Din Tai Fung will soft-open at Disneyland's Downtown Disney on Monday, June 24. The resort and the company both announced the news today. A limited menu will be available during the soft opening, with a full menu available once the opens officially at an as-yet-unannounced date in July. [Update: (June 26) The official opening is now set for July 1.]
Founded in Taipei in the 1970s, Din Tai Fung has been a favorite dining destination in Southern California since its first location opened in Arcadia in 2000. The restaurant, famed for its Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings), now has seven locations in Southern California, with the Downtown Disney location to become the eighth.
Do not assume that because Din Tai Fung has so many locations, getting into one will be easy. Eating at Din Tai Fung is like going on a ride at Disneyland - the experience almost always starts with a queue. The restaurant said that its soft-opening will be by reservation only, but as of now there's no availability listed on the reservation page for the first week. So keep checking if you want in.
The new Din Tai Fung anchors the west end of the refurbished Downtown Disney district, in a building designed by Rockwell Group and featuring a contemporary take on a traditional Chinese pavilion rooftop. It's the first free-standing Din Tai Fung location built from the ground up, the company said.
Inside the 7,500-square-foot restaurant, two main dining rooms flank the circular, central bar area, which features a suspended, beaded installation.
If you get in, my favorites at other SoCal DTFs have been the Cucumber Salad appetizer, as well as the Crab & Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao, with a side of Bok Choy. But there's plenty more to consider on the full menu, including a variety of steamed dumplings and buns, wontons, noodles, soups, and desserts. Here are all the options.
When the restaurant opens in July, it also will offer new, limited collections of brand apparel and accessories, available only at the Downtown Disney location in Anaheim. Keep following for more details. The best way to do that is to sign up for Theme Park Insider's weekly newsletter.
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