The story
Mei Lai Wah, a third-generation family-run bakery on Mott Street, operates like a well-oiled machine—churning out over 2,000 buns daily from 50-year-old recipes and freshly handmade dough. Its famous pineapple roast pork bun remains a steal at $2.50, a testament to authentic Chinese baked goods that haven’t budged from tradition or affordability.
Jack’s Dining Room calls it an “incredible bun game,” highlighting the steamed roast pork bun, which he says is “super stuffed” with soft dough, and the coconut bun as a “solid dessert option.” According to Jack, Mei Lai Wah goes “three for three” on its buns, proving this third-generation spot still delivers on tradition with every bite.
Synthesised by AI from every creator’s review. First reviewed 2024.
Most-loved dishes
AI summary of what 4 dish mentions say about the food
“This is the most famous dish in all of Chinatown. They're doing over 2,000 buns a day, 350 a pop — these dudes are printing money on these things. Look at how much pork they put in here! It's like a sweet Chinese barbecue sauce. This is delicious, and for 350, great deal.”
“This is delicious. You got a little crisp on the outside of this, the inside is so steamy and soft, and the grandma's roast pork recipe is delicious — it's like this sweet glaze and it's so heartwarming. They've been using the same exact recipes for the past 50 years. The roast pork is their grandma's roast pork marinade, the dough is their grandparents' recipe that they brought from China. Everything handmade everyday fresh in the morning. At $2.50, this might be an even better deal than Wong's $7.50 roast pork over rice.”
What creators say
3 creators have covered Mei Lai Wah. Most active: Jack's Dining Room
Shorts 2
Videos 1
Mei Lai Wah is a third-generation family-run spot serving famous pineapple roast pork buns for $2.50, using 50-year-old recipes and handmade dough daily.
Dishes mentioned
Pineapple Roast Pork Bun
This is delicious. You got a little crisp on the outside of this, the inside is so steamy and soft, and the grandma's roast pork recipe is delicious — it's like this sweet glaze and it's so heartwarming. They've been using the same exact recipes for the past 50 years. The roast pork is their grandma's roast pork marinade, the dough is their grandparents' recipe that they brought from China. Everything handmade everyday fresh in the morning. At $2.50, this might be an even better deal than Wong's $7.50 roast pork over rice.
