Din Tai Fung, the best dumpling chain in the world, just opened in London (and the queues are massive) The London opening is the company’s first (of many) in Europe, and five-hour queues are expected

In October, expectant diners queued 18 hours for fried chicken. This month, plump dumplings are the draw. The wait might not be quite so long – only five hours, apparently – but the opening is just as significant, if not more so.

“Launching in the UK has incurred a significant investment – one of our largest – and we have further plans to expand across Europe” CEO Henry Chu The i newsletter latest news and analysis Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

Dumplings are is growing in popularity among Brits. And Din Tai Fung is the world’s largest dumpling chain, with 160 sites around the world. It opened on 5 December on Henrietta Street in Soho, London, with an expansive site across two floors.

In its Hong Kong and Macau branches, Din Tai Fung (DTF to some) has a Michelin star, which makes it one of the cheapest starred restaurants going. In recent years, the brand, which was founded in 1958 in Taipei, Taiwan, has expanded well beyond Asia – into the Middle East, Australia, and the US.

Five-hour queues

The 250-seat, “no reservations” site in London is the company’s first European branch. Two more restaurants are expected to open in the UK in 2019; more after that. European sites will launch in tandem. The arrival continues a broader trend of Taiwanese food in the UK – bao buns being the most prominent – and perhaps paves the way for dumplings to reach serious popularity, beyond food circles and millennial food fashion.

CEO Henry Chu told i: “Launching Din Tai Fung in Europe has always been our aim. It has taken a considerable amount of time and investment to find a flagship site in London. We began looking for a restaurant location about two years ago.

“Launching in the UK has incurred a significant investment – one of our largest – and we have further plans to expand across Europe.”

Taiwanese dumplings

Mr Chu added: “We chose London as our first stop in Europe because it has become a fantastic and excitingly complex market.

“The spill-over effects of Brexit are well documented…we are confident that the strong appeal of Din Tai Fung will enable us to attract consumers in London.”

Around the world, people spend hours queuing for Din Tai Fung every day. When the London branch opens on Wednesday, a five-hour wait time (with a text back system) is anticipated. Can the food really be that good? Are prawn dumplings and pork wontons really worth so much effort? A fair few people think so.

European expansion

As far back as 1993, the New York Times listed Din Tai Fung as one of the top ten restaurants globally. In 2011, Forbes called its dumplings “the best in the world”. There have been numerous other expressions of admiration. The most important western view might be the late LA Times food critic Jonathan Gold.

It’s the chain’s xiaolongbao, fine dough dumplings filled with various fillings and an intense soup, which are the cult classic; they’re considered a delicacy. There are always at least 18 folds in the dough – not all that dissimilar to the crimp of a Cornish pasty. “Pieces”, as they are known, are made with a surgical precision.

Walked past Din Tai Fung on its opening night in London. Not sure about a 5 hour queue but there certainly was a long queue at 8pm! Good job we had a reservation across the road ???? Will have to check it out another time… pic.twitter.com/TWBN79uYmS — The Food Doctor (@essdubs2) December 6, 2018

The queue last night at Ding Tai Fung. pic.twitter.com/3adgcCY4X6 — Richard Vines (@Richardvines) December 6, 2018

London arrival

It takes two to three years to train a dumpling chef. In most branches, you can see their fingers at work. The process of filling and folding is mechanical, the operation like clockwork. There will be 100 staff members in the London restaurant. Many of those will be on the dumplings line, crafting between five and seven pieces every minute.

The full menu has yet to be announced, but it is believed to be similar to other flagship sites. There are truffle and pork, prawn and pork, chicken, crab and chilli, garlic and spinach, and other fillings besides, either as xiaolongbao or in another style. They might be round and open-topped, crescent moon in shape or small circular things.

On Wednesday, we’ll find out whether all this is enticing enough for British restaurant-goers – and whether five hours is considered worthwhile.