London’s go-to bao bun destination, BAO, is opening a new location, BAO Mary, on 8 May. This sixth iteration (the first, BAO Soho, opened in 2015) will be located on James Street in Marylebone, not far from Oxford Street, making it a perfect destination for after-work dinner, post-shopping lunch, or a convenient middle ground for friends scattered around town.
BAO Mary, a new London hotspot
Each of BAO locations has a different focus (the Shoreditch location focuses on noodles, the Borough location is buns, and so on) and BAO Mary will place a premium on dumplings, as well as quick cold dishes for time-pressed visitors looking for a satisfying alternative to fast food.
Set across two floors it is also the only BAO location that is open for all-day dining, serving from noon until late into the evening seven days a week.
As always with BAO, the interiors are impeccable, designed once again by MATHs, the in house design studio at BAO, led by co-founders Shing Tat Chung and Priscilla Wong. For BAO Mary, MATHs modelled the two-floor space after a Taiwanese dumpling house and incorporated classic dinner elements. On the ground floor, the wood-panelling gives the snug space a cosiness that visitors can enjoy as they sit on retro white stools at low tables, or at the counter with a view into the kitchen.
The dumpling-focused menu features Boiled Cull Yaw Dumplings, filled with succulent mutton sourced from Cornwall and served with red chilli sauce; Boiled Prawn Dumplings; and Pan Fried Mushroom Guo Tie Dumplings, the restaurant’s take on vegan potstickers with a black garlic dip.
When it comes to cold dishes, visitors can enjoy Soy Braised Lu Wei Assorted Vegetables, inspired by the Taiwanese carts that simmer a cornucopia of produce in a soy-heavy broth; street food-style Majiang Noodles, flavoured with sesame paste; and Ox Tongue with Chilli Oil.
Hot mains are also on offer, including BAO classics like the Bone Marrow with Cured Egg and Mi Gao Rice, as well as Taiwanese fried chicken chops.
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