You’re favorite piglets were in the mood to try out a new spot in Cherry Hill, NJ. We’re usually loyal to Nan Xiang when we want Chinese food, but we saw a well timed instagram post for a local business called Bao Mama. The promise of incredible baos and noodle bowls convinced us to try this new spot!
We popped in for lunch and got to enjoy their awesome lunch special! Here is what you need to know:
- Free Iced Tea: On weekdays from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, you get a free iced tea with the purchase of any noodle bowl.
- The $1 Bun Upgrade: If you spend $30 or more, you can score an entire order of their pan-fried pork or chicken buns for just $1.
SNAPSHOT
- Price: $10-$20
- Cuisine: Chinese dumplings and noodles
- Visit Date: July 2026
- Would we snort again?: 100% Yes!
Vibes
The restaurant is clean, bright, and incredibly welcoming. With its light wood tables and crisp white walls, the space feels like a cute, comfortable spot to sit down and enjoy a meal. To top it off, the menu features adorable food illustrations that add the perfect charming touch.
Food
Since we ordered the lunch special, our drinks were completely free! You can even customize the sugar level with your drinks. I opted for the Camellia Oolong while Jimmy went with the Jasmine, both ordered at 50% sugar. The Camellia Oolong was perfect at 50% sugar, but Jasmine we would order with 75% to full sugar for our next visit.
Szechuan Peppercorn Chicken
The portions are quite generous. The dish had a great homemade quality to it because the flavors were well balanced. The bowl also had large pieces of chicken thighs and a distinct peppercorn flavor that was forward but not too overwhelming. The thick noodles did a great job of holding the flavorful sauce.
Beef Mala Noodle Soup
Similar to the generous portions of the Szechuan Peppercorn Chicken dish, the Beef Mala Noodle Soup was filled to the brim with food. My expectations were that this dish would be spicy with the classic peppercorn numbing effects of the stereotypical Mala dish. To my pleasant surprise, this was not the case. This bowl of noodle soup was savory and had a hint of spiciness. It was filling but did not induce a post meal coma which made it perfect for a midday meal.
Vegetarian Bao Bun
Packed with tofu skin, cabbage, wood ear mushroom, and carrot, this is honestly one of the better bao buns I have had in a while. The filling was great, and the bao skin was light, fluffy, and had a subtle, sweet chewiness to it. I actually wanted to order more, but I was too full after the lunch specials and this sizable bao bun.
Service
When you enter Bao Mama, you order at the register and the food is brought out to your table. The person working up front—who I assumed was the owner—was incredibly kind to us and the other customers. Plus, the wait time for our food was quite short.
Final Roundup
If you find yourself in Cherry Hill, make sure to stop by Bao Mama, a hidden local gem that has only been around for a year. Not only is the food great, but the lunch special is an incredible deal! We will definitely be back for many more baos and noodle bowls,so we can try the rest of their delicious menu.
For more local Philly area food reviews checkout our latest post.
Written by,
Ashley and Jimmy
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