Restaurant How Bao Now

A cozy hole-in-the-wall at The Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, where two of Cape Town’s most talented chefs—Matt van den Berg and Carla Schulze, both alumni of the legendary Test Kitchen—dish up Taiwan-inspired bao buns with a local twist. How Bao Now started as a food stall at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market before finding its permanent home, and it has since become a must-visit for anyone who takes their buns seriously .

The menu is concise but packed with flavour. Fluffy steamed milk buns come loaded with options like 12-hour slow-cooked pork belly, beef short rib, Szechuan fried chicken, brisket and kimchi, or BBQ jackfruit for the plant-based crowd. Each bao is dressed with pickled carrots and cucumber, fresh herbs, sesame emulsion, and crispy onions. The vegetarian Banana Blossom Bao has been called the best thing one reviewer ate on their entire holiday. At the Time Out Market Cape Town location, exclusive combos include crayfish bao infused with Cape Malay flavours and a wagyu sando-bao with chilli crunch mayo.