Chinese in central London

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

FazMan

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
43
Location
Essex
Car
Push Bike!
Desperate need to impress the Mrs, so booked a decent (hopefully) hotel in central London but with so many Chinese restaurants to choose from in the China Town area and Soho, etc, does anyone have any recommendations?

Would prefer walking - strolling distance from Leicester square.

Any help appreciated
 
Not Chinese but Italian.
Great Windmill Street is a short way up Shaftesbury Avenue from Picadilly Circus. Just North of the crossroads with Archer Street, on the left is a small Italian restaurant called Picadilly or White House. Looks nothing much from the outside - but my family have used it for 50 years and always had superb food and value for money. Haven't been there for a while (although daughter has) but would not hesitate to head there if we were on a day out in London.
 
If you walk down Gerrard Place (Chinatown 'high street') you will find many restaurants... I often go to whichever seem best at the time, I have not particular name to quote. It is a 10 minutes walk from Leicester square.
 
Well not strolling distance but its worth the walk.

Phoenix Palace at Baker Street... The best chinese around, we go there regularly.

I cant think of any decent ones around Leicester Square, they are all touristified.

There is a good one in one of the main streets behind to and adjacent selfridges but cant think of the name.
 
I was impressed by Haozhan, on the north side of Gerrard Street, it has a different vibe to the rest of the Chinatown restaurants, clean lines, good service and great food. The chef is supposedly ex-Hakkasan and the subtle blends of frankly, odd-sounding combinations of flavours, is carried off with aplomb. The scallops on tofu starters are absolutely devine.

Imperial China does the best dim sum in Chinatown, almost on a par with the City Hall restaurant in Hong Kong, and that's saying something. They might not serve dim sum in the evenings, but the rest of their menu is pretty decent and affordable. That's on Lisle street, south and parallel to Gerrard Street.
 
It's all a bit hit and miss in my opinion, most of the restaurants in China town treat regular diners quite a bit differently than the tourists..
Me and my good lady wife often eat at Gerrards Corner which is exactly where we're going for her Birthday in a couple of weeks.
 
If you want modern chinese food (and very good it is too), go to Yauatcha on Broadwick Street. Trendy and cool.

Less flashy and more 'traditional' chinese cooking of excellent quality, Mayflower on Shaftesbury Avenue.
 
If you want a true London experience then it has to be Won Kei's in Chinatown, the place has great, cheap food and just about the rudest waiters in London, they're famous for it!

Won Kei review
 
Second Phoenix Palace, the crab fried with dried garlic flakes and chilli is a masterpiece.

Chinatown is grim, if you like Sichuanese (very hot, the more chillies the better for me - I have a very high tolerance) Red and Hot is utterly authentic, excellent tripe. Bar Shu is more digestible by westerners but still high on the chilli scale.

Cantonese is good at Fung Shing in Lisle street, soft shell crab is very good there. Better for dinner than lunch.
 
If you want a true London experience then it has to be Won Kei's in Chinatown, the place has great, cheap food and just about the rudest waiters in London, they're famous for it!

Won Kei review

That place is so funny, what I call an NFA (No F$cking About) eating establishment. Really good value but if you want a romantic meal for 2 sat on your own whispering sweet nothings, then forget it. If you have to be somewhere afterwards, its brilliant. Prices arent high either.

It has to be done once just for a laugh :D
 
Thanks for all the recommendations and comments above.

The plan is to arrive mid afternoon and take a wander round. Sticking to central London and looking at various reviews online, Fung Shing in Lisle Street, Gerrards Corner, Haozhan, all look like they'll suit our tastes. But we never know where we'll end up to the last minute.........

I'll update the thread with a review of whereever we end up.

Thanks
 
Very far from ordinary. Book in advance

Hakkasan / London / Hanway Place / A La Carte

Another £££ option is China Tang downstairs at the Dorchester - went there last year and it was very good - not as good as Hakkasan in my view [Mrs ShinyF1 loves Hakkasan] which has been a good anniversary bet for us...

Downside for Hakkasan is some too loud diners [complete with competitive expensive wine ordering], but generally atmosphere is electric in there.

Both warrant special occasions [or someone else paying!!]
 
Last edited:
That place is so funny, what I call an NFA (No F$cking About) eating establishment. Really good value but if you want a romantic meal for 2 sat on your own whispering sweet nothings, then forget it. If you have to be somewhere afterwards, its brilliant. Prices arent high either.

It has to be done once just for a laugh :D

Indeed. Rather depends on your expectations. Instead of:

"Did Sir and Madam enjoy their meal? Oh good the chef wil be so pleased. Is ther anything else I can get you?

More likely to get

"U finish? U pay, u go!"
 
Went to Wong Kei during festivities on my stag night [1998] and they were pretty game on in allowing the silly stuff we were up to [antisocial fun with food and beer]. Don't remember much about the food.

Did go to Yungs from time to time, but mainly because it would still be open post nightclub. Not sure if it's still around.

Mr Kong [Lisle St] and Gerrard Corner are OK.
 
Indeed. Rather depends on your expectations. Instead of:

"Did Sir and Madam enjoy their meal? Oh good the chef wil be so pleased. Is ther anything else I can get you?

More likely to get

"U finish? U pay, u go!"

They were being polite..

normally it's "U finish? U pay, U f*ck off!

:D
 
Cantonese is good at Fung Shing in Lisle street, soft shell crab is very good there. Better for dinner than lunch.

Second that, Fung Shing is excellent and on the same street you have Mr Kong's simple but unbelievable food.

Advantage of these two is they are both in easy reach of Leicester Square
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom