Best restaurants in Chinatown

If you're looking for an authentic taste of Chinese cuisine in London, Chinatown is the place to head. This historic part of central London is home to some of the oldest family-run Chinese restaurants in the city, and you can find regional delicacies from all over China here, from crispy Peking duck to sweet and sour chicken. To help you out, we've handpicked some of the best Chinatown restaurants London has to offer, so you know where to go next time you find yourself in Soho, in need of some dim sum, hot pot or comforting egg fried rice.

Updated on 09 January 2025

Chinatown is a treasure trove of first-class restaurants, from cheap and cheerful walk-ins to special occasion eateries - and we’ve curated a list of all our favourites to save you the trouble of trawling through each one. Whether you’re on a mission to find Chinatown’s best dim sum restaurants, or are after an all-out Chinese banquet with Peking duck and pancakes, our curated list includes options for all moods and appetites.

Whilst a decent chunk of this list is dedicated to where to find the best Chinese in Chinatown, in more recent years a wave of new cuisines has emerged in the area, from tasty Taiwanese spots to incredible Japanese and Korean places. Here you’ll find lip-smacking Korean fried chicken, comforting bowls of hot ramen, and pillowy soft bao buns, amongst a whole host of flavour-packed dishes.

Squeezed somewhat tightly between London’s Soho and Theatreland, it always amazes us just how densely packed the area is with fantastic places to eat. And new restaurants are opening here all the time! So, whether you're in the mood for a quick bite to eat, a traditional Chinese dinner, or somewhere cool and trendy to catch up with mates, our list of the best restaurants in Chinatown contains the answer.

Shu Xiang Ge

Shu Xiang Ge

10 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London, W1D 5PW

Shu Xiang Ge is home of the hotpot; a DIY meal of bubbling broth and copious amounts of meats and vegetables to dip and cook in it. Expect eye wateringly spicy meat options, as well as more mild vegetarian options, and it’s a great space to head to with a group of friends.

Under £30
Chinese
Orient London Chinatown

Orient London Chinatown

15 Wardour Street, Soho, London, W1D 6PH

Orient is owned by one of the oldest families in Chinatown - the Yeungs - and they’re sticklers for tradition. All the food served here mirrors how it has traditionally been made, and whilst the whole menu is pretty epic, it’s the seafood you really come here for.

£30 - £49
Chinese
Dim Sum
JinLi Chinatown

JinLi Chinatown

16 Newport Place, London, London, WC2H 7PR

This is a resolutely traditional Chinatown experience, featuring the infamously brusque service and intruguing dishes like spicy pig’s foot or pork lung. If you’re not in the mood to experiment, stick with the kung po prawns and salt and pepper squid.  

Szechuan
Chinese
Four Seasons Soho

Four Seasons Soho

23 Wardour Street, Soho, London, W1D 5PR

Four Seasons has always been highly regarded as one of the best spots for a decent meal in Chinatown, and there’s one dish in particular that gets tongues wagging. The famed roast duck has previously been referred to as the ‘best roast duck in the world’ for good reason and if you don’t believe us, give it a go for yourself.

Under £30
Chinese
Speedboat Bar

Speedboat Bar

30 Rupert Street, Soho, London, W1D 6DL

Speedboat Bar burst onto London’s food scene with a bang where it serves up some of the city’s best (and eye wateringly spicy) Thai food. You can also enjoy cocktails from the equally exciting drinks menu and challenge friends to a game of pool or two whilst you’re there.

Under £30
Thai
Bars
Zhang Liang Malatang

Zhang Liang Malatang

112A Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London, W1D 5EJ

Located on Shaftesbury Avenue, Sichuan eatery Zhang Liang Malatang brings its bespoke hotpot bowls to Chinatown, including its signature spicy ‘malatang’ soup. This London outpost is just one of over 5,800 sites worldwide!

Under £30
Chinese
Viet Food

Viet Food

34-36 Wardour Street, London, W1D 6QT

This Vietnamese street food joint has won legions of fans and turns out a selection of casual dishes, such as hearty pho, buns filled with the likes of lemongrass pork, and egg fried rice topped with beef and spring onion.

£30 - £49
Vietnamese
Bun House Chinatown

Bun House Chinatown

26-27 Lisle Street, Westminster, London, WC2H 7BA

If you’re looking for some lip smackingly good buns in Chinatown, Bun House is a no brainer - and you’ll find them rustling up fresh batches throughout the day so you can pop in for lunch or dinner for some of these steaming hot delicacies.

Under £30
Chinese
Dim Sum
Pochawa Grill Korean BBQ

Pochawa Grill Korean BBQ

29 Wardour Street, Soho, London, W1D 6PS

If you’re looking for somewhere to live out your Korean barbecue and soju dreams, Pochawa delivers on both fronts in a welcoming, retro-style Pocha bar. There are other classic Korean dishes on offer from savoury pancakes with kimchi and mozzarella, to pan-fried dumplings and pork with boiled tofu.

£30 - £49
Korean
Barbecue
Bunsik Chinatown

Bunsik Chinatown

31 Wardour Street, Soho, London, W1D 6PT

Bunsik is popular Korean street food chain dishing out bibimbap, Korean fried chicken, ramyun, burgers, and its famous take on the US staple: corndogs. Nestled on Wardour Street, the brand’s signature yellow and blue interiors (and exterior) are impossible to miss.

Under £30
Korean
Kung Fu Burger

Kung Fu Burger

104 Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London, W1D 5EQ

Burgers might not be the first thing you associate with Chinese cuisine, but Kung Fu Burger is putting its own twist on the classic with sourdough Chinese-style buns filled with the likes of shredded pork belly, chicken and vegetables. Find this cosy little kiosk on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Under £30
Chinese
Burgers
Dumplings Legend

Dumplings Legend

15-16 Gerrard Street, Soho, London, W1D 6JE

This Chinatown café makes a big claim with its bold name, and reportedly makes 8,000 fresh dumplings each day. Find them on the menu in the form of pork dumplings with crab roe and xiao long bao, best enjoyed at lunchtime.

£30 - £49
Chinese
Dim Sum
C&R Cafe

C&R Cafe

4-5 Rupert Court, Chinatown, London, W1D 6DY

C&R cafe is proof that good things come in small packages, with it’s compact restaurant tucked away down a side street in Chinatown. Whilst you can tuck into anything from chicken curry to prawn pad thai, it’s the laksa that people really come here for. There’s also a small shop with extra seating across the street!

Under £30
Malaysian
Tao Tao Ju

Tao Tao Ju

15 Lisle Street, Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7BE

Established in 2011 on Lisle Street, Tao Tao Ju has become one of London’s most beloved dim sum spots, serving an extensive menu of dum sum favourites and Chinese staples. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menus are all available, too.

Chinese
Dim Sum
High Yaki

High Yaki

10 Newport Place, Soho, London, WC2H 7PR

A Japanese BBQ restaurant that specialises in yakitori, yakiniku and dry aged wagyu. Menu highlights include ready-to-grill meats and chef-chosen BBQ dishes, while elaborate sushi platters and sashimi omakase cater to seafood lovers. A special occasion place for sure!

£50 - £79
Japanese
Plum Valley

Plum Valley

20 Gerrard Street, Soho, London, W1D 6JQ

Although Chinese cuisine is the name of the game here, Plum Valley is also inspired by Malaysia and Singapore. The à la carte features sweet and sour chicken and Vietnamese pork belly, but the dim sum offering is absolutely not to be missed.

£30 - £49
Chinese
Dim Sum
The Eight

The Eight

68-70 Shaftesbury Avenue, Leicester Square, London, W1D 6LZ

The Eight is THE place to head for authentic Hong Kong-style cuisine as it serves up some truly delicious renditions of spicy dumplings, char siu pork, handmade wontons and sauce-drenched noodles. Fancy something sweet? Its HK coco milk French toast is a must.

Chinese
Chinatown Bakery

Chinatown Bakery

7-9 Newport Place, Chinatown, London, WC2H 7JR

Chinatown Bakery has long been one of the top choices when looking for baked goods in the area, and will often catch the eye of passers by with its fish-shaped waffles in the window. Inside they’re filled with a warm vanilla custard and they’re every bit as addictive as they seem.

Under £30
Chinese
Good Friend

Good Friend

14 Little Newport Street, Chinatown, London, WC2H 7JJ

Moved over Korean fried chicken, because the Taiwanese alternative is where it’s at. So committed to tradition, the team actually imported their fryer from Taiwan, and have been making some of London’s best fried chicken ever since. Word to the wise - order the popcorn chicken.

Under £30
Taiwanese
Rasa Sayang

Rasa Sayang

5 Macclesfield Street, Picadilly Circus, London, W1D 6AY

Split across two floors, diners can choose between the light-filled ground floor and moody basement level, while the menu here is a role call of popular pocket-friendly Malaysian dishes, including roti canai, satays, noodles and signature dishes such as nasi lemak. 

Under £30
Malaysian
Singaporean
Wong Kei

Wong Kei

41-43 Wardour Street, Chinatown, London, W1D 6PX

Wong Kei is a regular on London’s cheap eats lists, and is a go to when you want some serious bang for your buck. It may not be known for its warm hospitality, but we can look past that for the generous portions of food at such a modest price.

Under £30
Chinese
Tokyo Diner

Tokyo Diner

2 Newport Place, London, WC2H 7JJ

Not only is Tokyo Diner one of the best spots for a decent Japanese meal in Chinatown, but any tips that are left for staff aren’t accepted (as Japan doesn’t do ‘tipping’), and are instead sent to St. Martin-in-the-Fields’ unit for the Homeless.

Under £30
Sushi
Japanese
YiQi

YiQi

14 Lisle Street, Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7BE

One of Chinatown’s more youthful, contemporary new inhabitants, YiQi mixes up a swathe of pan-Asian influences across a huge menu. Similar restaurants can often be disappointing but the food at YiQi is excellent - the cordyceps mushroom and chicken broth is a must order, but frankly, you can’t go wrong with the excellent menu.

£30 - £49
Pan Asian
South East Asian
Kung Fu Noodle

Kung Fu Noodle

64 Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London, W1F 6LU

Catch a glimpse of the noodle masters creating traditional hand-pulled noods in Kung Fu Noodle’s open kitchen. This brilliant spot specialises in Gansu-style noodles from northwestern China, with a selection of hot, cold and soup options to choose from.

Under £30
Chinese

If you love this selection, we can guarantee that you'll fall head over heels for our list of the best Chinese restaurants in London. Of course, the scope of amazing Asian food in London is practically limitless, with new locations popping up left, right and centre. If you're after something zingy and spicy, check out our guide to London's best Thai restaurants, which offer some of the most vibrant and unique food in town.

Not a fan of spicy food? Head to one of London's best Japanese restaurants, where you'll find everything from buzzy izakaya joints to chef's counter sushi bars. 

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