Win Son Bakery — Restaurant in New York

This is a nice space with ample seating. Food came out at a reasonable time even though they were somewhat busy. The bathroom is clean.

The fried chicken set was $23 and came with 3 thigh pieces and a decent amount of fries with a spicy aioli. The portion size was good. However, for being a Taiwanese place, I had hoped or assumed that the chicken would come with rice. The chicken was not dry, but not especially moist either. The skin was well fried. However, it was coated in a thick sauce that was super salty. The fries were seasoned, which is always a nice surprise, but they, too, were also super salty. White rice would have been a nice reprieve from what was a salt overload.

The smashed burger was $19 and came with fries as well, even though it doesn't say so on the menu. For $19, I expected a much bigger burger. There was no crust on the patties despite it being a smash burger, and the bun was super greasy. The burger was too salty, and once again, the fries that came it were also too salty.

The fan tuan was good, but for $7, I had expected a much larger portion. It is half the size of the fan tuan that they serve in Taiwan.

Their latte was also very small. It was $5 plus an extra $3 for black sesame flavor. There was no discernable black sesame flavor.

The sweet soymilk was ok. It wasn't that sweet, which is fine. It's better to err on the side of less sweet, but there wasn't much soy milk flavor either. For $4 it also came with a small you tiao which was a nice surprise. The you tiao was overly greasy and just okay as well.

I did not get the salty soymilk on this occasion, but for the other reviewer that complained about how their salty soymilk isn't literally salty soymilk but rather a salty soy pudding, that is how salty soymilk is in Taiwan. I suppose it is kind of confusing since they list the salty soymilk under the drinks portion of the menu and right next to the sweet soymilk.

Overall a nice addition to the city since there isn't that many taiwanese spots, but the overly salty and greasy food was...

Win Son is a true culinary gem that masterfully blends traditional Taiwanese street food with a creative American twist. The dishes are not only innovative in flavor but also beautifully presented. I had been wanting to go for a long time and the food made the visit very memorable.

For first-time visitors, I highly recommend starting with one of their scallion pancake wraps. These are served like petite burritos, oozing with melted havarti cheese and packed with ingredients like scallions, vermicelli noodles, or other savory fillings of your choice. The rice roll noodles are another standout—stir fried with scallions, shrimp tofu, and tossed in a deeply flavorful garlic stir-fry sauce that’s rich in umami.

The fantuan is a nostalgic nod to Taiwanese breakfast street carts, filled with soft poached eggs and your choice of meat or tofu. I was especially pleased to see a good range of vegetarian options, which is a welcome surprise given the traditionally meat-heavy nature of Taiwanese cuisine. The snow pea salad was refreshing, and the fresh soy milk was delightfully frothy and smooth.

As for the biang dang (bento box), while beautifully plated and flavorful, it felt a bit underwhelming in portion size—especially considering the price. The fish version, marinated in ginger soy sauce, was perfectly seasoned but quite small for the cost.

Win Son also offers a selection of Taiwanese pastries that are hugely popular staples in Taiwan, such as pineapple cakes and other traditional sweets. I didn’t get a chance to try them on this visit, but they looked incredible and are high on my list for next time.

Overall, Win Son offers an inventive and flavorful take on Taiwanese street food, with thoughtful vegetarian options and vibrant, bold flavors throughout the menu. While some dishes may not feel as filling for the price, the quality and creativity of the food make it a spot well worth returning to—especially to explore more of their...

Happy to have a new hybrid cafe/foodplace/bar in the area that's open late (10pm).

You should probably go at a better time (a weekday) if you don't want to wait on any lines. I went on Wednesday, and the vibes were perfect 👌

Some of the food is a bit pricy for what it is, but that's expected for a place with a nice space in Manhattan. I'm impressed by the selection and the dietary accomodations, honestly!

I tried the salty soymilk with shiro dashi ($4), which comes with fried youtiao croutons + chili sauce. Though it's not strictly "traditional," it was so good when you don't want to eat a heavy meal! I also had the 5 Spice Latte ($6), which was unique! The turnip cake ($9) was fine and more filling than I expected (which was a pleasant surprise).

I haven't tried the pastries yet, but I would love to try the next time I go.

Service was kind and accommodating. To people who don't think so: Service workers deserve some grace. If you're not rude, then you'll probably be treated well.

Ambiance was changed at 7 pm, and candles were set out around that time. A cafe changing ambiance to suit the time of evening was a nice touch. I didn't expect the candles!

Bartender was nice enough to change out an ingredient in my drink upon request.

Needless to say, I hope Win Son stays a long time - we need more places like this to survive in this economy🙏

Also a sidenote - Win Son is a laptop free zone w/no wifi, so don't expect that...