The classic Bo Lo Bao—also known as pineapple bun—is a popular old-school Hong Kong street snack that can be found across bakeries and cha chaan tengs in the Pearl of the Orient. Interestingly, these traditional pineapple buns have no traces of the fruit at all. The name was aptly bestowed to the palm-size snack due to its uncanny resemblance to the checkered fruit.
These sweet buns are crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and typically served warm with a slab of butter in between.
In recent years, unique renditions of the classic Bo Lo Bao have emerged in Hong Kong. We are seeing flavours such as peanut butter and strawberry rose jam being injected into these buns, and even a hybrid between a croissant and Bo Lo Bao!
Don’t get us wrong; we still love the traditional pineapple buns—especially the ones from Kam Wah’s. But we are game for trying new things. Here are some unique Bo Lo Bao creations you must try in Hong Kong.
URBAN Bakery Works’ Ball Law Cossant is a brilliant east-meets-west invention. It is essentially a hybrid of croissant and pineapple bun stuffed with a slab of French butter. The golden brown croissant’s texture is crisp and flaky with delightful buttery folds.
URBAN Bakery Works
Room 322, 3/F The Landmark
15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3565 4320
Mon to Fri: 7.30am – 8pm Sat, Sun & PH: 8.30am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Central
Kasa’s contemporary take on the classic Bo Lo Bao has revamped it into a Hamburger Pineapple Bun. The fusion burger comprises a sunny-side-up egg and Japanese char siu with ginger mayonnaise stuffed between two pineapple buns.
Suite 103, 1/F Shui On Centre
6-8 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2659-9189
Mon to Fri: 8am – 9.30pm
Sat: 12pm – 9.30pm
Closed on Sundays
Nearest Station: Wan Chai
PEANUT BUTTER BO LO BAO
Hoover Cake Shop is an unassuming Chinese-style bakery situated in Kowloon City. The bakery sells an assortment of interesting flavoured bo lo baos and is especially popular amongst locals. The selection of flavours include Peanut Butter Bo Lo Bao with real peanuts.
Hoover Cake Shop
136 Nga Tsin Wai Road
Kowloon City, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2382 0383
Daily: 6.30am – 11.30pm
Nearest Station: Lok Fu