Bao buns are a popular street dish in Taiwan. Traditionally, this small sandwich consists of stewed meat like pork belly, stuffed between a soft and fluffy steamed bun, yet many variations are common across the city. From fillings ranging from jerk chicken to jackfruit, these pockets of goodness can pack a whole lot of flavour in just a few bites.
Here are some of the best places where you can get a bao in Toronto.
11
One of the street food appetizers to get at this modern Indian restaurant at Shops at Don Mills is their butter chicken bao. The steamed bun is stuffed with butter chicken and peppers.
10
392 Queen St W
Banh Mi Boys - Queen
Banh mi isn’t the only thing to get at this popular Vietnamese sandwich shop in the city. They also have various steamed baos to choose from like fried chicken, five-spice pork belly and more.
9
167 Bathurst St
Mean Bao - Fashion District
As its name suggests, this spot with several locations across the city knows how to make a mean bao. Tofu and enoki, jerk chicken and pulled pork baos, to name a few, are all topped with black sugar, crushed peanuts and cilantro.
8
2055 Lawrence Ave E
Banh Mi Metro
Sharing the same spot as their sister restaurant, Pho Metro, in Scarborough, this banh mi shop also does baos. Fillings include grilled beef, braised pork belly, BBQ pork and lemongrass chicken.
7
90 Ossington Ave
Oddseoul
This Asian fusion restaurant on Ossington is combining Korean and American flavours to bring you dishes like their spicy pork steamed bun. The steamed bao is filled with spicy pork, melted cheese and a sesame chilli relish.
6
1026 Gerrard St E
Pinkerton's Snack Bar
The baos offered at this spot in Leslieville come stuffed with unique offerings like pulled jackfruit, sous vide carrots and beef meatballs.
5
265 Queen St W
Makan
This Asian fusion restaurant on Queen West isn’t messing around when it comes to their baos. These fluffy buns sandwich fillings like fried chicken, New York strip loin and Malaysian satay chicken.
4
181 Bathurst St
416 Snack Bar
The pork belly, crunchy salmon skin, and pickled vegetables with nori crisp steamed buns are just some of the handheld snacks available at this restaurant at Bathurst and Queen's corner.
3
190 University Ave
Momofuku Noodle Bar
While this noodle bar in the Entertainment District is known for its ramen, their baos should be talked about as well. They have shiitake, pork belly and chicken chorizo buns to choose from.
2
2901 Bayview Ave
Pōpa
Much attention is put into the steamed lamb leg bao at this Burmese restaurant in Bayview Village. A roast honey lamb leg is marinated for 48 hours and grilled twice before filling them in the buns.
1
214 King St W
Lee Chen Asian Bistro
Plain steamed bao buns come with a plate of shredded lettuce, dipping sauce and your choice of either pulled pork or pork belly for you to assemble.
Bao buns are a popular street dish in Taiwan. Traditionally, this small sandwich consists of stewed meat like pork belly, stuffed between a soft and fluffy steamed bun, yet many variations are common across the city. From fillings ranging from jerk chicken to jackfruit, these pockets of goodness can pack a whole lot of flavour in just a few bites.
Here are some of the best places where you can get a bao in Toronto.
11
Mantra
One of the street food appetizers to get at this modern Indian restaurant at Shops at Don Mills is their butter chicken bao. The steamed bun is stuffed with butter chicken and peppers.
10
392 Queen St W
Banh Mi Boys - Queen
Banh mi isn’t the only thing to get at this popular Vietnamese sandwich shop in the city. They also have various steamed baos to choose from like fried chicken, five-spice pork belly and more.
9
167 Bathurst St
Mean Bao - Fashion District
As its name suggests, this spot with several locations across the city knows how to make a mean bao. Tofu and enoki, jerk chicken and pulled pork baos, to name a few, are all topped with black sugar, crushed peanuts and cilantro.
8
2055 Lawrence Ave E
Banh Mi Metro
Sharing the same spot as their sister restaurant, Pho Metro, in Scarborough, this banh mi shop also does baos. Fillings include grilled beef, braised pork belly, BBQ pork and lemongrass chicken.
7
90 Ossington Ave
Oddseoul
This Asian fusion restaurant on Ossington is combining Korean and American flavours to bring you dishes like their spicy pork steamed bun. The steamed bao is filled with spicy pork, melted cheese and a sesame chilli relish.
6
1026 Gerrard St E
Pinkerton's Snack Bar
The baos offered at this spot in Leslieville come stuffed with unique offerings like pulled jackfruit, sous vide carrots and beef meatballs.
5
265 Queen St W
Makan
This Asian fusion restaurant on Queen West isn’t messing around when it comes to their baos. These fluffy buns sandwich fillings like fried chicken, New York strip loin and Malaysian satay chicken.
4
181 Bathurst St
416 Snack Bar
The pork belly, crunchy salmon skin, and pickled vegetables with nori crisp steamed buns are just some of the handheld snacks available at this restaurant at Bathurst and Queen's corner.
3
190 University Ave
Momofuku Noodle Bar
While this noodle bar in the Entertainment District is known for its ramen, their baos should be talked about as well. They have shiitake, pork belly and chicken chorizo buns to choose from.
2
2901 Bayview Ave
Pōpa
Much attention is put into the steamed lamb leg bao at this Burmese restaurant in Bayview Village. A roast honey lamb leg is marinated for 48 hours and grilled twice before filling them in the buns.
1
214 King St W
Lee Chen Asian Bistro
Plain steamed bao buns come with a plate of shredded lettuce, dipping sauce and your choice of either pulled pork or pork belly for you to assemble.
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