Bafang Dumpling is planning a restaurant at 6560 Garth Road in the Baytown Plaza Shopping Center. The Taiwanese chain, which has more than 1,400 locations worldwide, is expected to serve potstickers, soups and Taiwanese beef noodle soup at the site. A grand opening is targeted for spring or summer 2027.
The Baytown project came to light through a permit filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, according to WhatNow. The outlet places the shopping center in the Channelview/East Houston area. No exact opening date, lease details or construction timeline for the Garth Road restaurant has been made public.
Garth Road Planning Context
The City of Baytown says its Garth Road widening project is anticipated to be completed in six phases over an approximate eight-year timeframe, according to the City of Baytown. The city’s timeline provides broader planning context for the retail corridor; it does not specify a schedule for the Bafang project.
What's on the Menu
Bafang is known for pan-fried potstickers, hot and sour soup and Taiwanese beef noodle soup, which are among the dishes the Baytown restaurant is expected to offer. In its account of the project, WhatNow said the company views the restaurant as an affordable, everyday dining option for families, students and working professionals.
Pricing for the Baytown menu hasn't been disclosed, but a comparable data point comes from the chain's first U.S. restaurant in City of Industry, California, where a dozen of the best-selling pork potstickers ran $8.75, according to a Bafang Dumpling announcement. That California location, which opened in March 2022, marked the brand's first step into the U.S. market.
From Taipei Street Stall to Public Company
Bafang’s history dates to 1998, when founder Lin Jiayu—also known as Mr. Lin or Lynn Xiau—started the brand in Taipei’s Tianmu neighborhood. The chain later expanded to Hong Kong in 2008 and mainland China in 2014. Its parent company, Bafang Yunji International Co., Ltd., began trading on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in September 2021, according to WhatNow.
The company now has more than 1,400 locations worldwide, including roughly 1,300 to 1,400 stores across Asia and around 17 in the United States. Taiwan News reported in March that Bafang planned to grow its overseas business, with Arizona, California and Texas among its target markets, as noted by Chron.
A Busy Stretch for Texas Expansion
Other Texas projects offer a snapshot of the chain’s expansion. Bafang opened in Carrollton last month and is considering a Frisco Ranch restaurant, which would be its second Dallas-Fort Worth location. Community Impact reports that the proposed Frisco restaurant would cover 3,200 square feet. The Carrollton restaurant is at 2540 Old Denton Road.
The Houston area has additional plans in the works. Chron reports that Bafang is planning a restaurant at 915 N. Shepherd Drive, Suite H, in the Heights’ Merchants Park shopping center, with construction slated to run from mid-December through mid-June 2027. Reports have described both the Baytown and Heights projects as the chain’s second Texas location; the order of the openings has not been clarified.
A bizjournals.com report linked a San Jose opening this year to Bafang’s broader Texas push. In comments reported by WhatNow, company representative Rita Lin said the company hopes to establish a presence in communities across Greater Houston and described Baytown as part of that longer-term effort.
Opening Plans Still Taking Shape
WhatNow reports that Bafang hopes to invite the mayor and local community leaders to a ribbon-cutting ceremony when the Baytown restaurant is ready. The company also plans commemorative T-shirts, mystery gifts and opening promotions, with further details expected closer to launch.
