May's Cake House

Best cake around! As close to Eldo’s (that closed) as possible. Worth the drive. I took the cake up to Maine for a celebration and the party loved it!

We got the mango mousse cake for a birthday. It came in a big box tied off with ribbon and two little candles taped to the box. We opted for no writing on the cake because we prefer the fruit top. It should be pretty obvious to the birthday person whose cake it is anyways. I liked that the cake was barely sweet, there was no frosting on the outside! Just thinly sliced fresh mango. The combo of the mango and the slightly sweet cake is the right amount of dessert for me. The cake is slightly denser than Western cake— same texture as angel food cake but not nearly as sweet. The 9-inch cake was more than sufficient for 8 people. Highly recommend; it’s beautiful, tasty and unique.

We got our wedding cake here because this place means a lot to me growing with this bakery near my house. So of course my wedding cake would be from Mays. This cake was not just beautiful, it was so delicious. I am so happy I got my wedding cake here. 10/10

Absolutely beautiful cake ! So happy with the outcome. Called in and picked up within 24 hours. Ladies at the counter were so kind and welcoming. Also picked up a few egg tarts and fried sticky rice, boyfriend devoured before I could take a picture ☺️ will be returning for future occasions !

Friendly staff and quick service. I’ve been going here for the past 3-4 years and they have never failed me. They were able to make my order the day after I called in. My go-to for ordering birthday cakes are the Durian 1/2 sheet cake and the signature Mango Mousse cake. The cakes here are never too sweet just the way I enjoy my cakes. Since I didn’t want any writing on my cake they decorated with delicious fruits which was awesome.

This is a must go to family owned local bakery! This is the spot I always go to for pastries and iced coffee milk tea! The shrimp noodles sell out fast here. This spot makes the freshest fruit cake and guarantee that it’ll be loved! The cakes are baked so fresh, lightly sweetened and so soft with every bite! Love, love, love it here! They also show support to local community based organizations, too!

Love their cakes, especially mango mouse! Fluffy sponge cake, light cream with just enough sweetness but not overly diabetic sugarly sweet. And their rice cake is such a filling breakfast/brunch.

Delicious cake and helpful customer service. This bakery is further away from the busy part of Chinatown which is nice because it's less congested and easier to pick up an order.

I think they now hold the title for best char siu bao in chinatown. They have the closest version to the ones from the Eldo cake and coffee shop that's been closed from Covid. The last time I was here I also pick Ed up a couple of their beef cheung fun as well and they were pretty damn good also. They use thinly sliced seasoned beef which gives it a unique texture.

Probably one of the best places to get sticky rice. It's a simple sticky rice with pork and Chinese sausages inside. The sauce that the meat is marinated in, it's so good. No other extra ingredients like peanuts or egg. For $3.95, it's really good! PRO TIP - ASK FOR THEIR HOT OIL. IT ADDS AN EXTRA ELEMENT TO THE TASTE. So good !

Was to redeem them for seeing 4 rolls on the beef rolls again, only to find the "jaa leung" (fried dough) rolls being smaller and lighter than before. sad face.

My go to place for birthday cakes. I would always get the mango mousse cake. The mangoes and fruits are fresh and the cake is not overly sweet. Just perfect.

The mango mousse cake is light, delicate, perfectly balanced, fresh, and divine. Lovely for spring and summer!

Wow--I just finished my second slice of the mango mousse cake and I can't believe a cake this good exists. The cake itself is SO light and airy yet spongy with a nice not too sweet mango mousse and mango wrap. Nothing like I've ever had before. The store workers were so nice and professional too--I called in the morning to place the order for the cake and they had it perfectly packaged for me (tied in a cute pink bow!) when I was there to pick up. The store is cash only but I was able to use Venmo, so don't let that be a barrier. We'll definitely be getting this cake more often!

Their mango mousse cake is the best in the world. If you've tried it, you missed out big.

I love this place - if you're looking for some simple dim sum items, this is the place for you. It's not super elaborate and they don't have everything, but if you want buns, noodle rolls, some fried items, you're in the right spot. The noodle rolls are solid here, and other items like the fried rice dumpling or lotus wrapped rice are sold by the piece. They also are a bakery so they sell cakes though I have never tried them. Downside is this place is takeout only and I've come here many times (even early in the mornings) where they are not serving some items.

The durian cake from here is delicious. We called ahead the morning of the day we wanted the cake and they were able to help us make a 9inch cake for a 6pm pick up. Chinese birthday cake in my opinions is the best kind of cake due to the airy sponge, light whipped not too sweet cream and plentiful fruit toppings. The durian one had mashed durian in the middle of the two sponges. The whole family enjoyed it and seeing as durian is expensive, the cake at $58 was very reasonable.

Lovely small Chinese/HK style bakehouse. Prices are the cheapest in Chinatown, and the egg tarts (1.40 ea) and whole sponge cakes are absolutely delicious. The custard in the egg tarts is so smooth and lightly sweet, and the pastry is super flaky (see photo!). The sponge cakes are frosted with decadent whipped cream rather than butter cream, which gives it a super light, almost refreshing taste, especially when combined with the fresh fruit mixed in. They also have candles (extra charge) and will letter a message on any fresh baked cake (free I believe). The actual location doesn't have any parking, but it's really accessible with the orange line and 100% worth the trip. They often run out of egg tarts before close, and they don't have them until 1-2 hours after open, so time your visit carefully. The store is a little dim, and it's an in-out experience, there's no space inside to eat.

I appreciate May's for its no frills, hole-in-the-wall, cash-only vibes. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here but it was nice to drop in and get a quick breakfast of rice rolls (shrimp, beef, or oily stick) for a decent price in the area. I also bought egg tarts to share with family. I can tell they'll be good because of the flaky crust and May's boxed it up nicely for me. At one point the store got a bit crowded with just 6 customers, so be prepared for other customers to talk over you but I think that's part of the charm!

Had fresh fruit cake twice- first time it was phenomenal, second time not so much. Call ahead and get cash as they don't normally have too many on the shelf- they make them fresh in thirty minutes (!) The price has increased by 150% from the past two years.

The owner should really taste the chocolate cake himself or herself. It tastes gross, like it has been frozen for 2000 years and defrost now. I used to love your cakes. But this time, never ever again.

I really enjoy their Mango mouse cake for various occasions. They also have fresh dim sum in the morning. A small selection but delicious - white noodle with shrimp, white noodle with beef, and Chinese fried dough with white noodle. Feels like a treat of a breakfast. Cash only.

My go to Chinatown bakery whenever I visit my mom who lives in the condos right next door so it's really convenient. Small local hole in the wall classic Chinese bakery with a good inventory of baos, pastries, cakes and assortment of freshly made steamed and fried dim sum. I run down there early in the morning to grab some fresh rice rolls (cheung fun), lotus leaf sweet rice wraps (noh mai gai), deep fried dumplings (hom sui gok) and baked and steamed buns (bao) along with a cup of coffee ($2 for 12 oz in summer 2023). Prices are fair (but increased as everywhere else). Everything tastes great and I always take home a big box with a little of everything to share with my family. It's not fancy but food is good.

The rice noodles are so good here! Wasn't expecting too much but was blown away haha. Definitely come early cause I got here around 9:30 and they were mostly out except for the plain and cilantro rice noodles. I ended up getting the cilantro ones and topped with the sweet soy sauce, so yummy! I also got the steamed roast pork buns, green tea triangle cake, and pineapple buns. All of this was under ten dollars. The ultimate steal around here. Regretful that I haven't been coming here sooner! Cash only of course, this is Chinatown.

Such a great experience overall here this morning! Everyone was so friendly and I had no problem ordering in English. The sno-balls here are next level. They're filled with perfectly toasted coconut and sesame seeds. Delicious!!!

Often have their mango mousse cakes for birthdays. They've always been made with fresh fruits and cream. I love how the sugar level matches the sweetness of the melons, grapes, strawberries and of course mango. Paper thin slices of mango are beautifully placed around the spongy cake. Never a disappointment when ordering from here. Was able to order a cake and have it ready 2 hours later. Will always come again!

Best mango mousse cake out there- mangoes are carefully placed slice by slice, deliciously not over-bearingly sweet, and they can have it ready quick if you call ahead. This came in clutch when my coworker said this was his favorite cake. They even wrote him a hbd message in red lettering. Not super cheap, but what's a $50 cake anyway? Pretty standard for custom made cakes, and also on the higher palette end, for your cake snob friends out there.

Preordered a birthday durian cake! We liked it a lot, the smell was strong and they used real fruit in the cake. It was $27 cash only for 6 inches. I ordered 2 days in advance.

Tremendous selection of Chinese baked and steamed delights! The mango cakes are from heaven . I also appreciate that they are very helpful to those of us who do not speak any of the Chinese dialects.

The cheung fun, egg tarts, and pastries are always a classic here. I've been coming here for years, and it's always a great spot. You can usually find people ordering dim sum like the cheung fun (or rice noodles) in the mornings. I usually order my food to go. There aren't really many tables for you to sit here. You can also order birthday cakes here. It's a small local business so always pay in cash!

Hidden gem on the outskirts of Chinatown - we got their shrimp and beef cheung fun (steamed rice noodles) and it was the best we've had in a while! The rice noodles were silky smooth. For around $4 each, you get 4 filled noodles (great pricing for Boston). Recommend going early-ish (we went around 10am) as I think the noodles are freshly made each day and in limited quantity. We didn't try any baked goods, but the cheung fun took us back to HK!

I love this place so much- the quality & the prices are unbeatable! If you have to get one thing here, definitely get the Shrimp Rice Noodles (amazing w the sweet soy sauce). I also really liked the pineapple buns here- the different textures and flavors work so well together. Everything I got (2 pineapple buns, 1 mango mousse slice, 1 order of shrimp rice noodles, & 1 roasted pork bun) was all under $10. Definitely recommend coming here!!! **reminder that this place is cash only**

Decently priced well made traditional rice rolls (tried the shrimp, beef and fried dough filled). They don't appear to be on any menu. But gave it a go based on reviews and they had them on hand.

Friendly staff and quick service. I've been going here for the past 3-4 years and they have never failed me. They were able to make my order the day after I called in. My go-to for ordering birthday cakes are the Durian 1/2 sheet cake and the signature Mango Mousse cake. The cakes here are never too sweet just the way I enjoy my cakes. Since I didn't want any writing on my cake they decorated with delicious fruits which was awesome.

Went here for the first time twice last week! DELICIOUS dan tat (egg tarts), sticky rice, and sesame balls. So yummy, authentic, and fresh! I grew up in California and their pastries are as delicious (in their own unique way of course) as the Chinese bakeries in San Francisco! Note: CASH ONLY! Staff is friendly, they were well stocked when I went in around 8:30 am my first time there, and 9:30 am my second time there. Definitely appreciate that! It's frustrating when something you want to try is not ready yet...but not an issue here! 100% going back. I would say my favorite bakery so far in Boston!!

This hidden little gem I stumbled upon about a year ago and I come here now probably once a week! CASH ONLY, so don't forget to come with cash!! Starting off with their food, they have porridge, which I'm not sure if people know about it, but it's so cheap and always great to enjoy with the rice noodle rolls they have with shrimp, fried dough, beef, or just plain. One porridge is a portion for one person. For this though, they do tend to run out when it gets later in the afternoon, so if you are looking to get these items, I would go earlier in the day if possible. My favorite pork bun is the large pork bun, with has in it an egg, pork and also some sausage. This tastes amazing if you heat it up for breakfast! They do have other buns as well but some of them are the more sweet kind, I prefer more of the salty buns, but the sweet kinds are similar to the kind you get at dimsum places (canto style). As for their other sweets, here are some of my favorites: Green tea sponge cake, cream sponge roll cake, mango pudding (super fresh), and their egg tarts. I usually speak Mandarin / English when I visit, but they prefer to speak Cantonese here!

My family has been coming here for our birthday cakes for over a decade. We always get the mango mousse cake and it really is life changing. The cakes usually don't look the same, fruit decor wise, since they usually pick whatever is in season. Sometimes the fruits can be sour but that can't be helped because it's not like they can taste them before they put it on the cake. The mango is the real star of the show though and there has never been a sour tasting mango on the cakes we've gotten. You do have to call in an order beforehand though as they get a lot of orders. I definitely recommend picking one up for your next birthday or for whenever you're in need of a cake!

Excellent food, fast service, and I could order in both Chinese and English with no problem. We bought enough baked goods to fill a reusable shopping bag and it only cost $20.80 total. Some of the buns are kept warm behind the counter (such as char siu bao, hot dog bun and pineapple bun), and everything is wrapped individually. I especially liked the sponge cake cream roll and hot dog bun, which had a good dog-to-bun ratio. The cheung fun (steamed rice noodle) was delicious and the texture was excellent, even better than what you get at dim sum. They also sell congee, which we didn't try but would like to soon! Will definitely come here for breakfast again.

Excellent authentic Taishanese and western cakes . Best of Chinatown! Owned by two generations of a very nice family .

I recently tried May's cake because where I've gone in the past was either closed down or have sold cakes with spoiled ingredients. I got a taro pandan cake. The flavor was good. My only complaint is that the filing was a bit on the drier and coarse side.. otherwise, my experience here was good. Friendly staff.

I love supporting local family owned businesses! I love just about everything here. I regularly order the iced coffee milk tea and shrimp noodles! Their pastries and fresh cakes are the best!

Anytime I need a cake, I always go here. The cake is always fresh and good price. It's not too sweet! I have tried mango mousse cake, mixed fruit fresh cream cake, peach fresh cream cake . It's cash only!

I heard about May's Cake House when my co-worker brought the mango mousse cake to work. After I had a piece of it, I could not stop thinking about it!! I knew it would be the perfect cake to surprise my mom for her birthday several weeks later - and she LOVED it! I will definitely be coming back! Mango mousse cake was SO FRESH. I was last minute in placing an order for an 8-inch cake. I called the day before I wanted it, and surprisingly, the owners were really accommodating! The presentation of the cake is absolutely beautiful. I loved how generous the baker was with the mangos. The ENTIRE cake was COVERED with thin, uniform slices of mango - it definitely could not be mistaken for any other type of cake! It was also embellished with strawberries and melons and whipped cream around the edge. The cake tasted as fantastic as it appeared! The mousse was DELICIOUS, creamy with an authentic mango flavor. The sponge cake was perfect - light and not too sweet. Together, it was the perfect blend of flavors and textures. I would recommend finishing the cake within 3 days because after that, the fruit isn't as fresh. The inside of the bakery is small; there is not much seating, so I would recommend buying the pastries to-go. In their fridge they have a selection of cold soy milk, soda, and Snapple drinks if you are thirsty! When they take orders, they will ask for your telephone number instead of your name, just something to keep in mind. They do have pre-made cakes for people who just wanted to stop buy and see the options, but if you have a specific cake you want, I definitely recommend calling in the order!

Holy freaken buns!! The sweet cream bun is sent from the Chinese Gods!! I would buy these in bulk! Perfect amount of sweetness and the best soft, moist texture of bread I've ever had. Melt in your mouth soft! The delicate hint of coconut and cream compliment this dessert so well. I can eat this for breakfast! No idea about the inside of the store as I haven't visited but I'm so glad my sister bought me this sweet cream bun, it changed my life! Also got a pork bun and I have to say it didn't live up to my standard after I experienced the sweet cream bun. The outside of the bun was so delish and soft but the inside was not as expected. It was not flavored well and didn't taste like most pork buns I'm used to having with contains the pork, egg and sweet Chinese sausage stuffing inside. The flavor of the filling was SO OFF! There was also a shiitake mushroom and no Chinese sweet sausage in it. I'm not sure if this was their version of the usual pork bun was it was NOT it! The texture of the meat reminded me of raw chicken consistency as well. I know to come for the sweet cream bun only next time.

May's Cake House charged 10cents extra for one small bag!! I ordered 4 items, and she grabbed and put that in a bag and told me the titles. I asked the lady why she charged me 10cents extra, she said 10cents for the bag... under COVID-19, this store is really too bad for servicing. Won't come back for a while.

Great spot for take out breakfast treats, both savory and sweet. Recommended order: -Fried dough wrapped in rice paper (not on menu) -Shrimp or Beef wrapped in rice paper

One of the best traditional, no-frill Chinese bakeries in Boston and the Chinatown area! They've always been towards the top of my list in terms of taste and value. May's is tucked away from the busy streets of Chinatown but don't let the distance fool you - it's a quick 5 minute walk from Chinatown and will be worth the short walk. My go-to's are their cakes and their rice noodles (dim sum cheung fun). They use the same sponge cake recipe (or so I assume) for their Swiss roll cakes, triangle layered cakes, and birthday cakes, and it's fluffier and more moist than other bakeries in the area. I also find their rice noodles to have more meat fillings and a better value than dim sum restaurants in the area. Their rice noodles come in a few flavor fillings including: beef, shrimp, cilantro, and crispy dough. The beef cheung fun is a top seller and does go quick so come early if you're trying to grab a box yourself. Bag fee will apply. Cash only.

If your not Chinese avoid this place. They will charge you extra. I usually go here and get shrimp noodle and i usually pay around $9 for two. A friend of mine who is Chinese went today and bought 3 shrimp noodle, 3 cake bun, and 2 milk tea and only spent $20! How does this add us. Obviously I'm getting rip off because I'm not Chinese.

Have been going to this place for years to get their Cheung fun, particularly beef. For a non dim sum place, it is pretty good. They also have pretty good steamed char siu bao, a good size and flavor. We have gotten a birthday cake in the past there, and it was also good. To get into the store, you have go down steps. Cash only.

A quick FYI: May's Cakehouse now closes at 6:00pm! I believe it used to be 7? but confirming it is now 6pm! I love this place for their amazing pastries and of course their friendliness. My family has been coming here for years and the employees started remembering us and even what we like to order! The last time I came here I ordered a birthday cake, I told them I'd pick up at 6pm, when I got there, they had cleaned everything and were ready to lock up but they still let me get my cake! The pastries here are made FRESH every day. I know I'm horrible for doing this but sometimes I call in last minute for a cake, but they're always able to make me one asap, within the hour :) You can choose your cake based on size and fruits. I love getting the peach ones!! You can't go wrong with the classic fluffy sponge cake with peaches :) the cream on these cakes are super light and not overly sweet, its guilt free cream! I love love love the soy milk from here. I used to come every weekend morning for a warm cup of soy milk, perfectly sweetened! The rice rolls here with the fried dough is my fave dim sum item from here. I love waiting for the fresh ones, when the fried dough is still crispy. Overall, I love the pastries here and the employees! I definitely recommend getting their cakes, it'll keep you coming back! You'll never want your cakes anywhere else!

THE BEST MANGO MOUSSE CAKE IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! You don't realize how much you miss something until you can't have it. During Covid19, I'd walk by every week to see when they reopen. The wait is now over! Go and try it for yourself. I'm not even joking, it is THAT good!

We love coming here to get our Chinese Cakes. We have two favorite flavors that they make very well - Durian and Mango Mouse. Cakes come in 6-12 inches. Best to call ahead to reserve your cake. The ladies that work behind the counter are super nice! Today, I had originally ordered a Durian cake, but changed my mind to Mango. When I arrived, they made a fresh Mango one for me on the spot... and it looks so pretty!! Truly love this place!

May's Cake House is one of the couple of bakeries located in Chinatown that I stop by now and then whenever I am done with classes on the way to the highway home! It is cheap and quick service! It usually isn't that crowded either since the bakery is located not directly in Chinatown on one of the smaller roads. The baos and pastries are pretty standard and simple here. I usually get the raisin bun or the roast pork bun here. Stop by here if you get the chance if you are looking for a quick in and out service of baos and pastries!

I wanted a Chinese cake for my kid's first birthday, and May's really came through. For half what many other places charge ($17), I was able to pre-order a 6 inch round sponge cake topped with fruit and with strawberries and cream in between the layers. They even wrote a custom message on the cake when I arrived to pick it up. The sponge was light and moist, not too sweet. The whipped cream icing was a perfectly smooth and creamy complement. I see that they also do durian and taro cakes, so we'll be back for future birthdays. I do wish they would do a cake where the sponge is taro in addition to the filling between the layers, but I haven't been able to find any bakery that does that in years. For nostalgia's sake, I would have preferred translucent red characters to the opaque characters they use, but neither of these things change how delicious their cake is.

The best Chinese buns and pastries in Chinatown! I have gotten pretty much everything here. The BBQ pork bun, hot dog bun, ham/egg bun, and egg tarts are my personal favorites. It is made fresh every morning and the workers keep it in a machine that keeps it warm for the customers! The steamed rice noodle rolls with the fried dough or shrimp are great and usually runs out by the lunch time. The store is also well-known for its mango mousse cake. The mango mousse cake is not too sweet and has plenty of nice-looking mango slices covering it! The green pandan cake with durian/taro filling is also delicious and I would recommend it as well! Tip: make sure to buy the Chrysanthemum drink that they sell! It goes super well with the buns and pastries. I usually drink some of that and then proceed to eat more buns.

My family always gets their baos and shrimp cheong fun (rice noodle roll) every weekend. Their baos and pastries are standard and cheap but their cheong funs are probably the best item in the store. It's a cash only place! They have 2 small tables and it's not always cleaned so don't count on eating at the bakery.

I got their sweet frank rolls here. The workers are very sweet, and the hot dog buns were really good. I think they may be more expensive online than in person. I think I paid less than 2 dollars for each roll in person! I will have to visit again to try their other pastries.

My go-to for Chinese baked goods...and sponge cakes!!! Their food is always freshly baked/cooked, especially when I come in the morning. I have ordered their bbq pork buns, pineapple bun, congee, and shrimp/beef rice noodle rolls. I never walk out disappointed..unless they run out of something. However, thank goodness there are always some back up options with their variety of pastries. I've pretty much had a sponge cake from May's for at least 50% of my birthday. They're not too sweet and not too dense, so I could totally eat a couple of slices without feeling too bad! Other than the baked goods, I also like their handmade drinks. When I feel like I ate too much junk food (and feel dry/yeet hay), their herbal tea in the fridge helps me "cool down!" They also have yin yang, which is half coffee and half tea. A great combination if you love both coffee and tea. :) Totally recommend swinging up if you feel the need for a small small meal!