London has a wealth of Chinese restaurants to choose from, ranging from high-end, high-spend places in the likes of Mayfair and Knightsbridge to the more affordable budget-friendly eateries in Soho’s Chinatown. Whatever you are looking for in terms of style or budget, it is a well-known fact that the capital is not short of excellent restaurants, so you should find something to suit you in our round-up of the best Chinese restaurants in London below.
We have found that people who like Chinese food, really, really like Chinese food. Everyone has their favourite dishes, whether it be dim sum or Peking duck, and some of our top picks for Chinese places in London serve up these classic recipes with new and exciting twists. Take the prawn toast at Hakkasan, for instance, which is a deep-fried ball stuffed with foie gras, or the dumplings at RedFarm, which are coloured, shaped and decorated to look like the ghosts from classic 80s arcade game Pac-Man.
For us, the criteria for the best Chinese restaurants in London changes from venue to venue. Sometimes it is the incredible service from knowledgeable staff that simply elevates your experience, or perhaps the seductive interiors that provide the perfect backdrop for an Instagram worthy selfie. Other times, it is instead about the attention paid to sourcing and using top-shelf ingredients, which gives way to drool-worthy meals that we just can’t stop thinking about.
Lots of the best Chinese restaurants in London will require pre-booking to secure your seat, as they are a popular clutch of places. So have a scroll below and read our thoughts on each spot, find your favourite, and then call ahead to Book, to make sure they are ready and waiting for you on your desired date – happy eating!
China Tang at The Dorchester, Mayfair
What: The interiors at China Tang are somewhat of an attack on the senses with no space left free of embellishment. Intricate dark wood panelling and furniture feel a little olde worlde, but they set the scene well to give everything a bit of atmosphere. The menu features a bevy of authentic Cantonese dishes, including platters of roast meats and dim sum, as well as a whole Segovian suckling pig which requires 24-hours’ notice if you fancy it. Being housed in the basement of The Dorchester hotel, service is as refined as you might expect for the coupling of two such brands.
Where: 53 Park Lane, W1K 1QA
Book Now: China Tang
Facing Heaven, Hackney
What: This vegan Chinese restaurant from Mao Chow founder Julian Dennis is whacky and wonderful in the best possible way. Dennis has kept the funky neon interiors of his original restaurant and turned them up a notch. Expect sunshine yellow tables, pink lighting and black and white checkerboard floors. The name refers to a Sichuanese chilli that grows pointing upwards, so diners can expect dishes packed with plenty of heat! Look out for crispy tofu skin, seaweed toast with ‘everything sauce’ and cauliflower florets with crispy chillies.
Where: 1a Bayford Street, E8 3SE
Book now: Facing Heaven
Yauatcha, City
What: Much like its Soho sister restaurant, this East London outpost of Yauatcha serves up meticulously thought-through Chinese dishes. Tasting, vegan and brunch menus take care of all diners and occasions, while an a la carte is available for those who want to make the most of its vast food offering. We’d recommend starting with lots of dim sum dishes, such as golden squash dumplings with pine nuts and coriander and spicy pork Szechuan wontons with peanut and sesame. Part of the appeal of this City site is its stunning covered outdoor terrace which features pretty seasonal displays – perfect for year-round dining.
Where: Broadgate Circle, EC2M 2QS
Book Now: Yauatcha
Four Seasons, Chinatown
What: With Chinatown packed to the rafters with restaurants, it can be tricky to seek out the good from the very good. Our advice? Look for the ones with queues out the door, a commonplace occurrence for this branch on Wardour Street. It’s known for its BBQ meat dishes, steaming hot pots and unique takes on Cantonese and Sichuanese dishes, although its most famous offering is the meaty ‘golden trio’ of crispy duck, char siu and siew yoke, which punters enjoy with little more than sticky rice.
Where: Wardour Street, S1D 6PW
Book now: Four Seasons
Park Chinois, Mayfair
What: If it wasn’t done so well, the grandeur of Park Chinois could feel a little over the top. We’re referencing the swathed curtains, live music entertainment, red velvet seating and fringed table lamps. In their quantity they become theatrical and fun, giving the room a celebratory buzz. When it comes to the food we loved the XO mooli cakes that were stir-fried with snow crab for a moreish sweet and savoury plateful. Elsewhere you can find fabulous examples of all the classics – Peking duck is roasted to order and served with baby cucumber and duck sauce, while the restaurant’s version of carbonara takes udon noodles and combines them with egg, guanciale and sea urchin, with unexpectedly fantastic results.
Where: 17 Berkeley Street, W1J 8EA
Book now: Park Chinois
Bright Courtyard Club, Marylebone
What: As with a lot of London’s best Chinese restaurants, Bright Courtyard Club is a sibling of a global original – in this case, a Shanghai flagship. Interiors are a little dated, with tiled floors and neon feature lighting, but the menu remains luxe. Indulge in lobster hot and sour soup, pan grilled scallops with foie gras and wagyu beef with black pepper sauce.
Where: 43-45 Baker Street, W1U 8EW
Book Now: Bright Courtyard Club
BAO, Soho
What: Purveyors of Taiwanese cuisine (so yes, not exactly Chinese but we hope you’ll forgive us), BAO is famous for its fluffy-as-anything buns and authentic small plates. You can find six locations dotted across London, including a standalone noodle shop inspired by the beef noodle shops of Taiwan. Perfect for casual dining, we like its original site in Soho, a tiny dining room just off Lexington Street that’s held onto its Big Gourmand for the last seven years. When it comes to ordering, the classic bao is a must, which is filled with pulled pork and topped with peanut dust, as well as its utterly addictive fried chicken bao. The adventurous will love the that fact it serves pigs blood cake with soy cured egg and trotter nuggets for starters.
Where: 53 Lexington Street, W1F 9AS
Book now: BAO Soho
Hutong at The Shard, London Bridge
What: With its glamorous air, Hong Kong export Hutong at The Shard occupies the 33rd floor, and offers sky-high views to lucky diners. Although prices are punchy, the service and quality of the food make it worth the spend. Try exquisite XO scallop and crystal prawn dumplings or braised Chinkiang pork ribs with a sweet vinegar sauce. Arrive early, if you can, so you can treat yourself to a couple of the bar’s innovative oriental cocktails – they’re worth a trip up in themselves.
Where: Level 33, The Shard, SE1 9RY
Book now: Hutong at The Shard
Three Uncles, Brixton
What: Cantonese roast meat specialists Three Uncles is a casual joint set up by friends and co-founders Chong Yew (Uncle Lim), Pui Sing Tsang (Uncle Sidney) and Mo Kwok (Uncle Mo), who wanted to bring the Siu Mei (roast meat) they enjoyed while growing up in Hong Kong to London. After trading for three years as a takeaway kiosk, Three Uncles opened its first bricks and mortar site in Brixton Village in 2022, where it serves its famous roast meats, alongside plenty of noodles dishes, dim sum and tasty specials. Choose from the likes of roast duck, crispy pork belly, char siu BBQ pork or Hainan chicken, all of which are served with rice and pak choy.
Where: Brixton Village, SW9 8PR
Book now: Three Uncles Brixton
Kai, Mayfair
What: Michelin-starred Kai has held onto its star for a good 13 years, so you can expect some of the best Chinese food London has to offer at this Mayfair restaurant. Bookable for lunch, dinner or afternoon tea, Kai specialises in Nanyang cooking from southern China, where the climate is more tropical. Expect lots of fish and seafood, such as lemon and chilli prawns with curry leaves and Nanyang chilli lobster. You’ll find desserts are placed at the start of the menu in a bid to try and persuade diners to leave enough room for the sweet course before they order their food. With creations such as a coconut parfait with chocolate, coconut and mango sorbets, lychee and a host of exotic flavours, it would be unwise to miss out.
Where: 65 South Audley Street, W1K 2QU
Book Now: Kai
The Duck and Rice, Soho
What: Having become a Soho favourite since opening, it’s not hard to see why people flock to The Duck and Rice. All the familiar favourites are present and correct: prawn crackers, sweet and sour pork and prawn toast (pictured), for instance. The venue spans two floors, with a more relaxed pub-style situation serving British brews on the ground floor, while upstairs lies an intimate dining room ideal for all occasions. It serves the same menu wherever you choose to perch though! Order as many dishes as you can manage and share them with everyone at the table.
Where: 90 Berwick Street, W1F 0QB
Book now: The Duck and Rice
Min Jiang at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington
What: Enjoy top-end Chinese cuisine with stunning views of London’s skyline at Min Jiang, which is located 10 floors up at the Royal Garden Hotel. Here, dishes are luxurious and rich, and all the better for it. A visit wouldn’t be complete without ordering the Beijing duck, which is presented in three different styles at your table – our favourite being the crispy-skinned serve that comes with a sugar dip. Elsewhere, there are stalwart crowd-pleasers such as pancake wraps and lettuce parcels, as well as very good dim sum and black pepper steak.
Where: Royal Garden Hotel, 2-24 Kensington High Street, W8 4PT
Book Now: Min Jiang
MiMi Mei Fair, Mayfair
Why: This bold and confident restaurant is found in a Georgian townhouse that has been beautifully decorated with plush rooms furnished in rich colours and layers of textural elements. At MiMi Mei Fair you can enjoy starters such as xiao long soup dumplings, or salt and pepper silken tofu, and for mains choose between a far-reaching selection of meat, fish and plant-based options such as Hunan crispy seabass and clay pot aubergine with black beans. Dont skip the crispy duck which is carved table-side and comes with multiple garnishes and sauces.
Where: 55 Curzon Street, W1J 8PG
Book now: MiMi Mei Fair
Yauatcha, Soho
What: For reliably good Chinese in the capital, it’s hard to beat Yauatcha, an all-day dim sum tea house with locations in Soho and the City. Dumplings are consistently good here and include things like seafood black truffle and spicy pork Szechuan wontons. For mains, there is a huge selection of meat, fish and vegetable plates, with a section dedicated solely to tofu if you’re looking for good veggie options. You can also find bao buns, soups and salads! If you’re a pudding person, make sure to save room for one of their signature desserts – think yuzu and matcha macarons or a plum and pecan cake.
Where: 15-17 Broadwick Street, W1F 0DL
Book Now: Yauatcha
Kaki, Islington
What: With large sharing-style mains around the £15-mark, Kaki is certainly one of the more affordable Chinese restaurants in London, and it offers something a little bit different to the rest. Specialising in Northern Chinese cooking, you can expect hot dishes like whole battered seabass in a sweet and sour sauce, and a frogs legs hot pot! Offal, too, plays a starring role on the menu, so a visit here isn’t for the faint of heart. Interiors are cool and contemporary, with bare brick walls and functional tables and chairs.
Where: 125 Caledonian Road, N1 9RG
Book Now: Kaki
Royal China Club, Marylebone
What: Where other Chinese restaurants in London may look to diversify and modernise their menus, Royal China Club knows its strengths lies in its classics. These comforting, familiar dishes are elevated by the use of the very best ingredients – caviar, scallops, foie gras and Wagyu beef – giving diners a really special experience. This Baker Street site is its flagship restaurant and largest dining room, capable of serving up to 250 guests!
Where: 40-42 Baker Street, W1U 7AJ
Book now: Royal China Club
RedFarm, Covent Garden
What: With red gingham tablecloths and whitewashed brickwork, RedFarm doesn’t look like your average Chinese restaurant. The food is far from ordinary as well, with the likes of pastrami egg rolls, chilli chicken with peanuts and colourful Pac-Man dumplings appealing to diners of all ages. Sure, it might not be properly authentic, but if it’s tasty, fun and it works, then who are we to disagree? We also love that it offers an eight-course tasting menu for less than £40 per head – a steal.
Where: 9 Russell Street, WC2B 5HZ
Book Now: RedFarm
Mr Chow, Knightsbridge
What: Despite having opened over 50 years ago, Mr Chow still remains relevant thanks to its timeless fine-dining approach to Chinese cooking. As much an institution as a restaurant, Mr Chow attracts a well-heeled crowd who are happy to pay its elevated prices in return for some of the city’s best Chinese food. Sticky glazed prawns are a favourite of ours, along with salty and spicy minced chicken wraps. And if you need another excuse to visit, just know that there’s a dessert trolley.
Where: 151 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7PA
Book Now: Mr Chow
Hakkasan, Mayfair
What: For a special occasion or celebration, we suggest heading to Hakkasan for exquisite Chinese food in a sleek setting. There are Western twists on classic dishes, but somehow this only strengthens the offering, rather than diluting it. Choose from an extensive selection of tasting menus, with each one designed around a specific theme, or browse the a la carte menu for a range of crowd-pleasing and luxurious dishes including classic dim sum, golden fried soft shell crab and black truffle roasted duck.
Where: 17 Bruton Street, W1J 6QB
Book Now: Hakkasan
Din Tai Fung, Covent Garden
What: Din Tai Fung never fails to please on the dumpling front. We like that it’s on the more casual side, making it a great place to pop in for a spot of lunch or a chilled dinner with mates while you let staff deliver beautiful baskets of steamed buns to your table. Any of the xiao long bao are a must, which each feature a minimum of 18 folds and are wrapped, pleated, twisted and steamed. Fillings include chilli crab and pork, chicken, and beef.
Where: 5 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8PT
Book now: Din Tai Fung
Imperial Treasure, St James’s
What: Shanghai-export Imperial Treasure occupies an opulent three-story space in the St James’s area, where it turns out luxurious Chinese delicacies to a well-heeled crowd. Considering its original flagship restaurant in Shanghai holds an impressive two Michelin stars, expectations are high for this London outpost. Its signature dish is the Peking deck, which needs to be ordered in advance and is served tableside. Do yourself a favour and make sure to request it when you book!
Where: 9-10 Waterloo Place, SW1Y 4BE
Book Now: Imperial Treasure
Silk Road, Camberwell
What: This no-frills neighbourhood restaurant serves up some of the best Chinese food in London for its price. Grab pork dumplings for £3, stir-fried noodles for £6.50 and Xinjiang lamb shish for a quid! Plenty of Sichuan-style dishes can be found on the menu, but Xinjiang specialities are what it does best (Xinjiang is a province once traversed by the ancient Silk Road trade route linking China and the Middle East).
Where: 49 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8TR
Book now: Silk Road
Phoenix Palace, Marylebone
What: Having practically remained the same in style since it opened, the retro feel of Phoenix Palace is part of the draw. Regulars have been coming back for years, to work their way through the 300-dish menu. We love the crispy lobster dumplings as well as the warming congees that are rich, savoury and nourishing. Service is super-efficient, with speedy staff delivering consistently good Chinese dishes to your table in no time at all.
Where: 5 Glentworth Street, NW1 5PG
Book Now: Phoenix Palace
A. Wong, Pimlico
What: When A. Wong received a second Michelin star in 2021, the restaurant became the only Chinese restaurant outside of Asia to hold such an accolade. Andrew Wong’s signature style and never-seen-before dishes are truly to be marvelled and will leave a lasting impression on the diner long after the meal has finished. Guests can dine a la carte at lunch, while in the evening it serves a series of tasting menus where the likes of barbecued sweetcorn, wagyu beef meat paste and truffle will change the way you look at Chinese food forever.
Where: 70 Wilton Road, SW1V 1DE
Book now: A. Wong
Hakkasan Hanway Place, Fitzrovia
What: We’ve included both of Hakkasan’s London outposts in this guide because yes, they’re that good, and each one offers its own unique vibe. This original one on Hanway Place still draws the crowds, its discreet entrance just off Tottenham Court Road giving way to a subterranean dining room decorated with gold accents. As one would expect, the food is as premium as the interiors. You can order Peking duck with caviar, if you like, as well as roasted silver cod cooked with Champagne and honey. Try one of its signature cocktails, such as a Bird of Paradise made with tequila, banana, Frangelico, lime, Grand Marnier, vanilla and chocolate bitters, to complete the experience.
Where: 8 Hanway Place, W1T 1HD
Book Now: Hakkasan
Hunan, Pimlico
What: Hunan’s no-menu policy makes dining here either stressful or stress-free, depending on how you look at it. If you’re the kind of person who can never decide what to order – great, this one’s for you. If you prefer to scour the menu online before visiting a restaurant, then dining here might be a little unnerving. The process is as such: simply tell the waiters what you like (and what you don’t!) and they’ll do the rest. Expect 12-18 small courses for lunch or dinner. Examples might include xiao long bao, crispy taro roll, chilli ribeye beef and quail egg dumpling.
Where: 51 Pimlico Road, SW1W 8NE
Book now: Hunan
Mei Ume, City
What: Mei Ume succeeds where so many others fail, in serving the cuisines of two countries side by side. With both Japanese and Chinese dishes on the menu, you might be forgiven for thinking they must have sacrificed the quality of each somewhere along the line, but somehow they manage to serve everything up to a high standard. Try crunchy fried squid in a salted egg batter or a selection of eight pleated dim sum, to give you a variety of tastes and textures in one serve.
Where: 10 Trinity Square, EC3N 4AJ
Book Now: Mei Ume
Barshu, Soho
What: If you like your food hot, Barshu is a chilli mecca not to be missed. Specialising in Szechuan-style cooking, nearly everything is given a lick of heat. Dry wok dishes of pig’s offal and beef tripe are flavoured with punchy red chillies while slices of belly pork come in a fiery red sauce. The menu is humungous and pretty expensive, even for Soho. Dishes are generous though, so you won’t need more than a few plates each.
Where: 28 Frith Street, W1D 5LF
Book Now: Barshu
Royal China, Canary Wharf
What: Canary Wharf’s dining scene has got better and better over recent years, but Royal China has been there since the beginning. With outside seating and unobstructed views of the Thames, it makes a lovely spot to enjoy an early evening meal in summer, or squirrel yourself away in winter to enjoy the comfortable seating and rich and comforting aromas coming from the kitchen. There’s a sophisticated Hong Kong menu that includes high-end ingredients like duck, lobster and lemon sole, as well as plenty of classics to draw the crowds.
Where: 30 Westferry Circus, E14 8RR
Book now: Royal China
If you love sampling the various cuisines of the world, why not try one of the places on our round-up of the best Indian restaurants in London.
