Should I book: Ish
10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023
We Bao-long together! Melbourne’s best bao spots are right here.
We’re all for shoving as many soft steamed buns with tender meat fillings into your mouth as you can manage, that’s pretty much what we do whenever the bao craving hits. These Chinese buns are deliciously served as a meal on their own, as a side with hearty bowls of noodles or rice, and are all-around comfort food at its finest. We’ve narrowed down a list of some of the best spots to grab bao around Melbourne – happy eating!
A certifiable South Melbourne institute, BAMBU lies tucked away on the outskirts of bustling South Melbourne Market, and prides itself on delivering authentic Asian food in modern surrounds.
This contemporary little spot isn’t one to be overlooked – they’re home to some of the city’s best gao baos. Fluffy steamed buns get filled with the likes of caramelised pork and sweet hoisin sauce, soft shell crab with tuna mayo, and Korean fried chicken. Perfect as a sharing plate or good on its own, this buzzy eatery is your pick for a quick dinner out.
Behind this vibey resto lies a team dedicated to all things Thai and this is where you’ll get modern Thai cuisine washed down with a side of craft cocktails.
Baos at Rin Sura come in twos and make for the perfect sharing plate. Grab the duck bao that comes served with burnt chili hoisin, apple, and mixed herbs.
If you’re after something a little different, their fried tofu bao will be right up your alley – a texture explosion of fluffy bao and crispy tofu drenched in garlic aioli and pickled veg. Literally heaven in your mouth, we kid you not, but you’ll have to try it for yourself.
This contemporary neon-lit diner is a one-stop shop for all things pan-Asian cuisine. The fit-out here is an eclectic mix of vibey and zen, with a clean look undercut by clear Asian inspirations.
Every dish at Lucy Liu’s is pretty much a winner you won’t go wrong with ordering, but we know you’re really here for the baos, and boy do they deliver. Crispy pork gets the royal treatment with house-made kimchi and sriracha mayo, while fried chicken gets stuffed between fluffy bao smeared with umami bomb gochujang and pickled radish.
If you’re up to trying something a little different, spring for their soft shell crab jianbing that’s essentially the fried version of the bao and features a crispy pocket stuffed with savoury crab.
Tokyo Tina is – unsurprisingly – a Japanese resto, but rest assured they sling baos with the best of ‘em.
A vibey little space complete will wall art and fairy lights, stepping into this hip spot you’ll feel the ever thriving energy of a bustling crowd eager for Jap street eats.
Baos here have their own seperate section on the menu and come with a variety of flavours from bulgogi with pickles and kewpie to daiyon with teriyaki glaze. Prawn katsu gets its time to shine nestled between milk buns (over it’s usually more popular cousin, fried chicken), and the result is stunning.
Rice Queen is an Asian diner through and through, dishing up plates that hail from a wide selection of cuisines across Asia, no matter what dish you pick, it’s all flavourful goodness from here. Bright lanterns and cherry blossoms dot the intimate space, bringing you right to the bustling Asian streets.
The lamb rib bao here is a must-try, though, featuring Flinders Island lamb ribs, pisco apple, pickles and hoisin plum sauce, this umami concoction comes deconstructed with fall-off-the-fork tender lamb ribs served alongside soft bao buns. What more can you ask for?
