Soho, Chinese Restaurant Guide

“Exquisite” dim sum – in particular “addictive cheung fun and venison puffs” – have won fame for these Hakkasan spin-offs, which are quite different in nature. The original site occupies a “blingy, dark, rammed-full Soho basement” (and you can also eat in the ground-floor tea room); while the Broadgate spin-off is vast by comparison and much more swish and corporate, with large outside terraces for cocktails. Both outlets share the shortcomings of Hakkasan, though: they can be “soooooo pricey”, and service can be “slow” or “entitled”. Top Tip – their “cakes are incredible; small and perfectly formed!”

“A Chinese pub” – in Berwick Street, Soho – “that works!”. This contemporary ‘concept’ successfully combines enjoyable food (including house Cantonese roast duck) with an “interesting drinks list” and characterful interior. Launched in 2015, by Alan Yau of Wagamama, Hakkasan, Yauatcha and Busaba Eathai fame, it’s never caught fire in quite the same way as his other operations.

“Absolutely delicious” Indo-Chinese dishes (inspired by the Hakka-influenced cuisine of Kolkata) makes it worth discovering these slightly offbeat eateries in Soho and Covent Garden: (“delectable chops, and it even converted me to liking okra!”).

“Tasty mountains of food” served with “no frills” make this Cantonese landmark one of London’s most enduring low-budget eats. “Yes, it’s basic” and the “super-quick” service “no longer has the ‘rudeness’ of the 1990s” that had its own masochistic entertainment value. But many reporters note that “they are still visiting after decades, so something works”: “it’s great cheap food”. “The ambience is tired with token Chinese decoration … wouldn’t have it any other way!”

“Top dim sum” – “always well cooked and presented” – is the prime draw to this Gerrard Street Cantonese stalwart, which also benefits from an outdoor terrace.

This “amazing Sichuan specialist” stands out from the competition with a “really interesting selection” of super-spicy options that are “a long, long way above and beyond the usual Chinatown fare”. “The recently revamped menu is now even better than before” – “not the greatest ambience but my goodness the food is good” (“took a gourmet friend who declared that six of the seven dishes were exceptional… the seventh was just delicious!”). Top Tip – “if you have a dry wok dish and don’t finish it, get a doggy bag”.

“The roast duck is extraordinarily delicious and just melts in the mouth” (and the rest of the menu is worthy of exploration too) at these “squashed in” Cantonese pit stops in Bayswater and Chinatown, which waste little energy on interior design or customer service. (A new branch ‘Chop Chop’, is set to open in the basement of the Hippodrome casino, near Leicester Square, over summer 2022).

“The roast duck is extraordinarily delicious and just melts in the mouth” (and the rest of the menu is worthy of exploration too) at these “squashed in” Cantonese pit stops in Bayswater and Chinatown, which waste little energy on interior design or customer service. (A new branch ‘Chop Chop’, is set to open in the basement of the Hippodrome casino, near Leicester Square, over summer 2022).

A “very good” modern take on classic Cantonese cuisine from Z He and Alex Peffly (of Bun House) is presented in an atmospheric “neon-lit underground parlour in Soho, with the menus on newspapers, giving a gentlemen’s club/opium den vibe”.

“The roast duck is extraordinarily delicious and just melts in the mouth” (and the rest of the menu is worthy of exploration too) at these “squashed in” Cantonese pit stops in Bayswater and Chinatown, which waste little energy on interior design or customer service. (A new branch ‘Chop Chop’, is set to open in the basement of the Hippodrome casino, near Leicester Square, over summer 2022).

Near the gateway leading into Chinatown, this undistinguished looking Chinese venue is one of the better bets in the area: the food is “always tip top” and “less clichéd” than often is the case nearby. Seafood is tipped as is the “excellent dim sum”.

2019 Review: If you crave authenticity and offal in equal portions, this new 2018 opening on Chinatown’s main drag (sibling to an existing operation in Holborn) looks like it may be the place for you. A traditional Sichuan hot-pot specialist, choose from over 80 ingredients – from assorted types of tripe, aorta and brain to wagyu beef and seafood.

This “boisterous” stalwart is a prime choice on Chinatown’s main drag – “the dim sum especially is a cut above all its rivals, but all the dishes are just done better here”.

2021 Review: “In a crowded Chinatown field”, this three-story Cantonese institution just off Leicester Square “is a dependable crowd-pleaser” with a “good price-to-quality ratio”: “the queues outside speak for its popularity”. Highlights from the “reliable menu” include “fab dim sum every time”, “yummy char sui” and “legendary soft shell crab”, all delivered by staff who “although rushed off their feet are generally smiley and friendly”. Top Tip – “the ground floor is a better experience than the higher floors”.