Building a Legacy: How Sage and Her Sisters Created Baby’s Buns & Buckets
Baby’s Buns & Buckets in NYC serves bold Thai-inspired street food with signature dishes like grilled honey pork, lemongrass curry mushrooms, and crispy fish over fragrant fatty rice. Meet co-owner Sage and discover the story behind this rising New York restaurant favorite.
Before Baby’s Buns & Buckets became a must-try spot for bold, flavor-packed bites, it was just an idea sparked by three sisters who grew up surrounded by the hustle of restaurant life. Sage and her sisters had spent years watching their parents run Thai restaurants in New York, learning firsthand what it took to build something from the ground up. Their mother, who emigrated from Thailand, and their father, originally from Hong Kong, poured everything into their businesses—but as Sage and her sisters saw it, there was room to take things further.
“I think for when we were working with our parents, we saw a lot of potential in their product,” Sage reflects. “The food and the recipes were so, so good, but the shortcomings were in operation and modernization.”
Armed with a fresh perspective, a passion for branding, and a determination to carve out their own path, the sisters set out to create something new. Baby’s Buns & Buckets was born—a restaurant rooted in family tradition but built for the future.
A Bold, Flavor-Packed Vision
At the heart of Baby’s Buns & Buckets is a focused menu that proves you don’t need dozens of items to stand out—you just need a few done really, really well. The sisters built their concept around a single hero item: sweet and savory grilled pork, a family recipe they knew had mass appeal. Served in a bucket, slider, or bowl format, the pork is caramelized to perfection, packed with umami, and subtly sweet with just enough char to keep things interesting.
That signature pork became the foundation for Baby’s Bucket, their best-seller and the dish that kickstarted the whole idea. The bucket is loaded with grilled pork, fatty rice, and all the fixings—savory, sweet, and intensely satisfying. Before Baby’s Buns & Buckets was born, the sisters had tested the pork in another format: sliders, which they used to serve at their mother’s restaurant. The flavor was a hit back then, and it gave them the confidence to build a concept around that same standout protein—just in a new way.
While the pork remains the star, the team has made space for flavor-packed alternatives that don’t feel like afterthoughts. One standout is the lemongrass curry portobello mushroom, a vegetarian option that’s just as rich, fragrant, and satisfying as the protein-based dishes. “We were really adamant about not using fake meats,” Sage says. “We wanted to create something plant-based that stood on its own.”
From there, it’s all about the details. Dishes are layered with crunchy pickles, vibrant herbs, and a base of fatty rice—a Thai-style rice that’s rich, aromatic, and a little indulgent. Another customer favorite is the crispy fish with caramelized onion sauce, which Sage describes as “sweet, savory, tart, and super light.” Served with rice and greens, it’s the kind of dish that surprises you with how balanced it is, even while it hits every flavor note.
Every item on the menu was designed to feel comforting and craveable—a blend of nostalgia, bold flavor, and fresh ingredients that people come back for again and again. Whether you're a meat lover or vegetarian, there's something here that feels both familiar and excitingly new.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Baby’s Buns & Buckets?
For Sage and her sisters, things are just getting started. With a concept that’s resonating across cultures and a brand that’s gaining traction, they’ve set their sights on scaling up across New York City.
“In the next five years, we’d love to have five to ten locations in New York,” Sage shares. “We’re always exploring new opportunities, especially in food halls where we can test different markets.” And while new menu items are in the works, nothing is finalized—just yet.
“The wheels are in motion,” Sage says. “We’re building toward something bigger, one bucket at a time.”