Carol’s Bun
Stewed Beef Offal, Crispy Fish, Choy Sum over Rice
Carol’s Bun, a humble Chinese takeout joint, was opened in 1995. Carol Chung, the restaurant’s namesake, was originally from Hong Kong and came to the US in the ’80s. Her husband, Mr. Dong Qiang Wang, was a chef from Guangzhou. They met in 1992, fell in love, and married in 1995.
After China’s economic reform, immigrants from outside the Guangdong province came to the US in droves. The couple noticed a lack of Northern-style bun shops in Chinatown. Thus, they opened a Tianjin-style bun shop, Carol’s Bun, on East Broadway.
Growing up, Carol never thought of working in the restaurant industry. She was interested in fashion and owned a boutique in Chatham Square. On the other hand, her husband spent his youth learning how to make Northern-style buns and Cantonese dishes in the kitchens of Guangzhou. After moving to the US, he was determined to open his own restaurant. To fulfill her husband’s dream, Carol gave up the boutique and started to manage the restaurant’s front-of-house.
When they first opened, Carol’s Bun was a hit. Attracted to their low prices and tasty buns, dumplings, and hand-pulled noodles, some would even buy bags of their frozen dumplings to take home. As the Chinese population in NYC skyrocketed, supermarkets began to import factory-made frozen buns that were much cheaper and more accessible. Thus, the couple decided to expand their kitchen and provide more menu items to their customers.
Carol and her husband treat their customers like family. Often, they will give their customers free items to try. If customers didn’t have enough money, they’d even let them pay next time. During the pandemic, the generous couple regularly gives out free hot lunch boxes and face masks to the elderly in the community.
At Carol’s Bun, you can choose from over a dozen authentic Cantonese dishes from their buffet-style takeout counter. Some of their bestsellers include braised pig’s ears, stewed beef offal, imitation shark fin soup, and crispy soft-shelled crabs. Please support this amazing business, and remember to shop local!
📍 Carol’s Bun
139 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002