Din Tai Fung

Din Tai Fung on Henrietta Street is the UK flagship of the Taiwanese dumpling house, opened in 2018 as the brand's first European restaurant and set beside the West Piazza in the middle of London's theatre district. It is known above all for xiao long bao, the steamed soup dumplings that turned a small Taipei oil shop into a group of more than 170 restaurants across 14 territories.

The story begins with founder Bing-Yi Yang, born in Shanxi in 1927, who moved to Taiwan and opened a cooking-oil shop named in thanks to his first employer, Heng Tai Fung. When tinned oil undercut his trade in the early 1970s he and his wife turned half the shop over to making dumplings, and word of mouth did the rest. The brand has since collected a Michelin star and an international following, and it runs its kitchens to strict standards at every stage, from folding to service.

Xiao long bao in Covent Garden over two floors

The Covent Garden room spans two levels in an East-meets-West style, with meticulously restored Chinese wood carvings salvaged from old buildings, carved stone lions at the door and a collection of paintings by Singaporean artist Tan Oe Pang created specifically for this site. The menu runs from the signature pork xiao long bao to steamed chicken soup, noodles, buns, greens and a dumpling list that suits a quick lunch as well as a long shared dinner, with cocktails alongside.

What to expect on a visit

The lower ground floor takes group reservations of seven or more and can be hired semi-privately for birthdays, corporate dinners and family gatherings, with full venue hire on request. Doors open at noon on weekdays and 11am at weekends, with last orders 45 minutes before closing, and click and collect is available. Queues build at peak times, so arrive early for lunch or later in the evening. See more restaurants in Covent Garden, or for Bombay cafe food a few streets away try Dishoom.