If you’re visiting or live here, you have to visit Mei Lai Wah. The pineapple pork bun is the best in the city. The bun is slightly sweet, crispy on the outside, soft and steamy in the center, and topped with a crispy, sugary, caramelized top (that only resembles pineapple skin in look, it has no pineapple, in case you’re allergic). It is filled with savory, tender pork and sauce that creates a well-balanced flavor profile. Everything is delicious and reasonably priced. You can easily grab things to walk around Chinatown with and eat or meet friends at a park for a picnic. Depending on the time of day, you may have to wait in line. Note that many people ignore the kiosk outside and the one right when you walk in. Use those to order and pay even faster. It is worth the wait if you have to. It’s always a highlight to people who are looking for something amazing while they walk through Chinatown. Please go and please tell your friends.

This is one of the most famous Chinese bakeries in Manhattan’s Chinatown, and I’d heard so much about it from food vloggers that I had to try it for myself. I went with a friend on a weekend afternoon, and even though it was later in the day, the place was still packed. We waited about 10 minutes in line, but the staff kept things moving quickly, and once we ordered, our food came right away since everything is freshly baked and ready to go. The selection is huge, but we decided to stick with their signature items: the pineapple-crusted pork bun and the original pork bun. Both were delicious, but the pineapple version really stood out. It’s essentially the same soft, savory pork bun, but topped with a golden pineapple crust that adds a crunchy texture and a subtle sweetness—it feels like a deluxe upgrade of the classic. The original pork bun was flavorful and satisfying as well, filled generously with savory pork. These buns work great as a snack or can easily be shared between two people. Overall, it was a fun and tasty stop, and I’d definitely come back to try more of their offerings.

I first heard about this place through my boyfriend and his sister. She came on vacation and came back from NY with 2 bags of these delicious pork buns!!! I tell you one of the BEST flavors I’ve tried in my life! The buns are soft and fresh, and the pork is deliciously flavored! BRING CASH!!! Because it’s faster to pay at the end; line for cards is usually slower. (If you are in a hurry that is) PS: The buns are only $2.50 each !!!!!

I went around during lunchtime, and there was an insane line—two lines, actually: one for cash and one for credit card payments. If you're using a card, you can place your order through the iPad. a must try was the pork bun since its been trending it's sweet but better with hotsauce for a bit kick. siomai is good too. I recommend skipping the spring roll because it has barely any filling, and the rice roll was just average too.

I have been going to Mei Lai Wah since the 1990s. They are my favorite bakery in Chinatown. They have the best pork buns. The filling is not too sweet unlike the other pork buns that I had. Today I stopped by their new location. It is bigger, cleaner, and more organized. I bought tons of buns and dim sum. By the time I finished ordering, the place got packed with tourists.

The pork and pineapple bun is, in a word, spectacular! 10,000/10. The line to order is long, but it's totally worth it. If you travel to New York, don't miss eating at this place. 100% recommended.

This place is always a great stop for easy and delicious lunch. It is popular though so expect a line pretty much any time but if you have cash you can often go right up to the counter. The pineapple roast pork buns are famous for a reason - nice crust on the bun and the sweet and savory flavor combo is awesome and took me back to Shanghai. But as good as those were, I tried the fried sticky rice with chicken and that blew me away with how good it was. So definitely get a pineapple bun but it’s worth trying some of their other items too! It’s a great spot!

Rating: 4.4/5 I've been wanting to try their Pineapple Bun with Roasted Pork ($3.10) for the longest time, but there's usually a long line whenever we pass by. This time, we came on a Tuesday around 10 AM and luckily, there was no wait. We ordered through the kiosk since we paid with credit card. The estimated wait was 20-30 minutes, but our order came out in about 5 minutes. If you pay with cash, it seems you get your food even faster. The price is amazing for the value. We ate the bun right away, and it was so good! The pineapple crust had that nice textured crisp, while the inside was soft and airy. It wasn't as sweet as I expected, which I liked. The pork filling was flavorful and generously portioned. While I really enjoyed it, I wouldn't wait more than 20-30 minutes for it.