There’s nothing quite like a warm, soft bao, stuffed with your favourite fillings. Whether you’re looking for pork buns, shrimp bao, or chicken bao, we’ve got you covered here at Secret London. Here’s the Secret London rundown of ten of the best baos in London:
1. Mr. Bao, Peckham
Mr. Bao is a small bao shop right in the heart of Peckham that serves up some of the best baos in London. It’s been around for decades and continues to serve some really delicious food! People come from all over town to enjoy the tasty dishes on offer, and it’s always a popular spot.
The soy chicken special, in particular, can’t be beaten with its melt-in-your-mouth flavours – it’s just what the doctor ordered for those days when all you want to eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner are carbs and protein from raw food sources.
📍You’ll find Mr. Bao at 293 Rye Lane, London, SE15 4UA.
🚇 Nearest station is Peckham Rye.
2. Bun House, Chinatown
If you are looking for something a little bit different, then make sure you check out Bun House, just around the corner from Chinatown. Here, they specialise in Cantonese-style bao, and they have a wide variety on their menu, including classics like pork and shrimp as well as some more unique options like duck and lamb.
The chefs here make some of the best baos buns in London, and they’re always experimenting with new and exciting dishes. Whether you’re in the mood for something traditional or something definitely out-of-the-box, Bun House is sure to have something that’ll take your fancy. So, next time you’re looking to get your fix of Asian street food, be sure to head here.
📍You’ll find Bun House at 26-27 Lisle Street, London, WC2H 7BA.
🚇 Nearest station is Leicester Square.
3. Bao London, Oxford Street
For any foodie worth their salt, the bao at Bao London isn a must-have. A contemporary Taiwanese restaurant that serves up some of the most mouth-watering bao in the whole of London with an authentic and delicious Asian flavours. From meat to vegetarian and even seafood, there’s something for everyone here that will practically tantalise your tastebuds every time.
They’re packed full of flavour, perfectly cooked on the inside and delicate and fluffy on the outside. Trust us, once you’ve tried them, you’ll be hooked! They’ve also got some pretty great bao buns here. The fluffy doughy exterior holds an assortment of savoury fillings like chicken or miso mayo, which are all packed together to create one delicious bite.
📍You’ll find Bao London at 53 Lexington Street, London, W1F 9AS.
🚇 Nearest stations are Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus.
4. Daddy Bao, Tooting Broadway
Next on our list is Daddy Bao, a Taiwanese street food stall that whips up some of the best bao in the whole of London Town. The bao served here is all made with fresh, local ingredients – and it’s absolutely delicious. Flavours include beef brisket and shiitake mushroom bao, and there’s a welcome ambience throughout the store.
They’ve also got a fantastic bottomless brunch to boot and a fantastic takeaway menu here too.
📍You’ll find Daddy Bao at 113 Mitcham Road, London, SW17 9PE.
🚇 Nearest station is Tooting Broadway.
5. Yum Bun, Spitalfields
Yum Bun is a small, family-run bao shop that has been serving up delicious bao in London for over 20 years. The bao served here is handcrafted with real love and care, and it shows in the quality of their traditional Taiwanese produce. Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or a hearty meal, they’ve got just what you’re craving. Go and try one of their mouth-watering bao buns today!
Choose from pork, chicken, tofu or mushroom baos, and they cost just a fiver each or £9.50 for two. You can even get a bun box for eleven quid, which includes two buns of choice, two crispy veggie gyoza and a crunchy Asian slaw too.
📍You’ll find Yum Bun at Unit 3, The Kitchens, Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square, London, E1 6EW.
🚇 Nearest station is Liverpool Street.
6. Yuu Kitchen, Spitalfields
The food at Yuu Kitchen is made with the finest ingredients and cooked to perfection, promising you a bloomin’ delicious meal. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Their bao at home kits are the bomb too. After all, how can you really go wrong with four different flavours of deliciousness? They’re easy and fun to make too – perfect for a Friday night dinner party or a date with a manga bao bun. If you’ve still got room in your stomach, go for the ube ice cream bun – trust us, it’s as good as it sounds.
📍You’ll find Yuu Kitchen at 29 Commercial Street, London, E1 6NE.
🚇 Nearest station is Aldgate East.
7. BAO, Fitzrovia
All the bao served at Bao Fitzrovia is so god-damn delicious, that you can’t really go wrong to be honest. They’ve got enough veggie options to satisfy everyone, while still having some good old-fashioned meaty flavours on offer too.
You’ll certainly want to go back for more of those black cod bao. It’s probably our favourite dish on the menu here, and one worth ordering even if you’re not too hungry. It’s the perfect combination of savoury and sweet, with a hint of spice, and the tender fish and fluffy bao make it such a delectable meal that really you won’t want to miss it.
📍You’ll find BAO Fitzrovia at 31 Windmill Street, London, W1T 2JN.
🚇 Nearest station is Goodge Street.
8. Flesh and Buns, Various locations
Not only is the food served at Flesh and Buns pretty damn delicious, but the atmosphere is lovely and the waiters and waitresses really go above and beyond to make your experience dining here a memorable one.
You’ll want to visit again just for these delectable meatball baos, the black cod fish cakes and the salt and pepper squid.
📍You’ll find Flesh and Buns at three different locations in London. You can find out more here.
9. Din Tai Fung, Covent Garden
in London is the legendary Din Tai Fung, home of the ‘world’s best dumplings’. These tasty morsels are now legendary, and their UK branches – including their Covent Garden one – have earned the coveted Golden ChopSticks Award for the ‘best dumplings in the country’ for two years running.
While everything on the menu here is pretty damn desirable, it’s the pork xiao long bao which are the real jewel in this place’s crown. They’ve won accolades all across the globe, and are the reason why two of Din Tai Fung’s branches have picked up Michelin stars.
📍You’ll find Din Tai Fung at 5 Henrietta Street, London, WC2E 8PS and at 400 Oxford Street, Duke Street, London, W1A 1AB.
🚇 Nearest stations are Covent Garden and Bond Street.
10. Beijing Dumpling, Chinatown
The xiao long bao dumplings at this fantastic restaurant are some of the most delicious bao you can find in town – no wonder we had to include it on this roundup of the best baos in London. The thin skins and tasty fillings make up for an experience that’s not too messy, but really packs and punch when it comes to taste.
The dumplings and bao served here are so fluffy, you may finding yourself coming back here time and time again. And who can blame you? They’re well worth the price, and they always taste delicious.
📍You’ll find Beijing Dumpling at 23 Lisle Street, London, WC2H 7BA.
🚇 Nearest station is Leicester Square.
If you have managed to try any of these spots mentioned, let us know what your favourite is, or if you’ve got any other suggestions for the best baos in London – then let us know!