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.
-
Five of the finest compact cameras available todayPocketable cameras are having a moment. We’ve assembled a set of cutting-edge compacts that’ll free you from the ubiquity of smartphone photography and help focus your image making
-
London label Wed Studio is embracing ‘oddness’ when it comes to bridal dressingThe in-the-know choice for fashion-discerning brides, Wed Studio’s latest collection explores the idea that garments can hold emotions – a reflection of designers Amy Trinh and Evan Phillips’ increasingly experimental approach
-
Arts institution Pivô breathes new life into neglected Lina Bo Bardi building in BahiaNon-profit cultural institution Pivô is reactivating a Lina Bo Bardi landmark in Salvador da Bahia in a bid to foster artistic dialogue and community engagement
-
Let them eat cake (and drink cocktails) as Manolo Blahnik and The Berkeley unveil a new menu fit for a queenThe hotelier and renowned designer has teamed up on an exclusive cake and cocktail menu to celebrate the V&A’s landmark exhibition ‘Marie Antionette Style'
-
The artistry of Japanese wineFine wine from Japan may not yet register highly on the radars of most oenophiles, but for those who know, it's a hugely rewarding and rich tapestry of flavour. Drinks expert, Neil Ridley visits London's Luna Omakase for the launch of a new dedicated Japanese wine pairing menu
-
From The Fat Badger to The Bull, how Public House is redefining the British pubInside the design-driven food group putting provenance, craft and community back at the heart of pub culture
-
Guests dined on Bangladeshi-inspired cuisine at the Serpentine Summer Party 2025The party marked the 25th anniversary of the Serpentine Architecture Pavilion – and celebrated this year’s design by Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum and her Dhaka-based firm
-
Rémy Martin and Anish Kapoor: art meets cognac in LondonThe cognac house and the artist unveiled a limited-edition XO decanter and a new sculpture in London at a recent event at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
-
Mark your calendars for Mount Street Neighbourhood Summer Festival, a feast for the sensesThe event, 12-14 June 2025, showcases the mix of food, art and community in the heart of London’s Mayfair. Here's what to expect, from afternoon tea to aperitivo, film screenings to biodynamic flowers
-
Healthy chocolate? Eat it at Makers, London’s new Lebanese chocolatierLocated in Chelsea, Makers is a new ‘healthy chocolate’ shop offering treats free of refined sugar, seed oils, wheat and dairy – and it tastes delicious
-
Sketch transforms into an English garden in celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthdayThe 11th edition of ‘Sketch in Bloom’ nods to the most notable works of Jane Austen with budding floral installations and a quintessentially English afternoon tea
