Finding Nostalgia and Comfort in two of Chinatown’s No-Frills Bakeries

Kaden Moubayed
Oct 14
4 min read

Chinatowns exist in many cosmopolitan cities around the United States and the world, with the one in New York City boasting a repertoire for some of the city’s best Asian fine dining, hole-in-the-wall eateries, open-air supermarkets, and sweet treats. However, a less popular spot for a break in the bustle of Canal Street and Chinatown is the variety of bakeries scattered throughout the neighborhood. Most Chinese bakeries are one-off establishments; exceptions include Fay Da and Kee Wah, with multiple locations across the country and mainland China. Whereas in other Chinese bakeries make everything in-house, provide a routine, and serve as a third place for residents of the neighborhood to meet up and socialize with friends.

Dozens of customers, fast service, shouting in Cantonese, and groups chatting and smoking cigarettes are what one can expect when visiting a Chinese bakery. These no-frills establishments are often cash-only bakeries owned and mostly operated by families and husband-and-wife partnerships passed down multiple generations, working simultaneously. These institutions become focal points in the community and serve as an institution in changing times, whether that be in one’s life or the neighborhood itself. As a Chinese-American, I grew up visiting and having goods from my favorite Chinese bakery in Chicago: St. Anna. Over my life, I’ve eaten hundreds of char siu baos, ham and egg buns, and pieces of sponge cake. This article will serve as a guide for those looking to try something new, support a local business, and experience the nostalgic childhood memories of many Chinese-Americans, including myself. Below are my favorites found at nearly every Chinese bakery, including New York City and Chicago.

Chiu Hong Bakery

161 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

Ham and Egg Bun

Price: $1.50

In my opinion, the ham and egg bun is the most underrated of all Chinese bakery items. During my childhood, there were weeks where I’d eat one almost every day, serving as an afterschool snack during primary school. Chiu Hong’s bun comes out hot and fresh; the salty and slightly chewy ham and soft egg combine nicely. The bun itself has a beautiful golden crust and is soft, airy, and moist with a springiness to it. Here, they are always delicious, reliable, and filling.

Egg Tart (Dan Tat)

Price: $1.50

Found at every family dim sum table around the country, egg tarts provide a stark contrast to the plethora of savory dishes served, such as chicken feet, shrimp dumplings, siu mai pork and shrimp dumplings, and turnip cakes. This egg tart had a perfect golden brown crust, crunchy edges, and the filling was spectacularly sweet and creamy. To be frank, this was one of the best dan tats I’ve had in a long time. The game-changer was the freshness and glossy filling compared to the often stale and overly crunchy dan tats I’ve reluctantly eaten in past Dim Sum experiences.

Small Eggshell Coffee

Price: $1.50

This is, and I’m not exaggerating, the first cup of coffee I’ve ever had in my life. I normally don’t drink any caffeine, but this was an exception due to the advice of my mother. My mom is Chinese, and every time we are in Chinatown, she asks for a small coffee from a bakery. This version combines coffee grounds and cleaned crushed eggshells, a practice done to reduce the bitterness of the coffee beans. Adding a splash of milk and sugar completes this warm and cozy beverage, perfectly complementing a pastry or a bao of choice.

Go Believe Bakery

239 Grand St, New York, NY 10002

Char Siu Bao

Price: $1.50

A staple for every Chinese-American kid growing up in or around Chinatown. This bun has exploded in popularity due to the obsession over a similar version of the pineapple pork bun from Mei Lai Wah that draws long queues to the Bayard Street bakery. It is consistent and always delicious, the version in this photo is the steamed version with a char siu filling, which is a Cantonese-style fatty roast barbecue pork with a sweet honey sauce that gets its signature red color through fermented red bean, used in the marination process. The bao came straight out of the oven with a pillowy texture and bright white color. Overall, the bun was savory, rich, slightly sweet, and very filling.

Steamed Shrimp Rice Roll (Cheung Fun)

Price: $4.50

Cheung fun is my favorite dish of the four I’ve chosen to showcase. This is another dim sum must-have and if made fresh, like the one from Go Believe Bakery, it warms your mouth with rice roll, salty soy sauce, and tingling hot sauce. Watching the man make these rolls, I noticed the ultra-thin batter grow into a thick and chewy rice roll by scraping the batter into layers, gradually adding the shrimp, and folding it in. These rice rolls were blistering hot, fatty, stringy, and chewy. The shrimp provided a fresh pop of sweetness, and the soy sauce and hot sauce combination added heat, saltiness, and umami. This was by far my favorite dish of the day.

I was delighted to find that all of my favorites at both Chiu Hong Bakery and Go Believe Bakery were able to exceed my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgia of eating the snacks that brought me memories of joy and togetherness, and texting my mom photos of everything at the same time. If you’re in the Chinatown area and in need of a snack, I highly recommend checking these two places out and supporting a locally owned business. I know I’ll be back soon.