Harden's survey result
Summary
“Be adventurous! There’s no menu but Mr Peng selects a fantastic array of dishes for you” at this Pimlico veteran (founded in 1982), which is still often acclaimed as “the best Chinese in London, bar none”. “It looks ordinary from the outside (and is nothing special on the crowded inside either!)”, but still diners “love the place” and the “entertaining” manner in which Mr P “treats you to a slew of scrumptious Chinese tapas of his choice, with some truly exceptional flavours… until you say you have had enough”. “The wine choices are excellent too”. All that said though, ratings here took a dip this year, dragged down by a small-but-vocal minority who feel the cooking risks losing some of its edge: “still love it, but the selection can be a little samey, albeit very nicely done”.
Summary
“Be adventurous! There’s no menu but Mr Peng selects a fantastic array of dishes for you” at this Pimlico veteran (founded in 1982), which is still often acclaimed as “the best Chinese in London, bar none”. “It looks ordinary from the outside (and is nothing special on the crowded inside either!)”, but still diners “love the place” and the “entertaining” manner in which Mr P “treats you to a slew of scrumptious Chinese tapas of his choice, with some truly exceptional flavours… until you say you have had enough”. “The wine choices are excellent too”. All that said though, ratings here took a dip this year, dragged down by a small-but-vocal minority who feel the cooking risks losing some of its edge: “still love it, but the selection can be a little samey, albeit very nicely done”.
Summary
“Truly one-of-a-kind” – the Peng family’s Pimlico stalwart “continues to surprise and tantalise with its amazing” cooking and is an “all-time favourite” for many reporters, as well as regularly topping the list of London’s best Chinese restaurants. “Don’t ask for the menu” – “let Mr Peng or his son Michael decide what you should be served with” – a never-ending stream of tapas-sized dishes (if you don’t like one, you won’t go hungry as plenty more will arrive). Typically results are “brilliant”, and there’s a “huge wine list that’s amazingly well-suited to spicy food”.
Summary
“The food keeps on coming until you stay ‘stop’!” – “a seemingly never-ending stream of perfectly judged dishes” – at this Pimlico veteran, where “Mr Peng decides what you’ll eat, and my goodness he is right!” It’s “Russian roulette but fantastic if you’re not a fussy eater” and regularly scores as “the best Chinese in London (if not the planet)”. The room itself is “slightly odd” and “minor language problems” can impede the service, but overall it’s “a genius way to have a social meal”. “The wine list is pretty amazing too!” – “thoughtfully matched, with lots of Germanic and other aromatic whites, including a number of excellent mature Rieslings”.
For 31 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Hunan?
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
51 Pimlico Rd, London, SW1W 8NE
Opening hours
| Monday | 12:30 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 12:30 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12:30 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12:30 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12:30 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12:30 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
Best Chinese restaurants nearby
Chinese restaurant in Belgravia
Malaysian restaurant in Chelsea
Chinese restaurant in Chelsea
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
Afternoon tea restaurant in Knightsbridge
Italian restaurant in Westminster
Indian restaurant in Westminster
