Steamed buns filled with pork, egg, and Chinese sausage are a Buford Highway bakery staple, and Atlanta's Vietnamese bakeries produce them by the dozens daily. The best versions feature pillowy-soft, slightly sweet dough enclosing a savory filling of seasoned pork, quail egg, and lap xuong — and the difference between a fresh bun and one that's been sitting is night and day.
Hong Kong Bakery & Cafe top-pick
Hong Kong Bakery produces the best banh bao on Buford Highway. The dough is pillowy soft and slightly sweet, with the perfect springiness that comes from proper steaming technique. The filling is generous — a whole quail egg, a chunk of Chinese sausage, and well-seasoned pork that's savory without being greasy. They sell them hot from the steamer throughout the day. Get there early.
Quynh Anh Bakery & Deli best-value
Quynh Anh's banh bao are slightly smaller but no less satisfying. The dough is thinner and the filling-to-dough ratio is higher, which means more savory payoff per bite. The pork filling is well-seasoned with a touch of fish sauce, and the quail egg is always cooked to a jammy center. These are the banh bao you grab on your way out — portable, satisfying, and perfectly shaped for eating in the car.
Sweet Hut Bakery & Cafe hidden-gem
Sweet Hut offers a more refined take on banh bao, with smoother dough and a more uniform filling. Each bun is perfectly pleated and steamed to a pristine white. The filling leans slightly sweeter than traditional versions, and they also offer a BBQ pork variation that draws from Chinese char siu bao for those who want a cross-cultural option.nnBuford Highway's bakeries make it easy to find a great banh bao — just follow the steam.