Son in Law, cute bao in Melbourne CBD

Back in late 2023 Sylvia kept showing me photos of the cute and colourful food at Son in Law in Melbourne Central and we finally went there in December 2023.  It was even more amazing than all the pictures I had seen.  Since then we have been back quite a few times to try baos in different characters and flavors.

It can be challenging to find Son in Law.  It is not fancy.  Just a counter inside with a few basic tables outside in a Melbourne Central laneway near the corner of Elizabeth and LaTrobe Streets.  I only learnt in writing this blog post that it was part of the Ella Precinct in 2019.  This just added to my confusion about how to find it.  Sylvia and E like to go in the first lane on Elizabeth St after LaTrobe St.  I like to go to the Ground floor of Melbourne Central and find the  the signpost to Menzies Lane (near the shot tower) and turn right where it bends into "Ella" (which according to the Melbourne Central map is the name of more than one lane).  Argh!

[Son in Law also had a separate restaurant in Collingwood that closed in 2022.  They attend various events and festivals in Melbourne and beyond.  We wanted to buy a bao when we went to the Night Market at the Queen Vic Market last year but the queue was far too long.]

At first glance there is nothing too impressive to see as you walk past many small eating place.  Step inside and you will encounter the display shelves of adorable little bao characters.  You can choose a sweet filling (top two rows), burger (third row) or a savoury filled bao.  Of course you can get plain bao for slightly less money but Sylvia and I are always there for the fun.  The work that goes into the cartoon baos seems worth the extra price.

This is the first meal we had from Son in Law in December 2023.  We were in the mood for youthful fun.  This was our quick dinner stop before seeing the Bluey Myer Christmas Windows. I ordered a Mikey (from Monsters Inc) bao burger, which comes with fried chicken and waffle on the menu but can be made vegan with golden fried tofu and hash brown as well as lettuce and mayo.  We had some crispy golden chips and a couple of sweet bao: a penguin with nutella and banana filling for me and a unicorn with Thai milk tea filling for Sylvia.  It was all excellent, quick and not too expensive.

 

Sylvia also got the giant Totoro fairy floss.  It was as bigger than her head and I am sure she did not eat all of it.  It was cute but in previous visits we have tended to prefer the bao for a a sweet treat.

In May 2024 we were in the city for a talk on Melbourne's soon-to-be new Metro Tunnel.  Then we went for cake and I really needed savoury food.  Son in Law was a convenient option nearby.  I had a crispy fried tofu slice, cucumber and tamarind sauce in a brown Bear faced bao (one of the "Gau Bao" section of the menu).  I asked for my bao without chopped peanuts so Sylvia could try it.  Unable to resist the siren call of the sweet bao, Sylvia had an uber cute pink Totoro stuffed with a nutella and banana filling.  They hit the spot!

While in Melbourne Central for ear piercings for Sylvia in early 2025 just after Christmas, we dropped into Son-in Law.  Sylvia had a  Hello Kitty tofu bao with the cucumber, coriander and tamarind sauce but no peanuts .  She also wanted to try their new crispy tempura broccoli side dish.  I went elsewhere for lunch but could not resist a sweet Minion bao filled with nutella and banans.  Sylvia also had a sweet one with a Hello Kitty filled with jam.  The creativity of the baos can be seen in the two Hello Kitty ones that are quite different styles.

As you can see, we are very fond of the baos but there is more to Son-in-Law.  Here are a few of the savoury dishes we have also ordered (clockwise from top left): 1) Plant based meats and tofu with rice; 2) Crispy soft boil eggs with tamarind sauce ; 3) Bowl of chips; 4) Tempura broccoli with chilli jam.  They are all fried which I find can be a bit intense but they are really nicely cooked and served piping hot with a garnish.

In October 2025 we went to Son in Law before heading to see the Brandenburg Orchestra?  We ordered more than we could eat: a blue and a pink savoury bao each filled with fried tofu, cucumber, coriander, tamarind, [omitted peanuts] ($7.5), tempura broccoli with chilli sauce ($8), a bowl of chips ($7), crispy soft boil eggs with tamarind sauce ($9), a green tea filled sweet alien bao ($7.80).  It was delicious but far too much food.  Everything is served in disposable containers.  They are neither fancy nor environmentally friendly but was useful for taking our leftovers with us.

The baos are so gorgeous but the green alien with a bright green filling was the one we really oohed and aahed over on this visit.  I think it is one of the aliens from Toy Story.  

This photos is from a visit to Son in Law in 2025 by Sylvia with E.  They were very happy with a blue Totoro savoury fried tofu bao, a biscoff filled brown Bear and a strawberry jam filled grey cat.

On the weekend we met friends with kids this month who have recently returned to Melbourne from Brisbane.  Sylvia had a savoury fox bao with tofu ($8.50) and a Plant based meats and tofu with rice ($16.90).  The rice dish is one she has wanted to try for a while but had to ask for it without the mock chicken which had a satay sauce (due to her peanut allergy).  She really loved the hot crispy chunks of tofu but was not so keen on the red mock duck.  The "meats" came with rice, cucumber, grated carrot and a delicious seasoned soy sauce.  I could not resist the vegan purple Totoro burger with tofu, hash brown, lettuce and mayo ($12.50).  It was pretty messy with a lot of mayo but so good.

 

Our friends' kids were delighted with their giant fairy floss characters on a stick.  

We were glad we chose a place that was casual.  It was great for not needing to arrive on time or order all together as Sylvia and I had to head off early so we arrived early and nabbed a 6 seater table for the group.  It was Sylvia's first visit since going vegan and she was pleased to have plenty of choice (the rice bowl, tofu burgers, sides, two of the sweet fillings in the baos).  There are always different bao cartoon characters to choose from so I am sure we will continue to go here occasionally to add a touch of fun to events in the city.

Son in Law, 
Melbourne Central shopping centre
Ella precinct between Menzies Lane and corner Elizabeth and LaTrobe Streets
Melbourne CBD
Open 7 days a week from 12pm to 7pm 
https://www.instagram.com/soninlaw_melb/