Over in East London, perched on the corner of Shoreditch and Brick Lane, a taste of ’80s Hong Kong and disco revelry awaits. Bun House Disco is a stunning spot with retro-themed interiors, fluffy steamed buns, and unique herbal takes on classic cocktails.
If Bun House Disco sounds vaguely familiar, that’s because it comes from the same people behind Chinatown’s acclaimed Bun House spot. The husband and wife team behind the cult eatery, Z He and Alex Peffly, decided to open up a new spot with more buns, a brand new wonton menu, and a fresh new drinks menu.
Said founder Z He:
“Growing up, I always admired the neon lights of 80s disco culture, particularly in Hong Kong and wanted to create a place that captured the spirit of this. Shoreditch feels like a natural home for Bun House Disco and gives us the opportunity to embrace the creativity and energy of East London.”
On the menu at Bun House Disco
If you’ve ever visited the OG Bun House, you’ll know the buns are legendary for a reason. They come in a variety of fillings, including chicken, lamb, beef, and vegetable. But Bun House Disco adds even more food and drinks into the mix. New for the Bunh House Disco location are the wontons, which come served with a variety of toppings and sauces. You can also order them slurpy (with wide noodles), wet (with soup), or messy (with both noodles and soup).
Wontons dominate the lunch-time offering, while dinner sees them offering a shorter wonton menu alongside the eponymous buns as well as Z’s favourite snacks and sharing plates. Following travels to her hometown, and inspired by late-night 1980s Hong Kong, founder Z He has launched a new menu of special dishes. These include Haa Do Si (tiger prawn toast with guilin garlic mayonnaise), Hoisin Sesame Cheung Fun, Namyu Crispy Pork (crispy pork belly with fermented beancurd & pickles), and more.
And then there are the drinks, which see the team using Chinese herbs and spices to create new takes on classic cocktails, or nodding to classic Chinese dishes. These range from the Pandan Negroni and the Pomelo Dragon Spritz. Beer drinkers are in luck, too, as Bun House Disco has its very own beer, the Drunken Kwun Yum IPA.
Inside the restaurant
Okay, so it’s all very well for us to say that Bun House Disco transports us to the hedonistic heyday of Hong Kong’s vibrant nightlife, but what does that actually mean for guests?
In a nod to Hong Kong’s legendary array of neon lights and signs, the room is lit by moody red lighting. There’s a glittering disco ball, retro striped booth seating, and a long maroon-tiled bar that stretches the length of the space. You’ll also hear an eclectic mix of music, evoking the Hong Kong disco scene’s mix of Cantopop and synthpop.
It’s all very Pulp Fiction meets In The Mood For Love by way of Fallen Angels.
Scattered between the bar and booths, other chairs and tables around the space evoke the simple seating found in Hong Kong’s popular cafeterias, but given a contemporary twist. All that to say, Bun House Disco is a stunning spot, with plenty to distract you from the food itself. But not for long…
So pull up a seat at the bar, watch the steam rising in the air, and settle in under the disco ball and the dim, red glow. Welcome to Bun House Disco.
