapped in thin skins and served with a signature spicy sauce.
Service at Din Tai Fung comes from the heart – friendly, attentive, and proactive. The Xinyi branch is currently takeout only and is not wheelchair accessible, but the experience of eating these world-renowned xiaolongbao at their birthplace is something no amount of modernity can replicate.
Recognition
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