BAO Soho

Fist-sized Taiwanese buns, about £5 each, and a queue

⚠ Walk-in only

Hours: Mon–Thu 12–3 pm & 5–10 pm, Fri–Sat 12–10:30 pm, Sun 12–9 pm (official site, Oct 2026)
Budget: £20–30 pp
Address: 53 Lexington Street, London W1F 9AS

BAO's first shop, opened on Lexington Street in 2015. Fluffy white steamed buns filled with braised pork, fried chicken or daikon croquette, sold one by one. The room is tiny, so there's a line even on weekday lunchtimes. Some dishes are Soho-only (guinea fowl rice, pig blood cake), and BAO says this branch has held a Bib Gourmand nine years running.