A popular London restaurant group known for bringing Taiwanese street food to British diners is preparing to make its next big move. This time, it is heading to Singapore with a new fast-food concept that combines crispy fried chicken, unusual steamed buns and the convenience of a neighborhood store.
Bao, which operates seven restaurants in London, is introducing a new venture called BFF, short for Bao Fast Foods. Unlike the group’s existing restaurants, the new concept will bring together fast food, packaged snacks, ready-to-eat meals and merchandise under one roof.
BFF will open in New Bahru, Singapore, on November 11, 2026, for a limited run ending December 28. The founders are also considering a permanent location during the first half of 2027.
The opening marks an important step for the London-based business, which hopes to introduce a different approach to Taiwanese-inspired fast food.
From a Small London Market Stall to Seven Restaurants
Bao’s story began more than a decade ago when founders Shing Tat Chung, Erchen Chang and Wai Ting Chung started selling Taiwanese gua bao at London’s Netil Market.
Gua bao are soft, folded steamed buns typically filled with meat, vegetables, and sauces. Their combination of fluffy bread and flavorful fillings helped Bao establish a following among London diners.
What started as a market operation eventually developed into a restaurant group with seven locations across the British capital.
The founders built their reputation by presenting Taiwanese food in an approachable way while experimenting with recipes and restaurant design.
Now, rather than simply replicating their successful London restaurants elsewhere, they are trying something different.
Their newest venture moves away from the traditional Bao restaurant experience and focuses on quick meals, casual shopping and playful interpretations of familiar Taiwanese dishes.
The shift could also help the company reach customers who prefer convenient takeout meals instead of sitting down for a restaurant experience.
Singapore’s New BFF Location Will Look Like a Convenience Store
The upcoming BFF location will occupy a ground-floor unit at New Bahru, a lifestyle destination on Kim Yam Road in Singapore.
The space was previously home to One Prawn & Co. Rather than turning it into a conventional restaurant, Bao’s founders are developing a concept inspired by convenience stores commonly found throughout Taiwan.
Customers can expect shelves stocked with Taiwanese chips, packaged snacks and instant noodles alongside a counter serving freshly prepared meals.
The store will also offer takeaway options, including egg sandwiches, salads and other chilled dishes.
Beyond food, shoppers will find BFF-branded products and accessories.
According to CNA Lifestyle, the merchandise will include umbrellas, tote bags, socks, plush toys, water bottles and other everyday items.
The idea is to create a place where customers can buy lunch, browse unusual products, and experience elements of Taiwanese convenience-store culture.
For customers used to traditional burger and fried-chicken chains, the combination offers something different.
Fried Chicken Will Be the Main Attraction
Although the store promises a wide variety of products, fried chicken will be its biggest culinary attraction.
The signature Chicken Chopper will start at S$6.50.
Developing the recipe was no small task. According to the founders, the chicken went through approximately 140 rounds of research and development before reaching its intended form.
The preparation involves dipping the chicken in a soy milk batter, then coating it with tapioca starch.
The result is designed to produce a light, crackly exterior while keeping the meat tender inside.
Customers can choose from three preparations.
The Original Crispy version features a seasoning blend that includes Taiwanese white pepper.
Flame Glazed chicken gets a soy-garlic glaze or mala hot honey coating, then gets finished with a torch.
The third option, Master Scalded, involves dipping fried chicken into a hot sauce made with soy sauce, cinnamon, and star anise.
These preparations let customers enjoy the same basic dish in different ways, from traditional crispy chicken to more elaborate flavors.
Combo Meals Will Start at S$9.50
Customers looking for a complete meal will also have several options.
BFF’s chicken combo meals will start at S$9.50, with accompaniments including cabbage slaw, buttered rice, dan dan noodles, and beef cup noodles.
The beef noodles are particularly interesting because they combine Taiwanese inspiration with an unexpected cooking technique.
Instead of using conventional sliced beef, the dish features marinated beef cooked on a rotating spit and carved for serving.
The preparation draws inspiration from al pastor, a cooking style associated with Mexican cuisine.
The founders also experimented with traditional Chinese meat-tenderizing techniques as they developed the dish.
Another unusual menu item is the Gravy Bao, a deep-fried bun containing chicken gravy.
Customers can break open the bun and pour the gravy over their chicken.
The menu will also include a Bao Soupie, inspired by Chinese pan-fried soup buns.
Interestingly, the new concept will not focus on the folded gua bao that helped make the original London restaurant famous.
Instead, the founders are introducing different products suited to BFF’s fast-food format.
The Drinks and Desserts Are Just as Unusual
Fried chicken and noodles are only part of the menu.
BFF will also serve a free self-service pickle slushie, an unusual addition that proved popular during the concept’s earlier trial in Taipei.
Customers looking for something more familiar can choose from Taiwanese craft teas and other specialty drinks.
One option is Fluffy Natural Alishan Wintermelon, a nitrogen-infused tea beverage priced at S$5.95.
Another is Orange Guava Beauty, a sparkling tea drink featuring orange, guava, and Taiwanese tea, priced at S$6.50.
The menu will also include Peanut Oatside M*lk with oat boba and tea jelly for S$6.
For dessert, customers can expect soy puddings with creative flavor combinations.
The variety reflects BFF’s broader ambition to offer more than the usual fried chicken meal.
The Founders Tested the Idea in Taiwan First
Before announcing the Singapore opening, Bao’s founders experimented with the BFF concept in Taipei.
They ran a month-long pop-up in June 2026 to test recipes and better understand Taiwanese convenience-store culture.
The project involved food experiments, community conversations and collaborative design activities.
Customer feedback helped the founders refine their ideas, including the beef noodles and fried chicken preparations.
Speaking to CNA Lifestyle, co-founder Shing Tat Chung explained the business’s motivation.
“We wanted to take Taiwanese culture and spread it,” he said.
The founders believe Taiwanese food has room for wider representation within the international fast-food industry.
Singapore offers an opportunity to test whether the concept can succeed beyond audiences already familiar with Bao’s London restaurants.
However, they also acknowledge that Singapore’s competitive restaurant market could present challenges.
A Permanent Singapore Restaurant Could Follow in 2027
The upcoming opening is not necessarily the end of Bao’s Singapore plans.
The initial pop-up will run from November 11 through December 28, 2026, giving the company a chance to introduce its menu and gauge customer interest.
The founders hope to establish a permanent Singapore location during the first half of 2027, although a confirmed opening date has not been announced.
The temporary restaurant will also host community-focused discussions and events, continuing an experimental approach the founders developed during their Taipei project.
For now, customers interested in experiencing the concept will have a limited opportunity to visit.
The address is BFF, New Bahru, #01-10, 46 Kim Yam Road, Singapore 239351.
With its combination of Taiwanese fried chicken, gravy-filled buns, specialty drinks, and convenience-store shopping, BFF is entering Singapore with a concept that differs from conventional fast-food chains.
Whether that unusual combination becomes a permanent fixture remains to be seen. But after growing from a small London market stall into a seven-location restaurant group, Bao’s founders are preparing to test their next big idea in one of Asia’s competitive dining markets.
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