Miss Bāo Brings Bold Flavours and Zero-Waste Dining to Downtown Kingston
By Tianna Edwards
Have you been to Miss Bao Restaurant and Cocktail Bar?
The space has a beautiful aesthetic with its dark green walls paired with the pink velvet chairs that feel so luxe when I sit down to dine. Beyond the interior design, Miss Bao’s seasonal bites fuse traditional Northern Chinese recipes with local ingredients - the pillowy bao buns are my favourite! The most impressive fact is that they are a waste-free restaurant. In fact, they are the only waste-free restaurant in Kingston.
Located at 286 Princess Street, Miss Bao’s is the brainchild of two Queen’s alumni who left Kingston after graduating and returned in 2019. Operations Manager, Bellen Tong explains, “Zach and I both graduated from Queen’s University—he studied Mathematics and I studied Engineering. After graduating, Zach pursued a career in finance while I followed my passion for hospitality in Toronto. In 2019, we returned to Kingston and opened Miss Bao, combining our skill sets and shared love for this city.”
When opening Miss Bao, Tong explains that she was inspired by a very specific model in London, Silo. This is the world’s first zero-waste restaurant that uses sustainability as its guiding principle. Tong shares, “I started working in restaurants at a young age and quickly realized how often environmental responsibility is overlooked in the industry. Foodservice is very traditional, often operating on razor-thin margins, so sustainability is rarely prioritized. I wanted to challenge that mindset and reimagine what a restaurant could be—just like Silo did. Miss Bao is my way of building a sustainable, community-focused restaurant that reflects both my values and vision.”
Tong says all decisions are guided by sustainability efforts rooted in the 7 R’s: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot. She explains each aspect:
Rethink: “We started by rethinking the traditional restaurant model. Our menu and kitchen workflow are intentionally designed to minimize waste, from sourcing local and seasonal ingredients to creating efficient prep and waste management systems.”
Refuse: “We refuse unnecessary packaging from suppliers and challenge the idea that things must be done a certain way ‘just because.’ We partner only with like-minded, environmentally conscious suppliers.”
Reduce: "To reduce our ecological footprint, our menu is at least 50% vegan and vegetarian. We’ve eliminated all single-use plastics and adjusted portion sizes to help reduce post-consumer waste."
Repurpose: "We find creative ways to repurpose packaging—turning them into storage solutions or upcycling them into fun, functional projects."
Reuse & Recycle: “We reuse what we can, even incorporating traditionally discarded items like vegetable trims and peels into our recipes. We recycle materials that can’t be refused or reused.”
Rot: “We tackle rot by composting 100% of our organic kitchen waste on-site. All our food waste, both pre- and post-consumer, is composted on-site using our industrial-grade composter. The resulting nutrient-dense soil is given to local farmers, community gardens, and individuals to grow more food. It’s our way of closing the loop and giving back to the same land and people that nourish our restaurant."
And while the sustainability efforts are incredibly impressive and admirable. That is not the only thing that makes Miss Bao’s worth a visit. The menu is just as thoughtfully designed, curated and prepared. Tong shares, “The menu is a reflection of my Asian heritage and my western culinary training. I wanted to showcase vibrant, bold flavours through shareable plates that invite conversation and connection. We’re committed to using as many local and seasonal ingredients as possible, working closely with farmers and producers in the region. Our menu shifts with the seasons, highlighting ingredients at their peak and creating dishes that celebrate what each time of year has to offer.”
As someone who has only been a local entrepreneur for about five years, Tong has a deep appreciation for the community and its support. “Downtown Kingston has such a vibrant, supportive business culture. The community here is diverse, collaborative, and incredibly generous, whether it's sharing tools, advice, or simply supporting one another through events and promotions. There’s always something happening downtown to bring people together and keep the community engaged,” she shares.
Find sustainability here. Find it all in downtown Kingston
Miss Bāo Restaurant + Cocktail Bar
Where: 286 Princess St. Kingston, ON
Tianna Edwards
Tianna is a wife and mom of two young kids with a day job as an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Coordinator at Queen's. She takes pride in living in Kingston and loves celebrating all things local (mostly food related!) through her blog, Keep up with Kingston. Follow Tianna's blog for more local food, culture and shop inspo. Get the latest from her over on instagram.
