Who knew that Edinburgh had such a vibrant range of bao bun providers?
We don’t do these ‘best’ lists very often, although probably should, but let’s stick with the rules as set down by best burgers and best sushi, in that it’s a rough order and harshly curated.
Steam Bunny
Jane Street, Leith Walk
If the Steam Bunny team isn’t at a food festival or other party, then their permanent location is on Jane Street. Just off Leith Walk, you’ll find this orange jewel with some of the biggest and best boas in Scotland. Steam Bunny’s menu changes often; it offers options for veggies, a safe choice, and a more adventurous option to choose from.
I called them a bao bistro in my standalone review. It’s absolutely a bao specialist, but it’s also a place to come and sit. Bao Bistro seems right.
Pablo Eggs-Go-Bao
Inverleith Row
I was one of the very first customers of Pablo Eggs-Go-Bao when they came to Edinburgh. However, tarnishing my bragging in the lamentable admission that I’ve not yet made it to their second, bigger and sit-in venue in Morningside.
Pablo Eggs-Go-Bao walk-up window station in Inverleith easily makes this list. The menu is fairly static; it features breakfast bao, which is my go-to, and then offers various veggie-to-vegan options. The veggie is the normal boa with the offending meat removed, but the vegan is a reimagination of the boa, so I recommend the more hardcore option.
Ozen Street Food
Little King Street
The Ozen by the St James Quarter is Ozen 2, the first having now closed after being a social media darling for a while. This Ozen is a food shack on Little King Street, which is a tough pitch, but this bao specialist is popular enough that I’m yet to get my arse on their little window-side bench.
I gave Ozen a 4.2/5 star review when it opened. I suspect since then they’ve levelled up in experience and operating the kitchen.
Bundits
Edinburgh Street Food
The original Bundits on Constitution Street was better than the window at Edinburgh Street Food, it moved to. However, I reviewed the first location, and at its peak, it wouldn’t quite make it higher on this list.
Don’t get me wrong. Bundits at >em>Edinburgh Street Food is still great and benefits in many ways from being part of that ecosystem – drinks and ice cream on hand! It’s just not got the same vibe or the same range of bao. If you do find yourself in ESF and unsure what to try, try Bundits.
Lucky Yu
Broughton Street
Lucky Yu is the first non-specialist to make the list and really deserves a venue review of its own. When I went (I like to visit somewhere twice before reviewing), they had a tempura cauliflower bao bun with spicy Korean sauce on the menu that was good enough to earn the Asian restaurant a listing here.
If someone offers to buy you dinner at Lucky Yu, say “Yes”, and note it’s far more expensive than any of the street food options mentioned on this list.
Oriento
Dundas Street
Oriento was one of my Deliveroo frequents before the lockdown and, sorry to say, I’ve been a disloyal customer since then. My photograph here proves that it’s still popular, though, as on most evenings you’ll generally find one or more food delivery cyclists waiting for pickup.
This Asian takeaway isn’t a bao specialist either, but it does have a dim sum and gyoza section on its menu, which features Xiao Loong Bao. These are smaller baos (more like dim sum) but still delicious. Unlike Lucky Yu, which has a hero bao, Oriento makes this list because of the Xiao Loong Bao and the fellow dim sum (which, as far as I can tell, are must mini boa) acting as a team.
Best bao buns?
As ever, we’ll grow this list if Team Edinburgh Reviews finds a venue worthy, and we won’t mention who didn’t make the cut. We do have an honourable mention, and that’s for Dough Dudes, the kitchen at One Canon, because they did a bao which would have made this list, and there’s something quirky about quaffing whisky while eating bao. However, the Dudes are busy with their pizza speciality right now, and the baos are not on the menu.
If you’re still here and wondering, “What on Earth is a bao?” then it’s a fluffy and light bun (often made from wheat flour, water, sugar, and yeast) and is generally stuffed with goodies. It’s as if a hamburger and a dumpling had a baby.
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