Kolbie PetersonA Salt Lake City restaurant that specializes in steamed Chinese buns called bao is closing both of its locations, according to an Instagram post.
“The numbers just never quite worked out,” the owners of Xiao Bao Bao wrote in their announcement, posted Tuesday afternoon.
The Liberty Wells location of Xiao Bao Bao at 416 E. 900 South in the Milk Block will be closing at the end of May, the post said, and the downtown location at 216 E. 500 South will be closing at the end of June.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Baker and restaurateur Romina Rasmussen making a tray of bao, a Chinese bun, at a pop-up version of Xiao Bao Bao in February 2023.
Xiao Bao Bao was a passion project of influential Salt Lake City pastry chef and chocolatier Romina Rasmussen and twin brothers Dwight and Derrick Yee. They first opened Xiao Bao Bao with a pop-up in February 2023, attracting dozens of customers who lined up in the cold. They opened the downtown location officially in October that year. They opened the Milk Block location last fall.
The bun shop was tied to nostalgia for the Yees, who have family in Hong Kong, and Rasmussen, who lived in Asia for six years.
“We have been so grateful for those who have supported us these last three years,” the post said. “We have loved creating food that, we hope, shared our memories of places both near and far.”
In June, the downtown location of Xiao Bao Bao will transition to longer hours, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the team will shift the full menu to that location, the post said.
They also plan to build up Xiao Bao Bao’s stock of frozen bao, so fans of the restaurant can make the buns at home, according to the post.
“We want to thank anyone who has dropped a review, placed an order, used us for catering, and walked through our doors,” the post said. “We loved serving you.”
Rasmussen continues to operate her chocolate and pastry shop, Chez Nibs, two doors down from the downtown location of Xiao Bao Bao at 212 E. 500 South, Suite A.
Kolbie Peterson reports on food, drink and small business for The Salt Lake Tribune and also writes the Utah Eats newsletter. She previously covered breaking news, crime and public safety as part of The Tribune's enterprise team. She received her bachelor's degree at Westminster University, back when it was Westminster College. She has five cats.