Little Bao (Central)

"If Chinese food mated with an American diner Little Bao would be its offspring. And a very hip baby it is too, full of good vibes and friendly staff. The interior is like a diner and small so if you're not there early be prepared to be put on a waiting list but it's worth it. The food takes the Chinese bao or fluffy white bun and fills it with untraditional ingredients. I love the pork belly bao, so succulent and full of flavor. There are also beef, szechaun fried chicken, fish tempura and vegetarian baos. There are other dishes for sharing too like the divine short ribbed pan fried dumplings and smoked eggplant. When it opened Little Bao became an overnight sensation and deservedly so. To make sure you find it look for the cute neon baby face." - Angela Ho

"As the name suggests, the focus here is on baos, i.e., Vietnamese buns filled with pork and fish, though the sides are equally compelling: There are Brussels sprouts (topped with fish sauce and fried shallots) and sambal-inflected fries, along with slabs of green tea ice cream sandwiched between deep-fried buns."

"Little Bao, Sheung Wan Upper. If Chinese food mated with an American diner Little Bao would be its offspring. And a very hip baby it is too, full of good vibes and friendly staff. The interior is like a diner and small so if you're not there early be prepared to be put on a waiting list but it's worth it. The food takes the Chinese bao or fluffy white bun and fills it with untraditional ingredients. I love the pork belly bao, so succulent and full of flavor. There are also beef, szechaun fried chicken, fish tempura and vegetarian baos. There are other dishes for sharing too like the divine short ribbed pan fried dumplings and smoked eggplant. When it opened Little Bao became an overnight sensation and deservedly so. To make sure you find it look for the cute neon baby face."

"Little Bao oozes cool both inside and out, but you’ll be surprised at the tiny space—just about 10 seats at the bar and another 10 off to the right. Designed by Hong Kong creative Sean Dix, the tiled floors, white-tiled walls, shiny stainless steel, bar stools and pictures of vintage Hong Kong mailboxes create a modern diner vibe. Chef May Chow puts as much thought into the food as she does the atmosphere, offering delicious, creative, and very popular baos and sharing dishes. But a word of warning: Don’t visit Little Bao if you’re on any kind of diet." - Kate Springer