Songhelou is a historic Chinese restaurant, legendary for their Suzhou-style noodles, whose first international branch rests in the heart of London’s Chinatown. Founded over 260 years ago during the Qianlong Reign of the Qing Dynasty, the restaurant is said to have hosted the Emperor Gaozong of Qing on multiple occasions, making it a must-visit for all history enthusiasts.
Aside from its relevance to Chinese history and culture, Songhelou is a perfect choice for anyone interested in exploring Suzhou-style Chinese cooking. Particularly well-known for the soup and tossed noodles that pay homage to the tradition of the city of Suzhou, Songhelou offers a huge range of authentic regional dishes, such as a sweet and sour bass, flavoured crayfish, eel slices sizzling in hot oil, Suzhou-style braised pork belly (braised down in sugar, soy sauce and water), and stir fried crab meat. After a filling meal, guests can indulge in the restaurant’s traditional sweets, including mini rice balls filled with red bean paste, or a red date sticky rice steamed cake. With a custom of cooking with ingredients that are in season, these meals are sure not to disappoint.
Suzhou also has a long tradition of pairing food with tea, and Songhelou offers a huge range of fine teas, including Jasmine Silver Needle tea, Osmanthus Longjing tea, and Peach Oolong tea. To further add to this modern Chinese atmosphere, Chinatown’s Songhelou is decorated with wooden furniture, porcelain tableware, and Chinese paintings and calligraphy. The mood is further relaxed with soft and warm lighting, and a placid grey and white colour palette.
Meant to recreate the tranquility of Suzhou’s water towns, Songhelou’s London restaurant takes its guests on a culinary experience that pays respect and admiration to Jiangnan cuisine and culture.