With so much choice, it can be hard to track down the best Chinese food in London. The city’s appetite for fresh, regional cooking has set the bar high with quality food reminiscent of the dishes found in China. Shu Lin, food vlogger and enthusiast, has done the hard, and delicious, work for you: bringing you our top recommendations for Chinese food in London.
Yipin China
If you can handle spice, Yipin China in Islington will leave your taste buds numb with pleasure from the sheer amount of chilli peppers used in the Hunan and Sichuan dishes.
Order the boiled fish with sizzling chilli oil, deep fried beef with cumin, stewed pork belly with preserved vegetables and the dan dan noodles. A delectable mixture of vibrant, highly spiced and mouth-watering food – just make sure to have tea or an ice cold beer nearby.
Master Wei
After heading up the kitchen at Xi’an Impression, Guirong Wei has opened up her first solo restaurant in Bloomsbury. Bringing authentic Shaanxi cuisine to London, Master Wei offers the city a chance to taste the best of Xi’an food.
The signature traditional LiangPi noodles (with chicken) is a must order. Expect delicious light bites of springy, slippery strands of noodles seasoned in a mild chilli sauce. The sour and spicy pork dumplings give stomachs a particularly warm welcome on a cold day.
Don’t leave without trying the pork biang biang noodles with a tomato-and-egg sauce and chilli oil. The hand-pulled noodles are made fresh and offer a comforting, satisfying eat.
Yauatcha
Yauatcha in Soho offers contemporary dim sum and touches the heart with its elegant interiors, delicate bites and innovative cocktails.
Order the scallop shui mai and seafood black truffle dumplings. With masterful presentation, impeccable quality and moody lighting, Yauatcha provides an allure that seems worlds away from the usual Sunday dim sum brunches.
Remember to make room for the seasonal desserts. Each one is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.
Silk Road
Being able to get a delicious lamb skewer in London for £1 is hard to believe, but Camberwell's Silk Road (49 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8TR) has continued to impress diners over the years with its no-nonsense approach to serving up quick, affordable and tasty food.
Specialising in North-Western Xinjiang food, this spot is a must visit for those who favour spicy and flavourful dishes. The small, fatty chunks of lamb are generously dusted with cumin, salt and chilli before being roasted over charcoal.
Order the ‘Big Plate Chicken’ too – a generous pot of chicken (with bone), potatoes, green chilli, preserved chilli and wide belt noodles. And don’t forget to slurp the broth at the end!
Four Seasons
Four Seasons, which has four branches in West London, has one of the best Cantonese-style roast ducks in the city. Fired up in a special furnace, this dish is best served warm and dipped in the sweet, tangy plum sauce. An authentic taste of Hong Kong, you’ll waddle out nursing a food baby and a smile.
Dumpling Shack
Nestled amongst London’s favourite street eats at Old Spitalfields Market, Dumpling Shack has brought innovative Chinese street food to the masses.
Opt for the shengjianbaos (pork and leek soup dumplings); these piping hot parcels of delight are made fresh and will set your taste buds alight.
For noodle enthusiasts, the spicy dan dan beef noodles will hit the spot. Each strand is coated with homemade spicy sesame sauce and topped with Sichuan-style minced beef.
Jen Cafe
It’s hard to miss the dumpling-making display at Jen Cafe, just off Leicester Square. The interiors are simple with its jade green tables and simple stools, but the magic exists in the cheap and cheerful menu.
For a taste of nostalgic cooking, a bowl of Beijing pork and vegetable dumplings in broth ought to do the trick. Top with vinegar and chilli oil, and complement with a freshly brewed tea.
Hakkasan
Hakkasan offers modernised Cantonese cuisine, surround by decadent décor, and is a guaranteed hit for special occasions.
The silver cod with champagne and honey screams opulence: you’ll struggle to keep your table manners in check and not lick the plate clean. Order the prawn and silver cod crispy red rice cheung fun, and taste each delicate layer of the morel mushroom and mooli puff.
Golden Gate Cake Shop
With rows of fresh-out-of-the-oven egg tarts and cream-filled Chinese cakes decorating the windows, Golden Gate Cake Shop in London's Chinatown, has a shining reputation as having the best oriental pastries and desserts in London.
For a special treat, surprise a loved one with the customisable birthday cakes or take home savoury barbecued roast pork buns, walnut cookies or maybe some buttery, soft winter melon wife cakes. A welcome sight after a long day eating around London. It’s hard work but somebody has to do it…
