Goubuli Baozi
天津, 天津
Tianjin's signature steamed pork buns, pleated by hand into a distinctive tight fold, sold both at the original flagship chain and countless local copycats.
为什么要去Goubuli Baozi？
Goubuli is one of Tianjin's two defining foods (with mahua) and has been made in the city since the mid-1800s — the odd name, roughly "the dog ignores it," comes from a nickname for the shop's original vendor, who was reportedly too busy to talk to customers.
怎么体验
A smaller, local baozi shop away from the main tourist strips generally gives a better version at a fraction of the price of the flagship chain stores, which lean heavily on the brand name.
小贴士
Order in small quantities to start — a full steamer basket is more food than it looks, and the buns are rich enough that a few go a long way.