Bao Bei Medellín: Where the Cult Asian Kitchen Moved

Bao Bei Medellín, the small contemporary Asian kitchen that spent seven years winning over Provenza with its baos, dumplings, and handmade noodles, closed its original location in November 2023 after its rent nearly doubled, and resettled about a 10-minute walk away in barrio Manila, a residential pocket of El Poblado. (If you landed here searching “Bao Bei in Manila” expecting the Philippines, this is still the right restaurant — Manila is just a Medellín barrio, not the country, a coincidence that fits neatly with co-founder Ian Delfín’s own Filipino roots, as El Colombiano’s profile of the couple details.)

This guide covers why Bao Bei Medellín left Provenza, where to find it now in El Poblado, what’s changed (and what hasn’t), and what to know before you go — hours, prices, and how the no-reservations system actually works.

Quick facts: Bao Bei Medellín (as of July 2026 — confirm before you go)

• Address: Carrera 43F #11-55, barrio Manila, El Poblado
• Hours: Tue 6:30–9:30pm; Wed–Sat 12:30–3pm & 6:30–9:30pm; closed Sun–Mon
• Price range: ~40,000–50,000 COP per person
• Reservations: none — message Instagram for the WhatsApp waitlist

Why Bao Bei Medellín left Provenza

Bao Bei, founded by chef Ian Delfín and Nataly Montoya, spent seven years at its original Provenza address before closing on November 25, 2023. The trigger was rent: the landlord raised the monthly fee from 3,400,000 to nearly 7,000,000 Colombian pesos, arguing the area had appreciated, according to El Colombiano’s reporting on the closure and Cambio Colombia’s coverage of the story. Ian and Nataly chose to close and look elsewhere rather than fight it out, a decision Pulzo also covered as an example of Medellín’s broader rent spike squeezing out longtime local businesses. We covered the closure in detail at the time in Bao Bei: The Culinary Gem of Provenza Bids Farewell.

At the time, the owners said they were hunting for a new spot in Provenza, Manila, or Patio Bonito — the three El Poblado pockets where a restaurant their size could realistically afford rent — and that Bao Bei would close for good if nothing worked out. It did work out: about two weeks after the Provenza closure, the team had opened in barrio Manila, as El Colombiano reported in a follow-up piece on the new location.

Where is Bao Bei in Manila? The new address

Bao Bei is now open at Carrera 43F #11-55, in barrio Manila, El Poblado — a few blocks removed from the Provenza strip where it started, per its current listing on Degusta and Foodyas. Manila sits between Provenza and the Milla de Oro business corridor — quieter and more residential than Provenza’s bar-and-boutique strip.

If you knew Bao Bei from its old spot, treat this as a genuine relocation, not a second location — the Provenza address is closed for good. One older listing still circulates a stale Carrera 36 #8A-123 address, but Carrera 43F #11-55 in Manila is the current one, corroborated across Foodyas, Degusta, and Restaurant Guru.

What’s on the menu

Bao Bei’s identity hasn’t changed with the move: contemporary Asian small plates built around baos (steamed buns), dim sum, and handmade noodles. The menu draws on flavors from Japan, the Philippines, Korea, and Taiwan. That range reflects Ian’s own background and the couple’s time living in the Philippines before settling in Medellín, as detailed in our original profile of the restaurant. Menu aggregators list the KFC bao, dim sum, bibimbap, and handmade ramen noodles as the dishes that keep coming up in reviews, alongside vegetarian and vegan options and a dessert and tea list, per Restaurant Guru’s menu listing. If you want a wider lens on Medellín’s Asian food scene beyond Bao Bei El Poblado, our guide to Japonería, an authentic Japanese restaurant near Parque Lleras, is a useful next stop.

Expect to spend roughly 40,000–50,000 Colombian pesos per person for dinner, per Restaurant Guru’s pricing data. Treat that as a starting range rather than a fixed number — some other aggregators list higher, menu prices in Medellín’s restaurant sector have moved quickly through 2026 as costs rise (a trend we tracked in our recent piece on Colombia’s labor reform and restaurant prices), and Bao Bei’s own Instagram is the fastest way to confirm current menu pricing before you go.

Hours and how the waitlist works

Bao Bei has never taken reservations, and that hasn’t changed at the new address. Published hours, as of July 2026, are Tuesday 6:30–9:30pm, and Wednesday through Saturday 12:30–3pm and 6:30–9:30pm — closed Sunday and Monday, consistent across Foodyas, Degusta and Restaurant Guru. Small restaurants like this one adjust hours around holidays without much notice, so confirm the exact close on Bao Bei’s own Instagram or by phone at +57 304 396 2418 before you go.

Because there’s no reservation system, the restaurant runs on a same-day waiting list: the standard move, per its own social channels, is to message that same Instagram account to get its WhatsApp number and add your name to the list rather than showing up cold and hoping for a table. Given the space is small, plan to message ahead of a weekend dinner, especially Friday or Saturday.

Barrio Manila: what’s around it

Manila is one of El Poblado’s smaller, more residential barrios, wedged between Provenza’s restaurant row and the Milla de Oro office corridor along Avenida El Poblado. It doesn’t have Provenza’s density of bars and boutiques, which suits a restaurant that was never trying to be a nightlife destination in the first place. If you’re building a night around the new location, our roundup of the best rooftop bars in El Poblado covers several venues within a short taxi ride, useful if you want a drink before or after dinner without wandering back into Provenza’s busiest blocks.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bao Bei still in Provenza?

No. The Provenza location closed permanently on November 25, 2023, after the landlord nearly doubled the rent. Bao Bei now operates only from its Manila address at Carrera 43F #11-55.

Is “Bao Bei in Manila” the restaurant’s original Filipino-inspired location, or a different restaurant?

It’s the same restaurant, same owners, same menu identity — just a new address in Medellín’s barrio Manila. The name overlap with Manila, the capital of the Philippines, where co-founder Ian is from, is a coincidence of Medellín’s barrio naming, not a second location abroad.

Do I need a reservation?

No — Bao Bei doesn’t take reservations at the new location either. Message the restaurant on Instagram for its WhatsApp waitlist number, especially before a weekend visit.

What does dinner cost?

Expect roughly 40,000–50,000 COP per person based on current Restaurant Guru pricing data, though treat that as a starting estimate rather than a fixed number — some aggregators list higher, and Medellín restaurant prices have moved quickly through 2026.

What’s the closest thing to the old Provenza vibe?

Manila is quieter and more residential than Provenza, so don’t expect the same bar-lined street outside. The menu, the small-space feel, and the chef-driven identity are unchanged — it’s the same kitchen and owners, just a new address, per Restaurant Guru’s current listing.

The bigger picture: El Poblado’s rent squeeze

Bao Bei’s move is a small, specific story, but it’s also a useful data point on what’s happening across El Poblado: rents in Provenza climbed fast enough to push out a seven-year-old, community-loved restaurant, and the businesses that survive are the ones willing to relocate a few blocks over rather than close for good. If Bao Bei in Manila is on your list, message ahead, go hungry, and expect a wait either way.