Westminster, Chinese, Dim Sum Restaurant Guide

“Probably the best Chinese gastronomic experience in the UK” – Andrew Wong “has changed the game for Chinese cuisine” in the West and “the progress he has made over the years is phenomenal” at this Pimlico HQ (which began life as his parents’ restaurant, Kym’s). “The hype is deserved” for food that’s “exceptional, original, and utterly delicious”: “he really sets the bar and showcases that Chinese gastronomy can go head-to-head against the likes of French and Japanese traditions when it comes to this level of cooking”. (“You can see the refinement and constant drive to make each and every element of a dish better and better”). At lunch, “exquisite dim sum” is served à la carte (and there’s also a lunchtime tasting option). In the evening, there’s the “pure theatre” of a lengthy tasting menu for £200 per person (“I don’t do tasting menus anymore, but this was a wise exception to my rule and an absolute triumph”). To a striking extent, no-one questions the quality here. Even so, some do bristle at the ultimate bill (“the food is exceptional, but you might prefer a week in Greece for similar money?”). “Still, despite the huge money, he’s full, so there are plenty of takers”. Top Tips – “Keep your eyes on instagram for last-minute bookings”. And “if visiting, ensure you have a drink in the basement bar, which very much has an old HK vibe”.

“You can’t go past the xiao long bao” – “soup-filled dumplings hand-made onsite and steamed to order” – say fans of this Taiwanese-based global chain with three London outlets (in Covent Garden, CentrePoint and Selfridges). “All the other dishes are a bit hit and miss”, though, while a well-travelled minority reckon they’re “nothing like the original restaurants in Asia”, with prices – by comparison to e.g. Singapore – that are “off the scale”. But you must go: “cute robots help clear the plates!”

“Huge Cantonese restaurant” over two floors on Chinatown’s main drag, praised for its “sensibly priced and fine-quality dim sum”, along with “good crispy duck with pancakes”. “Service is brisk but friendly”, and its capacity makes it “good for walk-ins”.

“You can see the staff making the very fresh dumplings from scratch” as you enter this modern take on the traditional dim sum experience in Chinatown – they claim to make 8,000 a day! “Clean-tasting and fast food” is the result – “expect big queues at the weekend”. Top Menu Tip – “the BBQ meats are ace, too”.

“Fantastic dim sum with good-quality ingredients” make this family-run Cantonese “a good Gerrard Street standby”. Now entering its fifth decade, the decor is “slightly cooler than in your average Chinatown restaurant”.

“Brilliant, lip-numbing” northern Chinese cooking has put this Soho fixture from Wei Shao firmly on the map, and it serves a flexible menu of skewers, noodles and rice, wok dishes and other dim sum options. Some feel its Borough Market offshoot is “weak” by comparison (“it’s as if the Soho one benefits from the proximity of Chinatown but they don’t expect anyone with any discernment in SE1!”).

‘Blini Baron’, Arkady Novikov’s London outpost remains a magnet for glossy Mayfair eurotrash types, with its luxe pan-Asian menu of sushi, sushi rolls, robata, wok and hot pot dishes (there is also a completely separate Lake-Como-comes-to-London back room, serving Italian cuisine, that’s never as highly commented on). It’s never been a choice for anyone remotely concerned about value. (PS. Next time you hop over to the Balearics, you can drop in on his newish spin-off at Ibiza Gran Hotel).

This glossy Mayfair venue modelled on ‘the supper clubs of 1930s Shanghai’ “has a real buzz” with “wonderful singers and a band to add to a great night”. But while some diners feel the food is outstanding, ratings are undercut by the view that it’s “middle-of-the-road Chinese that’s well executed but nothing special and soured by the bill”.

“Consistently excellent dim sum” served in a vibey setting that “even after so many years is still a fun, cool place to be” ensures continuing plaudits for these sleek venues (founded by Alan Yau in 2004 and nowadays an international brand owned by Tao Group Hospitality with three siblings in India and one in Saudi Arabia). Food aside, its two London branches are very different – the original, intimate ground floor and basement in Soho contrasting with the more “spectacular”, large, “light-filled” modern unit in the City’s Broadgate development. Both scored highly this year – “service appears to have become a bit less standoffish”; and “the only drawback is eating too much!”. Top Menu Tips – “Cheung fun, Venison Puff, Sichuan pork wonton and Wagyu beef puff are some of the tastiest things you can eat”.

“Divine dim sum” served in a moody, nightclubby setting (“very dark basement lighting” at the original) has helped this slick pan-Asian chain go from an obscure basement near Tottenham Court Road tube (which opened in 2001) to become a glam, international chain with 11 locations from Miami to Mumbai. Prices have always seemed a bit “excruciating” and performance generally is “not as good as it once was”, but this remains one of the Top-50 commented-on brands in our annual diners’ poll; and there’s still lots of praise for its “attractive” style, “fantastic” cooking (the dim sum in particular, as well as the duck) and “wonderful cocktails”. Less so for the “perfunctory” or “artificially polite” service, which, over the years, is increasingly acknowledged as just part of the package.

“You can’t go past the xiao long bao” – “soup-filled dumplings hand-made onsite and steamed to order” – say fans of this Taiwanese-based global chain with three London outlets (in Covent Garden, CentrePoint and Selfridges). “All the other dishes are a bit hit and miss”, though, while a well-travelled minority reckon they’re “nothing like the original restaurants in Asia”, with prices – by comparison to e.g. Singapore – that are “off the scale”. But you must go: “cute robots help clear the plates!”

For a Chinese meal in the City, a number of reporters recommend this venue at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Blackfriars (fka the Crowne Plaza, reopened post-refurb in summer 2023). The unusual name marks the debut of the Chinese national cricket team in 2009, the year the restaurant opened. Classic dishes range from dim sum and Peking duck to xiao long bao.

This “atmospheric Cantonese restaurant in the Dorchester” was designed by the late Sir David Tang 20 years ago, and “whisks you to 1930s Shanghai when you walk in”. “One of the finest Chinese restaurants in London”, its menu lists “some mind-boggling but expensive dishes”, such as Japanese size 18 abalone at £388 or Peking duck with 125 grams of Kristal caviar at £480. Dip your toe in the water with the dim sum menu (which is served in the evenings as well as at lunchtimes). Or, from late 2024, pop into the Harrods Food Halls, where there’s a new ‘China Tang’ stall.

“Huge emporium by the Elephant & Castle” that’s “firing on all cylinders again” for “solidly decent dim sum at fair prices” and with “more regional dishes added to the menu” of late. “Big round tables with lazy susans make it ideal for big parties”, although “service can be a bit chaotic”.

“The food is always good” at the Marylebone flagship of the Royal China group, while the “well-spaced tables, attractive presentation and attentive service” contribute to a somewhat more stately atmosphere than at other branches. It is, though, “pricey”: “it feels like the same food as Royal China but costing 30% more”.

This “always reliable” and “slightly upmarket” Cantonese group “remains the standard that all other dim sum places should be judged against – exemplary is an overused term here but is very much justified”. But a somewhat dark cloud has hung over the operation since its prominent Baker Street branch was stripped of its licence to sell alcohol and fined £360,000 after a series of Home Office raids over six years discovered multiple cases of illegal immigrants working, in one case for 66 hours a week at almost half the minimum wage. As of August 2024, the Fulham Road branch is ‘Temporarily Closed’.

“Excellent dumplings” and other Cantonese and Shanghainese dishes are served in “good portions” at this London outpost of a Shanghai-based group. Harsher voices say the Marylebone office-block interior is “miserable but spacious”, but it’s a popular destination nonetheless.

A “great traditional Chinese restaurant” seating 250, with “striking décor” near Baker Street tube that boasts “a huge menu”, listing more than 300 dishes, including dim sum. Of its type, it’s one of London’s best and draws fans in our annual diners’ poll from all points of the compass. Top Menu Tip – “the crispy noodles are the best in town”.

“Just like a hole-in-the-wall in Hong Kong” – “if you can stand the long wait on grimy King’s Cross Road” and “are prepared to eat sitting on someone else’s lap because there’s no space inside (all part of the charm!)” then you can enjoy some “excellent” dim sum at this cheap eat of contemporary urban legend – “we just wanted to keep ordering and eating everything on the menu!”

“Consistently excellent dim sum” served in a vibey setting that “even after so many years is still a fun, cool place to be” ensures continuing plaudits for these sleek venues (founded by Alan Yau in 2004 and nowadays an international brand owned by Tao Group Hospitality with three siblings in India and one in Saudi Arabia). Food aside, its two London branches are very different – the original, intimate ground floor and basement in Soho contrasting with the more “spectacular”, large, “light-filled” modern unit in the City’s Broadgate development. Both scored highly this year – “service appears to have become a bit less standoffish”; and “the only drawback is eating too much!”. Top Menu Tips – “Cheung fun, Venison Puff, Sichuan pork wonton and Wagyu beef puff are some of the tastiest things you can eat”.