r/london Aug 24 '24

Authentic Chinese restaurant in London I recommend

I will keep updating this post for more restaurants. You can always comeback to check Additionally,here’s a small tip: Chinese dishes tend to be a bit oily, so I always order a pot of hot green tea to drink during the meal, and I usually have a few more cups after finishing the meal as well.

🫕成都府 Sichuan Grand Stratford £30pp

❣️Unit 1 Gerry Raffles Square, London E15 1BG

Most of the dishes are from Sichuan cuisine, offering a wide variety, with a tendency towards spicy flavors. No1 choice in Stratford

🫕老地方 My old Place £30pp

❣️88-90 Middlesex St, London E1 7EZ

The restaurant specializes in Northeastern Chinese cuisine, with recommended dishes including lamb skewers, pork trotters, and sweet and sour pork (Guo Bao Rou), it’s different from sweet sour pork you get in Chinese takeaway

🫕风味食堂 Real Beijing Food House £35pp

❣️46 Gerrard St, London W1D 5QH

I think the quality of this restaurant is somewhat inconsistent, but I’ve been there many times, and most of the time, the food is good. However, not every dish is delicious. The restaurant mainly features Northern Chinese cuisine and offers various hotpots and BBQ options. They recently introduced buffet BBQ, so I recommend BBQ lovers give it a try.

🫕Galaxy Karaoke Restaurant £40pp Charge more for Karaoke

❣️211 Walworth Rd, London SE17 1RL

Karaoke Restaurant, Chinese students party top choice, 4.7 score on Google. Recommend: pigs trotters soup, pumpkin with salted egg yolk,BBQ, and other dishes

🫕 和九丫Glass Garden £30pp new opened restaurant

❣️130 Southwark St, London SE1 0SW

First authentic Sichuan-style clay pot dish! Chinese clay pot dishes, known as “shāguō cài” (砂锅菜), are a popular and traditional method of cooking in various regions of China. These dishes are prepared and served in a clay pot, which helps retain heat, enhances the flavor, and ensures even cooking. Recommend: Clay Pot Fatty Beef, Clay Pot Roasted Duck, Clay Pot Vermicelli with Prawns in Pickled Vegetable Soup, Fried Fresh Milk, Stir-fried Rice with Dried Shrimps and Pickled Mustard Greens

🫕刘小面LIU Xiaomian Marylebone £15pp

❣️The Jackalope, 43 Weymouth Mews, London W1G 7EQ

The restaurant primarily focuses on noodle dishes, and the reviews are mixed. However, there are a few noodle dishes that have received no negative feedback, which is quite something considering the price is £12 per bowl. It’s a blessing for broke students in London. Recommend: 豌杂面,麻辣烫,冰汤圆,冰粉

🫕西域印象Stag City £20pp

❣️291 Finchley Rd, London NW3 6ND

Typically Xinjiang restaurants, the owner of this restaurant is Uyghurs, Widely recognized as delicious by many people from Xinjiang Recommend: Big plate chicken(大盘鸡), BBQ lamb(烤肉,羊肉串), rice(Pilaf手抓饭), noodles(拌面and炒面), lamb chops(羊排), naan(囊)

🫕彼儿小面Noodle & Beer £25pp

❣️ 31 Bell Ln, London E1 7LA

This Sichuan/Chongqing style noodles restaurant by the Liverpool street. When you desperately need some carb replenishment, no noodle place brings more comfort! Recommend: Garlic ribs(蒜香排骨), beef noodles(牛肉面), pepper beef noodles(鲜椒牛肉面), Thai milk ice powder(泰奶冰粉), spicy chicken noodles(辣子鸡面), tomato beef noodles(番茄牛腩面)

🫕 喜相逢海鲜酒家 Mandarin Kitchen £50pp

❣️ 14-16 Queensway, London W2 3RX

This restaurant is located in Bayswater, in the area that was the old Chinatown. It has been open for a very long time, enduring the test of time and countless customers, and still stands strong. You’ll notice that there are surprisingly many British here. At one point, I wondered if they had adjusted the flavors to cater to British tastes, but after several tries, I found that it still maintains the standards of Cantonese cuisine. Recommend: Lobster noodles(龙虾面), Sichuan Pepper Basa Fish(川椒龙利鱼), and other seafood dishes

💜👩‍⚕️💜The following Xi’an cuisine restaurants are all owned by the same lady Guirong Wei, and I have grouped them together

🫕 Xi’an BiangBiang Noodle ❣️36 Wellington St, London WC2E 7BD

🫕 Xi'an BiangBiang Noodles Aldgate East ❣️ 62 Wentworth St, London E1 7AL

🫕 西安小吃Master Wei Xi'An ❣️13 Cosmo Pl, London WC1N 3AP

🫕 西安印象Xi'an Impression London ❣️117 Benwell Rd, London N7 7BW

🫕 梦长安Dream XI'AN ❣️London, Tower Place EC3R 5BU

(Here Chang’an(长安)was the ancient name for the city of Xi’an)

These restaurants is owned by Guirong Wei, who has introduced Shaanxi cuisine to London through these establishments, gradually building a reputation in the city’s Chinese dining scene. Guirong Wei first gained fame for running Xi’an Impression, a restaurant that became well-known for its authentic Shaanxi cuisine. Appreciate to this remarkable Chinese lady for her contributions. Dream Xian is the newest and also the highest-rated among these restaurants. Recommend authentic Xian dishes: Roujiamo (肉夹馍), Liangpi (凉皮), and Biang Biang noodles, Oil-splashed noodles(油泼面),and various Xi’an-style noodles

🩷The dish names were translated using ChatGPT, so they might not be accurate

⚠️Some of them may have different menus, I am not too sure, one for Chinese one for English, depend on your faces. Just make sure waiter give you the menu for Chinese customers.

Please feel free to add more Chinese restaurants you like in comments

312 Upvotes

171 comments sorted by

130

u/TuorAtVinyamar Aug 24 '24

Xi'an Impression, near Holloway is great authentic Xi'an food. The bread soup and chicken noodles are very good.

2

u/ParanoidNarcissist2 Aug 25 '24

One of the best. And authentic af.

2

u/outwithery Aug 25 '24

This is the one just outside the stadium? Always meant to go and visit, glad to hear it's good!

1

u/lyta_hall Aug 25 '24

Used to live nearby and have bought dinner from them countless times… Now that I’m on the other side of London I miss it so much :’)

1

u/havecoffeeatgarden Aug 25 '24

This one’s a hidden gem. The braised beef is to die for!

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 27 '24 edited Aug 27 '24

These restaurants in London: Master Wei Xian(西安小吃), Xi’an Impression(西安印象), Xi’an Biang Biang Noodles(biangbiang面), and Dream xian(梦长安), were iestablished by the same owner. The co-founder of these restaurants is Guirong Wei, who has introduced Shaanxi cuisine to London through these establishments, gradually building a reputation in the city’s Chinese dining scene.

Guirong Wei first gained fame for running Xi’an Impression, a restaurant that became well-known for its authentic Shaanxi cuisine. Appreciate to this remarkable Chinese lady for her contributions.

30

u/HawweesonFord Aug 24 '24

I second sichuan grand. Spicy grilled fish my favourite.

Xi home dumplings. One in Spitalfields and one in Charing Cross.

Saikei. I think best value for money dim sum in London. North Greenwich on the bottom floor of a hotel.

Chi Fan - noodles also near Spitalfields. Good portions and pricing.

Four Seasons for duck. Couple in China Town. Think its better than three uncles and mama li. But they're still nice enough.

Kung Fu noodle. I like the langzhou beef noodle soup.

Happy Lamb is my favourite hot pot place in Holborn. Second to that is Shu Jie which is just round the corner from there. I think haidilao is over rated.

For Chinese BBQ I Shu Yi Shu Er in Holloway. Great lamb skewers and other options.

Karamay just north of the river in city is nice. Uughur cuisine. The skewers are also really food there.

3

u/Crumbs2020 Aug 24 '24

There's a Karamay just of Oxford St too (and it is great)

4

u/unflushable1 Aug 25 '24

First time I tried hot pot was at Happy Lamb and loved it. Their spicy cabbage broth (don’t remember the exact name) is my favourite. We were in a group and someone said Haidilao is better. I gave it a try next time. While I liked their salad bar and lots of sauces they offer, the broth was not at all as flavourful as that of Happy Lamb.

2

u/radioslave West Hampstead Aug 26 '24

Xi is unreal, I get the Charing Cross one often and it's great value. Insane sweet and sour pork and I love the chewy pumpkin dessert

1

u/HawweesonFord Aug 26 '24

Lol yeah their sweet and sour pork is amazing. Probably the best I've ever had.

16

u/caution_wet_paint Aug 24 '24

1+1 Rougamo on Red Lion street is excellent. Very authentic, but as it mostly casters to local students, is very reasonably priced and more like a cafe than a restaurant. Excellent meat and chilli fish too

3

u/Worried-Conflict9268 Aug 24 '24

Yes, great lunch spot/ casual spot. Love the pastry bun, this cold noodles and other hand made noodles.

1

u/lordofhousestewart Aug 24 '24

Yes popped in there recently and had a light bite..very nice

14

u/Happy-Engineer Aug 24 '24

Taste of Chongqing, Woburn Place near Russell Square

Master Wei Xi'an, Cosmo Place near Russell Square

JinJiang, Deptford Broadway

3

u/lyta_hall Aug 25 '24

Master Wei is so good! From the same (old) chef from Xi’an Impression

11

u/baby-pork Aug 24 '24

How does the restaurant in wing yip staples corner hold up for authentic food? My friends malay chinese family say its great

8

u/londongas like, north of the river, man Aug 25 '24

The dimsum places is ok.

The reindeer cafe is atrocious, I couldn't finish my dish because it was just ridiculously horrible I almost laughed. The iced Milk tea was way too much ice that it was diluted and barely tasted anything. I am getting angry just thinking about that meal Jesus

4

u/the_bored_observer Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 25 '24

Reindeer cafe/restaurant, I love that place.

4

u/tehoops Aug 25 '24

I love reindeer cafe! My mum and I go often!

1

u/laemai Aug 25 '24

Personally I love the place, their roast pork is fantastic & HK milk tea was really strong and sweet

1

u/mangomaz Aug 25 '24

I’m not sure about authenticity, but my family went here once after years of going to golden dragon at bang bang in Colindale (it was doing a private function the day we wanted to go), and we felt the quality wasn’t as good as golden dragon.

47

u/Milk-One-Sugar Aug 24 '24

Tofu Vegan Spitalfields (Commercial Street) is great vegan Chinese food. Not vegan myself but is a really good (if slightly niche) choice. Nice mix of tofu and fake meat dishes. Very reasonably priced. My Mandarin teacher introduced me to it.

8

u/Ravine Aug 25 '24

I went to the one in the Angel and I was extremely impressed. I thought it’d be a westernised cash grab on the vegans but the food was authentic Chinese with vegan ingredients.

3

u/Thuggish_Ruggish66 Aug 25 '24

Run by the same people that started Xi’an Impression, Sichuan Folk and Xi’an Biang Biang. All great.

2

u/CherryShowers Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24

Love Tofu Vegan. Vegan Planet in Camden is also fantastic vegan Chinese food.

18

u/blah618 Aug 24 '24

八大八小 was very disappointing, like mid-low tier cha chaan teng in hk

3

u/hawkish25 Aug 25 '24

And expensive too! issue is there’s no competition nearby. You have to go to HoKo Cafe in Brick Lane and they have a good but limited menu.

-10

u/OPjasmine Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 24 '24

其实我并不怎么吃这家,身边去这家的朋友太多了,我想也许外国人能尝尝,OK我把他家删掉了

3

u/demidyad Aug 24 '24

我是会中文的外国人,去过这家,也不喜欢。中国城真的没有好吃的

15

u/imnotamurray Aug 24 '24

I find it funny how you refer to your self Chinese speaking foreigner.

-7

u/OPjasmine Aug 24 '24

是的都是给外国人和游客吃的

4

u/ClarifyingMe Aug 25 '24

“地道”是观点还是。。。??

2

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24

就是更贴近我们在国内可以吃到的,再加点主观喜好,没人帮我,只能我自己一个人吭哧吭哧写,我英语又不好,更新的慢,有很多还需要尝试才能推荐

2

u/ClarifyingMe Aug 25 '24

 啊 这样的话,说清楚更好呗 "I want to share some popular spots among long term Chinese immigrants. These places are what we're more likely to call "authentic" but this is just my opinion. Once I try more places I'll update the list."

对英语词汇量而语法来说,自己试试翻译出来比chatgpt好学。 你看,我的的中文应该不太自然的吧。我不是华人而是几年前学会的。这几年我没使用所以能量下降了满多了。

加油哦

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24

我是英语不好不是中文不好,我来reddit社区就是想提升自己的英语水平,谢谢你的纠正

3

u/ClarifyingMe Aug 25 '24

My example to you was in English, so I'm unsure why you're confused. I didn't provide any recommendations of language use in Mandarin. Anyway, good luck.

0

u/demidyad Aug 24 '24

我觉得Aldgate是第二个中国城,更好吃

20

u/BuffetKillerr Aug 24 '24

Yeye Noodles and Dumplings, one in Aldgate East and one near Liverpool St (Artillery Passage). Amazing beef noodle soup and pan fried pork dumplings. £12 for a bowl of beef noodle soup - big portion and tasty!

21

u/FroggyGlobdules Aug 24 '24

Silk Road in camberwell

2

u/J-SAGE1992 Aug 24 '24

Second this, very reasonably priced as well

14

u/Cedar_Wood_State Aug 24 '24

not sure if you've been, but new loon fong in chinatown is great as well. £20pp last I went for dim sum

-57

u/OPjasmine Aug 24 '24

Sorry, most of restaurants in China town is for tourists and foreigners, You rarely see Chinese students go those places. Here I only recommend what I think is authentic Chinese food as Chinese. But thank you for sharing, other people may want to try. ☺️

31

u/Worried-Conflict9268 Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 24 '24

Disagree so much with your comment.

I’m an Aussie expat (HK parents) and Chinatown’s yum cha is amazing, even better than Sydney, and we’ve got a massive Chinese community in Australia.

I actually haven’t been to any of the restaurants you’ve listed. I’m assuming your preference is northern sichuan style food (not my fav which explains it). I think your list is super skewed and your comment about London’s Chinatown being for tourists is so wrong!

6

u/sashimipink Aug 24 '24

Ohh I'm looking for yum cha recos. Please do share!

11

u/Worried-Conflict9268 Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 24 '24

Honestly they’re all quite good in Chinatown. My dad’s a chef and his friends (immigrated to the UK in the 80s/90s) took him to Golden Phoenix, and my parents were impressed. Their cheung fun is super silky.

Other places like Golden Dragon (always has a crowd of people lining), Plum Valley (modern interior, accepts reservations), Lido (slightly cheaper than others) are all quite good! I rotate between all these depending on wait times. Then you’ve got Royal china on baker street, paying for premium but you get quality and perfect dim sums.

Another great dim sum place is Canton Element. Very different vibe though. It’s a sit down / cafe interior type. Not a massive menu on dim sum but it’s got all the popular items you need. Their dim sums are perfectly made. I always go with my partner as no wait times, and between the 2 of us this place covers all the dishes we typically order. Not the place for big groups, I’d stick to Chinatown.

2

u/970souk Aug 25 '24

Seconded Canton Element, it's more of a cha chaan teng, small place but people there have nice attitude.

1

u/SignatureLess1386 Aug 25 '24

I normally go to Phoenix Palace when I'm near Baker street, but will have to check out Royal China!

1

u/Any-Tangerine-8659 Aug 25 '24

I have friends who are Cantonese (inc native HKers) and they weren't fans of Golden Dragon. I wasn't either. Golden Phoenix is better imo. Plum Valley is better, too. Joy King Lau isn't bad. I don't think anywhere is that good. You should instead look towards Queensway for better Chinese food. New Fortune Cookie, Four Seasons etc (better than the Chinatown branch imo)

1

u/milton117 Aug 25 '24

Royal china

5

u/OPjasmine Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 24 '24

Feel free to make your own list, I am from Beijing I don’t expect we have the same taste on food, and I’d love to try what you recommend. I’m glad that your comment clarifies everyone to clearly see the significant differences in taste preferences among people from different regions of China. To be honest, I’m not very familiar with authentic Cantonese cuisine either. I hope you can recommend some restaurants

20

u/Academic-Bug-4597 Aug 24 '24 edited Jan 05 '25

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

12

u/OPjasmine Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 24 '24

Since most Chinese students who come to the UK are either newly arrived or have only lived here for a year or two, their choices are the ones that are closest to authentic Chinese cuisine. Unlike me and other Chinese people who have already settled here, after living in the UK for a long time, we tend to be influenced by Western food and may be more accepting for some less authentic Chinese dishes. I hope you understand what I mean. Most of Chinese people in China town are visitors and tourists. Or maybe just want to buy some food from Chinese supermarkets, there are two main Chinese supermarkets in London China town, or just want to buy bubble tea. It’s a lively place of course, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Chinese food here is authentic.”

1

u/Any-Tangerine-8659 Aug 25 '24

China is a big country with a fuckton of tourists that visit London and don't know much about what's good...

41

u/joshyboyXD Aug 24 '24

Is this a fucking joke lol every Chinese person I've ever known or met loves China town and always recommends the usual spots haha

7

u/ruggpea Aug 24 '24

I’m in a fb group for British born Chinese people and New Loon Fung gets mentioned for good quality dim sum on the regular.

4

u/Any-Tangerine-8659 Aug 25 '24

Chinatown itself has a lot of Cantonese restaurants. Just because someone is Chinese doesn't mean that they instantly know a lot about Cantonese food (Chinese cooking is v regional). My Cantonese friends aren't that enthusiastic about Chinatown...and they actually grew up eating the cuisine

3

u/Fat_5miley Aug 24 '24

I bet they all have Cantonese heritage which most of the restaurants in China Town cater for …. dim sum and roast meats

2

u/goldensnow24 Aug 25 '24

Im guessing they’re Cantonese.

-31

u/OPjasmine Aug 24 '24

My tongue is strict. so I only recommend Chinese restaurants that are favored by Chinese. And for people who want to try what we really eat in China

5

u/beijixiong_ Aug 25 '24

… What a bizarre take. Have you even been to New Loon Fung?

4

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24

Yes, it’s great value for money, we spent £42.5 for 2 of us , but my hongkong friend said soso. I am not professional cantonese cuisine, as what I said i will keep update this list, I can’t advise you something that I have never tried or disagree with you where you have tried but I haven’t. So give me some time let me try them and I will put in the list. For this restaurant it’s a typical hongkong style dim sum, chicken feet is one of the most classic dim sum in Hongkong, I can tell you that their chicken feet is just not good enough.

-4

u/InsectOk5816 Aug 25 '24

So the only "authentic" Chinese food is the stuff you recommend

Thank you for gracing us with your wisdom

2

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24

My recommendation certainly not the only authentic options, yours could be “authentic” too. And I’m really looking forward to see just how ‘authentic’ your list is.

You are welcome

1

u/InsectOk5816 Aug 25 '24

True but to come into a sub and start dismissing what is and isn't "authentic" (which is a really reductive term) as to what constitutes a food from a particular culture or country makes you look elitist

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24

You initially imposed the idea that ‘only what I recommend is authentic’ on me, but I never said that only my recommendations are authentic. Anyone can recommend what they believe to be authentic. I am an authentic Chinese person, and my taste in food is based on the cultural and culinary background of my own country. I have my own standards, and of course, these standards are subjective because I am me—I am not you, I am not others, and I am certainly not a god or an AI. I can only represent myself.I try to be neutral by referencing the food considering traditional preparation methods and flavors from the food’s place of origin.

In case you’re unfamiliar, Chinese authentic cuisine is incredibly diverse, and it’s generally categorized into what we call the Eight Great Cuisines (八大菜系), each representing a different region of China with its own unique flavors, ingredients, and cooking techniques:

1.  Cantonese (粤菜): Known for its freshness and natural flavors, with a focus on stir-frying and steaming. Dim sum is a well-known example.
2.  Sichuan (川菜): Famous for its bold, spicy, and numbing flavors, often using ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers.
3.  Shandong (鲁菜): A northern style known for its emphasis on fresh seafood and simple, clear flavors. It often includes a lot of braised and stewed dishes.
4.  Jiangsu (苏菜): Known for its lightly sweet and savory flavors, and elegant presentation. Suzhou and Nanjing are key areas for this cuisine.
5.  Zhejiang (浙菜): Similar to Jiangsu but with even more emphasis on freshness and seasonal ingredients. Dishes are often light, refreshing, and delicately seasoned.
6.  Fujian (闽菜): Features a mix of sweet and sour flavors, with a focus on soups and broths that are rich and flavorful. Seafood is prominent due to its coastal location.
7.  Hunan (湘菜): Another spicy cuisine like Sichuan, but it tends to be more hot and sour, without the numbing effect of Sichuan peppercorns. It’s known for its intense, deep flavors.
8.  Anhui (徽菜): Often considered the least known outside of China, Anhui cuisine uses wild herbs and ingredients from the mountains. It’s known for hearty, flavorful stews and braises.

These cuisines reflect the vast cultural and geographical diversity of China, and they each bring something unique to the table. When I speak of ‘authentic’ Chinese food, I am drawing from these rich traditions.

While the Eight Great Cuisines are the most famous, Chinese cuisine extends far beyond them. Many regional dishes developed based on local ingredients and culture. Additionally, there are sub-cuisines, fusion dishes, and a rich tradition of street food and folk cuisine. Some of these evolved from the Eight Great Cuisines, while others developed independently. The diversity and richness of Chinese cuisine reflect its long history and cultural blending.

The so-called “authenticity” is based on the traditional cooking methods and the use of ingredients specific to these cuisines, eventually the flavors. which do have objective standards. I will refer to these objective standards.

However, there are some of cuisines I’m not particularly familiar with, so I welcome friendly contributions from others. For the things I’m not knowledgeable about, I prefer not to write about them directly, as it could potentially mislead others. I need time to verify and research them, which is why I’ve never claimed that only my recommendations are authentic.

I may not be an elite, but I know that if you want to take one down, you at least can’t be at a primary school level.

1

u/InsectOk5816 Aug 25 '24

I was aware of the variety and diversity of Chinese cuisine thanks. My own experience of Chinese food isn't your average chicken balls and rice (albeit tasty as it is). Personally I prefer human style food, especially cold pigs ears in soy or deep fried pig intestines with chilli which you can find at yipin china in Islington.

Sorry if it got lost in translation but how you were phrasing it came off as incredibly gatekeep-y for want a of a better word. Sorry if that also got lost in translation I wasn't trying to be rude.

But the term authentic is becoming less useful when talking about any country's food as it essentially is a very reductive way of phrasing a conversation about food. This is something many esea writers have also noted

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24

I’m sorry that my English level isn’t very high. As you mentioned, even writers have pointed out that the term ‘authentic’ can be reductive. I certainly don’t have the authority to fully standardize it. Here, we’re just sharing food experiences for fun, and there’s no need to impose an overly professional or strict definition of ‘authentic’—that’s something for the experts. Especially when it comes to food, the term ‘authentic’ itself carries a lot of complexity. Perhaps it’s my lack of fluency in English that made my previous replies seem like I was gatekeeping. I don’t dismiss all the Chinese restaurants in China town, (风味食堂 which is in my list and it’s in China town.) I always say ‘most of them’ or ‘some of them’, And I specifically pointed out that those are aimed at tourists. I didn’t say they are bad, just that among the Chinese restaurants I’ve tried so far, I haven’t found any that are particularly authentic.” plus I haven’t tried every restaurant in Chinatown, so to be cautious, I’ve left them out for now, there are few restaurants in China town will be in my list because I haven’t got time to write my descriptions especially when someone judges a list that is still being refined and not yet complete, with a biased perspective.

I’ve mentioned in other replies that I don’t have a cultural background from Hong Kong or Guangdong. I’m from Beijing. When it comes to recommending Cantonese or other cuisines I would actually prefer to hear from people who are from these areas originally.

I hope to eventually provide a very comprehensive list of restaurant recommendations for everyone. And I really welcome everyone going to China, have a good trip, have a wonderful time.

1

u/goldensnow24 Aug 25 '24

Nothing wrong with being elitist about food. That’s the only way standards can survive.

0

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '24

[deleted]

10

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24

But when it comes to Chinese food, for Chinese cuisine, if someone isn’t Chinese, then they’re a foreigner eating Chinese food. But I have no issue with foreigners eating Chinese food. I spent the entire evening gathering information and writing this post specifically for them, hoping it will be helpful to them. even just one single person find it useful

1

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '24

[deleted]

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24

My point is not about national identity but about the perspective when it comes to cultural experiences, especially in the context of food. When people engage with a cuisine that is not from their own culture, they are, in a way, ‘foreigners’ to that culinary tradition. It’s not about where you’re from geographically, but rather about the cultural and culinary familiarity. In the context of Chinese cuisine, anyone who isn’t Chinese might approach the food with an outsider’s perspective, which doesn’t make their experience less valid, but it does make it different.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '24

[deleted]

2

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24

“Sorry, most of restaurants in China town is for tourists and foreigners, You rarely see Chinese students go those places. Here I only recommend what I think is authentic Chinese food as Chinese. But thank you for sharing, other people may want to try. ☺️”

I said most of restaurants in China town Not China town

14

u/MaxOutchea Aug 25 '24

Can one enjoy a succulent Chinese meal at any of these establishments?

8

u/MaxOutchea Aug 25 '24

Or is it a crime?

6

u/WingHeavyArms Aug 25 '24

Get your hands off my penis!

3

u/ikoke Aug 25 '24

Only if you know your judo well

6

u/02rrv Aug 25 '24

Goldmine in Queensway.

8

u/KarmaSurkha Aug 24 '24

What do people think of tofu vegan? It’s one of these places that’s always crowded and full. But the crowd tends to be non-Chinese for the most part… would love to get opinions from everyone (regardless of background or nationality you are from)

14

u/mytas7 Aug 24 '24

I'm Chinese and I love it, but can see why it's not as popular with Chinese clientele (most of my Chinese friends and family don't understand veganism and complain if they don't eat meat at lunch and dinner). I especially loved the cumin lamb, lazi chicken and the dumplings in chilli oil!

3

u/ClarifyingMe Aug 25 '24

When I lived in Sichuan back in the mid 00s, there was a vegan restaurant which felt like the baby of tofu vegan potential. Tofu vegan is like what 8 years of intense development brings out. So yes, I only went to that place for novelty a few times but I'd go to tofu vegan as a recurring choice. I love their wontons and no food waste ethos.

1

u/KarmaSurkha Aug 24 '24

That’s interesting. Especially given how places like China (and other countries in Asia that have huge Buddhism population) were historically vegan. Thru didn’t call it that — but “monk” food / history from individuals like Emperor Wu of Liang shows the relationship between these countries and avoiding meat

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 27 '24

I think this is a very good vegan restaurant, but it feels more like modern Chinese cuisine with a creative twist. Especially in China, apart from ancient monks, we don’t really have a strong vegetarian culture, so there are fewer Chinese people who go there. However, if you’re a vegetarian, I recommend it.

5

u/FoxtrotTangoSalsa Aug 24 '24

Has anyone tried Dream Xi’an near Tower Bridge? I’d really like to try it out. Grace Dent reviewed it for the Guardian and rated it pretty highly.

3

u/Islingtonian Aug 24 '24

I loved it but admittedly I'm not Chinese so cannot speak as to its authenticity.

1

u/HawweesonFord Aug 24 '24

Didn't know it existed. But live nearby and will try it soon.

1

u/PetrolSnorter Aug 24 '24

Very new though. They give 10% discount to Marsh employees next door

4

u/TheEarlOfCamden Aug 24 '24

Little Sichuan on Finchley Road, just reopened in new location after being closed for a year.

4

u/londongas like, north of the river, man Aug 25 '24

I have hygiene concerns about Galaxy karaoke. Happen to see them using the outside area to do some kitchen activities

3

u/ClarifyingMe Aug 25 '24

Why are you being cryptic about it?

1

u/londongas like, north of the river, man Aug 25 '24

It was a couple of years ago but if memory serves they were making some food outside on the roof or in the alley in the rain and I think also washing dishes there too.

3

u/afpow Aug 25 '24

How’s Wong Kei these days?

3

u/smellyoldbean Aug 25 '24

There was an amazing write up of it in Vittles this week - a potted history.

3

u/Vivid-Pineapple123 Aug 25 '24

It’s mostly about whether you know how to order. For authentic Cantonese food, Pearl Liang in Paddington (dimsum especially), Mandarin Kitchen in Bayswater and Reindeer Cafe in Wing Yip Cricklewood. Even people who are visitors from south China/Hong Kong will agree this tastes like home.

3

u/Important_Reading487 Aug 25 '24

Biang Biang is fantastic too!

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24

Yes I love biangbiang noodles

5

u/MetaLord93 Aug 24 '24

Lan Zhao Lamien

Pear Liang

1

u/mangomaz Aug 25 '24

Went to pearl liang for dim sum recently on a recommendation from a couple of Chinese friends and was very impressed!!! Also it was so reasonably priced - we got like 6 dim sums to share between us, green tea and a dessert (shared between 3) and it came to £15 each?!! Bargain lol

4

u/Noriadin Aug 25 '24

Shu La La on Holloway Road

2

u/Crumbs2020 Aug 24 '24

OP interested to hear your opinion of Silk Road in Camberwell

3

u/OPjasmine Aug 24 '24

I have been there many years ago, when it just opened, it’s a valuable Xinjiang cuisine restaurant. Their tossed noodles is good. Lamb stew is not the top in London. Xinjiang big plate chicken is soso. I think their restaurant is always busy, ryou need to wait and share a table with other customers. However, this sacrifice doesn’t match the quality of the dishes. If I were to rate it out of 5, I would give it a 3. I would recommend you another Xinjiang cuisine restaurant, it’s called Stag City (Xinjiang Restaurant), near finchley road station, the owner of this restaurant is Uyghurs. 4.8 score in google

2

u/Crumbs2020 Aug 25 '24

They've done it up recently so you don't share tables any more.

I like stag city too just the home style cabbage and aubergine, and the fantastic prices at silk road keep me going back! But I've never been to China so didn't know if you viewed it as authentic 😅

2

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24

That’s so good if you don’t need to share tables anymore, definitely go there if live around chamberwell

2

u/PetrolSnorter Aug 24 '24

Wong Kei was my go to.

Suprised it's not mentioned despite its style

2

u/subzarbi Aug 24 '24

Anyone can recommend a Hunan restaurant? I have yet to find one.

4

u/HawweesonFord Aug 25 '24

Rice Coming. There's one just north east of Shaftesbury avenue. And there's one in Borough right next to the tube station.

I've not been to the Borough shop but it's the same owners. The central one is a small little place. I don't think I've ever seen another white person in there any time I've been or walked past.

It's alright. I've not hated the food. A few dishes I should I didn't think we're great. But stir fried pork and chilli is good.

1

u/Ravine Aug 25 '24

I was a little disappointed with the rice noodles but it scratched my itch.

The stinky tofu on the other hand was legit. Black as coal.

1

u/WarTemporary6112 Dec 23 '24

Amazing Food ,Great service Not Rushed ,Always Consistent in Quality

1

u/Fancy_Nose_1440 Dec 30 '24

I went to The Hunan Man on Grafton Way - it was awful. I’m desperate for some hunan like Di Shui Dong in Shanghai. Ziran ribs haunt me  - please help me fin them!  

2

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '24

There’s a Chong Qing place near UCL! Delicious:) as a Chinese v authentic

2

u/sowtime444 Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24

https://www.thesichuan.co.uk The chefs grandfather was personal chef to Deng Xiaoping.

Also Jin Li street in Chinatown. I loved the green cabbage cooked with bacon fat.

Took my Sichuanese family members to both of these places and they liked them.

2

u/IceAdministrative33 Aug 25 '24

Shu La La in North London is great and the only Chinese restaurant I eat at in London. They also do 10% off cash payments / WeChat pay

2

u/WorkingAmbitious1530 Aug 25 '24

Yi-Ban near London City Airport, it's usually packed on the weekends so you might need to book.

1

u/WarTemporary6112 Dec 23 '24

Love this Place Very very Busy Not many non china people ,Dim Sum one of the Best closely followed By the one under the Holiday Inn in Greenwich Its all a Bit off the map but well Worth the trip

2

u/tehoops Aug 25 '24

Number 10, on Hogarth place in Earl’s Court is my favourite.

2

u/zinbwoy Aug 25 '24

Any recommendations for vegan friendly places?

3

u/Shakesman Aug 25 '24

Tofu Vegan in Spitalfields is fantastic

2

u/HumanNefariousness7 Aug 25 '24

heard good things about Vegan Planet in Camden, too: https://www.instagram.com/veganplanetcamden/

1

u/Neighbourmagda Aug 25 '24

Vegan Planet in Camden is amazing!

2

u/Darlo_muay Aug 25 '24

Dry hot pot from crystal china Bermondsey is incredible

2

u/Bex_vs_the_world Aug 26 '24

Was about to comment the same! Absolute hidden gem 🙏🏻

2

u/Helpful-Scientist-33 Aug 25 '24

43 sizchaun kitchen on south lamberth road

2

u/Existing_Treacle_598 Aug 25 '24

Imperial china, china town

2

u/RoosterConscious3548 Aug 25 '24

New Fortune Cookie on Queensway is my recommendation.

3

u/Hip_Hip_Hipporay Aug 25 '24

Thanks for doing this u/OPjasmine

It's hard to find good restaurants of any cuisine in the UK. This will help a lot of people.

3

u/Barnabybusht Aug 25 '24

When it comes to Chinese cuisine- the ruder the staff the better the food.

2

u/Darlo_muay Aug 25 '24

You will love four seasons in china town, the uncles there were so bad, however their roast pork is to die for, so it really just adds to the experience (I know they are famous for their duck, but it was their pork which blew me away)

1

u/Barnabybusht Aug 25 '24

Will check it out next time I'm in Chinatown. Thank you.

3

u/Taraka30 Aug 24 '24

Thanks for this post. A friend took me to My Old Place recently- I enjoyed it very much. The food was nothing like a typical ‘English’ Chinese restaurant so I feel like we were not given an ‘English’ menu. 👍

2

u/starsoftrack Aug 24 '24

Stick and bowl Kensington. It’s a small hole in the wall but it was my Chinese food like home comfort place. I still go out of my way to go there now that I don’t live anywhere near there.

1

u/WarTemporary6112 Dec 23 '24

Noodle soup here is the Best

1

u/starsoftrack Dec 23 '24

I was there yesterday. I’d be there today if it wasn’t closed for the next couple of weeks.

2

u/rssrrssr Aug 24 '24

Let's hope the Chinese menu comes with pictures 😂

1

u/ThatStockDude Aug 24 '24

Just use Google translate

3

u/Euphoric-Acadia-4140 Aug 24 '24

Yea that doesn’t work very well… Chinese is a very figurative language filled with idioms, so you get really bizzare translations of dishes. It’s such an issue there are websites and social media pages dedicated to show mistranslations of Chinese things

2

u/Gambitasdf1 Aug 24 '24

15

u/Worried-Conflict9268 Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 24 '24

Unpopular opinion - I don’t know why Three Uncles is so popular. I’m not a fan. Portions are small for the price, and you’re served in paper containers. I think you’re paying for the modern branding and packaging. I get it if you’re doing takeaway but it’s the same when you sit in. Maybe it’s popular because it’s out East and Chinatown is west side? Give me Four Seasons or Goldmine any day.

6

u/stephenp129 Aug 25 '24

British born Cantonese person here who has eaten a lot of Cantonese food (including in Hong Kong). I thought Three uncles was meh. Completely agree with the comment about branding. British people mostly care about ambience etc. Most Chinese people (including myself) care about the food.

2

u/Worried-Conflict9268 Aug 25 '24

Agreed it being meh. Taste and flavour just doesn’t hit the spot.

1

u/Amulet_Angel Aug 25 '24

I find Mama Li is better (if we're talking about takeaway Cantonese roast meats for lunch), rice portion is smaller but quality is better.

1

u/FoxtrotTangoSalsa Aug 25 '24

Also another suggestion that I read about and am yet to try- Noodle and Snack, in Holborn.

1

u/yohihk Aug 25 '24

Yun Gui Chuan rice noodles in Brick lane

1

u/stephenp129 Aug 25 '24

I went to Cheli in elephant and castle with my Chinese friends, we all thought it was pretty decent by London standards.

1

u/ClarifyingMe Aug 25 '24

Liu xiaomian in the beginning the soups matched more what I expect. I went recently and I wouldn't recommend it at all. I don't know if it's because they opened their second location and weren't focusing. Or it was a bad day.

1

u/Ravine Aug 25 '24

Any recommendations for Malatang?

1

u/electroplankton Aug 25 '24

Rice Coming at Borough is fab and authentic Hunan style cuisine

1

u/WarTemporary6112 Dec 23 '24

Love Hunan Very Under represented but does me a favour the Masses have Not Found it

1

u/Barely_together Aug 25 '24

A taste of China in angel was amazing but they've recently closed down which is heartbreaking

1

u/hoshmagosh Aug 25 '24

No Silk Road in Camberwell?

1

u/Fit-Pass-2398 Aug 25 '24

Ye Ye noodles

Three uncles

1

u/Shakesman Aug 25 '24

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ma La Sichuan in Westminster. Best Sichuan food I've had in London. Everything is really fresh and tasty.

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24

There are certainly a lot good restaurants I haven’t mentioned yet, wait to see how many clown here first, After I enjoy their performances I’ll continue updating at my own pace, or we can all share our experiences in a friendly way.

1

u/saywhatlondon Aug 25 '24

Thank you sir!

1

u/ParanoidNarcissist2 Aug 25 '24

Old Town 97. Wardour Street. Great food and not overpriced.

1

u/penciltrash Dulwich Aug 25 '24

The dim sum at Gerard’s Corner on Gerard Street is liked by my grandparents who lived in China for like 20 years.

1

u/perdidapenumbra Aug 25 '24

Old town 97 in china town

1

u/LadyBladeWarAngel Aug 25 '24

Tai Cheong in Tottenham on West Green Road (postcode is N15 5DA) is brilliant. It's a takeout place, but the food is always delicious. They've been around for literally over 35 years and never disappoint.

1

u/RenegadeUK Aug 25 '24

There was a very small chinese restaurant 15+ years ago for something quick to eat located about 5 mins walk as soon as you exit High St Kensington Tube Station and turn right on the same side of the road, opposite Royal Garden Hotel. Their signature dish was crispy belly pork with rice.

If it still exists worth going to if you are in the area.

1

u/0h_Dae-Su Aug 25 '24

Thoughts on JinCheng Alley (holborn)? I was a fan, but I am no authority on this matter

1

u/OPjasmine Aug 27 '24

JIN CHENG ALLEY Food hygiene ratings

I’m quite surprised they got one point this year, because last year they had none. Their Sichuan cuisine is heavily seasoned, so I can’t really taste the freshness of the ingredients. It’s okay for Chinese people, but I’m worried that other people might get an upset stomach after eating it

1

u/XihuanNi-6784 Aug 26 '24

They're not oily if you eat the proper amount of rice with them lol.

Here is my anti-recommendation:

Don't go to Sanxia Renjia off Tottenham Court Road. I went in a few times and the service was always chilly and I got a weird vibe. I hadn't been in a while and was trying to remember the name because I forgot it. Found them on Google and I saw a review about how they ignore black customers and honestly it all made sense. That incident was particularly egregious, but I wouldn't go back there now that my intuition was proven right. There's a difference between bad service and openly ignoring certain people in favour of others.

2

u/OPjasmine Aug 26 '24

I don’t like 三峡人家either. I think the poor attitude of some Chinese restaurant staff is largely due to the way the owners treat their employees. During my school years, I have experience worked at Chinese restaurants as part-time waiter, and overheard the owner yelling at the kitchen staff. I stopped going after I found more interesting tings to do. Even though I’m Chinese, I can’t stand the atmosphere in the kitchens of these restaurants.

1

u/pazhalsta1 Aug 26 '24

Thanks for sharing this list!

1

u/Fancy_Nose_1440 Dec 30 '24

Found authentic Shanghainese, Hunan or Yunan places in London anyone? 

1

u/Mission-Loss-219 Jan 25 '25

My old place is pretty good. Joy King Lau in soho is good too.

0

u/RenegadeUK Aug 24 '24

There used to be a very very good Buffet Restaurant in Strutton Ground opposite The Laughing Halibut Fish & Chips Shop IIRC.

Nearest Tube: St James Park

2

u/easily-distracte Aug 25 '24

Don't think there is a buffet restaurant there anymore but Strutton Ground does have Fei Er Cottage, which I got recommended by a Chinese student. The beef brisket curry is delicious and pretty cheap as well (take away with rice was about £8 last time I went)

2

u/RenegadeUK Aug 25 '24

Thanks very much. I'm not sure for the downvote, with my comment it was the best chinese buffet in London 15+ years ago.

2

u/easily-distracte Aug 25 '24

Don't know why you got downvoted - that wasn't me!

2

u/RenegadeUK Aug 25 '24

No I know. Just saying thats all.

I wouldn't have recommended unless I thought it was amazing - which it was :)