Din Tai Fung Central Embassy Review: Xiaolong Bao Better Than Manila's, $35 a Head (2026)

The short version: Din Tai Fung at Central Embassy is a very solid option if you’re shopping on Ploenchit. The pork xiaolong bao are a 9, fresher and lighter than the ones in Manila or Singapore, and we reordered them. The drunken chicken is an 8.5. Service is fast and friendly, the room is open and airy on a corner over the road, and dinner for three came to about ฿1,168 ($35) a head. 8 out of 10.

I had dinner here on November 6, 2026, with two other people, and paid for it myself. I’ve been to a lot of Din Tai Fungs, including the one in Greenbelt in Manila many times, so this is partly a comparison.

Arriving

It’s on the 5th floor of Central Embassy, the mall next to the Park Hyatt on Ploenchit, a short walk from the BTS and close to the Rosewood and the Okura. The red sign is easy to spot. There’s a queue screen at the door, but at 6 pm on a Friday there were very few people, and we sat right away.

The setting: 8 out of 10

Wide and open, and nicer than some of the Manila branches. It’s on the corner of the building, so the window tables look down at the roads, and the lighting is a little darker than the usual bright Din Tai Fung. The open kitchen where they fold the dumplings is there, as it is everywhere. Blue-and-white porcelain on the shelves, granite tables, and a long run of seats along the glass.

The food: 8.5 out of 10

Pork xiaolong bao: 9 out of 10. Better than the ones in other places, like Manila and Singapore. They taste a little fresher, they’re very soft, and the flavor is lighter, which I like more. We ordered eight, then five more, because they’re that good. ฿249 for eight, ฿199 for five.

Drunken chicken: 8.5 out of 10. I really liked this, and it’s better than the one I had in Hong Kong. There’s no bone in it, so it’s easier to eat, it’s colder, and it feels more refreshing. ฿179 a plate, and we had three.

Oriental salad in vinegar dressing: 8 out of 10. The cold seaweed, glass-noodle and tofu salad, and the closest thing here to the House Special in Manila. Still tasty, but the Manila one is unique and tastes more like the Singapore version. This one could use more seaweed and fewer bean sprouts. ฿119, and we had five.

The table also had the kailan, the chicken wings, the braised beef noodle soup, the shrimp fried rice and a vanilla ice cream. I didn’t try them, but my family liked the fried rice and the beef noodle, so call those at least a 7. Next time I’ll try the mango smoothie.

Service: 8 out of 10

Everything came out within 10 to 15 minutes, and the staff were friendly. They bring a tray of sample dishes to the table so you can point at the cold appetizers, which is a nice touch.

What it cost

Dinner for three came to ฿3,505.10, about $106, or ฿1,168 ($35) a head, with the 10% service charge and 7% VAT. That was 13 xiaolong bao, three drunken chickens, five oriental salads, kailan, six chicken wings, a beef noodle soup, a shrimp fried rice, an ice cream, two Coke Zeros and three waters. Paid myself.

Value: 7.5 out of 10

Good for what you get: a wide menu, a few things you don’t see at other branches, like that mango smoothie, and a calm room in a convenient spot. It’s more than the ₱1,400 ($22) a head I paid in Greenbelt, but we also ordered a lot more.

Who it’s for

Families, since there are tables for bigger groups. Shoppers, since you’re already in the mall. And couples, because of all the seats along the windows. It’s also quiet early; at 6 pm it was nearly empty.

Tips

• Get the pork xiaolong bao. It’s what they’re known for, and this branch does them well.
• Get the drunken chicken as your appetizer.
• If you know the House Special from other Din Tai Fungs, the version here is different, so don’t expect the same thing.
• Go early. At 6 pm on a Friday there was no wait.

Verdict: 8 out of 10

Convenient, quick and well run, in a nice room on a corner over the road. The xiaolong bao and the chicken are the reason to come, and we’d order both again. Against the Thai places in the city it’s a safe choice rather than a special one, but when you want a sure thing in a mall, this is it.

Choosing between them? See Where to Stay in Bangkok, where I compare the Peninsula, the Okura, the Rosewood, the Conrad, the Athenee, the JW Marriott and the Grand Hyatt side by side.

FAQ

Where is Din Tai Fung in Central Embassy?

On the 5th floor, at 1031 Ploenchit Road. Central Embassy is next to the Park Hyatt, a short walk from Ploenchit BTS.

What are the hours?

Listings put it at 11 am to 9 pm, and to 10 pm on weekends; confirm with the mall. The number on the receipt is 02-160-5917.

How much does it cost?

We paid about ฿1,168 ($35) a head for three with a lot of food. Pork xiaolong bao are ฿249 for eight, plus 10% service and 7% VAT.

Is it better than Din Tai Fung in Manila?

The xiaolong bao are better here, fresher and lighter. Manila’s House Special beats the oriental salad here. The room here is nicer.

What should I order?

The pork xiaolong bao and the drunken chicken.