A stylish, cafe-inspired spin on the cult Taiwanese chain that swaps the usual focus on steamed buns for playful baked goods, Yoshoku-style western fusion, and breakfast plates.
Ordering Strategy
Unlike other BAO locations, treat this like a cafe: prioritize the baked goods and exclusive 'Yoshoku' large plates over the standard buns. Ideal for a quick solo lunch or casual date.
What to order
Steamed Dough Sausage Roll
A 'certified genius' bakery exclusive available at the cafe's take-away counter that perfectly bridges the gap between Western comfort and Asian technique.
40-Day Aged Beef Rice
This rich dish features amazing beef served sizzling on a cast iron dish and covered in cheese sauce; it is described as a 'belter' that nearly defeated hungry reviewers.
Salted Egg Custard Sad Face Bao
Described as 'kryptonite' by critics, this bao with a sad face in black piping is 'formidably edible' and a molten, sweet-salty highlight of the menu.
Maple Syrup Fries
Critics claim it is not possible to overstate the 'addictive nature' of these 'god-tier' chips, asserting that 'everyone should be ordering' them.
Shia Song Prawn and Trout Roe Toast
A standout small plate that prompted reviewers to ask: 'can all prawn toast be like this in the future, please?'
Melon Floatini
A 'dayglo' 1970s-style cocktail made with Midori and a milk foam so delicious that 'you'll need a spoon to scrape it all out.'
More in King's Cross
- Roti KingMalaysian · £84
- SupawanSouthern Thai · ££82
- Itadaki ZenJapanese / Vegan · £82
Signal Score
Signal score reflects how strong and consistent the review coverage is, not a star rating.
Top critic: Catherine Hanly (90%)
Editorial Weight 51 pts
Authority + depth + recency
Agreement 7 pts
How aligned the critics are
Coverage 10 pts
How many real review signals exist
Public Signal 9 pts
Google rating + volume
Boosts 0 pts
Manual boosts + hidden gem
Review signals
1 Elite · 3 Editorial · 5 total signals
Public signal
4.4★ (1,800 reviews)
Good to know
This is the only BAO location serving breakfast (weekends only); reservations are highly recommended for lunch as it gets busy with office workers.
Locations
Trust signals
- ○Not yet visited
- mediumConfidence level
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