We went to our usual spot for buns but they were sold out of everything we wanted...so we went down the street to try Mei Sum, as they looked like another old school bakery. Surprisingly, they had everything! It was around 4 or 5pm on a weekend and nothing was sold out...that was the 1st red flag, but we took it as fortune. We ordered what we wanted and the buns actually felt warm and I appreciated everything was individually bagged. We brough them home and upon closer inspection, the hot dogs were like dark/black-ish colored. Then the pork bun...it barely had any meat filling and when you found it, it didn't taste good and was dry. Then the other one with pineapple or something similar filling...it was okay...had to microwave it to soften up the bread and make it edible. We were disappointed and will not risk coming here again. read more

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Came on a Thursday morning, and there were lots of people inside! Mostly asian grandpa's/grandma's, which means that you know this place is legit. They were eating congee, which we didn't get, but looked yummy. It's a standard "Asian mom/pop pastry store," so don't go in expecting world class decor or a "cute study spot." Pretty bare, but just as I expected, and what makes these places good. They have indoor seating to eat your pastry. CASH ONLY. Prices are FANTASTIC!!!! Taiwanese Rice Ball ($2 each, 7/10) - That is an unbelievable price!!!! Haven't seen that price....since going to Taiwan lol - Standard breakfast item, rice on the outside, pork sung on the inside with pickled veggies and a fried donut. They're pretty generous on the filling, although the fried donut was not as crispy as I'm used to - Not the most delicious Rice Ball I've ever had, but with that price and the size of the Ball, that's a deal I'll take anyday Taro Pastry (8/10) - Very generous with the internal taro filling - Not too sweet, the pastry is flaky and soft. Definitely enjoyed and WOULD recommend this Meat Pastry (5/10) - Super flaky crust, melts in your mouth - Meat itself was quite dry, without much flavor. The filling was disappointing. - Also found a little small strip of aluminum foil hidden in the meat...not the most exciting find. Maybe eat your pastry carefully haha read more

Mei Sum - Meat Pastry (5/10) - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Came for the Taiwanese sticky rice balls (with pork song and you tiao) and it did not disappoint! It had pickled radish--exactly how I like it! Also bought fa gao and coconut mochi (with peanuts). Was so good, I came back the next day for more! The staff soaks limited English and its cash only but if you know what you want, it's not really an issue. The location is a hole-in-the wall in Chinatown. It's small and there's a lot of people just hanging around so we couldn't get a table even though I had ordered hot tea and wanted to sit down to eat/drink :/ read more

don't. go. here. plain and simple. we walked in there because it smelled so good from the outside, we wanted some authentic baked goods... maybe some milk bread. the pastries looked good but when we got home i noticed the roll thing i got had mold all over it. i wish i had checked the reviews before going here. the lady at the counter also couldn't understand us which is understandable but it was hard to know what anything was with no signs or anything. i also noticed when the lady who was helping us was grabbing the roll, another employee came over and took that one out of her hand... inspected it, put it back and gave me a different one, aka the moldy one. its almost like he knows he sells moldy food. read more

Mei Sum - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I love going to this spot for a quick bite. The best zongzi in town (they're my grandfather's favorite!), the pastries are fresh, my only complaint is no one told me they serve banh mi until today. The sandwich isn't the most packed, but the bread is toasted to perfection, the ingredients are fresh and tasty, and altogether it's pretty filling even though it's on the smaller side Naihuangbao (custard buns) are a personal favorite of mine and these don't disappoint They don't always have the biggest selection, but everything here is worth a try. I buy these zongzi by the dozen and they freeze really well (my family literally requests them when I go home). I'm not sure if they like, but you can always ask for things to be heated up a bit before you eat. This place doesn't look like much but it's a hit! read more

Mei Sum - Banh mi - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Got a durian cake for Mother Day and was satisfied although the writing on the cake could better though. Affordable and Worth the money! Definitely will get more durian cakes from here in the future! read more

Mei Sum - Durian cake - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Enjoyed their soy milk. Egg tarts seemed under cooked. The shell was a bit chewy. Might be because they were just finishing up as I arrived.

wanted to grab durian cake, but ended up having a sweet convo with the lady and some locals. love their interior. food was fresh and most buns were less than two bucks, fair price read more

Not my choice for banh mi. The one i had tasted funky in a bad way. It was the hottest day of the year for 2024 also. They have plenty of food options and have been an institution in the area forever. Service was real nice however. read more

Very affordable Bahn Mis with great taste. I went in with no expectations, the place looks a little old and there isn't a lot of space to sit down. I was very pleased when I got my order when I had the first bite. It was full of flavor, crunchy from the toasted bread a little juicy from the bulgogi meat. And the best part is that it was $7. read more

Bought some lemon cake from MeiSum bakery . Got home realized lemon cake has mold on it and took pics . My mom went to the bakery today and ask employee how long they leave bakery around . She said they leave bakery for about 1 week . So my mom ask to speak to a manager . Manager was cocky said should've bought it back .. no sorry no refund . Will be filing a complain with Boston department of health .. avoid going to this spot .. read more

Mei Sum - Mold on lemon cake - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I find Asian bakeries yum Especially the stuff at Mei Sum So awesome and cheap But their Banh Mi will keep Adding fat and flab straight to your bum Barbie just went here without me, and bought a ton of crap, I hope she saves Mei Sum. This Bakery has really good warm Banh Mi that she heats up in the microwave for you when you order it. It's pretty spicy with tons of cilantro and jalapeno. The meat on it is kind of like spam pork and I wasn't crazy about it and for that reason I wouldn't get this sandwich again but maybe they have a different type. I'm definitely a big fan. They have excellent wife cakes and yummy egg custard Tarts as well. The woman was super nice. You should have seen how adorable she was about taking my picture. She was telling other customers how about the experience of taking my picture and she even told me that I look very attractive. How can I not give 5 stars for all that. read more

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Mei sum bakery is a great place to stop by for a quick bite! They've got all sorts of Chinese pastries, buns and dimsum. From congee to banh mi to rice noodle rolls. All the food is super fresh, and they provide sauces in the to go boxes, which I think is a huge plus! The food is quite cheap and the service is great! You can't go wrong with anything you order. I have to say, it's a bit hard to find the restaurant. I've walked by many times, but haven't noticed it. Parking also may be difficult since it's located in the heart of Boston's Chinatown. Overall rating: 9/10 read more

Mei Sum - Shrimp rice rolls - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The banh mi was excellent! Really hit the spot. While it wasn't stuffed with filling, I don't know that banh mi are meant to be? It had a good combination of meats and a nice toasted bread. However, I wasn't as impressed with the pastries. The egg tart had a very meh shell. I didn't think the black bean bing shell was flaky enough or the filling especially tasty. The fried sweet taro bread was decent though. I get the impression that this is a hit or miss kind of bakery and so familiarity with the best items might help. read more

Been coming here for years and the old lady always ask how I'm doing and miss seeing me . They have the best bao with pork , sausage and eggs inside . I usually ordered 10 to go sometimes. Their congee is also good with a thousand years egg inside , scallions and pepper . Good for the morning breakfast and hangover . They have some dim sum items also. Good breakfast to go here and can't go wrong. The best in Chinatown for bao. read more

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The BEST MOCHI i have ever had. So good. Well worth going just for desert. I love the food

the best birthday cake! half taro/durian with pandan cream is my go to even though my husband can't handle the durian flavor

I came here on a Monday morning on my way to the greyhound station, hankering for a good Taiwanese breakfast. I had been craving fan Tuan for months -its a long piece of fried dough (you tiao) wrapped up in pork floss, a bit of pickled veggies and sticky rice. It's akin to a giant sushi burrito minus the seaweed? Most importantly, it's full of carb-y goodness. I finally found that this bakery sold them after searching in Boston and NYC. The bakery itself was bustling even on a Monday, and all the seats were taken up. Although the you tiao tasted a bit stale (-1 star for that), I had been craving it for so long that it still hit the spot. Plus it was only $2 for a very filling breakfast! Until I find another shop that sells them, I'll be returning when the craving hits. read more

Mei Sum - Fan Tuan - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Visited on a Saturday afternoon and it seemed like all the good selection of bread had already been taken :( I really wanted to try the pork steamed bun and pineapple bread but as far as I could tell, they were not on display at the counter. There are some english labels for the breads in the display but I also noticed that a lot of them placed on the counter and wrapped individually were not labelled. As far as I can tell, it's pretty much a guessing game so do your research in advance as to what you want to order at this Asian bakery. I purchased the banh mi, egg tart, pork floss bread, coconut bread, and 2 moon cakes. My total came out to $22 (CASH ONLY), which was definitely more than I anticipated but not a shocker since the moon cakes were $5.50 each. Not sure how much the other breads cost because I didn't get a receipt, but I presume they can't be more than 3 bucks for each of them. The banh mi truly impressed me-- it was toasted so well & the bread was perfectly soft and chewy. The sandwich was also prepared and filled with care by the lady who took my order. It tasted really good and there's really no other word for it. Just try it yourself & you will see why many have raved about the banh mi here. The egg tart was also solid-- nice custard texture with a flaky crust and egg-y flavor. It held up nicely even when cut in half and didn't fall apart like I've seen other egg tarts do elsewhere. I haven't had a chance to try the other Mei Sum breads yet but I have no doubt they will be as delicious as what I've had so far. read more

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This bakery looks old school but because of that, they have some of the delicious stuff other bakeries in the areas don't have. I came around closing so there wasn't much selection but managed to pick up the char siu bun, pork bun and coconut swiss roll cake. The pieces were huge, size of my palm. The total was only $5, what a steal! The char siu was okay, but the pork bun was absolutely delicious. It was filled with minced pork, boiled egg and chinese sausage. The coconut cake was moist and sweet. From the bakeries I've visited so far in the area, I'd say this is my favorite one given the old school menu items and value. I'd definitely like to come back and try their other items. read more

This was the first food stop we made in Boston. We were exploring Chinatown and found this hidden hole in the wall viet sandwich shop. This place has a lot of these older grandpas just hanging out so you know this place is good and authentic. We opted for the original cold cut sandwich (different from the regular kinds where you also get with bbq pork), but still pretty good. The bread are warm, crispy and soft like it should be. Hubby likes to get the wife cakes and he said it was flaky with lots of filling. A sandwich, wife cake and a homemade Chinese herbal tea came out to $7.50. Overall, a cheap and satisfying snack. read more

Mei Sum - Awesome viet sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Can't believe I have yet to yelp this place! This is the best place to get Durian Taro cake!! Cheap and very generous amount of durian and taro. Get your durian taro cake today! (no, I don't work for them) read more

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It wasn't the best but for the cheap price, it was worth it. I got the shrimp Cheng fun. It was a bit thick but enjoyable. I also got shrimp har gow which was very flavorful and good! read more

Mei Sum - Shrimp har gow and shrimp Cheng fun - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Paper sponge cake was bouncy and not too sweet. Char Siu So didn't taste too goof. The roast pork filling has a really weird pink coloring. Filling was also small. I ended up throwing it away. read more

Mei Sum - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Bahn mi: They were made-to-order and the banquette was toasty and warm. Yum! Egg tart: I liked the flaky and buttery pastry shell and how the sweetness level in the egg custard filling was very mild. Tea eggs: well marinaded and served warm Service: friendly staff Atmosphere: upon entering this little no-frills bakery, I felt like was transported back to the sixties. I also loved it how the television was playing a Hong Kong Radio香港電台 show which brought back a lot of memories. Oh how I miss Home Kong! read more

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Stopped in here for a sweet treat after a delicious meal at Pho Pasteur. The lady behind the counter had no interest in helping a confused, but sincerely interested, white dude choose from the available pastries. I got something I thought she said was "lemon cake." The filling was extremely dense, but not very sweet and absolutely no trace of lemon flavor. Can anyone help me identify what I ate from this photo? The one positive is that the prices were reasonable enough that you could try one of everything until you find something you like, but I think I'll stick to friendlier places in the area. read more

Mei Sum - Half of my mystery pastry - can anyone identify this dense, mildly sweet baked item? - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I remember that this was the place where my aunts used to grab Chinese pastries/buns when they went to Chinatown to do grocery shopping. Everything is fairly cheap and authentic. I used to be a huge fan of the coconut bun and egg tarts when I was growing up so for anyone who wants to relive their childhood, grab those (chocolate cake is a great option too). On my recent trip here, I came by to grab some youtiao (fried dough) to pimp out my congee since I was getting bored of just plain old congee. For a buck or two, this was a very worthwhile transaction as that greasy, salty dough stick instantly turned my 3 star congee dinner into a 4 star congee dinner. For what it's worth, this is a no frills, fancy-free bakery that also plays random old school Cantonese tv shows that definitely warrants a visit if you are hunting for Chinese pastries. IG: Mood4foodeatery read more

Went on a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) hunt in Boston's Historical Chinatown and stopped by Mei Sum. I guess what should have tipped me off was the fact that this bakery is predominantly Chinese and basically the only non-Chinese food item they offer is banh mi. The staff speaks Chinese, Vietnamese and English. They have some dim sum dishes (har gow, shu mai, shrimp rice noodle roll). Their Chinese baked goods (youtiao, egg tarts, white sugar sponge cake, etc.) looked delicious although I didn't actually try any. They had a huge poster for banh mi on their window so I figured it was fair game to try. What's weird about this place is there is no menu...I had to ask if they had banh mi and they listed out the different banh mi they offer. I got the banh mi thit nguoi (Vietnamese sandwich with cold cut meats) and would rate it a 3/5 if I am being generous. Banh mi traditionally uses French bread/baguette but Mei Sum uses some twist of French bread with cornmeal or something all along the bottom of the bread. The pickled vegetables (carrots and daikon) have a strong pickled flavor which may be off-putting for some. The cold cut meats were standard quality - the cha lua (Vietnamese ham) is pretty decent. What really makes a banh mi sandwich for me is the pate and Vietnamese mayo and while Mei Sum uses pate - they leave out the mayo. I also opted for the banh mi thit nuong (Vietnamese sandwich with grilled meat) and would rate it a 1/5. The thit nuong (grilled meat) is usually pork but I think that Mei Sum uses beef. The grilled meat was not grilled (it lacked any char and was most likely cooked on a pan) and was heavily, heavily marinated in salt. The meat was also very tough and overcooked. My mouth is still tingling from the saltiness as I type this review. While it came with the pickled carrots/daikon, fresh cilantro and jalapeño - the banh mi thit nuong does not come with pate. read more

Best Durian Taro Cake in Boston. They have been making them since I was a tiny kid. It's always a nice treat to buy it on any one's birthday. read more

Small bakery with lots of uncles and aunties, so you know it's a legit place for some Asian pastries! I came on a Saturday morning, line was short. My husband was craving for some Taiwanese breakfast so we got a rice roll (close enough) and a egg tart to go. $2.55 for both - that's a pretty good deal! The quality of the rice is actually really good, egg tart is big and filling as well. Bring some cash with you just in case! read more

Mei Sum - Taiwanese rice ball yum - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I would give 0 star if I can. My mom bought 10 cupcakes, 8 pineapple bun, 10 shu mai, 10 shrimp dumplings and a pack of egg tart for my family on the day of my grandpa's funeral. The cupcakes are molded, the bun have a sour taste, and shu mai and shrimp dumplings are not edible. I called the store and all they said is bring them back... Well we can't bring it all back because it's divided among our family members and it's a hassle to bring it all the way back to chinatown.. Horrible customer service. read more

Such a cute little bakery in Chinatown! I asked for something sweet and the adorable woman at the counter picked me something delicious. It's so cheap so bring cash! It was just $1 for a huge pastry! read more

After a year or so hiatus I've come back to try their banh mi. They changed their bread- before it was more like the football/torpedo shaped roll. Today's was the skinny round baguette which made me sad cause it wasn't light or airy. Aside from the bread they also changed the way they sliced the cold cuts to thicker- im here or there. But thank god the pate was generous and flavorful because they were skimmmppyy on the carrot and daikon. I say carrot cause there was probably just a single strand of each. WTF guys. Their prices went up as well which is lame since the sandwich got smaller. read more

My favorite bakery is at the end of the block but well worth the walk. I usually pay with cash. I can't even remember any more if they take credit card since I've always paid with cash so keep that in mind. There are three women who have been there every time I've come and are super sweet. Most times people believe I speak fluent Chinese and begin talking until I smile and ask for something in English and get the hairy eye ball, but not here. Maybe because I've been coming for so many years. They all smile at me and come over to take my order. They are patient and kind and explain things to me when I can't quite remember what it is that I want. Recently I spoke to them in what broken Chinese I know and they humored me by speaking slow and clearly. It was quite fun! Of course the more I speak the more comes back to me but not really enough to hold any type of a real conversation. Yes, there are many older men sitting around drinking coffee and I smile at them as I remember my dad. He was scruffy like them but harmless and full of love. I brought a troop of girl scouts here from the sticks of Vermont (their parent's actually trusted me to bring them around the city and into "Chinatown". I got one of almost everything. The girls were nervous but excited and all of these kind old men got up and made space for all of us to sit. I think they liked the idea that I was introducing and having them sample some what we considered our everyday pastries. The pastries are not "sweet" compared to cookies and cakes. They are fairly light and not dense and are sweet but not sugary. Our favorites: The white steamed sponge cake The lemon roll The almond cookies (over on the rack by the window) The coconut cream bun The hot coconut bun (in the warmer oven) and of course the Pork Buns (Steamed or Baked) Cha Siu Bau I also get the mini egg custards with the flaky crust The prices are reasonable so even when I think I am getting a lot it doesn't cost me too much. The place is old and run down but busy and that is just how it is and how I remember things in most Chinatowns I went to when I was just a kid. read more

Is it really possible that the Chinese Cha Siu Bau (Roasted Pork Bun in Cantonese Chinese) and the Vietnamese Banh Mi (Vietnamese style baguette sandwich) could possibly live together in harmony at one place? Apparently, this bakery can make it happen at a pretty good price. I got a steamed Cha Siu Bau for $.80 and a Beef Banh Mi for almost $3 for lunch. The beef in the Banh Mi was okay, the beef itself was a little rough to chew, but still tasty. I also had it spicy, so it definitely made a significant difference in the taste. Bread was somewhat tasty and somewhat toasty. I noticed that the bakery uses Quinzani Bakery's (located in the South End) baguettes in order to produce the Banh Mi. I was able to tell because I saw their huge supply of bread in the back of the Banh Mi counter and read the bag label. I came back again, and I also found out that they serve a few dim sum dishes. They serve two varieties of Cheung Fun (Cantonese Chinese term for rice noodle roll), and you can get the shrimp and the beef version. I ordered the Ha Cheung Fun (Shrimp rice noodle roll) and it was $2.50 a container for four large pieces. You have to ask them to heat it up for you. The Ha Cheung Fun was okay, nothing spectacular. I tasted more rice noodle than shrimp, even though the shrimp is of average size and kind of meaty. I ordered a Ha Cheung Fun and a baked Cha Siu Bau for lunch, making the total to be $3.40. As for the two versions of the the Cha Siu Bau (Roasted Pork Bun), the steamed version was decent, it was not really meaty enough for my tastes. I tasted more of the white bread than the meat. I also had the baked version at $.90 a piece, and that was definitely better than the steamed. It was more meatier, and the bun was warm, soft and chewy. If you want the steamed version, you have to ask them to heat it up for you. The baked version comes out of the oven. Overall, I would say that this bakery is somewhat of an attempt to become a "jack of all trades" bakery. Other than the traditional buns, cakes, and pastries, they can serve some rice noodle rolls (something that Ho Yuen Bakery down the street cannot) and even better, they can even serve the Vietnamese Banh Mi (something that May's Cake House cannot). Although I have had better Cha Siu Bau, Ha Cheung Fun (shrimp rice noodle roll), and even slightly better Banh Mi, this is not a bad choice if you want to have Cha Siu Bau, Ha Cheung Fun AND Banh Mi at the same time in one place. read more

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I have to admit, I was pretty darn disappointed (and for a few minutes a little put-off) by the fact that this place has four stars. We walked into Mei Sum bright eyed and bushy tailed on a Monday morning, probably a tad too excited because this would be our first taste of Asian food in four days. The lady working the counter was brusque and not very helpful. There was no one else in line so I didn't get why she was trying to hurry us along. Granted, we were confused because there wasn't a menu board or even a paper menu to let you know what's on tap. So we were trying to look through all the pastries that were available in the case right now. We ended up ordering a steamed pork bun (boy, she was annoyed when it took me a second to understand they also had baked buns and she wanted to know which one we wanted) and two freshly made rice balls (fan tuan). Pork bun: Dense as hell. Filling was decent but the bun to filling ratio was way too large. And did I mention it was dense? Rice balls: This is one of my fave Chinese breakfast items. I would eat pretty terrible ones too. But these were unacceptable. The sticky sweet rice was extremely overcooked, to the point that it was like porridge. The plastic wrap served to hold the whole thing together because as soon as you unwrapped the rice ball, it disintegrated in your hands. The experience was further worsened by the chewy, old fried cruller inside. Trying to bite off a piece while the pork floss went everywhere and the mushy rice fell to the ground was frustration incarnate. Horrible. Fried Cruller (you tiao): We ordered one but quickly regretted it when they merely took a cold one off a stack sitting against the wall and wrapped it up. We didn't bother trying it. Man...although less of a critical factor, the place was dirty and old. The bad food and attitude just made the experience all the worse. read more

With so many bakeries in Chinatown, it's hard to pick a favorite! I've been slowly working my way down Beach St., and I walked ALL THE WAY DOWN to Mei Sum last week. Yeah, I know it's not that far, but I was on a bus layover in South Station, so it's a teeny tiny bit far (esp in the wind and rain)! Based on friends' reviews, I decided to try their Pineapple buns. The place was very cozy in a typical small, Asian bakery kind of way. It felt so Asian that I felt obliged to actually speak Chinese when ordering my buns! I grabbed three, they weren't too pricey and I think I got an extra 5 cents back or something. I bit into my first one as I was sitting on my bus headed to NY, and the top was warm, flakey, and delicious!! Super delicious!! However, the inside was a little bit moist and the dough didn't feel cooked all the way through. I ended up enjoying the outside and picking out the middle. read more

I got a cold cut banh mi and 2 containers of beef rice rolls. First off, I think the rice rolls are overpriced at $5 each. They're pretty good, but this price is more than at dim sum, imo Second, the banh mi has good points and bad points. PROS: * pate! delicious meaty pate, you can definitely taste some of the liver * the cold cuts are pretty hardcore - I definitely got a slice of some terrine with a slice of pig ear which I loved CONS: * bread. Ouch ouch ouch, I could actually taste the scratches on the roof of my mouth after this sandwich. I think if you're more careful and eat more slowly it wouldn't be as much of an issue. * cold cuts are sliced pretty thick, which isn't the end of the world, but leads to less than stellar distribution. Overall, while this banh mi feels less "polished" than New Saigon Sandwich, the pate and the quality of the cold cuts are quite good. I would say Mei Sum and New Saigon are objectively equal but have their own pros and cons. NSS' bread is better and everything is cut and distributed a bit better, but the protein isn't as impressive. read more

Mei Sum - Delicious pate in that banh mi - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

There is a new banh mi king in town...well its not new, but shit, why hasn't anyone told me about this place earlier. Those old guys with newspapers are my new family. The menu-less counter makes you order with your nose. Your nose is telling you Beef Bahn Mi and 2 Taro Buns for under $5. read more

Mei Sum - The artist - Bakeries Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I'd bookmarked Mei Sum for their sweet pastries, but turns out they make delicious bahn mi as well! Everything is made fresh to order, including a quick trip to the toaster oven for the baguette. The tofu didn't have quite as much flavor as at New Saigon Sandwich, but overall still a very satisfying and delicious lunch option. On a Sunday they also had a bunch of dim sum offerings like siu mai and rice noodle rolls. The shop was bustling, but ladies working here were so friendly and happy to explain anything. And the price can't be beat--I think it was $14 for 3 sandwiches, a pork bun, and a doughnut! New Saigon Sandwich is probably still my favorite bahn mi in Chinatown, but I'll surely come back here if I want lunch and dessert in one stop! read more