London’s Best Chinese Restaurants For Post-Lunar New Year Feasting
Craving Chinese food this week? We thought so!
Chinese New Year was observed in London on Sunday 22nd January, and this year the festivities seemed extraordinarily bright and colourful, with the parade snaking its way along Charing Cross Road before dancing along Shaftesbury Avenue and into Chinatown and finishing with a lions’ eye-dotting ceremony (symbolically allowing the fabled beasts to ‘see’) and stage performances in Trafalgar Square.
The exuberant celebrations have however left us with a lingering lust for Chinese food! Luckily for us, London is home to some of the best Chinese restaurants in the world, with hundreds of options to suit every budget and taste, right here on our doorstep. Even luckier for us, many are running their Chinese New Year specials for some time after the main event!
To satisfy our post-Chinese New Year food cravings we’ve rounded up a few of our favourite Chinese restaurants in London; from high-end hot spots, to cheap, cheerful and local. So whether you’re looking to splash out on someone special, or you just want to grab a quick bite to eat with the family, read on…
Tattu, Soho
Located in Central London. Tattu is inspired by traditional Chinese Courtyard Houses. The restaurant concept was founded in 2015 by two brothers with a vision to bring something unique and exciting to the UK culinary scene. The brother’s wanted to create a customer experience around the brand that stimulates all senses, fusing beautiful and meaningful design with quality and innovative Chinese cooking. At Tattu London you can expect sharing dishes of colourful dim sum and luxurious small plates as well as contemporary large plates and stunning desserts. Their Lunar New Year celebrations will continue until the 5th February with a free-flowing brunch party on SATURDAY 4TH FEBRUARY 12PM TO 4PM, complete with immersive projections and lion dancers and DJs and a daily Lunar New Year London sharing menu which costs £125 per person. YEAR OF THE RABBIT MOONCAKES made with Yuzu and lychee cheesecake, coconut and raspberries, are priced at £12.50
Address: The Now Building Rooftop, Denmark Street, London WC2H 0LA
Hutong, London Bridge
Situated on Level 33 of The Shard, the UK’s tallest building, Hutong serves occasionally fiery Northern Chinese dishes and artisan cocktails at the Shanghai Bar. The Experience Lunch menu at Hutong is priced at £49.50 per/person while the Signature Menu costs £65 per person. Dishes include Lobster dumpling with Sichuan chilli sauce and Mango pudding with fruit salsa.
Address: The Now Building Rooftop, Denmark Street, London WC2H 0LA
Book: www.hutong.co.uk
Straits Kitchen, The City.
Showcasing a melting pot of cuisines from Singapore's many cultures, Straits Kitchen is headed by Executive Head Chef Fabrice Lasnon who brings authentic Asian flavours to the table. You can feast into the Lunar New Year with their Three-Course Set Lunch, or Four-Course Set Dinner. This exclusive Lunar New Year menu is available until the 31st of January, and includes favourites such as The Rainbow Yu Sheng and Wagyu Beef.
Address: 80 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7AB, United Kingdom
Book: www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-london/dining/straits-kitchen.html
Hakkasan, Fitzrovia
Definitely in the higher price bracket, Hakasan blends modern Cantonese cuisine with world-class mixology and dramatic design. Guests can celebrate the Year of the Rabbit here until Tuesday 7th February, with an exclusive Chinese New Year menu accompanied by a cocktail created in collaboration with Hennessy X.O. Don’t forget to write your wish for 2023 on a red ribbon and hang it on their wishing tree if you dine here!
Address: Hakkasan Mayfair, 17 Bruton Street, W1J 6QB
Yauatcha, Soho
Dumpling fans will love this restaurant for post New Year feasting. Their Lunar New Year menu is priced at £78 per person and is a creative take on traditional dishes. You can expect a dim sum platter to start followed by salt and pepper lobster tail, Sanpei rabbit, and XO Hong Kong King soy noodles. Dessert is a sweet little sesame bunny gateau made with the flavours of fragrant yuzu, black sesame and mandarin. The special menu also includes a welcome Bunny Sour cocktail made with Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru, and the restaurants will be decorated with rabbit illustrations in various guises. The celebrations will run until the 7th of February 2023.
Address: Yauatcha Soho, 15-17 Broadwick Street, W1F 0DL
Book now: www.yauatcha.com/soho/
Mimi Mei Fair, Mayfair
The kitchen at the luxurious restaurant, Mimi Mei Fair, is led by Chinese-Singaporean Executive Chef Peter Ho, who brings years of experience from the Michelin starred Lei Garden Singapore, My Humble House Beijing as well as HKK and Hakkasan London. Juxtaposing traditional cooking techniques with his diverse roots, Peter’s menu reflects authentic and innovative Chinese dishes inspired by Empress MiMi’s travels across Hong Kong, Singapore and the provinces of mainland China in particular Guangdong, Sichuan, Fujian and Hunan.
To bring in the Year of the Rabbit MiMi have created a purple floral paradise symbolising prosperity, and are offering a limited-edition Chinese New Year Menu. Guests can begin their feast with Seared Fresh Oyster and our Truffled vegetable Soong, followed by sharing mains, such as our Fortune Crispy Norfolk Pork, Egg White Black Bean Tiger Prawns or our Dried Scallop Braised Noodles.
Address: MiMi Mei Fair, 55 Curzon Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8PG
Book: www.mimimeifair.com
Bun House, Chinatown
Bun House is an authentic Chinese tea room offering Cantonese small plates & cocktails in the style of 60’s Hong Kong. To celebrate the Year Of The Rabbit, they are offering three different themed creations, including the ‘Dai Gut’ Bun of Luck with a decadent dark chocolate and mandarin filling. Grab one from the Lisle Street restaurant, where they’re served hot and ready to eat, before heading off into the crowds.
Address: 26-27 Lisle Street, WC2H 7BA
Book: wun@tearoom.bar. NO BOOKING!
Master Wei, Bloomsbury
Master Wei offers Xi’an Chinese street food with much loved dishes such as Salt and Pepper Squid (£9.80 )and Sweet & Sour Pork (£8.80) on the menu. The restaurant is run by chef Guirong Wei, Xi’ who came to London from Xi’an China in 2008. In 2015, she opened her first restaurant, Xi’an Impression, which very quickly gained a loyal London following and is now one of the most popular in the Islington area!
Address: 13 Cosmo Pl, London WC1N 3AP
A. Wong, Pimlico
Two Michelin starred restaurant, A. Wong, in Pimlico, pays homage to the Imperial Banquets of the Qing Dynasty, with a five-course menu which has been designed to share between guests as 'collections'. Dishes included seared black lamb with chilli and peanuts; cherry smoked ‘memories’ of Peking duck with plum and caviar; and cod cheek with fermented chilli and scalded Chinese chives. This restaurant is notoriously hard to get a table at and will make a dent in your wallet so be warned!
Address: 70 Wilton Road, SW1V 1DE
Dragon Castle, Elephant & Castle
Dragon Castle is a modern Chinese restaurant that fuses the distinctly nostalgic concept of traditional Cantonese cuisine with contemporary practices, taking inspiration from old-world tea rooms. Known for serving some of the freshest Dim Sum South of the river, Dragon Castle has over 60 dishes to choose from, meaning there's something for everyone! Every little dumpling is handcrafted on-site by chefs who have spent years honing their skills in the art of Dim Sum. Alongside their famous Dim Sum is an extensive main menu which has been a firm favourite amongst local residents and visiting tourists for over 16 years. We love this restaurant for their policy of sourcing all their produce locally to keep food fresh and support local businesses.
Address: 1OO Walworth Road, London, SE17 1JL
Cafe TPT - Soho
Known as one of the best Hong Kong-inspired cafes that line the west side of Wardour St, Cafe TPT offers almost everything you coudl ever hope for on their menu as well as a few exceptional select standout dishes. Fatty brisket curry on rice and Singapore noodles from the wok, are great options, but it’s the pork chop Macau-style with onions, cheesy bechamel and spoonfuls of chilli oil that is unmissable.
Address: 21 Wardour St, London W1D 6PN, UK
Daddy Bao, Tooting
Over in South London you will find Daddy Bao’s. Their New Year Specials are centred around traditional Chinese dishes with symbolic hints of the Year Of The Rabbit. Expect mushroom broth with crispy longevity noodles to start and pork jiaozi, grilled scallops in umami butter and fragrant fish bao for mains. Pudding takes the form of a white rabbit caramel which accompanies a mandarin egg tart. There are also special menus for vegans and vegetarians available.
Address: 113 Mitcham Road, SW17 9PE
Book: www.daddybao.co.uk
