Din Tai Fung Brings its Famous Dumplings to Downtown Brooklyn
The wildly popular Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai Fung is expanding its New York City footprint with a major new location in downtown Brooklyn. Known for its meticulously crafted soup dumplings that have drawn massive crowds to Times Square, the chain has signed a lease for an impressive 20,000-square-foot space at The Brook, a new luxury residential tower. This marks a significant addition to Brooklyn’s dining scene, bringing one of the world’s most celebrated dumpling destinations to a borough that has undergone tremendous development in recent years. The restaurant’s arrival continues the transformation of downtown Brooklyn into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood with high-end dining options to match its growing residential population.
The Brook, where Din Tai Fung will open its doors, represents the latest chapter in downtown Brooklyn’s remarkable evolution. This striking 52-story rental apartment tower, developed by the Witkoff Group and Apollo Global Management, is among the most impressive additions to the area’s skyline. With 590 rental units and 30,000 square feet of amenities, the nearly half-billion dollar project exemplifies the dramatic transformation triggered by rezoning efforts that have brought tens of thousands of new apartments to the neighborhood over the past 15 years. The building’s prime location at the convergence of Fulton Street and DeKalb Avenue places it at the heart of Brooklyn’s most dynamic district, making it an ideal setting for Din Tai Fung’s expansion into the borough.
The Witkoff Group, the development company behind The Brook, has an interesting connection to recent geopolitical events. Founded by Steven Witkoff, who served as President Trump’s special Mideast envoy and reportedly played a significant role in negotiating the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas announced last week, the company is now run day-to-day by his son, Alex Witkoff. Their investment in downtown Brooklyn reflects the continued confidence major developers have in the area’s growth potential, with high-profile commercial tenants like Din Tai Fung further validating that optimism. The restaurant’s decision to locate in The Brook adds culinary prestige to what is already positioned as a landmark residential development.
Din Tai Fung’s arrival in Times Square earlier in 2024 created an immediate sensation as the chain’s first New York City location. The 450-seat restaurant brought new energy to a long-vacant space formerly occupied by Mars 2112, quickly becoming one of the hottest dining destinations in Manhattan. The restaurant’s fame centers around its signature soup dumplings (xiao long bao), which undergo an elaborate 18-step hand-folding process to achieve what the company calls a “golden ratio” between the pleated skin and savory filling. This meticulous attention to detail has earned Din Tai Fung a global following, with locations across several U.S. states, the United Kingdom, China, and numerous East Asian countries. The Times Square location initially saw reservation wait times stretching weeks, though according to recent reports from food publication The Infatuation, the initial frenzy has settled somewhat, with reservations now available a few weeks in advance.
The Brooklyn expansion represents Din Tai Fung’s confidence in the New York market and recognition of downtown Brooklyn’s emergence as a dining destination in its own right. The 20,000-square-foot restaurant will likely follow the chain’s established format of combining theatrical open kitchens—where diners can watch the dumpling masters at work—with elegant, contemporary dining spaces that accommodate large crowds. While the Times Square location serves as Din Tai Fung’s Manhattan flagship, the Brooklyn outpost will introduce the brand to a different demographic of New Yorkers, including the growing number of professionals and families who have made downtown Brooklyn their home during the area’s residential boom.
While dumpling enthusiasts will need to be patient, with the Brooklyn location not expected to open until early 2027, the announcement already adds to the anticipation surrounding The Brook as it welcomes its first residential tenants. The building’s design by renowned architecture firm Beyer Blinder Belle promises to make it a standout addition to the Brooklyn skyline, while Din Tai Fung will serve as its culinary anchor. The restaurant’s arrival represents a significant vote of confidence in Brooklyn’s continued evolution as a premier dining destination, bringing one of the world’s most celebrated dumpling experiences to a borough that has increasingly drawn major culinary talent. For residents of The Brook and the surrounding neighborhood, the long wait will likely be rewarded with the same meticulously crafted soup dumplings that have captivated diners worldwide and created block-long lines in Times Square.
