ANN ARBOR, MI — Bao Space is all about authenticity when it comes to its menu.
The Ann Arbor restaurant opened at the beginning of 2023 in the former location of Vedge Café which closed in August 2022.
Related: Get authentic bao at this new Ann Arbor restaurant
Owners Raphael and Rongrong Yue decided it was time to open a restaurant of their own when they moved from China to the U.S. in 2018 and were searching for a place that served food they liked.
Since its opening, the business has been serving authentic hand-made Asian bao buns fresh almost every day. Bao buns are similar to dumplings made by stuffing a bready dough with different proteins, vegetables and other fillings.
Rongrong, who also goes by Jessica, said the business makes around 200 bao buns each morning and each evening most weekdays. On weekends, the business makes upwards of 700 bao buns.
“We want to keep it as fresh as possible,” she said.
Bao Space has a long list of options to choose from for its bao buns, with flavors like premium Berkshire Pork, beef and onion, chicken and mushroom, pickled cabbage and pork, veggie, shrimp triple delight, red bean paste and black sesame.
Top-selling flavors are the premium Berkshire pork buns and the shrimp triple delight buns, Rongrong said, adding customers looking for a sweeter option should try the black sesame.
The business plans to expand its bao offerings in the coming weeks with the addition of a barbecue-style bao bun, Rongrong said.
Bao Space prides itself on using simple ingredients and making its buns in a traditional way, Rongrong said, adding she uses ingredients like yeast, water and milk for the dough.
Related: Hungry for a snack? Buns from Ann Arbor’s Bao Space are affordable, delicious
Beyond bao, the restaurant also serves dumplings, veggie spring rolls and lotus chicken, as well as other popular dishes like beef and radish soup and cold noodles with sesame sauce.
Bao Space’s spot on North Main Street is just a starting point as the Yue family said they hope to one day expand into a larger space in Ann Arbor.
For now, Rongrong said the business will remain in its current location and continue to be a lunch and dinner option for its supportive community.
Bao Space, at 205 N. Main St., is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Saturday and 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Find it online or by phone at 734-436-8488.
Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free “3@3 Ann Arbor” daily newsletter.
MORE ANN ARBOR LOCAL EATS:
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Hungry for authentic Southern barbecue? Give Satchell’s BBQ a try
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Zingerman’s Roadhouse is known as a go-to for barbecue
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Taste why Dom Bakeries is on Yelp’s list of top 100 doughnut shops
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: A Thanksgiving feast is on the menu at Harvest Moon Café
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Grab a burger and dive into a fishbowl at Good Time Charley’s
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Start your morning or end your night with The Owl in Milan
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Find seafood with a Cajun flair at Mac’s Acadian Seafood Shack
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Vegan desserts fill the menu at Tasty Bakery in Ann Arbor
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: You’ve got to try the apple fritter at Dexter Bakery
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Dozer Café brings coffee, brunch & comfort to HOMES Campus
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Palm’s Café is in an Ann Arbor hotel, but it has comfort food for everyone
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Get warm doughnuts & ice cream at Washtenaw Dairy in Ann Arbor
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Enjoy fresh seafood with a tasty martini at Black Pearl in Ann Arbor
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Looking for a late-night burrito? Check out BTB Burrito in Ann Arbor
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: This is the No. 1 sandwich at Maize and Blue Deli, and it’s huge
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Home-cooked meals available any time of the day at Holiday’s Restaurant
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Customers flock to Dexter’s Pub for chicken fajitas every Wednesday
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Check out Wolverine Tracks ice cream at this Ann Arbor creamery
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Find ‘one of the best’ Molcajete dishes at Cancun Mexican Grill
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Vinology brings seasonal menu, wide selection of wines to Ann Arbor
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: ‘Yellowstone’ inspired ice-cream flavor is a favorite at Dexter Creamery
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: The Smash Burger is ‘so simple, but so good’ at Grizzly Peak Brewing Co.
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Chelsea Alehouse Brewery aims to elevate its dishes while keeping ‘cool pub food’
Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Fresh doughnuts, pastries, bread available every day at Benny’s Bakery