Award Winning Chinese Restaurant Coming to Scottsdale

An award-winning dumplings restaurant is coming to Phoenix.Photo byPooja ChaudharyonUnsplash

When it comes to major real estate players not only in Phoenix, but the United States, Macerich is near the top. Openly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the operator and developer of real estate projects around the country often throws its weight around, bringing in new clients to venues that is designed to draw eyeballs. Of course, with stockholders involved, the constant need to bring in new brands is almost a requirement. In Scottsdale, Macerich owns the Scottsdale Fashion Square. And, to continue generating attention on the always robust high-end shopping, it recently announced the addition of an award-winning Chinese restaurant.

Din Tai Fung started as the culinary love child of Bing-Yi Yang. The man immigrated from China to Taiwan following the conclusion of World War 2. He and his wife started selling unique steamed pork soup dumplings, known as Xiao Long Bao. The soup dumplings caught on quickly and became a major attraction in Taiwan. Eventually, the humble restaurant went on to receive a Michelin Star.

With its succession in Taiwan, the brand began to expand outward, first moving regionally to other large Asian cities, including Hong Kong and Singapore, before opening in the United States. There are a number of locations scattered about the U.S., specifically around California, greater Seattle, Las Vegas, and New York City. The brand has now set its sights on metro Phoenix, as Macerich made the official announcement it would open inside the Scottsdale Fashion Square sometime in early 2025.

The restaurant is known not only for its soup dumplings but also for offering an exceptional meal at an affordable price. While you can still expect to pay somewhat of a premium (it is the Fashion Square, after all), it likely won’t have the kind of price tag you’d expect from a Michelin-winning brand.

The appetizer menu includes cucumber salad, wood ear mushrooms in a vinegar dressing, sweet and sour pork baby back ribs, hot and sour pork soup, and steamed soup with bone-in chicken. However, it is the Xiao Long Bao portion of the menu that is the true staple. Some of these dumplings include kurobuta pork xiao long bao (kurobuta is a specialty pork that comes from heritage pigs), crab and kurobuta, and chicken xiao. Other dumplings include shrimp and kurobuta, kimchi and kurobuta, sticky rice shao mai with kurobuta pork and mushroom, and vegan buns. You will also find a half-dozen different kinds of wontons and many noodle dishes.