Palytt Team · 2026-09-29

What to order at Din Tai Fung for the first time

For a first visit to Din Tai Fung, start with Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao, then build the table around one noodle or fried-rice dish and a vegetable. Add a second dumpling only if everyone wants a different filling, and save room for dessert. The menu has plenty of paths through it, but this mix lets a group try the restaurant's soup dumplings while keeping the meal balanced. Menus vary by location, so check your restaurant's current menu before ordering.

What should I order at Din Tai Fung for the first time?

Start with Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao. Xiao long bao are soup dumplings; at Din Tai Fung, the Kurobuta pork version is a clear first course for a table that eats pork. If your group wants a second basket with a different direction, the current US menu also lists Crab & Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao, Chicken Xiao Long Bao and Truffle & Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao.

For context on this style of meal, read our dim sum ordering guide. Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese chain and its menu is its own thing, so use that guide for general sharing ideas rather than treating dim sum terms as interchangeable.

Which dumplings, buns and noodles should I choose?

Once the xiao long bao are decided, choose a contrasting dumpling or bun only if it suits the table:

• Vegan Dumplings give a plant-based table a dumpling option.
• Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Dumplings pair shrimp with pork for a different texture from soup dumplings.
• Kurobuta Pork Bun, Chicken & Mushroom Bun and Vegan Buns are the current bun choices to consider when you want a fluffy steamed bun alongside dumplings.

For noodles, the menu offers Vegan Noodles with Sesame Sauce, Vegan Noodles with Spicy Sauce and several fried-noodle dishes, including Fried Noodles with Chicken and Fried Noodles with Shrimp. Noodles make sense when the table wants a sauced, substantial dish to share after the steamers arrive. If dumplings are usually your comfort order, Palytt's xiao long bao food matches can help you explore similar dishes.

What fried rice and vegetables round out the order?

Fried rice is the easy companion to dumplings when you want something familiar and shareable. The official menu currently lists Fried Rice with Chicken, Fried Rice with Shrimp, Fried Rice with Shredded Kurobuta Pork and Fried Rice with Pork Chop. Pick one that fits the proteins already on the table instead of piling up similar dishes.

Then add greens for contrast. String Beans with Garlic, Broccoli with Garlic, Bok Choy with Scallion-Infused Oil, Spinach with Garlic, Taiwanese Cabbage with Garlic and Kale with Garlic are all on the US menu. The right choice is less about a universal best and more about what your group will actually finish: a garlic-forward vegetable is a simple counterpoint to rich dumplings and rice.

Which dessert should we save room for?

If the table wants something fruit-forward, look for Shaved Snow with Fresh Mango. For a dessert in the same small, pleated format as the meal, the menu also lists Chocolate & Mochi Xiao Long Bao and Red Bean & Mochi Xiao Long Bao. These are distinct dessert choices, not extra soup dumplings, so order them after the savory dishes rather than using them to replace a first basket of xiao long bao.

What should mellow and comforting eaters order?

Mellow eaters can keep the order centered on the gentler, savory parts of the menu: Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao, Chicken Xiao Long Bao, Fried Rice with Chicken, and a vegetable such as Bok Choy with Scallion-Infused Oil. A Chicken & Mushroom Bun is another comforting addition when the table wants more steamed dough and filling.

There is no need to make every dish mild for the whole group. Choose a calm base that everyone can share, then let people who want more intensity add one bolder dish. A balanced order means no one has to spend the meal navigating flavors they did not ask for.

What should bold or spicy eaters order?

For a table that wants more punch, the current menu includes Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Spicy Wontons, Chicken Spicy Wontons, Vegetable & Kurobuta Pork Spicy Wontons, Vegan Spicy Wontons and Vegan Noodles with Spicy Sauce. Choose the protein or plant-based version that fits your group, and pair it with a calmer dumpling or rice dish so the order has range.

Bold does not have to mean every dish needs heat. A spicy wonton or spicy noodle dish beside xiao long bao, rice and greens lets each person build the bite they want.

What is the best vegetarian order at Din Tai Fung?

A practical vegetarian starting point is Vegan Dumplings or Vegan Buns, followed by Vegan Noodles with Sesame Sauce or Vegan Noodles with Spicy Sauce, plus a vegetable dish such as String Beans with Garlic or Spinach with Garlic. Vegan Spicy Wontons add a hotter option, and Shaved Snow with Fresh Mango makes a separate dessert course.

Dietary needs are personal and menus vary by location. Din Tai Fung's menu notes that its kitchen uses shared equipment, surfaces and cooking oils or water, and cannot guarantee that an item is free of allergens, gluten or animal products. Ask the restaurant directly about the needs that matter to you.

How many dumplings should I order?

There is no honest universal number: basket sizes and appetites vary, and this guide should not pretend otherwise. For two people, begin with one xiao long bao order, one noodle or fried-rice dish, and one vegetable. Pause there, then add another dumpling or bun if you are still hungry or want another filling.

For four people, begin with two orders of xiao long bao, a noodle dish, a fried-rice dish and a vegetable. That creates several things to share without assuming an exact portion. If the group has vegetarians or different heat preferences, make one of the dumpling or noodle choices fit that person rather than trying to make every dish work for everyone.

How can Palytt help?

This guide can explain the menu categories and suggest a balanced first order; it cannot tell you which specific dishes your friends have loved at a particular Din Tai Fung or guarantee what is available at your location. In Palytt's Order Guide, friends' verdicts appear next to specific dishes. If the harder question is choosing a restaurant together, Palytt Rooms help a group weigh options and decide. Palytt is not affiliated with Din Tai Fung and restaurants can't pay to rank in Palytt.

FAQ

What is Din Tai Fung known for?

Din Tai Fung's US site describes the restaurant as specializing in soup dumplings and noodles. For a first visit, Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao is a natural place to begin, then add a noodle or rice dish and greens.

Can vegetarians eat at Din Tai Fung?

The US menu lists Vegan Dumplings, Vegan Buns, Vegan Spicy Wontons and vegan noodle dishes. Check the current menu at your location and ask the restaurant about allergies or other dietary needs because the kitchen uses shared equipment and surfaces.

Should I order dumplings or fried rice at Din Tai Fung?

Order both if you are sharing: start with xiao long bao and add one fried rice for a different format. For a smaller order, choose the dumplings first and add rice if the table wants something more substantial.

Does Din Tai Fung have dessert?

Yes. The official US menu lists Shaved Snow with Fresh Mango, Chocolate & Mochi Xiao Long Bao and Red Bean & Mochi Xiao Long Bao, among other location-dependent choices.