BAO celebrates 10 years in London with menu revamp, £3.50 buns, and chef competition

 Restaurant group BAO is marking its 10t^h anniversary this month with a series of celebrations and menu changes across its London sites. From 10^th June to 10^th July, BAO will be offering its signature buns at their original price of £3.50, reflecting the cost when the business first launched as a street food stall. 

Founded by Shing Tat Chung, Erchen Chang and Wai Ting Chung, BAO began as a modest operation using a cool box and a steamer. Since then, it has expanded to seven locations across the capital, including Soho, Borough, King’s Cross, Shoreditch, Marylebone, Battersea, and the City. The group is widely credited with popularising Taiwanese cuisine in the UK, particularly its steamed buns and small plates known as xiao chi.

For the first time in a decade, BAO is introducing a significant menu update. The new offerings include a dedicated section for Taiwanese fried chicken, featuring a charcoal-finished chicken steak—a dish the restaurant says is a cult favourite in Taiwan and will be served in the UK for the first time. Diners can choose from toppings such as house BBQ glaze with garlic chilli powder or a chilli lime dressing with shredded cabbage. Other new additions include Taiwanese Fried Chicken Wings with Peking caramel glaze and Chicken Nuggets with various dipping sauces, such as hot sauce, Sichuan mayo, basil ranch, or yushiang.

The dessert menu will now feature the BAONUT, a hybrid of a fluffy bao and a deep-fried Taiwanese doughnut. Additional dishes include a Calamari Bao, Dry Beef Noodles with Bone Marrow, and a summer salad topped with grilled chicken. The drinks list is also expanding with new bubble tea flavours, such as mango and salted coconut.

The anniversary celebrations will culminate with a Battle of the BAO event later in the summer. The competition will see both alumni and current BAO chefs compete to have their dish added permanently to the menu. The initiative will be held in collaboration with rewards card provider Yonder, with further details yet to be announced.

Reflecting on the milestone, co-founder Shing Tat Chung said, “We started BAO with no expectations – just three young creatives with a passion for food and design. We could not have imagined what the next decade would bring. From opening seven restaurants to collaborating with Dover Street Market to popping up at Frieze. We are eager to see what the next ten years holds.”

Erchen Chang added, “We’re grateful to every single one of our guests and team members from over the years and pleased to celebrate our 10th birthday in style. Having recently been back to Taiwan, we’re mixing up our menu for the first time, adding some new additions inspired by our trip. We look forward to welcoming BAO fans both old and new over the next month.”

Food Desk

For further information and reservations, visit BAO’s website here.