Eating in London's Chinatown?

Question

Am off to London soon and would like to know a nice Chinese to eat at. Also, being really thick but where is Chinatown? What tube station should I get off at? All help gratefully received!!!

Answer 1

I have been going to the Lido in Chinatown for the last 15 years. It's half way along the main cobbled tourist street. It's middle of the road pricing (not as cheap as some, but certainly not as expensive) and I have never had a bad chinese meal in there. Walk along Shaftsbury Avenue and turn right into Chinatown, then take a left onto the main street opposite O'Neals pub.

Answer 2

China town is disappointing. The best Chinese restaurants are scattered about in other parts of London. So if you are just after the experience of eating in Chinatown , any restaurant will do.But those on Lisle street (which is the street between Gerard Street and Leicester Square) are the best. The London tube system is the worst I have been on - overcrowded and smelly with rude and ignorant passengers. Chinatown is quite central. So if you are staying in a central hotel you can walk. London buses are much better though sometimes the traffic is much and slows them down. But at least you can see where you are going and there are good views for the newcomer.
Chinatown is to the west of Covent Garden (just cross Charing Cross Road), the east of Piccadilly and to the South of Soho and to the north of Leicester Square. Leicester Square & Piccadilly are the nearest tubes.

Answer 3

The Tube stops you need are Picadilly or Leicester Square.

Myu favourite Chinese restaurant is the New World, on Gerrard St., just off Shaftesbury Avenue, next to the NCP car park. It's a dim sum restaurant, where they push all the food around on carts for you, rather than you having to order it. It's also very reasonably priced. There's no advanced booking, so don't expect to get a table immediately on a Saturday at 1 o'clock, but it's a huge place, with a fair turnover. Always good fun, and I've been going there for about fifteen years, whenever I'm in London. Also, reasonably priced, which is a plus in the centre of London.

Answer 4

Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square are the nearest tube stations. If you are visiting London for the sights, you can also walk from Tottenham Court Road (via Soho) or Charing Cross (via Trafalgar Square).

The cuisine of most Chinatown restaurants are Cantonese with a few well known Peking/Sechuan dishes thrown in. If you want to play safe and order things you know from your local Chinese takeaway, then any of them will do.

If you are there during the day, have Dim Sum in any of the restaurants (think Chinese Tapas) - you are less likely to come across restaurants offering this outside London. There are loads of dishes to choose from, many restaurants will have pictures displayed outside. Chuen Cheng Cu on Wardour Street have staff pushing trolleys of Dim Sum around, so you can see the real thing before you say, "ok, I'll have that one."

If you want to try new things, then Golden Dragon/Royal Dragon and Gerrard street should be quite helpful in terms of staff with good English standard and translated menus, ditto China City (this is the one with the little bridge - nice decor) and Hong Kong Restaurant both on Lisle St. Mayflower on Shaftesbury Ave is a favourite of many Chinese people I know.

If you want a quick cheap meal, Wong Kei (Wardour St) is the famous one but I find their food too gloopy with cornstarch, and would recommend Young Cheng on Shaftsbury Avenue for a tastier meal. There are several others on Wardour St who specialise similarly in dish-served-on-bed-of-rice or noodle format.

Answer 5

I agree with some other answers that Chinatown is disappointing. It's really there for the tourists. The food's not up to much. You can get some good cheap deals for a fast, filling lunch but if you want a relaxing, romantic dinner with good food I wouldn't bother. We dined at Won Key's too and there were bits of dirt coming out of the aircon and floating down into the food. Yuk.

Answer 6

Leicester Square or Picadilly Circus. Walk through Leicester square and you will find it.

Try going to Wong Keys (think that show you spell it) the food is pretty good plus it's famous for having the rudest staff ever. It is qworth going for the giggle. Failing that there is a really good one Lisle Street Off Wardour Street - can't remember the name but you go over a little bridge to get into it. Have a good meal.

Answer 7

Best place to go to in China Town by far is the Mayflower Restaurant in Shaftesbury Avenue. It is between Picadilly Circus and Leicester Sq. Also highly recommended for Dim Sum is Top of the Town in Gerrard St.

Both of these have been recommended to me by Chinese friends and their grandparents (seriously), so for me that is good enough.

Answer 8

Get off at Leicester Square or Covent Garden.

I have been really disappointed in China Town on recent visits - it feels a bit rushed and you can't relax.

Check out toptable.com or it might be toptable.co.uk and look up reviews of different restaurants in London. If you fancy Thai, I can recommend Thai on the Square, by the American Embassy.

Answer 9

Picadilly Circus or Liecester Square are both near

Answer 10

are you sure chinatown's food can be trusted?!? don't think they are authentic chinese fare...