Pineapple King Bakery whips up warm, flaky Hong Kong–style pineapple buns with inventive fillings and buttery, crackly tops in the Sunset District.
"The pineapple bun is what lures pastry fans to Pineapple King Bakery, but it’s not the only thing that keeps them coming back. Along with the extensive pineapple bun options, it’s worth trying the bakery’s croissant egg tarts which are among the innovations owner Eric Lamb is testing out at the Sunset shop. Order the Deluxe Box if you’re feeling indecisive, which includes mini versions of the most popular pineapple buns." - Paolo Bicchieri
"As you might guess by the name, this Chinese bakery in the Sunset specializes in pineapple buns, and they're not your standard bolo bao. There are a near-overwhelming range of fillings, and if you ate here every day for a month you'd miraculously never have the same thing. They come with slabs of melty guava butter, salted egg custard, matcha mochi and red bean paste, barbecue pork, and more. Fill a box with at least a dozen of the pillowy beauties, and hot dog buns and egg tarts, and picnic up at Golden Gate Park." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong
"This neighborhood favorite on Irving specializes in those crunchy-topped namesake buns. Customers who cannot choose between butter and custard fillings can consult the “family tree,” starting with the “grandpa and grandma” plain pineapple bun and pineapple bun with butter, and getting a little wild with the younger generations filled with matcha or salted egg. There’s also sweet Hong Kong–style milk tea, Chinese and Portuguese-style egg tarts, and pudding." - Dianne de Guzman, Becky Duffett, Eater Staff
"The pineapple bun is what lures pastry fans to Pineapple King Bakery, but it’s not the only thing that keeps them coming back. Along with the extensive pineapple bun options, it’s worth trying the bakery’s croissant egg tarts which are among the innovations owner Eric Lamb is testing out at the Sunset shop. Order the Deluxe Box if you’re feeling indecisive, which includes mini versions of the most popular pineapple buns." - Paolo Bicchieri, Dianne de Guzman
"Eric Lamb's Taiwanese bakery, Pineapple King Bakery, has become a beloved fixture in San Francisco's Sunset District over the past decade. Known for its innovative and whimsical pastries, the bakery offers a variety of unique flavors, including croissant egg tarts, pineapple buns, and pandan coconut butter pastries. Despite closing for walk-ins during the pandemic, Pineapple King Bakery has expanded its reach with a new location in the East Bay, continuing to draw lines of eager customers." - Paolo Bicchieri
