About Gongfu Bao & Cafe
4.6 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (1,187 Google Reviews) || 4.8 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4,000 Uber)
Gongfu, Ottawa’s Award winning kickass little bao shop, has been serving handcrafted steamed buns (bao) & a whole lot more since 2012. Chinese & Taiwanese culinary traditions are at the heart of how we hand-craft our bao. Inspired by authentic Hong Kong Diners and the creative utility of street food inspire our playful Gongfu creations and renditions of the classics. **Delicious Vegan, Halal, and Gluten free Options available.
Grab fresh bao (and so much more!) to-go from our take-out window, invite your squad so we can host you for a sit down meal, or we can bring the party to yours with loads of catering options. ****In-Dining reservations highly recommended.
*We are dedicated to fair employment practices & responsible sourcing of our ingredients. *
Contact
eatbao@gongfu.ca
(613) 454-5963
Location
365 Bank St.
Ottawa, ON
K2P 1Y2
HOURS
DINNER Wed - Saturday
4PM - 10PM
LUNCH Wed - Friday
11AM - 2PM
BRUNCH Saturday
11AM - 2PM
Recognition
The Ottawan (2026): Best Chinese Restaurant (Gold)
Ottawa Citizen (2025): These Ottawa restaurants are vying for a prestigious national list of Chinese eateries
Chinese Restaurant Awards (2025): Top 50 Honourees
South China Morning Post (2025): Hong Kong-style cafe receives top recognition
Ottawa Citizen (2023): Gongfu Bao's Hong Kong-style breakfast and lunch dishes are as crave-worthy as its prized steamed buns
@gongfubao
@gongfucafe
View fullsize
![]()
View fullsize
![]()
View fullsize
![]()
Gongfu Bao & Cafe
Tarek Hassan, Owner & Chef
What is IT WE LOVE ABOUT bao?
Bao (or baozi) are Chinese steamed, yeast-leavened bread buns, typically filled with savory meat or vegetables, or a sweet paste. They are soft, fluffy, and pillowy, often served as a staple in Chinese cuisine. These dumplings are either pleated on top until fully enclosed or folded into an open-faced bun (gua bao). At Gongfu, our signature Bao flavours include braised Beef brisket (Halal), Berkshire Pork, and Fried Chicken (Halal). With Vegan options as our delicious Red-Braised Tofu “Belly” and 5 Spice Lion’s Mane Mushroom Bao.
Do WE only serve bao?
Not by a long shot! Gongfu, Ottawa’s kickass little bao shop, has been serving handcrafted steamed buns (bao) & a whole lot more since 2012. Inspired by authentic Hong Kong Diners & the creative utility of street food, Gongfu creations bring a variety of renditions of the classics. From tasty veggies like Toban Slaw, Mushroom Congee, to sweet treats to enjoy with your Hand Pulled Milk Tea, like Hong Kong Custard filled French Toast or Golden Mantou — you’ll want to order family style so you & your crew can try it all.
Do you cater corporate events and office lunches in Ottawa?
Yes. Gongfu caters office lunches, corporate events, and private parties across Ottawa. We do large bao orders for pickup and delivery [contact us for details], plus on-site catering with our bao cart and/or steam barrel.
What is the bao cart and the steam barrel™?
They are our two on-site catering setups. The bao cart is our original street cart that we bring to your event for fresh, handed-off bao. The Steam barrel™ serves hot bao at scale for larger events.
Do you offer vegan, halal, and gluten-free catering in Ottawa?
Yes to all three. Gongfu runs a dedicated vegan fryer and a dedicated halal fryer. Our beef brisket and fried chicken are halal, we have delicious vegan bao, and any filling can be served gluten-free as a rice bowl.
What is your catering minimum and how many people can you feed?
Our catering minimum depends on the format of event you are planning.Tell us your headcount and our team is happy to advise on the best catering/event format.
How far in advance do I need to book catering?
We ask for 3 days notice on office orders and recommend 1 week for larger events. Holiday season books up fast, so the earlier you reach out to our team to chat the better we can accommodate your specific needs.
Do you deliver catering, and what areas do you serve?
We deliver across downtown Ottawa, Centretown, the Glebe, and the wider Ottawa-Gatineau area. Office orders are pickup from 365 Bank Street. Confirm your location on the catering form please.
Can you host a private event or holiday party at the restaurant?
Yes. You can book out our Centretown location at 365 Bank Street for private events, team dinners, and holiday parties, drinks menu included.
What kind of food do you cater?
Handcrafted Hong Kong and Taiwanese style bao, diner classics, sides like Toban Slaw and Mushroom Congee, and sweets like Hong Kong custard French toast and Bolo Bao. Order family style so the whole room can try a bit of everything. We have options for: Halal, Vegan, Gluten Free, and Nut Free guests so make sure to let the team know so we can plan the right menu for everyone to enjoy the gathering you are planning!
did you know that you can order Beer, Cider, and cocktails from our drinks menu?
Try our signature cocktails next time you are at our Centretown location. Next time you place an order for takeout or delivery, also take a peek at our Beer and Cider options including: Iron Eye Dry Irish Stout, Palomino Pilsner, Long Sleeves Amber Ale, Janky IPA, Shumei IPA, NA Raspberry Blackberry Jelly King, Sidro Pub Cider, Tsingtao Lager, or the BTL Soif Cider (Revel).
I’m vegan, What can i order at Gongfu?
We love our vegan guests!! Check out our menu for your options. All our vegan options are marked a green plant emoj. 🌱 Some of our customer faves include: Five spice Lio’s Main, and Red Braised Tofu. Chef Tarek’s fave is actually the sweet and sour Jackfruit. We also have a dedicated Vegan fryer so you can relax and enjoy your favourite fried options as well.
Do you have halal options on your menu?
Absolutely! We have a dedicated Halal fryer for our Beef, Chicken, and Vegan menu items. We offer a wide selection of vegan and vegetarian options as well. Our servers are always happy to advise you on the best options on the menu.
what is gluten free at Gongfu?
You can enjoy any of our Bao fillings on rice as a bowl instead of Bao, we also have a nice selection of veggie side dishes. Our staff’s Gluten Free faves include, the cashew radish dumplings and congee. For best selection, consult with your server to make sure we highlight the best options for your needs.
what are your non-alcoholic drink options?
We have a wide variety of hot drinks including: Tea (Hand Pulled Milk, Vegan too! and Lemon Tea), Yuen Yeung (incl vegan option), and Ovaltine. We make our own Bitter-Lime & Ginger, Sichuan Cherry, Maple Phosphate, and Mandarin House sodas. Plus a selection of seltzers & Kombucha.
my bestie loves gongfu, is there any cool merch or goodies I can treat them with?
Our Gai Choi Relish and Coconut Soft Caramels are always fan faves, but we also have cool T-shirts for the real die hard Gongfu-ers. Of course, you can always book a table to celebrate your BFF or order in for a special surprise.