Bao is coming to Borough Market – and it’s bringing a karaoke room with it.
The cult-hit Taiwanese restaurant, that has seen Londoners queue down Soho streets for its fluffy buns, is opening its third permanent site in the famous food market this Spring.
Bao has now revealed that the new location will be home to BAO KTV, the restaurant group’s first karaoke room. Bao Borough is set to take inspiration from the late-night grill restaurants popular with commuters across Asia, celebrating the tradition of karaoke and serving up comfort food dishes.
From beer buckets to chicken nugget buns, here’s what you need to know about Bao Borough.
When and where is Bao Borough opening?
Bao Borough will open on May 6, at 13 Stoney Street in Borough Market (SE1 9AD). The karaoke room is open for bookings from May 27.
What’s on the menu?
The famous steamed bao buns will still be the focus of the menu at Borough, but south London guests will get to try out some brand new fillings. These include a chicken nugget bao and an aubergine bao, which will be served alongside dishes of beef meatballs with fried egg, and a Borough curry topped with panko goat and frankfurter. On-the-go diners will also be able to grab takeaway bao buns from a hatch outside the restaurant.
In the karaoke room, customers will be able to indulge in cocktail pitchers and beer buckets, as well as snacks provided on fried or grilled Karaoke Platters. Dishes on offer will include chilli chicken wings, xinjiang maitaike mushrooms and Taiwanese sausages.
The drinks offering will also feature some unique quirks: Bao Borough will be home to a Suntory Hi-Ball machine. The contraption mixes whisky with soda to create bubbles similar to those in champagne, and it will be one of the very few such machines in the UK. Hi-Ball cocktails at the bar will draw inspiration from Taiwanese fruit stands with unusual flavour combinations promised.
How can you get a table?
For all London foodies who have grown weary of queues, there is good news: parties of five and above will be able to book at Bao Borough. Karaoke room bookings can be made for between six and 12 people, with bookings already open online here. Karaoke room prices start at £5 per person per hour between 12 and 3.30pm, moving up to £8 between 5pm and 10.30pm.
