Here are some tips for navigating Chinatown's confusing array of eateries, shops, and snack stands.
Since the 1950s, London's Chinatown, a small collection of pedestrianized alleyways wedged between Soho and Covent Garden, has served as the spiritual center of the city's Chinese population. Cantonese restaurants predominated in the area's past, reflecting the origins of the Hong Kongers who initially inhabited it. Today, the neighborhood has developed into a varied mashup of flavors from many parts of China and its neighbors in Asia, you can find anything from cheap student hangouts to kitschy speakeasies there. Here are some of our favorite eateries, pubs, stores, and snack places.
Top restaurants
Gerrard's Corner (好年華)
Preferred for dim sum
There is often a line out the door at Gerrard's Corner since it is a staple for dim sum that doesn't cost a fortune. There are hundreds of options for these sharing dishes, most of which cost less than £5. Start with the bamboo baskets of freshly cooked dumplings. One mouthful of the tender pork with crab flesh might be enough to finish it, but the filling's scent lingers for much longer. Or how about the melt-off-the-bone spare ribs covered in a sauce made from black beans rich in umami? Next are deep-fried dim sums. The turnip puff, which crumbles when you bite into the pastry layers to the soft turnip paste, is something you should eat. The barbecue pork puff is another option. Each one is packed with a dab of Chinese barbecue meat. Order from their enormous assortment of stir-fried foods if you're still hungry, or choose a traditional dish like a crispy duck.
Address: 30 Wardour Street, Gerrard's Corner, London, W1D 6QW
Gerrard's Corner website
The best restaurants in Chinatown, London https://t.co/4OevPVd51X via @cntraveller
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The Old Tree Daiwan Bee (老樹台灣味)
Preferred by Taiwanese
The restaurants on Chinatown's outskirts, including Old Tree Daiwan Bee, are typically overlooked by tourists. The small, cash-only restaurant has a relaxed appearance with its few wooden benches and subdued gray walls, but it's hard to match the flavor of its menu of distinctly Taiwanese foods. Of course, there are bao buns and a variety of bubble teas, but it would be hard to find a crispier spring onion cake in London. Consider delicately cooked layers of paper-thin pastry stuffed with finely chopped spring onion to bring out the flavors and create a crisp surface. Another necessary comfort meal is beef noodle soup, which comes in both simple and spicy varieties and has fine noodles and bits of braised beef in a transparent broth. They also create their sausages, of course using a secret formula. The best palette cleanser is an iced plum green tea, so make sure you drink one to wash it all down.
Address: 26 Rupert Street, London, W1D 6DH Old Tree Daiwan Bee
Website: old-tree-daiwan-bee.chinatown.co.uk
Shu Xiang Ge (蜀香格)
Preferred for hot pot
Shu Xiang Ge is a chic hot pot restaurant in the center of Chinatown that draws its flavors from Sichuan. To begin, pick one of the four hot pot bases available, which vary from a mild bone broth to a super-hot beef and chili oil pot. Choose the latter if you have a genuine appetite for heat. Choose your ingredients and start dipping as soon as the soup has reached a boil. Thinly sliced beef and various tripe are the house specialties, but meals with texture, such as tofu and slices of lotus root, are also very well-liked. The layout is ideal for beginners because the menu clearly states how long to cook each dish and their hot pot tables make it simple to regulate the cooking temperature yourself. However, do bring cash because the eatery sometimes takes credit cards.
Address: Shu Xiang Ge, 10 Gerrard Street, London, W1D 5PW
Internet address: chinatown.co.uk/shu-xiangge
Dumplings' Legeng (小籠皇)
Preferred for dumplings
Geoff Leong, the proprietor of this Gerrard Street landmark and a Hong Kong native, advises patrons to enter Chinese eateries with an open mind. Since the 1970s, the Leong family has operated more than 50 Chinese eateries in London. At Dumplings Legend, guests may savor cuisine from both southern and northern China while seated at banquet tables. The restaurant's trademark dish is the xiao long bao, a steamed dumpling from Shanghai. Each one is perfectly pleated with exactly 18 folds and a teaspoon of broth (make sure you sip the soup first). The great ingredients are pig and pork and crab. The Peking duck, served as is with pancakes, spring onions, and hoisin sauce, is also really good. Other standouts include the Cantonese classic steamed prawn dumplings, aubergine with mashed garlic in dou ban sauce (a favorite Sichuan dish), and Taiwanese "three-cup" chicken, which gets its name from the three liquids that make it up: sesame oil, rice wine, and soy sauce.
Address: 15-16 Gerrard Street, London, W1D 6JE, Dumplings' Legend
url: dumplingslegend.com
The Four Seasons (文興酒家)
Best for roasted duck
A sight to behold is the Four Seasons display, where plump, sparkling birds are arranged perfectly next to one another like medals. The roast duck at Four Seasons should be your only dinner in Chinatown if you just have time for one. It's sourcing from the renowned Silver Hill farm in Ireland, which raises a hybrid species between the Aylesbury duck and Peking white duck, accounts for a significant portion of its popularity. The remainder is in the cooking, which should be done slowly so that the flesh remains delicate and delicious while the skin becomes crispy and caramelized. The chef's secret recipe for the sweet-savory dipping sauce is supplied with it. The Cantonese barbecue meats are also quite good; options include crispy pig belly, sticky char siu pork, and braised pork ribs.
Location: Four Seasons, 12 Gerrard Street, London, W1D 5PR
Internet address: fs-restaurants.co.uk
Everything from budget-friendly eats to buzzy speakeasies, here are our top picks for the best restaurants in Chinatown, London. https://t.co/3dXKWSVKlp pic.twitter.com/axd7TMXOR2
— Condé Nast Traveller (@cntraveller) November 25, 2022
Thai Food
Ideal for Vietnamese
In Chinatown, there are several Vietnamese eateries, but Viet Food is the finest and liveliest. It has three levels and a separate cocktail bar. It serves typical Vietnamese fare such as pho, bun, and prawn summer rolls (crispy vermicelli noodles served dry with delicious toppings). Former Hakkasan chef and owner Jeff Tan has also produced some amazing fusion dishes. Try the handmade sweet-chili herb sauce-topped crispy coconut calamari as a beginning. Choose the grilled black Angus rib-eye steak for the main course or the braised freshwater prawns with glass vermicelli for a Western zing to the Asian taste. Viet Food prepares its own red and green chili sauces for the table, in contrast to many of its competitors, who utilize Sriracha.
Address: Viet Food, 34-36 Wardour Street, London, W1D 6QT
URL: vietnamfood.co.uk
Rasa Sayang
The ideal for Malaysians
It is believed to be Jimmy Choo's preferred dining establishment in London. The proprietor, Singaporean-born Ellen Chew, is a prominent supporter of Malaysian food in London. The fish and chicken curries are particularly noteworthy, and the nasi lemak, beef rendang, and char kway teow, to name a few typical Malaysian favorites, are also not to be missed. preferred by the owner? Ipoh hor fun, a flat noodle soup with fish and vegetables on top, will be served in that bowl. Additionally, you can get some of the greatest Singaporean food in London here, like Singapore chili crab.
Location: Rasa Sayang, 5 Macclesfield Street, London W1D 6AY
URL: rasasayangfood.com
Ideal snack
Cafe TPT (TPT)
Preferred for hawker food
Cafe TPT is a favorite with families and students because the quantities are large, the prices are affordable, and the cuisine is consistently excellent. It is unassuming, unassuming, and simple to overlook. The little restaurant is well-known for the dai pai dong meals seen at hawker booths throughout Hong Kong. The fried beef ho fun noodles are the specialty and are made by stirring-frying large rice noodle strips with meat and bean sprouts. Cantonese chefs use this recipe to show off their culinary prowess, and the outcome is perfect here: the meat is soft, the fine noodles are unbroken, and it's never oily.
Location: Cafe TPT, 21 Wardour St, London, United Kingdom, W1D 6PN
URL: cafetpt.com
Orient London (添福海鲜酒家)
Ideal for seafood
One of Chinatown's classiest establishments and a family-run restaurant, Orient London prides itself on obtaining top-notch fish. The majority of the food is Cantonese, and the main menu includes fresh clams, crabs, lobsters, and abalone in addition to sea bass and Dover sole prepared in a variety of sauces. However, traditional dishes like roasted duck and even curries are often offered. Also available daily until 4.45 p.m. is a sizable dim sum menu. The seafood bites are the greatest, as you might expect. Usually highly recommended is the seafood dumpling in ultimate stock, which is always served in a pair so you can either eat it whole or crushed in the soup.
Address: 15 Wardour St., London W1D 6PH, Orient London
Online resource: orientlondon.com
Bun House
Ideal for buns
Everything at Bun House is aesthetically pleasing, from its tiny variety of fluffy steamed buns to its Hong Kong cinema-inspired décor. Although their buns are more costly than those at other Chinatown restaurants, that doesn't mean that their style is above substance. The decadent pork bun, loaded with chunks of barbecued pork belly in a creamy, sticky sauce, is one of the classic flavors. The veggie is likewise fantastic, with a combination of mushrooms for flavor and water chestnut for crunch. However, the custard bun must steal the show because when you break it open, it oozes creamy, golden, salted egg yolk custard that is scented with coconut. If KFC hadn't previously made excellent use of finger-licking...
Address: 26-27 Lisle Street, London WC2H 7BA, Bun House
URL: bun.house
The Chinatown Bakery (唐人餅家)
Ideal for desserts
This little bakery on Newport Place always has a line outside. Blame the adorable and delicious teriyaki, a waffle cake in the shape of a fish that is made directly outside the store's window and filled with custard. A wide variety of Chinese bread, which is often considerably softer and sweeter than its European equivalents, is available inside. Try the crispy top bun and the red bean bun; they are both as genuine as they get in London. On the other side, the Benito teriyaki bun is a unique fusion of Japanese and Cantonese cuisine. And the pandan or vanilla-flavored Swiss rolls fly off the shelves.
Location: Chinatown Bakery, 7 Newport Place, London, WC2H 7JR
Website: chinatown.co.uk/chinatown-bakery
Tianfu Lucky Foods (天福行)
Ideal for snacks
Tianfu Lucky Foods is a marketplace for ready-to-eat delicacies from all across Asia, and it can be found on the corner of Gerrard Street and Macclesfield Street. You'll have trouble moving about since it is so densely packed with sweet and savory goodies. Visit this store to restock on cult favorites like Pocky Sticks and Hello Panda cookies or to sample novel flavors from unheard-of manufacturers. There are hundreds of varieties to pick from, many of which aren't carried elsewhere, making it the excellent spot to buy if you can't get enough instant noodles.
Address: 14 Gerrard Street, London W1D 5PT Tianfu Lucky Foods
Chinatown.co.uk/lucky-foods is the website.
Excellent bars and tea shops
Opium (鴉片)
The best for cocktails with flair
Opium is a little speakeasy close to Dumpling's Legend that hides behind a covert green door and is noted for offering traditional drinks an oriental twist. The Apothecary, the Peony, and the Academy are three unique bars spread across two levels, each with its personality and cuisine. Antiques that its creator Eric Yu brought from Asia, such as the imposing smiling Buddha statues and the magnificent traditional Chinese medicine cabinet, are scattered throughout all three. The menu is always changing. The citrusy Opium No 9, which substitutes gin for the tequila used in Opium No 8, and blends it with orange liqueur, yuzu green tea, and lemon juice, is one of the hallmark drinks available right now.
Postal Code: W1D 6JE Opium, 15-16 Gerrard Street
Internet address: opiumchinatown.com
Club for Experimental Cocktails
Best for cocktails with new ideas
Chinatown has several speakeasies than Opium. ECC, which is concealed behind an unassuming black door adjacent to a bustling bakery, may be difficult to enter since the bouncers have a reputation for turning away patrons who don't appear to fit in. But once inside, up a narrow flight of steep steps, cocktail aficionados may enjoy well-crafted drinks in an eccentric setting with exposed brick walls, chandeliers, and a mirrored ceiling. It seems cozy and private. The Saint Germain des Pres, which combines elderflower-flavored St Germain with egg white, lime, cucumber, and a hint of spice, has long been a customer favorite.
Address: Experimental Cocktail Club, 13a Gerrard Street, London W1D 5PS
URL: chinatownecc.com
Chatime (日出茶太)
Ideal for tea
On Gerrard Street, the famed bubble tea shop's London location serves more than 700 cups of tea each day. Peter Wong, a British-Chinese entrepreneur who had grown addicted to the sweet beverage while traveling in Asia, brought it to Chinatown to introduce genuine Taiwanese milk tea to London. Choose from a selection of toppings, such as the traditional tapioca "pearls," silky grass, or coffee jelly, and then add them to your preferred beverage. Chatime milk tea, roasted milk tea, and mango green tea are the most well-liked varieties. These chewy "pearls" can be quite slippery and can easily travel right down your throat, so use extra caution while taking the initial sip and drink carefully while using a straw.
Address: 4 Gerard Street, London, W1D 5PE
URL: chatimeuk.com
The best shops
The New Loon Moon Supermarket (新龍門行)
Ideal for food shopping
Simply keep an eye out for the jackfruit and lotus roots on display outside instead of trying to recall the door number of this always-packed Asian store. While Seewoo on Lisle Street is renowned for having the greatest pricing for groceries, New Loon Moon offers a far wider selection, particularly for goods that are just inaccessible elsewhere. Additionally, the two-story establishment serves food from other countries outside China, like Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and others. The first floor's selection of snacks, which includes ready-to-eat tofu strips and spicy beef jerky, is especially recommended.
Address: 9A Gerrard Street, London W1D 5PN, New Loon Moon Supermarket
Website: new-loon-moon-supermarket.chinatown.co.uk
Beijing Tong Ren Tang (北京同仁堂)
Most effective for alternative medicine
Tong Ren Tang, a company specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine, was founded in Beijing in 1669, and this store has served as its representative in London since 1995. Every conceivable medication component is included in the store's vintage medical cabinet. Some of the more well-liked ones are diced fu ling, a fungus that helps strengthen the spleen and stomach, and goji berries, which the Chinese think can assist enhance one's eyesight and beautify one's complexion. One of the great acupuncture practitioners in the area practices there, and anybody may receive advice and medication from its skilled TCM practitioners.
Address: Beijing Tong Ren Tang, 124 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 5ES
Web address: chinatown.co.uk/beijing-tong-ren-tang