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Overhead view of several different styles and colors of Chinese mooncakes, spread out in plastic to-go containers on a white surface.
A selection of mooncakes from Greater Boston bakeries.
Linda Huang/Eater

Where to Buy Mooncakes in Greater Boston

Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with this seasonal Chinese pastry

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A selection of mooncakes from Greater Boston bakeries.
| Linda Huang/Eater

Mooncakes are a Chinese pastry traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節), an important Chinese holiday that celebrates the end of the autumn harvest by gathering friends and family, giving thanks, and honoring the moon. Sometimes also called the Mooncake Festival or August Moon Festival, it is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar — which falls anywhere between mid-September and early October of the Gregorian calendar — when the moon is thought to be at its roundest and brightest. Because of this, mooncakes usually start to appear in July and linger for weeks after the holiday.

There are many varieties of mooncakes, but the most famous is the Cantonese-style baked mooncake with a delicately patterned, glossy golden crust wrapped around a sweet, dense filling that sometimes contains one or more whole salted duck egg yolks in the center, symbolizing the full moon. Classic filling flavors include lotus seed paste (white or red/brown), sweet bean pastes (usually red bean but sometimes green bean/mung bean or black bean), and mixed nuts. The Toisan-style winter melon filling is also quite common in Boston’s Chinatown.

Other regional twists include Suzhou-style flaky crusts or Teochew “thousand-layer” crusts. Modern mooncakes have also led to novel “snow skin” mochi crusts, as well as trendy fillings such as pineapple or green tea.

These desserts are not meant to be eaten alone, but instead sliced into small wedges and shared among family and friends.

While commercial brands are readily available to buy in gift boxes at your local Asian market, Boston is fortunate to have many Chinese bakeries that offer this seasonal treat. Plus, most bakeries sell them individually, so you can have the opportunity to sample just one or mix and match flavors in a box.

Offerings at each bakery are subject to change, and, as always, bring cash — many spots on this list are cash-only or have a credit card minimum.

See also: Great Bakeries in Boston’s Chinatown

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Yi Soon Bakery

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Yi Soon is a go-to Allston stop; the pork floss bun is particularly popular. But during this holiday season, Yi Soon also sports an impressive selection of mooncakes. Cantonese-style mooncakes are available in both small and large sizes in classic (red bean or lotus seed, with or without yolk) and trendy (pineapple, green tea) flavors. Flaky Suzhou-style (red bean with or without yolk or green bean/mung bean) and colorful Teochew thousand-layer (sweet taro or green tea) mooncakes are also available, called “shortcakes” in the store. While you’re there, grab a square of the Black Forest, which represents the perfect marriage between Eastern- and Western-style cakes.

Small, round Chinese mooncakes are on display in a small glass case, including several varieties — green bean, red bean, and green tea, labelled as shortcakes.
Mooncakes at Yi Soon Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Mei Sum Bakery

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Slightly off the main Chinatown roads, Mei Sum is a hole-in-the-wall bakery also known for its banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches). While it offers fewer mooncake options than some of the other spots on this map, Mei Sum is the only bakery offering Cantonese-style mooncakes with a black bean or a water chestnut filling.

Large, square mooncakes with an intricately decorated golden crust are on display in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Mei Sum Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Ho Yuen Bakery

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Ho Yuen is one of the few bakeries that offers mooncakes year-round. It has the standard large Cantonese-style mooncakes for some of the best prices in the neighborhood, with classic fillings (red bean, white lotus, mixed nut, and winter melon). There are also a few flaky mooncake offerings. Grab a warmed curry beef bun while you’re there.

Golden mooncakes are displayed on metal trays in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Ho Yuen Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Taiwan Bakery

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New to Chinatown (located in the old 101 Bakery space), Taiwan Bakery has one of the widest ranges of mooncake offerings in the neighborhood. From classic to colorful Cantonese-style mooncakes, to four-packs of Suzhou-style flaky mooncakes, to beautiful thousand-layer mooncakes, to snow skin mooncakes — there’s something for everyone. It’s also one of just a few places selling mooncakes with green bean/mung bean filling. Other unique findings at Taiwan Bakery include a black sesame thousand-layer mooncake, a rainbow thousand-layer mooncake, and a durian snow skin mooncake.

Different styles of colorful mooncakes are on display in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Taiwan Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Corner Cafe Bakery

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Corner Cafe also has one of the biggest selections of mooncakes in Chinatown. There are plenty of photogenic Cantonese-style mooncakes in colors that match their filling: purple (purple sweet potato), red (red lotus), yellow (pineapple), and green (green tea). Corner Cafe also offers small and large classic Cantonese-style mooncakes filled with red bean, green bean/mung bean, red lotus, white lotus, mixed nut, or winter melon (also available in mini), as well as the same durian, green tea, and mung bean/green bean snow skin mooncakes as Taiwan Bakery. Sibling store Top Bread across the street also has a few of the same offerings.

Square, intricately decorated mooncakes with a golden-brown crust are on display in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Corner Cafe Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Great Taste Bakery & Restaurant

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Great Taste is a favorite for its char siu bao and barbecue pork pies. Hang out on the restaurant side for some great dim sum, or stop by its bakery side for small or large Cantonese-style mooncakes with red bean, green bean/mung bean, or lotus seed fillings.

Trays of golden-brown mooncakes with intricately shaped crusts are in a pastry case along with other Chinese pastries.
Mooncakes at Great Taste Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Hing Shing Pastry

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Hing Shing Pastry is a small corner bakery next to the Chinatown Gate that also features excellent almond cookies and baked char siu bao. The mooncakes here are similar in offering and price to Ho Yuen (see above), with classic Cantonese-style and Suzhou-style flaky mooncakes.

Round mooncakes with a scalloped edge and golden-brown crust are displayed on metal trays in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Hing Shing Pastry.
Linda Huang/Eater

Bao Bao Bakery & Cafe

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Bao Bao is perhaps the most European-inspired Asian bakery in Chinatown. Also known for its cakes and pineapple buns, Bao Bao has beautiful pre-packaged Cantonese-style one-yolk mooncakes in classic flavors (red bean, lotus seed, mixed nut), as well as winter melon. It also offers flaky red bean and thousand-layer ube mooncakes in packs of three.

Individually wrapped mooncakes in several styles are lined up on a big white shelf.
Mooncakes at Bao Bao Bakery & Cafe.
Linda Huang/Eater

Mei Mei Bakery

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Located a few blocks from the Wollaston station, Mei Mei is a small but mighty bakery that offers mainly Cantonese-style mooncakes with classic and trendy fillings, as well as a few Suzhou-style and Teochew thousand-layer mooncake options. Unique fillings include winter melon and pineapple (Cantonese-style only), as well as green tea and taro (thousand-layer only). Several of the Cantonese-style mooncakes are sold with double yolks.

Small, round mooncakes — some pale green, some with a browned egg glaze — sit on a paper-lined tray in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Mei Mei Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Yi Soon Bakery

Yi Soon is a go-to Allston stop; the pork floss bun is particularly popular. But during this holiday season, Yi Soon also sports an impressive selection of mooncakes. Cantonese-style mooncakes are available in both small and large sizes in classic (red bean or lotus seed, with or without yolk) and trendy (pineapple, green tea) flavors. Flaky Suzhou-style (red bean with or without yolk or green bean/mung bean) and colorful Teochew thousand-layer (sweet taro or green tea) mooncakes are also available, called “shortcakes” in the store. While you’re there, grab a square of the Black Forest, which represents the perfect marriage between Eastern- and Western-style cakes.

Small, round Chinese mooncakes are on display in a small glass case, including several varieties — green bean, red bean, and green tea, labelled as shortcakes.
Mooncakes at Yi Soon Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Mei Sum Bakery

Slightly off the main Chinatown roads, Mei Sum is a hole-in-the-wall bakery also known for its banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches). While it offers fewer mooncake options than some of the other spots on this map, Mei Sum is the only bakery offering Cantonese-style mooncakes with a black bean or a water chestnut filling.

Large, square mooncakes with an intricately decorated golden crust are on display in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Mei Sum Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Ho Yuen Bakery

Ho Yuen is one of the few bakeries that offers mooncakes year-round. It has the standard large Cantonese-style mooncakes for some of the best prices in the neighborhood, with classic fillings (red bean, white lotus, mixed nut, and winter melon). There are also a few flaky mooncake offerings. Grab a warmed curry beef bun while you’re there.

Golden mooncakes are displayed on metal trays in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Ho Yuen Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Taiwan Bakery

New to Chinatown (located in the old 101 Bakery space), Taiwan Bakery has one of the widest ranges of mooncake offerings in the neighborhood. From classic to colorful Cantonese-style mooncakes, to four-packs of Suzhou-style flaky mooncakes, to beautiful thousand-layer mooncakes, to snow skin mooncakes — there’s something for everyone. It’s also one of just a few places selling mooncakes with green bean/mung bean filling. Other unique findings at Taiwan Bakery include a black sesame thousand-layer mooncake, a rainbow thousand-layer mooncake, and a durian snow skin mooncake.

Different styles of colorful mooncakes are on display in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Taiwan Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Corner Cafe Bakery

Corner Cafe also has one of the biggest selections of mooncakes in Chinatown. There are plenty of photogenic Cantonese-style mooncakes in colors that match their filling: purple (purple sweet potato), red (red lotus), yellow (pineapple), and green (green tea). Corner Cafe also offers small and large classic Cantonese-style mooncakes filled with red bean, green bean/mung bean, red lotus, white lotus, mixed nut, or winter melon (also available in mini), as well as the same durian, green tea, and mung bean/green bean snow skin mooncakes as Taiwan Bakery. Sibling store Top Bread across the street also has a few of the same offerings.

Square, intricately decorated mooncakes with a golden-brown crust are on display in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Corner Cafe Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Great Taste Bakery & Restaurant

Great Taste is a favorite for its char siu bao and barbecue pork pies. Hang out on the restaurant side for some great dim sum, or stop by its bakery side for small or large Cantonese-style mooncakes with red bean, green bean/mung bean, or lotus seed fillings.

Trays of golden-brown mooncakes with intricately shaped crusts are in a pastry case along with other Chinese pastries.
Mooncakes at Great Taste Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

Hing Shing Pastry

Hing Shing Pastry is a small corner bakery next to the Chinatown Gate that also features excellent almond cookies and baked char siu bao. The mooncakes here are similar in offering and price to Ho Yuen (see above), with classic Cantonese-style and Suzhou-style flaky mooncakes.

Round mooncakes with a scalloped edge and golden-brown crust are displayed on metal trays in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Hing Shing Pastry.
Linda Huang/Eater

Bao Bao Bakery & Cafe

Bao Bao is perhaps the most European-inspired Asian bakery in Chinatown. Also known for its cakes and pineapple buns, Bao Bao has beautiful pre-packaged Cantonese-style one-yolk mooncakes in classic flavors (red bean, lotus seed, mixed nut), as well as winter melon. It also offers flaky red bean and thousand-layer ube mooncakes in packs of three.

Individually wrapped mooncakes in several styles are lined up on a big white shelf.
Mooncakes at Bao Bao Bakery & Cafe.
Linda Huang/Eater

Mei Mei Bakery

Located a few blocks from the Wollaston station, Mei Mei is a small but mighty bakery that offers mainly Cantonese-style mooncakes with classic and trendy fillings, as well as a few Suzhou-style and Teochew thousand-layer mooncake options. Unique fillings include winter melon and pineapple (Cantonese-style only), as well as green tea and taro (thousand-layer only). Several of the Cantonese-style mooncakes are sold with double yolks.

Small, round mooncakes — some pale green, some with a browned egg glaze — sit on a paper-lined tray in a pastry case.
Mooncakes at Mei Mei Bakery.
Linda Huang/Eater

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