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A saucy bao bun at Chaplin's.

16 Essential Bao Buns

Local restaurants embrace the stuffed and steamed delicacy

by Jamie Liu Updated Sep 28, 2017, 3:18pm EDT

1 comment / new

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A saucy bao bun at Chaplin's.

| Chaplin's

by Jamie Liu Updated Sep 28, 2017, 3:18pm EDT

1 comment / new

Gua bao, or split bread, is a relatively new dish, popular in Taiwanese cuisine, even though the concept of bao has been around for centuries.

For gua bao, a round of flat dough is folded in half, steamed, and then stuffed, most commonly with braised pork belly, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and sugared peanuts. The combination of soft, warm, slightly sweet bread works well with the fatty meat, while the pickled vegetables cut through the fattiness and work with the sugared peanuts to add a slight crunch.

The term bao is often used interchangeably for gua bao and baozi buns, which feature assorted fillings steamed or baked inside the bread. So take care when ordering: the two options are very different.The sandwich-like nature of gua bao lends itself more easily to adaptation. Filling the buns after cooking allow the fillings to maintain their original integrity, really opening up the playing field for chefs.

Washingtonian recently listed bao among the food trends it's sick of spotting on D.C. menus. Perhaps by looking at the concentration of locations in the city proper, rather than in enclaves filled with Taiwanese and Chinese restaurants, a case could be made that the dish appears to be more popular among the Instagram crowd than with traditionalists. Recent developments — including the addition of Wow Bao at Ronald Reagan National Airport, and newcomer Bao Bar in Clarendon — suggest that the business community seems determined to mine this phenomenon for all it's worth.

But just because something is trendy or ubiquitous doesn't mean that it should go away. With spots such as Bun'd Up incorporating delicious and unique ingredients like its pineapple-heavy fruit kimchi, there's still plenty of room for gua bao in D.C.

Know of any other must-try bao?. Share in the comments below or sound off via email (dc@eater.com).

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Taipei Cafe

The gua bao, listed on the menu as a Taiwanese hamburger, is as close to the ones usually found in Taiwan. This one features pork belly, pickled vegetables, and crushed sugared peanuts.

Open in Google Maps

802 Hungerford Dr, Rockville, MD 20850

NaiNai's Noodle & Dumpling Bar

Nainai's has the largest variety of bao with six options. They offer a braised five-spice duck with daikon carrot slaw; ground beef bulgogi with kimchi; seared teriyaki spam with mango salsa; tofu with cabbage, mushroom and egg; smoked pork belly with peanut sauce; and crispy chicken tenders with chili sauce and daikon carrot slaw.

Open in Google Maps

1200 E West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Visit Website

Bun'd Up

Bun'd Up serves its bao at area farmers' markets. The homemade buns come in regular and whole wheat with fillings like Korean BBQ, braised pork belly, and marinated tofu. One distinguishing feature is the fruit kimchi, in the form of spicy pineapple, and wasabi guacamole. There's also a sweet option with peanut butter, banana jam and granola.

Open in Google Maps

7600 Arlington Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814

Visit Website

Sakuramen

Choose from four types of bao at Sakuramen. Opt for a spicy sweet pork with marinated mushrooms, slice rib eye bulgogi, chashu pork, or soy-marinated mushrooms.

2441 18th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Sakerum

Along with all the sushi served at Sakerum, get a pork belly bao with Korean gochujang, pickled red cabbage, shiso leaves, and hoisin sauce.

2204 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Masa 14

Masa 14 offers two kinds of bao: pork belly and shiitake mushroom. The pork belly contains achiote paste, sweet pineapple sambal, cilantro, and serrano peppers. The shiitake is flavored with truffle, and cucumber.

1825 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Chaplin's

Chaplin's bun features braised pork, cucumbers, carrots, and spicy teriyaki. For vegetarians and vegans the buns are available with tofu.

1501 9th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Jinya Ramen Bar (Multiple locations)

The California-born noodle chain, which recently opened a second area location in Logan Circle, serves steamed buns — featuring braised pork belly, cucumber, mixed greens, kewpie mayo, and house sauce — on the regular menu and during weekday happy hour.

Open in Google Maps

1336 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20005

Visit Website

Jinya Ramen Bar DC bao

People's Bao

This roving food truck sells three varieties of bao: pork, duck, and portobello mushrooms. Order with a single filling, or combine two or all three fillings in a single bao.

Open in Google Maps

Washington, D.C.

Visit Website

Momofuku CCDC

Carnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarians alike will find suitable bao options at Momofuku CCDC. There's shiitake with hoisin and cucumber, chicken meatballs with jalapeno and paprika mayo, shrimp with pickled red onion and mayo, and brisket with horseradish and pickled red onion.

1090 I St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Toki Underground

Most spots default to pork belly gua bao. At Toki Underground the filling is fried chicken, Japanese mayo, sweet chili sauce, and seasonal pickles.

1234 H St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Maketto

The bao at Maketto feature roasted duck, local vegetables, and various pickled vegetables.

1351 H St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Reren Lamen & Bar

Accompanying the many flavors of lamen at Reren are the options of chicken and pork belly buns.

817 7th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Absolute Noodle

Absolute Noodle's bao features pork belly with pickled jalapeño and hoisin sauce.

Open in Google Maps

772 NW 5th St, Washington, D.C. 20001

Visit Website

The Source by Wolfgang Puck

At The Source, Peking duck is served in open-faced steamed buns, rather than the traditional flour pancakes. Crisp duck skin and meat is tucked into the buns with cucumber, scallion, and garlic hoisin.

575 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20565

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Marumen

Along with a full menu of ramen, find bao with pork belly, cucumber, scallion and ginger hoisin sauce.

Open in Google Maps

3250 Old Pickett Rd, Fairfax, VA 22031

Visit Website

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Taipei Cafe

802 Hungerford Dr, Rockville, MD 20850

The gua bao, listed on the menu as a Taiwanese hamburger, is as close to the ones usually found in Taiwan. This one features pork belly, pickled vegetables, and crushed sugared peanuts.

Open in Google Maps

802 Hungerford Dr, Rockville, MD 20850

NaiNai's Noodle & Dumpling Bar

1200 E West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Nainai's has the largest variety of bao with six options. They offer a braised five-spice duck with daikon carrot slaw; ground beef bulgogi with kimchi; seared teriyaki spam with mango salsa; tofu with cabbage, mushroom and egg; smoked pork belly with peanut sauce; and crispy chicken tenders with chili sauce and daikon carrot slaw.

Open in Google Maps

1200 E West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Visit Website

Bun'd Up

7600 Arlington Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814

Bun'd Up serves its bao at area farmers' markets. The homemade buns come in regular and whole wheat with fillings like Korean BBQ, braised pork belly, and marinated tofu. One distinguishing feature is the fruit kimchi, in the form of spicy pineapple, and wasabi guacamole. There's also a sweet option with peanut butter, banana jam and granola.

Open in Google Maps

7600 Arlington Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814

Visit Website

Sakuramen

2441 18th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Choose from four types of bao at Sakuramen. Opt for a spicy sweet pork with marinated mushrooms, slice rib eye bulgogi, chashu pork, or soy-marinated mushrooms.

2441 18th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Visit Website

Sakerum

2204 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Along with all the sushi served at Sakerum, get a pork belly bao with Korean gochujang, pickled red cabbage, shiso leaves, and hoisin sauce.

2204 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Visit Website

Masa 14

1825 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Masa 14 offers two kinds of bao: pork belly and shiitake mushroom. The pork belly contains achiote paste, sweet pineapple sambal, cilantro, and serrano peppers. The shiitake is flavored with truffle, and cucumber.

1825 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Visit Website

Chaplin's

1501 9th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Chaplin's bun features braised pork, cucumbers, carrots, and spicy teriyaki. For vegetarians and vegans the buns are available with tofu.

1501 9th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Visit Website

Jinya Ramen Bar (Multiple locations)

1336 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20005

The California-born noodle chain, which recently opened a second area location in Logan Circle, serves steamed buns — featuring braised pork belly, cucumber, mixed greens, kewpie mayo, and house sauce — on the regular menu and during weekday happy hour.

Open in Google Maps

1336 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20005

Visit Website

Jinya Ramen Bar DC bao

People's Bao

Washington, D.C.

This roving food truck sells three varieties of bao: pork, duck, and portobello mushrooms. Order with a single filling, or combine two or all three fillings in a single bao.

Open in Google Maps

Washington, D.C.

Visit Website

Momofuku CCDC

1090 I St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Carnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarians alike will find suitable bao options at Momofuku CCDC. There's shiitake with hoisin and cucumber, chicken meatballs with jalapeno and paprika mayo, shrimp with pickled red onion and mayo, and brisket with horseradish and pickled red onion.

1090 I St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Visit Website

Toki Underground

1234 H St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Most spots default to pork belly gua bao. At Toki Underground the filling is fried chicken, Japanese mayo, sweet chili sauce, and seasonal pickles.

1234 H St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Visit Website

Maketto

1351 H St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

The bao at Maketto feature roasted duck, local vegetables, and various pickled vegetables.

1351 H St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Visit Website

Reren Lamen & Bar

817 7th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Accompanying the many flavors of lamen at Reren are the options of chicken and pork belly buns.

817 7th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Visit Website

Absolute Noodle

772 NW 5th St, Washington, D.C. 20001

Absolute Noodle's bao features pork belly with pickled jalapeño and hoisin sauce.

Open in Google Maps

772 NW 5th St, Washington, D.C. 20001

Visit Website

The Source by Wolfgang Puck

575 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20565

At The Source, Peking duck is served in open-faced steamed buns, rather than the traditional flour pancakes. Crisp duck skin and meat is tucked into the buns with cucumber, scallion, and garlic hoisin.

575 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20565

Visit Website

Related Maps

Marumen

3250 Old Pickett Rd, Fairfax, VA 22031

Along with a full menu of ramen, find bao with pork belly, cucumber, scallion and ginger hoisin sauce.

Open in Google Maps

3250 Old Pickett Rd, Fairfax, VA 22031

Visit Website

Related Maps