Wonderbao is seriously amazing! The roasted pork belly steamed buns at Wanderbao is definitely worth the hype. A deliciously sinful combo of soft steamed buns, sandwiching two slabs of crispy pork bellies that simply glides smoothly in your mouth like butter! Each treat cost about $5.xx, not exactly "cheap cheap" considering portions are tiny and you need at least 5 buns to fill you up (or that's just me? oink~). That aside, Wanderbao rocks! Highly recommended. read more

Wonderbao - Location is hidden, just looked out for the graffiti filled alley of Literature Lane. - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

See all

THE BEST BAOS I'VE HAD! This is a great fusion spot to hit up in the city. The buns are very soft and just melt in your mouth. The fried chicken and tofu baos are sooo yummy and really hit the spot when you're hungry. The fried chicken has a great crunch and cooked well. The tofu is a great meat alternative option that tasted just as good. This was my favorite food spot in the city we tried. I could keep eating them if my stomach wouldn't fill up haha. read more

Wonderbao - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

You know you're on to a winner when you post a picture of your lunch on instagram and it goes viral amongst your friends. "OH MY GOD, WHERE IS THAT!?" "I want to eat this!" #drool They went nuts and they didn't even get to put these bad boys in their mouths. I, on the other hand, did. Oh yes. I did. First it was the Braised Pork Belly Gua Bao (like a doughy taco) stuffed with the belly, pickled mustard, coriander and peanuts. The bao itself was hot, fresh and not too sweet. The pork was sticky and gelatinous and the pickled mustard helped to cut through the richness, though I would have liked a little more ZING! in the pickle (but I am a vinegar nut). Next,the Roast Pork Belly Gua Bao. I liked the pork in this one a lot more and the kick from the cucumber, pickled carrots and smear of hoisin really got my eyeballs rolling back in to my skull. Finally, the one I probably should have started with as a litmus test. The Char Siu Bao. These are the ones that you've all eaten a million times at Yum Cha and I'm here to say that Wonderbao's are pretty damn awesome. The sauce is moist, and the meat and bun isn't overly sweet. The best bit is that they come out of a steamer just behind the counter so you can be assured that you''ll be peeling off the (super cute) paper bottom and shoving it in your gob while it's still piping hot. Wonderbao is wunderbar! read more

See all

So my mother is Asian READ :My mother is very thrift with money and she is very opinionated about Asian food. My mother does not live in Melbourne READ: My mother doesn't care if a joint is 'hip' or 'cool'. in fact she would scorn me and summon hell on me if I told her we are walking into an alleyway to get porky bun. But Wonderbao, you can meet my mother. Pork Belly bun for less that $4. yeah! The sauce is SAUCY! big plus for the Asian :D My only complain is the custard bun :( to me it tastes like one you get from the frozen section at a supermarket. Other than that, this is a bao the Asian mothers would approve! read more

Wonderbao - Silky tofu and pork belly Bao - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

I made the rookie mistake of only buying 1 Char Siu Bao & 1 braised pork belly Gua Bao take away. Wonderbao is now closed for the night. "I'm going to scream! I want the works I want the whole works Presents and prizes and sweets and surprises Of all shapes and sizes And now Don't care how I want it now!" Fun Fact - you don't even need a golden egg to eat here. $6.20 for my 2 bao! read more

Wonderbao - Bao bao and more bao. I want it now. - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

Let me premise this review by mentioning that I am a huge fan of Taiwanese style steamed buns - "wa bao's". And have for the last couple of years been contemplating how it needed to be in the Oz food scene - alas - someone beat me to the punch. Nonetheless, as the first bao experience in Ausrtralia, Wonderbao had a lot to live up to. PLACE/AMBIANCE: The joint is small so probably fit 15-20 people in there (and that is capacity). Mainly bar stools and floating bar table by the front window and a few small tables. Its cool setup - what you would expect for that 'new-age' hole. It is not directly in front of A'Beckett street - you have to go inside the new apartment building and at the other end you will find it (GPS doesn't recognize this). Service is casual and helpful, but it is a bit annoying that EFTPOS/credit is not accepted (hard to find a place that doesnt have these services nowadays). FOOD: The bao's are not bad. I was there later in the day (just before closing) and i can tell those buns were older, so probably better to go earlier in the day to get the freshness of the steam goods. The protein (pork mainly) is ok too. Though not quite the flavor hit that i've experienced before (probably could do with a thicker piece of meat) still, a very delicious piece of meat. It had that sweet flavour combined with the succulent meat and gelatinous fat. Then garnished with fine grounded nuts (great texture contrast); cilantro and pickled carrots (not something i have tasted before). Make sure you grab one of the FOB juice boxes in the fridge - my favorite is wintermelon tea. They are flavors unlike anything in the western world! (i think). PRICE: -Right on point! Can't complain. It truly is a loose change place! Better than the clowns or the Jacks. Overall, i would definitely come back. But it wasnt quite the home run i wanted it to be. Its more like a on the way home; or quick bite to eat type of place now. read more

Wonderbao - braised and roasted pork baos! - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

love wonderbao when you just want a quick bite of flavour that will satisfy your tummy and cravings overall. I mean you really can't just have one because their bao buns are super soft and spongy, so you can tell they are very fresh. That being said, I would go for their gua bao instead of the traditional BBQ pork buns or custard ones. The taro is nice but I think their gua baos are definitely the stars here. All flavours deliver their descriptions, especially the crispy chicken with coleslaw, my personal favorite as it adds a layer of texture and creaminess leaving you not feeling guilty for just indulging in fried chicken. read more

I had high hopes for this place as gua bao is one of my favourite taiwanese dishes. Unfortunately this place didn't really stack up to the ones you can get in Taiwan. I get that since we're in Australia naturally it would be more expensive but I still thought it was a bit pricey given they are smaller than the ones you would get in Taiwan as well. They weren't bad but the buns just weren't as soft as the ones in Taiwan and the filling just not quite as flavoursome. So much potential... I'm just edging it on to get there. read more

Wonderbao - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

Wonderbao was yum! Went there with a group of friends and got the crisp eggplant gua bao and the choi boa along with sweet potatoe fries. Both baos were very good! However, I would get the Veggie combo pack if I were to go back because it would be cheaper and gives you 3 baos! I'm a vegetarian and this place was veg friendly. There is not much seating room inside so not ideal for going with a large groups of friends (2 people would be okay). If you do go with friends you'd need to relocate to sit and could go to A'Beckett Square on RMIT if you're okay with sitting outside. Overall, I was very happy and would gladly go back! read more

I ordered the veggie platter and the pork bao, I liked all the veggie items, but the pork bao had like a quails egg in it and some other unidentifiable ingredients. It was honestly kind of bland and I only really enjoyed the veggie options read more

Next time I open my wallet and moths fly out - I'm taking my spare change and heading to Wonderbao. Not only is the bao DELICIOUS, it's ridiculously good value. I went there for lunch on a growling, empty stomach. Ravenous for pork belly, I greedily ordered 2 gua bao and one bun. I almost rolled out! Two buns is most definitely enough to fill even the hungriest of bellies and it will cost you less than $6. Dang. read more

This is honestly my favorite bao I have ever had. I've tried every kind they have and cannot say enough good things. The shop was difficult to find at first (it's down like a side alley with all the graffiti) but I'm so glad I did and I have been frequenting ever since. Their set packs make it convenient (and economic) but I would go for one of everything if you have a few friends to split it with! You need to try it all. And don't forget to end with the egg custard bao! Perfect dessert! read more

See all

Thee mustn't hath wonders of thy earthly being until thee hath bao's of Wonderbao. For the first time I tried and went with the safe choices of - Briased pork belly Gua bao- juicy, perfectly cooked to the point of melting in your mouth, fluffy, puffy bun, fresh ingredients and a lot of goodness. $4.20 - Chicken Bao- refer to the above description of goodness. $4.20 Char Siu Bao (BBQ pork), $2.00 (I screamed WHATTTTT) All with a touch of Melbourne, of course, it's in an alley. read more

I knew I had to search out this place after a friend posted a pic on facebook.. I was all kinds of excited to rock up to this place and devour some deliciousness! They had Taiwanese "gua-bao" on the menu and the rarity of seeing this dish outside of Taiwan probably had my hopes up wayyy too high.. and I was a little let down.. As Justin said.. the meat could've been a bit thicker but the flavour "hit" just wasn't there... *sad panda* Tho what the gua-bao was lacking... was made up for by the yumminess of the taro bun... although the amount of taro was a bit extreme! I almost had to take half of it away but alas, I persevered and with the help of the house made soy milk (Taiwanese style.. tastes nothing like the stuff you buy in the supermarket, give it a go!) managed to fit it all in my belly!! My eyes were WAYY bigger than my stomach and they aren't joshing around with the "big baos"... I got the pork & mushroom one (foolishly thinking I would have room after the taro bun), but ended up taking it to go... I steamed it up at home the next day and it made a super delicious lunch... The bun dough was still fluffy and yum after a second steaming which says a lot! If I had more time in Melbourne, I would have gone back to try some of their other buns.. but alas.. The gua-baos need a bit of work but they seem to have the other buns down pat! read more

The best bao in Melbourne? We were walking through forgotten alleyways trying to find this wonderful land of bao. I thought I was becoming fooled by food lovers everywhere and this was just an urban myth! BUT, it's not. It really exists and I have food memories and a lasting food baby to prove it. Wonderbao is quite small, with a cottagey, cosy kind of feel to it. There's several bar stools to use, but its emphasis is on takeaway. I tried all the gua baos, a few times over. Yes, if you're like me and your friends question where you fit all the food, then you will need four of these to fill you up or six if you want to indulge or have an empty stomach. The Braised Pork Belly with its pickled mustard goodness, coriander and crushed peanuts was pure nirvana. The braised pork was tender and cooked perfectly. Roast Pork Belly with cucumber, pickled carrots, daikon and hoisin sauce is refreshingly delicious and works well to differentiate itself from the braised pork offering. Fried Silky Tofu follows the same path as Braised Pork Belly with similar ingredients but with sweet soy sauce. Tofu was crispy and luscious as well. The buns are silky smooth and with every gua bao bite, my eyes were rolling out of their sockets as I was smiling like a schoolkid! Make sure to add sriracha chilli sauce to all the gua baos, it works stupendously well together. While you're at it, try the F.O.B. drinks for $1.60, I love the lychee flavour. There's homemade soya milk as well and you can have it hot or cold. With great presentation, amazing taste and dirt cheap prices ($4.20 a gua bao), Wonderbao made it easy for me to love and a new wonder to add to my favourites list. I can't wait to go again and try everything else! BAO WOW!! read more

The ultimate bao search is over!!! Think soft fluffy not too sweet boss served with fresh delectable fillings We had the pork belly the fried chicken and the other pork one I forgot the name They were all incredibly fresh and delicious the fried chicken has like a five spice super crunchy crust which is served piping hot a stellar contrast with the creamy soft pillow bao encasing it This is a must stop destination! read more

I finally, finally, after a month of waiting (because I never get over to their shop during working hours) got to try Wonderbao at the Noodle Market. Oh Em Gee I ate: Fried chicken bao (bazinga!!!!!!!), pork belly bao (quite proud/relieved to say that I got the LAST pork belly bao of the night because they ran out of pork), and mushroom trio bao (this one gets better with each bite, I swear). Don't worry, though. You don't need to go eat there. Leave it all for me! read more

The name itself is a winner IMHO. I ventured to this place after a friend of mine put a picture up of his lunch and gave me food envy. I was born in Singapore and grew up eating Baos. Freshly made ones that were steaming hot on the inside and nice and fluffy on the outside. Since moving to Australia, I've only ever had them from Yum Cha spots and it definitely is not the same. But HELLO. Think I've found my heaven. I ordered the Chicken Bao with Egg + Shitake mushroom. I was so excited to eat it I did not even take a photo or bother to sit down at one of their few bar stools they have available there. Whilst the Bao was deliciously tasty, I almost felt like I needed some cutlery to eat this massive Bao as the insides had separated from the bread. No sweat, I did no suffer separation anxiety, I just ate the whole thing. I also bought a couple of Baos as takeaway for my sister. Custard Bun - Nice, no powdery texture and flavour Taro Bun - Not as sweet but still enjoyable I don't recommend takeaway as they get all sweaty and not as fluffy and they make your bag smell like BAO - but you just gotta do what you gotta do sometimes... I love love love the fluffy bread. I love that it's piping hot and I love that this shop just sells Baos. I also got the Organic Homemade Soy Milk. That was also yum, not that sweet which is a big plus for me! Will definitely be back for more... In fact, i'm drooling as i'm writing this review and thinking about how I want more... read more

What a gem! Small little shop hidden in an alleyway. Too bad they're closed on Sundays. It's a great place to stop in for a quick takeaway. I ordered the roast pork bao and taro bun. Both were delish! read more

Wonderbao - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

The first time i encountered these style buns was when i was in newyork and had them at momofuku and baobaus. I thought it was such a brilliant invention having a soft white fluffy half folded bun with braised pork belly and sour veges to go with was genius. Then i found out that melbourne had opened one and i was in heaven. I literally had one before work everyday when i use to work close by. A braised pork belly bao and a hot soy milk is the best combo. Price is average and service is great with friendly staff. Not a dine in restaurant. read more

Wonderbao - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

These are cheap little parcels of greatness. I'm so glad I listens to the other reviews and got myself there. It was a little difficult to find and as stated earlier its in a building I believe is number 31. Worth the time spent and I believe I will be back there many times. read more

Wonderbao - Porkie goodness for $9. - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

Stopped in for lunch and it was pretty good but not the best baos I've had. 3 stars for pretty good baos but the restaurant is difficult to find and the service could be friendlier. Ordered 2 gua baos: the braised pork and silky tofu, and 2 traditional baos: Da Pork Bao and char siu bao. The bao wrapper for the 2 gua baos were pillowy soft and the filling was good for the braised pork but the tofu could use a bit more sauce. The 2 traditional baos weren't that impressive. They needed to be warmed up more (inside was cold). Da pork bao was one note and the char siu bao tasted and looked like it could have come from a frozen package you pick up from the store. Stick with gua baos if you come. read more

I heard from a friend about Wonderbao and how amazing their buns are after we had buns in New York. I did a little research and it's the currently talk of the town on most food blogs and websites. My friends and I drove into the city to try this new sensation out. It was a little hard to find as it's located inside the building and not on the street side. We chose our preferred buns and lined up with everyone else and paid. There wasn't any available seating so we took our meal as take away and went out to the street and sat on a bench to eat. The presentation of the buns was amazing and it made me hungry however after biting into the first one the bun wasn't as soft or fluffy as it could be. The balance of flavours was great but the bun texture was a little off. The other buns that we got were a little disappointing as we all felt like we could have bought them from an asian grocer and steamed at home whilst getting the same flavour. read more

I hate giving poor reviews; I want all my dining experience to be pleasant and memorable in a good way, however, it wasn't so at Wonderbao yesterday. We spent over a few hundreds on food yesterday so I feel silly complainting about $1 but I got to be honest and share my experience. That's what Yelp is for. We ordered an extra soya milk for $3.50. Being a tourist, it takes me an extra second to check my change, but the Australian $2 (they are very small in size) and the $.50 (largest coin) are easy to sort. I am certain that I gave the girl $4.50 (two $2 coins and one $.50 coin) so I can get $1 back. Plus I know how many $2 I have in my change pouch. I always have the habit of saying how much I am giving if I'm giving more than enough. So I said "Here's $4.50." The girl went on to get the milk and I asked about my change. And she said "You gave me $3.50." I said "No, I gave you $4.50." We went back and forth a couple times with her saying "I am pooositive, sooorry!!" It was very annoying as I was "positive" as well. It was wrong in any scenario. If it was intentional, shame on her. If it was unintentional, she shouldn't be a cashier. Or she should have said I gave her $3.50 when she had $4.50 in her hand, we could have checked at that point. The bao is fine but unfortunately my overall experience is well below the two-star that I am giving. Saying "you are positive" doesn't make it more convincing for me, sooorry!! read more

Amazing food for on the go people. Fast, clean and hits the spot every time. read more

Wonderbao - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

If in doubt Wonderbao to the rescue. Good lane way food. Mostly pre-prepared, so orders are real quick. On first visit try Traditional to get an idea of what is on offer & then select your own. After 10:30am choices are the fancy type. read more

Wow this place is what everyone has been raving about! It's small in size, probably more suitable for breakfast unless you order at least four baos! I had the roast pork bao & Cha siu bao. So juicy and tender. It's a very small and quaint shop. Very limited seats so be ready to stand or take away to a park across the road. If you're taking it away, be sure to order enough because it's so delicious you would want more! They also have hot or cold soy bean drink and chrysanthemum tea for those Asian fix. I'll come back tomorrow for breakfast. :) read more

Wonderbao - Roast pork & bbq pork bao - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

Delicious roasted pork belly bao! Just a few stools, but a hidden gem! I would definitely recommend for a quick meal!

Wow we were hungry and this place was so tasty and cheap! Definitely get 1 of everything and don't be scared by the egg custard bao its sweet. The meat was soft and the service fast. Plus they play good tunes. read more

The tofu gua bao is off the hook delicious. I could easily have three helpings. So excited to have come across their tasty goodness recently at the Vic. Market night market. Highly recommended! read more

Wonderbao - Tofu Gua Bao! Yummmm - Chinese Near Me - East Melbourne, VIC

I don't know whether to love or hate Wonderbao for already taking up the best pun for reviews in its own name. Clearly the cocky bastards knew they had a winner on their hands when it came to naming this joint, but did they think about us reviewers, hm? Wonderbao has been on my to-eat list for a while now and I was chuffed to finally be in the city at lunch time with very limited time on my hands - perfect circumstances to get my bao on. I got the choi bao and the tofu gua bao, which I ate with a slathering of sriracha, of course. Sure, the vegetarian selections are limited to these two but they are so delicious that I DON'T CARE. The choi bao is packed with flavour and I think will be a great winter snack alternative to a sushi handroll. The tofu gua bao lends itself less to a snack eaten on the run, given that the sauce drips a little (or maybe I'm just a messy eater) and is so delicious that it begs to be licked up. Given that the tofu is fried, it is still light and not at all oily. The combination of these two bao makes for a delicious and easy lunch - plus you get to feel very thrifty at having spent so little on such a satisfying lunch. read more

Yum Cha on the run. Sensational roast pork buns and custard buns. Best thing ever! If you're a huge fan on yum cha like I am, this place is a must. read more

Super delicious pork but and chicken bun.in fact I also like their soya drink with the buns.

Ordered many times on UberEATS. It always display as clear and perfect packaging. Our favorite are the Nai Wong Bao and Taro Bun. Other than that many vegetarian options were surprisingly tasty. Would definitely recommend. read more

Really tasty buns, nice little place, excellent value! I cannot fault this place - they do one thing and they do it really well. A great lunch option. read more

I made it. I finally made it. Sometimes I need gua bao like I need air, and Wonderbao was able to fill this need with deliciousness wrapped in little steamed buns. Perfect. Not really a dine-in place, so make sure you grab a handful of napkins on your way out the door because shiz's about to get real messy all up in your hands. read more

Went and tried Wonderbao, Bao were simple but very tasty, the place is only small but they were very quick. From when I ordered they were ready in 2 mins, there were no seats in the store so went and found a seat about 3 min walk from there and sat and enjoyed the Bao, had braised pork and chicken and I rate it 5 stars. Will be visiting again. read more

Great place for a quick lunch in CBD. I like the "modern" baos the best--the roast pork and fried tofu are my favorite, as well as da pork bao from the "traditional" list. It's good to get the boxes and just try one of everything. read more

The Pork Bao and Chicken Bao tasted really bad, the fillings are not fresh should be made from frozen Baos. Not recommended tho.

Wonderbao was pretty cool. Thumbs up for having J.Cole's Born Sinner playing on Saturday. The Baos were definitely worth it - but given Chinatown isn't too far off, I'd rather go there. I found them a bit small too... But will definitely be back :) read more