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.
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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.
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