Din Tai Fung, Tokyo

Stumbling Into Soup Dumpling Heaven: Din Tai Fung, Tokyo

After wandering the streets of Tokyo and realizing we had unintentionally power-walked our way past lunchtime, Jorge and I found ourselves inside Tokyo Solamachi, the massive shopping complex next to Tokyo Skytree. Desperate for food and dangerously close to becoming hangry tourists, we spotted Din Tai Fung tucked into one of the dining floors. Most places were closed for the midday break, but Din Tai Fung? Open and glowing like a beacon of soup dumpling hope.

The restaurant was surprisingly large—and completely empty. No wait, no crowd, just us and a room full of potential. We were seated right away and handed the ordering sheet, which felt more like filling out a dim sum exam (don’t worry, we passed with flying colors).

Now, I had never tried soup dumplings before. Jorge had been introduced in San Francisco and knew exactly what to get. We ordered:

• Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao (aka the reason I now believe in magic)
• Truffle Xiao Long Bao (all Jorge, I'm not on team truffle)
• Vegetable and Pork Steamed Dumplings
• Pork Fried Rice

Let’s break it down:
The truffle dumplings were bold, earthy, and clearly Jorge's jam. I happily passed on those and focused on the steamed dumplings, which were flavorful and satisfying. The pork fried rice? Honestly, kind of plain. Not bad, just... polite. But nothing compared to what came next.

The Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao stole the entire show. Thin dough, hot broth, juicy pork—all wrapped into a bite-sized explosion of happiness. One bite and I was converted. I finally understood why people rave about soup dumplings like they’ve discovered a secret club. Naturally, we ordered a second round. Because once is never enough.

The ordering process was super easy—just check boxes on the sheet and hand it over. No awkward pointing or broken translations required. And while the staff wasn’t overly chatty or smiley like you might expect in the U.S., they were attentive, polite, and efficient. Zero complaints.

Before we left, I spotted the brand’s global story printed along the wall. What started in Taiwan has turned into a global dumpling empire, with locations all across Asia and now even the U.S. Safe to say I’ll be hunting them down on every continent from now on.

Final verdict: I may have walked in by accident, but I walked out a lifelong fan. Din Tai Fung in Tokyo was one of the best meals we had during our entire trip. Next stop? Finding them stateside because these dumplings are officially on my permanent travel itinerary.

Miles to Anywhere on Instagram: ”📍 Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 | Din Tai Fung 🥢 When the dim sum is life-changing but the dad jokes come free of charge… 💀😂 🎥: Jorge, channeling his inner Jet Li, drops the line “Some you win, dim sum you lose” 🍜✨—and honestly, I almost choked on the best soup dumpling of my life. 🤣 If you haven’t had Din Tai Fung in Tokyo, let me tell you—it’s worth fighting for (but thankfully, no martial arts required). 🥢 Steamed to perfection, these xiao long bao were straight-up melt-in-your-mouth magic. Who’s had dim sum this good? And what’s the best food pun you’ve ever heard? Drop it below! ⬇️ 😂 and don’t miss out on more content! Head over to MilesToAnywhere.com and subscribe today! #TokyoEats #DimSumLover #DinTaiFung #FoodieAdventures #TravelWithPoints #JapanFoodie #DadJokesOnTour #XiaoLongBao #FoodPunsAreLife #Japan #Yokyo #RomeoMustDie #DimSum #FoodLover #TravelingEats”

41 likes, 5 comments - milestoanywhere on March 14, 2025: ”📍 Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 | Din Tai Fung 🥢 When the dim sum is life-changing but the dad jokes come free of charge… 💀😂 🎥: Jorge, channeling his inner Jet Li, drops the line “Some you win, dim sum you lose” 🍜✨—and honestly, I almost choked on the best soup dumpling of my life. 🤣 If you haven’t had Din Tai Fung in Tokyo, let me tell you—it’s worth fighting for (but thankfully, no martial arts required). 🥢 Steamed to perfection, these xiao long bao were straight-up melt-in-your-mouth magic. Who’s had dim sum this good? And what’s the best food pun you’ve ever heard? Drop it below! ⬇️ 😂 and don’t miss out on more content! Head over to MilesToAnywhere.com and subscribe today! #TokyoEats #DimSumLover #DinTaiFung #FoodieAdventures #TravelWithPoints #JapanFoodie #DadJokesOnTour #XiaoLongBao #FoodPunsAreLife #Japan #Yokyo #RomeoMustDie #DimSum #FoodLover #TravelingEats”.

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