Buying Chinese pastries in Bangkok’s Chinatown
I was down in Bangkok’s Chinatown, or Yaowarat as the Thais call it, on Monday with a Thai-Chinese friend and, as always, I picked up a bag of Chinese pastries while I was there. Chinese pastries, in case you haven’t tried them, are the thing to buy in Bangkok’s Chinatown as not only are they incredibly delicious, they’re also ridiculously cheap.
I bought a bag of 12 Chinese pastries from a tiny hole-in-the-wall Chinese bakery. Pastries that I chose myself from an array the tiny bakery had on display. At only 7 baht (23 cents) each, they make a cheap snack or a wonderful item to buy for an inexpensive gift.
Where to find Chinese pastry shops in Bangkok
You’ll find Chinese pastry shops all over Bangkok’s Chinatown, and most have a lovely selection of products to buy. While we will often say ‘pastries’, they also sell traditional Chinese mooncakes, cookies and biscuits. I love the pastries the most, however, as they’re usually printed with motifs wishing you luck, prosperity and happiness.
If you’ve never eaten Chinese pastries before, pick out a selection of pieces that look nice by simply pointing at them. The shopkeeper will package them in a plastic bag for you sealed tightly with a rubber band to keep in the freshness. You can take them home or eat them on the spot.
Personally, I have a hard time getting most of them home, as they really are delicious. This time, I ate two of them along with a glass of sour plum juice I bought at another street stall further down. Yum!
By the way, if you do buy Chinese pastries in Chinatown, I find they usually last at least 4-5 days. Just make sure you re-seal the bag with the rubber band tightly after every time you’ve opened it, and they should stay quite fresh.
And one final tip as you’re probably already planning on visiting Chinatown if you’re reading this article, don’t miss also reading Bangkok’s Chinatown Has the City’s Best Seafood as, yes, it really does.