There’s nothing better than warming up with a steamy bao bun on a chilly fall or winter day, and thankfully NYC is adding one more Bao and Tea House onto its roster!
Bao Tea House is opening a Mulberry location right at the intersection of Chinatown and Little Italy, expanding from their already existing Greenwich snack shop (which opened in April of 2018) and hoping to become a community center.
Instead of mostly offering bao and tea to-go like they have in the past, the new location has plenty of seats at the bar and a mezzanine tearoom, which doubles as a reading room.
The team is currently looking to fill their space with art and books before their grand opening (which is expected to happen sometime at the end of January 2023). Seasonally curated art pieces will line the gallery wall across from the bar, while bookshelves in the tearoom will be stocked with donated books from the local community. Customers will be encouraged to read the books in-store or bring in a book of their own to swap for one on the shelf.
Co-founder Alyas Scofield describes the idea behind the new spot as, “a space for New Yorkers who want to slow down to have some snacks, grab a drink, and read a book.”
And slow down for some snacks and a drink is exactly what those who visit the space will want to do!
Once receiving its liquor license, they’ll serve sake, beer, wine, and tea-based cocktails. In the meantime, 17 tea beverages are available to choose from, including Taiwanese high mountain tea, milk tea, and other tea beverages.
Their extensive food menu features 17 delicious bao varieties, and signature items include:
- Classic Bao: a crumbly butter bun filled with Cantonese barbeque pork
- Lava Bao: a charcoal-colored crumbly butter bun filled with sweet egg custard
- Fried Chicken Bao: a crispy chicken patty with house-made hot sauce held together with steamed buns
Their new menu will be consistent with what’s served at the Greenwich Village location.
“We hope this space will become a community center,” Alyas adds, “What encourages us the most is hearing about how customers connect through our food. And we are creating this store to serve exactly that purpose. This new store is sitting at the intersection of Chinatown and Little Italy – it signifies bringing cultures together. We are also modernizing and creating based on traditional recipes – this signifies bringing generations together. We think adding literature, art, and liquor will further the idea.”
Bao Tea House is slated to host their soft opening on Thursday, December 1 at 122 Mulberry Street.
In the meantime, you can stay up to date on their website on Instagram.