Taiwanese Flavor in London: A Bao Specialty Shop Conquers the British

By MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network Editorial Department, reported and compiled by Eason

Whenever people talk about going to the UK, they’re often warned that it’s a food desert, with only cold meals and dishes like fish and chips available — something that seems quite hard for us Taiwanese, surrounded by diverse cuisines, to adapt to. In fact, the UK is a country full of ethnic diversity, and its capital, London, is no exception. It’s not too difficult to find Indian, Thai, Eastern European, Indonesian, Hong Kong-style, and other international cuisines here. Even Taiwanese street food, renowned globally for its flavors, has made its mark. But surprisingly, the Taiwanese restaurant that has become hugely popular in London in recent years mainly sells — baozi (steamed buns)!

BAO, a bao specialty shop located in London’s Soho district, was opened by three young people from Hong Kong and Taiwan who were studying design in London. Before opening the BAO storefront, they started as a street food stall called BAO Bar at the Netil Market in East London, serving traditional Taiwanese bao. The unique taste successfully won over British taste buds, selling up to a thousand bao a day and becoming a hot topic in East London.