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SquareMeal Review of Gouqi

Gold Award

Some might think seven Michelin stars are enough to earn you a comfortable retirement somewhere. Chee Hwee Tong clearly isn’t one to embrace life in the slow lane. After his 18-year tenure as Hakkasan’s executive chef, he’s back on the London restaurant scene, this time under his own steam.

Gouqi quietly arrived in Trafalgar Square in 2023, but news soon spread. Not least due to the swish, contemporary interiors and the deeply glossed Peking duck, which is carved tableside. It is given the respect of its own tray, its own clever-wielding chef. With astonishing delicacy, the skin’s removed. It’s almost brittle and a simple sugar dip accentuates its richness. Next, plump slices of breast come to be stuffed into steaming pancakes with all the trimmings. The less obvious course is the stir-fried minced leg meat, destined for lettuce cups.

Aside from the duck, beautiful dim sum act as starters in a characterful procession of steaming baskets and plates. Pitch perfect – and often chopstick evading – prawn cheung fun is generously stuffed and the buttery venison puffs from Hakkasan have been resurrected and are as brilliant as ever. There are more prawns for mains. This time, the fist-sized crystal kind which come dressed in an electrifying XO sauce. Just don’t ask the price (or do, they’re £42).

It’s not only the food that’s spellbinding though, it’s also the all-star cast that has been assembled to meticulously guide guests through the delightful experience with warmth and personality. There’s attention paid to every detail for a joyous run of miniature moments of surprise. From the ice that’s frozen to the bottom of the cocktail glasses (so it doesn’t unceremoniously whack you in the face when you drink) through to the individually designed tableware, with duck-shaped chopstick rests, nothing is left to chance.

As Charles Eames famously said, ‘the details are not the details. They make the design’. And Gouqi has been so carefully designed that it’s s work of art in itself. It’s the most exciting Chinese restaurant that’s opened in London for years.

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Good to know

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Average Price
££££ - Over £80
Cuisine
Afternoon tea, Chinese, Dim Sum, Gluten-free options, Vegetarian friendly
Ambience
Cosy, Glamorous, Luxury, Romantic, Unique
Awards
SquareMeal London Top 100
Food Occasions
Dinner, Lunch
Special Features
Counter dining, Dog friendly, Wheelchair access
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celeb spotting, Celebrations, Child friendly, Dates, Group dining [8+], Romantic, Special occasions
Food Hygiene Rating
Food Hygiene Rating 2 for Gouqi

About

Gouqi is a fine dining Chinese restaurant from seven Michelin-starred chef Tong Chee Hwee, where he brings innovative contemporary Chinese cuisine to St James’s in London. Tong helped to open Hakkasan Hanway Place in 2001, which gained its Michelin star two years later in 2003, before later becoming the executive chef of the entire Hakkasan Group in 2010. Over the years, he’s also led the kitchens at Hakkasan Mayfair, Yauatcha Soho and HKK, before leaving the group in 2019.

Gouqi marks the chef’s return to London’s dining scene and is his first solo venture, where he offers a contemporary take on Chinese cooking with a range of la carte, tasting and dim sum menus. The name Gouqi (pronounced like ‘goji’) originated as a play on goji berry, traditionally viewed as a symbol of health and vitality and which informs the ethos of the restaurant. As such, dishes are made using the freshest possible seasonal ingredients and offer a fusion of flavours, techniques and ingredients drawn from across China, as well as parts of Europe.

On the a la carte menu, diners are able to tuck into its ‘legendary’ peking duck with Oscietra caviar, as well as other luxurious dishes such as eight treasure crispy chicken with foie gras and a steamed royal dim sum platter. While the eight-course tasting menu combines modern European influences with Chinese flavours to create dishes such as chargrilled silver cod with yellow bean sauce and passion fruit, and black truffle roasted duck with honey-glazed Iberico char siu with salted egg yolk.

Meanwhile, its cocktail menu is inspired by the four Chinese mythological creatures: the Azure Dragon of the East, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Tortoise of the North. Discover four collections of drinks, each offering their own distinctive flavour profile, from floral and fresh to rich and full-bodied. Elsewhere, a premium wine list features a lengthy selection of bottles from across the globe.

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1000 Points for lunchtime diners

For all diners to this restaurant, spending over £60 on Mondays to Fridays, lunchtimes only.

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For all diners to this restaurant, spending over £60 on Mondays to Fridays, for evening diners.

100 Points

For all diners any day, every time


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Menu Highlights

A la carte
Gouqi Lava Custard Bun (3pcs) - £9.00
Crispy Prawn Bean Curd Roll (3pcs) - £9.00
Chinese Ching Bo Leung - £9.00
Golden Sesame Ball with Custard (3pcs) - £9.00

FAQs

Does the restaurant offer private dining?

Yes, there are two private dining rooms for eight and 10 guests respectively. These rooms can also be combined for larger parties.

Do you need to book a table?

Yes, it is recommended to book a table online before visiting.

Meet the team
Gouqi

Chef Tong Chee Hwee

Chef Proprietor

Known around the world for his industry-leading Cantonese cookery, chef Tong Chee Hwee is famous for having headed up the Hakkassan group for 18 years. During this time he managed menus across the brand’s clutch of restaurants and earned an impressive seven Michelin stars collectively. Gouqi is the first restaurant he’s opened under his own steam and serves contemporary Chinese food in a luxurious setting just off of Trafalgar Square.


Details

Get directions to Gouqi Get directions to Gouqi
Location
25-34 Cockspur Street, St James's, London, SW1Y 5BN

020 3771 8886 020 3771 8886

Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon 12:00-15:15
Tue 12:00-15:15
Wed 12:00-15:15
Thu 12:00-15:15
Fri 12:00-15:15
Sat 12:00-15:15
Sun 12:00-15:15
Dinner
Mon 17:30-22:00
Tue 17:30-22:00
Wed 17:30-22:00
Thu 17:30-22:00
Fri 17:30-22:30
Sat 17:30-22:30
Sun 17:30-22:00

Reviews

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13 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Guidalberto A

23 March 2026  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 4
Atmosphere 2
Value 1
truly disappointed

i am truly shocked that squaremeal gave this place a GOLD star. so much that it puts into serious question the whole process of assigning stars. The food was extremely average. Certainly not an upscale experience. It really felt like a tourist trap in trafalgar square.

to give you an idea: they advertise their duck with pancakes. my favourite dish. the duck was cut in big slices and under cooked, rather than shredded as it should be. The pancakes were very thick (certainly not high quality). The plum sauce was watery.

also the atmosphere felt very cold.

the wine by the glass was very low quality.

for that amount of money there are plenty of better chinese in london.

FAY C

22 February 2026   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 1
Service 1
Atmosphere 1
Value 1
First time I’ve ever walked out of a restaurant!

My husband and I dined at Gouqi last night expecting a high-quality experience, but what we received was some of the worst service we have ever encountered in a supposedly premium restaurant.


Although we were seated promptly, we were then completely neglected. Two couples who arrived after us were seated, given menus and water, and served efficiently while we sat for around 15 minutes with nothing. I eventually had to ask for menus myself.


We requested the set menu, which was never brought to us. Instead, I had to go onto the restaurant’s website to view it and then explain to staff what we wanted to order. This is simply unacceptable at this level.


We were given warm hand towels — twice — yet somehow no actual food ever materialised. Meanwhile, the couples who had arrived after us were served their starters, wine, main courses, and even finished and paid their bill while we continued to sit waiting.


After an entire hour of being ignored, with no explanation and no apology, we finally got up and left. The only concession made was that we were not charged for the water.


There was no accountability, no attempt to rectify the situation, and no basic courtesy extended to us. For a restaurant that positions itself as high-end, this level of service is frankly embarrassing.


We left feeling frustrated, undervalued, and completely overlooked. Needless to say, we will not be returning.

Croz

25 October 2025   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 5
Value 4

Best dim sum I've ever had but the chicken main course was a little disappointing. Strong finish work the desserts and the service was good

Jean-Arnaud R

20 October 2025   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Must try

Very good quality. Food very tasty

Vivienne O

20 September 2025   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Good prices lunch in London

We ordered the claypot lunchtime menu which was less than £30 (excluding service charge), was good value for money as you get three courses. Service was a bit slow sometimes, but nothing unreasonable. Would definitely go back to try their other lunch time menus

Vivienne O

19 September 2025   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 3.5
Service 3.5
Atmosphere 5
Value 4.5
Great restaurant

Great experience, most of the food was good. Don't expect a lot of food if you get the lunchtime claypot set menu, the price was very good for less than £30 for 3 courses though. Also service was a bit slow but good experience.

Joseph F

15 May 2025   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 3
Atmosphere 4
Value 4
Could be an incredible restaurant but just lacks the attention to detail.

We came here on a date night and the food was abolsutely outstanding... probably the best chinese food we've ever had.  The duck dishes are the speciality, but there is also an excellent selection of seafood dishes too.  The cocktails were excellent, as was the wine selection.

Unfortunately the service and the ambience aren't quite at the same level as the food, and certainly not in line with expectations when paying such high prices.  It's a shame, because with a much greater focus on the details, this could be an outstanding restaurant.

James D

10 March 2025   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 4.5
Atmosphere 4
Value 4.5
Delicious food, good experience

Very much enjoyed our visit to Gouqi. The cocktails and food were all delicious - particular recommend the sweet and sour pork which was sensational.

A few small tweaks could have improved the atmosphere and the tables were marginally too close together. But the service was good - the food arrived quickly but we didn't feel at all rushed. And everything was delicious. 

All in all a very nice experience in a restaurant that definitely felt special.

Billie-lee B

17 February 2025   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Thank you for going the extra mile for my birthday

Amazing service received for my birthday visit.....this is a definite return to try something else restaurant. Friendly staff and very attentive to our needs. Great choice. I had the Gouqi 2.0 cocktail very refreshing and different to try than the usual cocktails. The Black Truffle Har Gau and the royal dim sum quartet where to die for. The Angus tenderloin beef and the Honey Glazed Char Siu from the Main was exquisite. The Lucky Dragon for any coffee lover this dessert was delicious.

Shall certainly be returning here at some point. 

George D

01 January 2024   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Stunning food with incredible well matched flavours. Warm & cosy atmosphere, and a friendly attentive staff. 

An absolute treat.

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