Take a sneak peek inside Brea’s new Din Tai Fung

With three Orange County locations already drawing regular lines for xiao long bao (soup dumplings), Din Tai Fung is set to add a fourth this summer,

The Taiwanese-born restaurant chain announced this week that it will open at Brea Mall, with an opening date of Aug. 7 ahead of its grand opening on Aug. 31.

The new Din Tai Fung occupies roughly 14,000 square feet and becomes the company’s northernmost Orange County outpost, joining existing spots at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Downtown Disney District in Anaheim and Irvine Spectrum Center.

Similar to its sister restaurants, the Brea location will feature the brand’s open kitchen, where diners can watch cooks fold the signature xiao long bao, soup dumplings filled with pork and hot broth, along with expansive indoor seating and a large outdoor patio.

Reservations for the soft-open period are now available online. During that time, the restaurant will only operate on a reservation-only basis from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Aug. 31.

Founded in Taiwan in 1958 as a cooking oil business before shifting gears to a dumpling eatery, Din Tai Fung has grown into an international brand with more than 165 locations across 13 countries. Along its journey, it has earned Michelin recognition and developed a big following, especially in Southern California.

Its XLB remain the marquee attraction, but other menu highlights include steamed buns, bao, cucumber salad, noodles, pork ribs, wood ear mushrooms, wontons and noodle soups. Dessert offerings include the restaurant’s chocolate-filled mochi soup dumplings.

According to the company, the Brea venue will create more than 400 jobs. The new restaurant is part of Brea Mall’s reinvigoration of its gastronomic scene; grilled cheese sandwich chain The Melt, North Italia and Pacific Catch all opened at Brea Mall’s new outdoor restaurant plaza this year.

Find it: Brea Mall, 1401 Brea Mall Lane, Brea

Where else to find xiao long bao in Orange County

Din Tai Fund may be the biggest name in soup dumplings for some Golden State denizens, but it’s far from the only place to find them in Orange County. Restaurants known for serving excellent XLB include:

Paradise Dynasty (Costa Mesa)

Yi Feng Bistro (Yorba Linda)

Seven Grams (Tustin)

A&J Restaurant (Irvine)

Northern Cafe Chinese Kitchen (Irvine)

Linglong Soup Dumplings (Fountain Valley)

J Zhou Oriental Cuisine (Tustin)

JA Jiaozi Authentic (Irvine)

Juicy Dumpling Factory (Huntington Beach)

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House (Tustin)