This cozy, no-frills Chinese spot in Chinatown is a must for scrumptious pork buns, especially their famous pineapple bun that strikes a perfect sweet-savory balance.
"A Chinese bakery known for its char siu bao, Mei Lai Wah is moving to a bigger spot at 41 Mott Street, at Bayard Street, after over 50 years at its current address. The owners announced the expansion on Instagram, expressing excitement about the move and aiming for a reopening in November or December. They are uncertain about keeping their original location at 62 Bayard due to a potential lease sale by their landlord. Recently, Mei Lai Wah expanded its brand by taking over Wonton Noodle Garden and opening Munchiez, a pop-up restaurant in Greenwich Village." - Melissa McCart
"The Dish: Pineapple Pork Bun When we hear the words “edible gold,” we’re not thinking about ingestible metal, we’re thinking of Mei Lei Wah’s pineapple pork buns. For decades, the Chinatown bakery has been pumping out these pillowy buns with crackly yellow crusts on top. Break one open and you’ll find fatty char siu inside, and a pile of crumbs underneath you. The line can get long, but these $2 buns are absolutely worth 15 minutes of your time. " - bryan kim, sonal shah, willa moore, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick, neha talreja
"Mei Li Wah is a Chinese bakery that makes some of the best pork buns in the city. The buns come steamed or baked, and there’s even one with chicken and egg in addition to pork. The baked ones with barbecue pork are the best, though. They're perfectly soft, with a golden brown top, and caramelized pieces of pork steaming on the inside. While there are plenty of people who come to Mei Li Wah to pick up buns and leave, you can also sit down and have a full meal here that involves some pretty good rice rolls and fried rice dishes with eggs, vegetables, and sausage mixed in." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman
"The baked pork buns at Mei Lai Wah are New York City icons, right up there alongside Rosie Perez and the Wu-Tang Clan. They’re dense and glossy, with a sweet, meaty filling, and you’ll see people walking away with big boxes of them. There’s often a line outside, but don’t worry about that. It moves quickly. If you want to get a few different things, add a flaky pineapple bun to your order. " - bryan kim
"Ask a bunch of random New Yorkers where to find the best pork buns in the city, and more than half of them will say Mei Lai Wah. Is that all hype? No—their pork buns are some of our favorites, too. The baked ones are the best. They’re soft with a golden brown top, and once you break one open, steam will pour out from a hot caramel-y pork blend. Devour them right away at one of the handful of booths, or if a craving strikes later at night, head to their Greenwich Village offshoot called Munchiez. It’s open late." - Hannah Albertine, Carina Finn Koeppicus, Kenny Yang
