Top 5 Steamed Buns in London

Get on the bun bandwagon with our top 5 favourite spots to grab a steamed bun in London…

By Rex Adams | Updated Jul 19 2024

A rectangular white plate holds five steamed bao buns with various fillings, including veggies and fried items. Two hands are seen picking up buns from the plate. The background is a gray, textured surface. — Image © Instagram via @ yum_bun

We like steamed buns and we cannot lie. You Londoners can't deny. That when some bao turns up on an itty bitty plate with some braised pork in your face you get SPRUNG. Or y'know, just really really hungry. Either or. I mean, we're not going to judge if it's the former. These are our top 5, and boy do they know what they’re talking aBAOt.

A table spread of Asian-inspired dishes, featuring various steamed buns filled with different ingredients like fried chicken, pork belly, and shrimp. Accompanied by bowls of edamame, dumplings, dipping sauces, and a glass of beer. — Image © Facebook via @daddybao

113 Mitcham Road, London, SW19 9PE

When Mr Bao opened it wasn’t long until it became one of the most popular restaurants in Peckham, packing a punch with both originality, warmth and flavour, without also punching you right in the bank account, so it was no surprise when Daddy Bao opened in nearby Tooting to spread the Bao love. There’s something really quite special about the Taiwanese take on brunch, particularly when it involves succulent slow braised pork, wilted spinach, egg and hollandaise in a ridiculously tasty Bao bun, or a spring onion pancake with kimchi, cheese and sunny side up eggs. To really celebrate the tradition of brunch, why not take up the offer of making it bottomless with either of their delicious cocktails? The Bloody ‘Hell’ Mary incorporates sparkling sake and wasabi for a wickedly good twist on the popular breakfast cocktail, whilst the white rum, passionfruit jam, lychee and lime of the White Night in Taipei is surely good for you, right? It has fruit in it after all…

A close-up of a hand holding a steamed bun filled with fried chicken, sliced red chili peppers, and drizzled with a creamy orange sauce. The background is blurred, highlighting the focus on the appetizing dish. — Image © Facebook via @FleshAndBuns

Kensington: 1A Phillimore Gardens, W8 7QB

Oxford Circus: 32 Berners Street W1T 3LR

Covent Garden: 41 Earlham Street, WC2H 9LX

In the heart of London lies three mouth-watering Flesh & Buns. Each showcasing their own unique take on Japanese cuisine from ramen to sushi rolls, Flesh & Buns is mainly about the steamed buns. Hailed as the ultimate Japanese drinking food, diners can relax with a pick 'n’ mix style of ordering, choosing from fillings such as crispy piglet belly, succulent braised ox cheek and delicious sweet miso-grilled aubergines which are accompanied by a basket of fluffy buns, lettuce and cucumber so you can create your own perfect DIY Bao exactly the way you like it.

Two hands hold a row of four different steamed bao buns in various flavors, including fillings like crispy chicken, glazed pork, and vegetables, garnished with greens and sauces, against a gray background. — Image © Instagram via @yum_bun

Unit 3, The Kitchens, Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square, London E1 6EW

With weekday sites in Spitalfields Market and Canary Wharf as well as being stars of the show at the various Street Feasts throughout the weekend - not to mention having their very own Yum Buns - the team behind Yum Buns are the kings of spreading the steamed bun love across the capital. Lighter than air, these buns are filled with everything from slow roasted sticky hoisin pork belly and golden fried chicken, to their (if you’re lucky enough to catch them at Canary Wharf) ice cream crispy buns ranging from apple with miso caramel, tropical mango with passionfruit and choco-peanut drizzled with chocolate sauce and peanut brittle. With a changing creative menu and the added bonus of their silky flavour-filled yumplings, if your mouth isn’t watering by now then you really need to get yourself on the bun bandwagon.

A variety of steamed bao buns are displayed on white plates. Each bun is filled with different ingredients, including crispy chicken, grilled meat, and various colorful vegetables and sauces. The background is a warm yellow, enhancing the vibrant presentation. — Image © Facebook via @baolondon

If the name doesn’t convince you this place means bao business then the food will. With four London locations, each Bao venue focuses on creative Taiwanese inspired dishes with steamed buns chock full of flavour in the form of confit pork, tender lamb shoulder to name a few, and finished off with their fried Horlicks ice cream bao. You may need to queue to get in to taste the delights on offer, but once you’re finished and suitably wheezing then you’ll be asking the team at Bao to take a bow.

Two steamed bao buns filled with crispy battered fried chicken, shredded vegetables, and sauce held together with toothpicks, served on a green and white patterned plate. — Image © Facebook via On The Bab

Oh steamed buns, you’re just so versatile, you vehicles for taste sensations you. We’ve had tastes of Taiwan, Japan and China nestled inside the little white bao, and we’re ending with a culinary kick with Korean inspired On the Bab. With flavoursome rice and dumplings to start you off, the Korean favourite bulgogi beef is a real winner paired with their steamed buns, as is the popular spicy pork or mushroom fritter, and the newer addition of soft shell crab. This fresh and authentic Korean street food can be found in four locations across London, with menus varying slightly in each, meaning you’ll just have to go try them all - it’s a hard life.