BAO Soho

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"Tourists and confident paper-menu-ticking regulars still pack into this tiny Taiwanese spot. You should too, but go solo for the best time. Snag a counter stool and take advantage of the ‘Long Day’ solo diner menu, which is a highlight reel of Bao’s best bits, including a bao with braised pork and a piece of their excellent, jaggedy fried chicken. Adding on a Horlicks ice cream-stuffed deep-fried dessert bao is worth it, too." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager

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"When Bao opened in Soho in 2015, the queue snaking down Lexington Street became as much a trademark as the steamed buns. Now, the line has died down, but diners still pack the tiny space for the tender, braised pork bao. Topped with a sprinkle of crushed peanuts, it’s a satisfying three-biter (although the fried, Horlicks ice cream-stuffed dessert bao still takes first place)." - daisy meager, jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley

Bao - Review - Soho - London - The Infatuation

"Bao in Soho doesn’t attract the same queue it used to when it opened a decade ago, but Google Map-ticking tourists and confident paper-menu-ticking regulars still pack the tiny Taiwanese spot. You should too, but go solo for the best time. Snag a counter stool and make just the right amount of small talk with the bartender about the excellent umeshu Negroni. It also means you can take advantage of the ‘Long Day’ solo diner menu, which is a highlight reel of, in our opinion, Bao’s best bits. It includes a classic bao with braised pork, plus a piece of their excellent, jaggedy fried chicken, and hearty guinea fowl rice. Adding on a Horlicks ice cream-stuffed deep-fried dessert bao is well worth it, too. photo credit: Rob Greig photo credit: Rob Greig photo credit: Rob Greig photo credit: Rob Greig Pause Unmute Food Rundown Classic Bao One of London’s iconic dishes, the doughy, sweet steamed bun is stuffed with fall-apart braised pork belly and topped with a sprinkle of crushed peanuts. It’s a satisfying three-biter. photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli Taiwanese Fried Chicken, Hot Sauce Inconsistency is a perennial problem when it comes to fried chicken in London, but not when it comes to Bao’s. The batter is light but significant, more rain jacket than parka, and the ratio of juicy meat to crunch is good. Hot sauce-wise, we’re talking a sharp vinegary number drizzled on top. photo credit: Stan Lee Guinea Fowl Chi Shang Rice We think the best bits at Bao aren’t actually the bao, but the bigger plates. Here, tender ballotine guinea fowl sit atop gorgeously cooked rice with bite, waiting for the glowing confit yolk to be burst and mixed in. photo credit: Rob Greig Plum Umeshu Negroni Purists will argue that ume plum sake doesn’t belong in a Negroni. We say it’s a smooth remix that everyone should try once. photo credit: Daisy Meager" - Daisy Meager

"There are now several branches of this very likeable Taiwanese chain spread across the capital, but this was the first one to open back in 2015. It’s still run with the same enthusiasm and provides the perfect pit-stop when out shopping or bar-hopping. The menu includes a range of xiao chi, such as pig blood cake with cured egg, and larger rice dishes that are big enough to share. However, as the name suggests, no order is complete without a pillowy bao or two – go for the confit pork version." - Michelin Inspector

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"How much Taiwanese fried chicken is too much Taiwanese fried chicken? At Bao, the answer is never enough. The tiny original Soho location is a reliably satisfying and low-key meal in central London. Despite the name, you should pay more attention to Bao’s other dishes. That said, the deep-fried bao with Horlicks ice cream is always on our mind." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak