This Chinese bakery has the best cocktail buns and baked bbq pork buns. I'm hoping one day they will make a Mexican bbq pork bun as well as a pineapple bbq pork bun. Their pineapple custard bun doesn't have enough custard filling but still tastes good. Giving this one a 4 star but the other 2 are 5 stars. read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Baked goods price list as of 1/2026 - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is the quintessential Chinese breakfast cafe. There's old Chinese men nursing a cup of coffee and the smell of fresh made breads. Cash only! This place opens early and they sell more than just Chinese breads. My favorites btw are the pineapple bun, pineapple bun with red bean, and cocktail bun. We've also had noodle soup and beef chow fun from this bakery. The congee also looked delicious and I look forward to trying that next time! read more

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Love this place! I've been here for the breakfast and lunch. I'm a big fan of the set menus with the noodle soup and bao. The century egg and pork porridge is also really good. I usually get the lemon tea as the drink. Their lunch dishes are also good. Some favorites are -turnip egg pancake -lamb and bean curd -pork rib and mushroom read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Been coming here since I was a kid living in SF! I used to come here more but since I moved away, I just stop by whenever I'm in the area. The best item is their pineapple bun, especially fresh! I love the crackly and crumbly top, and the soft texture inside. The service here is friendly but nothing crazy. Aside from being a bakery, which is what I primarily came here for, it's also a cafe. They serve great Chinese food as well! read more

I was soo craving BBQ pork buns & this is the place go. I especially LOVE the cream buns here! Yes YES & I bought both. I also got a pineapple cream bun for curiosity. There's maybe 2 other places on San Bruno Ave that offer BBQ buns but I go here! Also- It's Cash Only, no ATM in store. read more

Best buns I've had in a long time!!! Look, don't come to a legit Chinese place for the ambiance. There were a couple flies just hovering at the entrance and there are tables you can eat at...but I'd opt to get in and get out. Came on a Tuesday morning and there was a couple of people but no wait. There are menus of what buns they have available and prices. The ladies are super nice and can speak English. I asked for my order to be placed in 2 separate boxes and that wasn't an issue. I personally tried the cocktail bun and the pineapple bun. Both were buttery and delicious. The cocktail bun was fresh and the coconut filling was tasty and flavorful. The pineapple bun could have had more of a cookie like crust but also soft and fresh and perfectly sweet. I'm definitely going to buy buns here whenever I get the chance. The prices also are so reasonable for this day and age!!! read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Cocktail bun - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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So I was just there on 10/18/2025. The gon chow ngau ho (dry stir fried beef chow fun) is $12.95, and it's a good quantity in one of the typical flat, square takeout boxes. I would give this place a 3.5/5 cuz I think that would better reflect the "ambience" (or lack thereof! LOL) of this place, but I rounded up to also reflect the value. read more

Breakfast service stops at 11am. We got the breakfast combo E $9.50, which is beef porridge and soy sauce chow mein with a milk tea. The toisan 台山 fried rice was excellent. It was a lot of food already but we wanted to get the pineapple buns with a slice of butter. This is great if you are eating in the dining room since the pineapple bun comes straight out of the warm bun case. They provide a knife for you to slide that square of butter inside the bun yourself. Cash only and mandatory 15% tip if you are dining here. read more

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Best pork buns on this side of town easily Always fresh and great friendly service My kids always make me order extras for home read more

Cash only, no frills bakery / cafe. Pineapple bun was warm and I like their HK milk tea - which they make to order. Lady behind the counter was kind to direct me where the nearest ATM is and held on to my order until I came back. Parking is tough but that whole street is anyway. read more

Solid bbq pork bun shop in a sketchy neighborhood. If I have to to be critical, the inside is good, but there is a heavy bread to meat, ratio, and the bread, although baked fresh, that day seemed a little bit hard compared to other places I've been to in San Francisco. I did not like the scent of the plain sandwich bread I ordered. Is it margarine or lard I detect? 12 buns for $29 or so. A big loaf of fresh square bread $5.50 Cash only, ATM at the liquor store down the street read more

Cocktail and pineapple buns are the must order treats from this bakery. The onion bun is also fluffy and savory. read more

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The best pineapple bun, cocktail bun, and bbq pork that I've had. The bread is insanely fluffy! Service was great, employees were very nice and helpful. Plenty of chairs and seats. Restrooms for customers. They have a variety of food to order like chow mien and fried rice. I will absolutely take an hour trip out to this place for Chinese pastries read more

The gai mai bao are insane! The filling is wrapped in a pillowy bun and it's just the right amount of sugar/butter/coconut mixture! Can't beat the price either! Bring cash...no cards or any other form of payment.... read more

My review is based on the takeout bbq pork buns my future MIL usually gets for me. Wow- they are SO yummy! Whenever I see the pink box full of these wonderful savory pillows of joy, I get so excited. I just got a freshly made box this past week and I couldn't help but inhale one. The warm soft bread and the delicious savory honey bbq pork inside are the perfect bite. My future MIL highly recommends going on a weekday or when they open because it can get really crowded as it is a super popular Asian bakery and a go-to spot for a variety of baos, especially the pineapple ones. One day I'll have to trek out there and see what other carbs I can sink my teeth into. For now I'll savor the 3 (out of a dozen) that I have left from the weekend. read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Best char siu baos! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love the gai mei (coconut) bao! There's a generous glob of sweet coconut filling inside a super soft bun. You can't go wrong with this one! Also had the pineapple bun (eh) and sponge cake, which was light and fluffy. They're best fresh and warm, although the sponge cake heated up pretty well in microwave the next day. Gai mei bao! All day, every day. read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Pineapple bun (left), sponge cake (middle) and cocktail bun (right) - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

My go to place for Chinese baked goods like cocktail. pineapple, custards, and pork buns. They had excellent sponge cake till they changed the recipe. The ham and egg is great too but def eat it the same day. It doesn't keep well. I don't go there for their cooked food though so my rating is only for baked pastries. Service is fast and efficient. I usually call ahead but in Cantonese.. you'll need to on the weekends as they sell out fast. read more

4.5 STARS I made a pot of Filipino spaghetti for the week with this new low-cal, low-carb, and high-fiber pasta I bought. Surprisingly the pasta texture didn't taste like punishment but they weren't playing when they said, "high-fiber"... it left me hella bloated and playing the booty acoustics all night long. The next morning, my stomach still felt like it was doing somersaults so I needed something bland and easy on the stomach. JOOK! Red House Bakery & Café has been a staple in The Portola area for as long as I can remember for their baos. But, what you don't want to sleep on is their Cantonese/HK Breakfast Combos. You get two items with hot HK milk tea for under $10. And, the portions are SO generous so you can make two meals out of it. One of the best deals in the city! Since COVID, it's been takeout only and they've closed the dining area. Parking can be a hot mess so I highly recommend calling ahead for pick-up so you can double park to run in and grab your order. Or, bring someone who can. M E N U * Cantonese baked goods; baos, pastries, individual savory pies, and cakes. Aside from the cakes, the baked goods are only $1.10-$2.25 each. * Cantonese/HK Breakfast Combos (served until 11 am): Jook, noodles, cheong fun, macaroni soup w/ ham, etc. All combos include hot HK milk tea and are under $10 including tax. * Made-to-Order Entrees, Rice, and Noodle dishes. * Drinks: Tea, coffee, juice, and bottled drinks. CASH ONLY! F O O D * Breakfast Combo: Soy Sauce Chow Mein + Century Egg & Pork Jook w/ hot HK milk tea ($9.80 including tax): https://bit.ly/3OKBa3O --Soy Sauce Chow Mein: The pan-fried HK egg noodles were chewy and springy. Lightly seasoned and tossed with crisp white onions, green onions, and bean sprouts. Not much wok hei but the portion is huge and I usually pay $9-$10 for a side of this at dim sum so I can overlook it. Add some chili oil...boom, you're all set. --Century Egg & Pork Jook: The rice in the jook was nicely broken down creating a creamy, velvety texture. There was a good amount of tender pork (shoulder?) with about 1/3rd century egg to add some salty creamy funk. I added julienned ginger and white pepper at home for flavor. No youtiao (chinese cruller) available here. --Hot HK Milk Tea: Strong tea flavor (ceylon) with good milky creaminess (evaporated milk) and a touch of sweetness. I only drank half for lunch and it kept me up for most of the night. They put scotch tape on the sippy hole to avoid spillage during transit. Very thoughtful. S E R V I C E Fast and efficient. A M B I A N C E Old skool. Takeout only. P A R K I N G Really difficult metered and residential parking. Overall, solid Cantonese/HK Breakfast with huge portions and prices you can't beat with inflation going on. 4.5 stars rounded up for one of the best value meals in the city. If you're rolling through the south side of the city, def give Red House Bakery & Café a try! read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Breakfast Combo: Soy Sauce Chow Mein + Century Egg & Pork Jook w/ HK Milk Tea | $9.80 including tax (Cash + Takeout Only!) - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

My Grandma liked buying the Safeway brand of "Corn Flakes" for our breakfast because it was "cheaper". My brother and I would pour on the sugar to try to make it into our version of "Frosted Flakes"! Fridays were a treat because Grandma would give us each 25 cents to buy a Pineapple bun or a Cocktail bun. We had to come up with our own money for the accompanying Vitasoy drinks (35 cents?). Breakfast of Champions! Red House Bakery & Cafe serves good no frills pastries.(Pineapple&Cocktail buns are 80 cents each!)No matcha green tea custard or lychee custard inside their pineapple buns! read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - PINEAPPLE BUN - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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They serve the best porridge in the city. I haven't found a better place than these guys.

They keep a bunch of their pastries inside to serve them nice & warm. Of important note is that they get their custard right in their custard pineapple buns. Their cocktail buns are good too. Wish they had those long coconut buns instead, read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Menu as of 14 January 2024. - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is my favorite morning breakfast spot to come to with my family. Awesome Chinese breakfast choices and low prices. I always get the breakfast meal B - shredded pork rice noodle soup (榨菜肉丝汤米), pineapple bun, and a small milk tea. All this for under $10!! The pineapple buns from this place is my all-time favorite in San Francisco!! Please come here to try their Asian breads - I heard they sell out early in the morning. Definitely worth stopping by to grab some breads! If you're on a budget, come by before 11 to grab a cheap breakfast!! read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Pineapple bun and shredded pork rice noodles - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Cash only Pork buns are yummy and the custard as well as the SPONGE CAKE!! U can call to pick up so u don't have to deal with parking read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place is my go to Chinese bakery, can't go wrong with this place. I love the buns here, can't go wrong. But I haven't tried the egg tarts. I love going here at morning when everything is fresh out of oven. Their bread taste so good for some reason, I personally like the plain bun, it's so chewy, fluffy and sweet. I also love their pineapple buns. The best part is the price, it's inexpensive, come here for breakfast and you'll be satisfied. read more

Quick service, one of the best pineapple buns The quality is consistent and never left disappointed read more

Completely overdue. Came here in the early mornings after tax. My aunt and I ordered 2 bowls of congee. Mine was classic chicken and thousand year old egg. Hers was classic organs congee. We also ordered the Chinese donut, some pineapple bun and rice noodles (roll churn fun) It was really satisfying. The flavor was prefect, not salty, the right thickness. I hate runny congee. They gave me the good chicken meat, I love it when the cartilage is stuck on the meat. Service was fast and simple. Gave us our food when it was ready. It's quiet inside but loud outside. Because lots of middle age and retired men buy their coffee here and buns. They talk and smoke outside. Some times the smokes blows in and that's really annoying. Minus the 1 star. read more

Came here for brunch but missed the breakfast menu which ends at 11am (11:30am on Sundays). Picked up some Chinese baked goods where we had the dan tat (quite good!) and barbecue pork buns. Also had the hotdog bun which I'd pass on next time. Pan fried noodles are decent. Came with a complementary pork bone broth with traces of seaweed, carrot, and corn. Service was decent. Folks don't come here for ambiance. Street parking was straightforward. read more

The food is tasty at this bakery. The rice porridge full of pork and century egg.nice and hot. However , I was only able to eat a couple of spoonfuls This bakery should have Take out only on this Yelp site and signs in the bakery . Since they had table and chairs set with no signs no eating or take out only . I plan to eat the porridge in the restaurant. However, they told me after I started eating , bakery is take out only . Since I work home health , I was going to see a patient near by sonI did not have a place to eat the porridge and did not want to carry it around all day . So, I had to throw it away . I had to buy a ham and egg bun and eat it standing outside the store . If I known no eating in the bakery. I would have gone to the take out bakery down the block in the first place . Now I know not to go to this bakery/Cafe until after they decide to allow sitting . read more

This is our Family's bakery for Cocktail bun! If you are like us that needs at least 2-3 dozen, we order ahead and be aware they only accept cash. read more

More than one review has mentioned bitchy service. Could it be that the owners are watching their Yelp page? Because I've been here three times lately and have gotten friendly service with smiles and a sense of humor each time. Works for me! Parking has also been manageable each time. Red House is on the outer end of the San Bruno shops, which helps. Most importantly, the buns...damn, the buns. They do NOT skimp on the fillings! The BBQ pork buns and the curry-flavored chicken buns have generous filling in each bite. I haven't noted the price per bun but I can tell you that I paid just under $30 today for this assortment of 21 buns PLUS two milk teas: 7 pineapple, 7 BBQ pork, 3 hot dog, 1 ham/egg, and 3 curried chicken. I guarantee you'll be the most popular person in the office if you show up sporting these hot buns. read more

Inexpensive breakfast and good bakery options. American breakfast also available at a very reasonable price. read more

This is our favorite bakery for freshly baked Pork buns and Egg tarts. The lady who works there is fast, efficient and Friendly.. read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Freshly baked Pork bun - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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CASH ONLY Went to this place because i heard the bbq pork buns were the best around. Finding Parking in the neighborhood is pretty hard, either street meters or in the residential. Ordered several items to try out: Onion bun: was very good and oniony(if that's a word), bread soft and also the little salty ham bits were a good compliment Hotdog bun: as expected, nice soft bun with a hot dog Bbq pork bun: pretty average, meat was good but bun wasn't really filled, had big air pockets Cocktail bun: excellent Chicken curry pie: this surprised me, i would get again, curry was tasty and the pie shell it was in was nice and flaky Customer service was great, very polite and patient, i will definitely return read more

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this bakery is my go to for pineapple buns, but they are getting a little pricy (but what isn't?!). they are always soft and warm. there are several options for pineapple buns: (1) no filling, (2) red bean filling, and (3) custard. if you take them home, make sure to heat them up for a bit in the microwave to truly enjoy them. read more

This is my favorite spot to get pineapple buns in the city! It tastes the best when it's fresh and hot, the top layer is very crispy. I also like to come here for the "asian style breakfasts" such as the macaroni soup or the ramen with spam and egg. The service here is also very friendly which is another reason why I always come here. read more

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I love this place! If you're looking for traditional Cantonese style baked goods, this is the place! My favorite items here are the BBQ pork buns, chicken buns, pineapple buns, and egg tarts. All are excellent. They also have very good pineapple buns filled with custard. The buns are affordable and make an easy breakfast/lunch. I've been coming here almost every weekend. Several tips: They are cash only. Also, their plain dinner rolls and chicken buns tend to sell out fairly early. read more

Milk tea was bleh Soy sauce noodle - good but not that salty and flavorful Service was polite Cash only read more

Though their breakfast items have gone up in price over the last few years (change of ownership), their breads are still just as tasty, especially their pineapple buns. Yum.... read more

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Get your buns and breakfast here! Only had a couple buns from this place so far, but the pineapple bun, cocktail bun, and service alone are enough to warrant a high rating. Unfortunately I've already inhaled the cocktail bun, so there won't be any pictures of that in this review. The cocktail bun is nice and fluffy, decently sized, and stuffed with filling! Their version is a little light on the shredded coconut (I prefer more), but there's a decent amount of filling that I can look past that. As everyone as already raved about the pineapple buns, I'm just reaffirming the positive notes that the top layer is nice and crispy and there's also a decent amount of filling inside. I can't say I've had a comparable pineapple bun yet in SF. Lastly, the service! I had ordered two cocktail buns into pineapple buns with the intention of sharing with someone. The person who served me accidentally gave me two pineapple custard buns and 2 plain pineapple buns. When I told her the order was wrong, she immediately said sorry and went back to fix the order. She gave me the two custard buns and two cocktail buns in separate bags, so I went off to the side to separate them so that there was one at custard bun and one cocktail bun in each bag. A few seconds later the same person who helped me came up and told me that if I needed them separated next time that she would do it for me so I wouldn't have to go through the hassle. The little things! read more

Red House Bakery & Cafe - Pineapple bun with custard - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here because my aunt swears by some bun. They didn't have what we originally wanted when we were there (noon-ish on the weekend) so that tells you they're good, since they sold out by then. Picked up a pineapple bun and oohh can't go wrong with that. Definitely would stop by again (but earlier!) read more