VIBE

The original location of world-famous dumpling makers DinTaiFung. When plucky cooking oil shop owner Binyi Yang decided to diversify into dumpings in the 1980s, business took off, and the operation moved to this narrow, multi-level space with a busy kitchen on the ground floor and dining rooms upstairs. The basic wooden tables may be cramped and the waits may be long, but the steamed-to-perfection dumplings (known as xiao long bao) are worth it.

CROWD

Locals and tourists tucking into dumplings by the "steamerful."

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

It’s pretty casual; we’d wear jeans and a fun long-sleeved shirt.

GO HERE WITH

Dumpling fanatics; tourists; friends; family

WHY WE LIKE IT

The dumplings, duh! We’re fans of classic flavors like pork with crab or shrimp, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the dumplings on the menu. We like this location because it’s the original and has a certain scruffy charm, but the other locations around town are also worth trying–they tend to be larger, airier, and in convenient locations like Taipei 101. (Definitely avoid the original location if you don’t think you can easily navigate the steep narrow staircases.)

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

It’s always packed, so there’s generally a wait even though the staff is remarkably efficient. Also, we'd like more US locations so we never have to be far from a dumpling fix!

GOOD TO KNOW

Though the restaurant is thoroughly Taiwanese, the dumplings are actually Shanghainese in origin (and even the Shanghainese admit they’re pretty spectacular). The best way to eat these babies is to dunk the dumpling in the vinegar/ginger sauce, place it in your spoon, and then bite a little bit off the top to release the steam (this is key–you’ll regret it if you don’t do this! We want to be sure you avoid burning your mouth, so that you can truly enjoy this delicious meal!). Try to eat the rest of the dumpling in one bite, making sure to get all the soup that will escape into the spoon. Finally, the award which sparked the global DinTaiFung craze in the West: it was named one of the top restaurants in the world by The New York Times in the 1990s.

OTHER LOCATIONS

Da’An District (Taipei); ShiLin District (Taipei); XinYi District (Taipei); Taichung; Beijing; Los Angeles; Seattle; various locations around Asia

CLOSEST COMPS

Joe’s Shanghai (New York)