BAO started as a market stall and became one of London's most copied concepts: Taiwanese steamed bao buns with inventive fillings — classic pork, braised beef, fried chicken — alongside small plates of soy milk pudding, pickled vegetables, and fried taro. The quality is exceptional and the aesthetic (influenced by Taiwan's beef noodle shops and milk bars) is distinctive.
No reservations at the original Soho branch; there is always a queue which moves steadily. The menu is short and changes seasonally. Three bao and two small plates per person is roughly right.