Ever found yourself in central London in desperate need of some chopstick related sustenance yet simultaneously crippled by the sheer choice? As well as traditional Cantonese, you can enjoy Sichuanese, Korean, Japanese, Malaysian and Mongolian food, to name a few, some boasting authentic bowlfuls of joy and many sadly not.

There’s no doubt that all 78 restaurants in London’s chinatown are brimming with many fine (and many not so fine) choices to satisfy the fussiest of chopsticks. How to navigate your way through the tourist traps is another question entirely.

So to avoid the Russian roulette of decent food, here’s a brief overview to ten of the best places.

Four Seasons

A Cantonese classic, the roast duck is legendary here (the FT voted it the best in the world ) but the other meats are also worth a try. Incredibly busy so be prepared to queue.

Four Seasons, 12 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London W1, tel: 020 7494 0870

Cafe TPT

The stuffed tofu is very good and they also have a great selection of bubble teas. There are two menus, forget the Malaysian, the Cantonese is the one to opt for.

21 Wardour St, Chinatown, London W1D 6PN, Phone:020 7734 7980

Leong’s Legend

Proof that you don’t need to remortgage your home to eat well in central London. The stir fried chilli crab is top notch and the pork buns are also brilliant value.

4 Macclesfield Street, London, W1D 6AX tel:020 7287 0288

Dumplings Legend

Go for the xiao long bao, a Shanghai speciality expertly made (dumplings filled with a bolus of meat and hot broth)

Dumplings Legend, 15-16 Gerrard Street, W1D 6JE tel: (020) 7494 1200

Young Chen

A pretty safe bet, Young Chen is a definite crowd-pleaser. It’s for good for authentic off menu dishes as well as the usual tourist fodder.

22 Lisle St, London, WC2H 7BA

Far East Cafe Bakery

The sesame balls with red bean paste here are consistently good, and a fried dough stick washed down with hot soy milk is a lovely way to start the day. Having said that, it’s best to avoid the restaurant side of Far East Cafe if you don’t want to be disappointed.

13 Gerrard Street W1d 5QG

New Loon Fung Restaurant

This old timer is a great all rounder for old school Hong Kong style cooking. A solid, dependable stalwart.

New Long Fung Restaurant, 42-44 Gerrard St, London W1D 5QG

Maotai Kitchen

The only restaurant in the UK specialising in delicious spicy, sour Guizhou cooking. The two day marinated crispy spring chicken is a must. For pork lovers they also do authentic dishes of tripe, trotters and pork knuckle.

Crispy chicken and seabass at Maotai kitchen

Maotai Kitchen, 12 Macclesfield St, London, London Chinatown W1D 5BP, 020 7437 8785

Baozi Inn

Tucked away on Newport court, Fuschia Dunlop is behind the scenes at this little Sichuanese gem, so you can expect authentic spicy specialities from the region. Dan dan noodles and the hot and sour soup are great, and the home made tofu and soy milk are worth a visit in their own right. Super cheap too.

Baozi Inn, 26 Newport Ct, London WC2H 7JS tel:020 7287 6877

Cover Image Credit: Marilyn Peddle, flickr.

Related Reads

5 of the Most Authentic Chinese Restaurants in London

Five of the Best Sushi Restaurants in London

Five of London's Best Dim Sum Restaurants

____
Browse our deals for Chinese restaurants in London.