London’s Chinatown is a vibrant neighborhood in the center of London, filled with Dim Sum (點心), Hot Pot (火锅), Zhen Zhu Nai Cha (珍珠奶茶), and Xiao Long Bao (小笼包) A.K.A Soup Dumplings! If you are looking for some mouth watering soup dumplings to satisfy you on your London adventures, here are our top 5 favorite spots to grab some soup dumplings in Chinatown.
If you are strictly looking for the best Xiao Long Bao in Chinatown then look no further! When you walk into Dumplings’ Legend you are immediately blown away by the dumpling masters rolling out dough and shaping dumplings right in front of you. You can sit down next to a big tank of lively fish, and the service is faster than you can say “I love Xiao Long Bao”. This soup dumpling has the most delectable broth, a perfectly bouncy dumpling wrapper, and a size suitable for shoveling a few too many dumplings down your throat. The music is also outstanding, and when paired with the dumplings creates some sort of euphoric effect! You gotta check this place out!
Beijing Dumpling has the best vibe of any restaurant we've visited in London’s Chinatown. Right in the store front you can see the dumpling masters making the dumplings, and they are not shy of any tourists who want to take some good videos. As you stroll into the restaurant you will see the most beautiful wooden interior that will transport you right to a traditional Beijing dumpling house (饺子餐馆). The waiters are extremely kind, especially if you are a simple 老外 who wants to practice some mandarin. I have got to also recommend the fried pork dumplings (猪肉煎饺), the chicken fried rice (鸡炒饭), and if you want to get real crazy with it, go with the spicy water dumplings (辣汁水饺).
Sha Xian is a great little restaurant right in the heart of Chinatown and has an amazing ambiance. The service is extremely fast and the waiters are very friendly. Even when our students tried to practice ordering in Mandarin, the waitress was patient and helpful. While they might not seem like a top 3 soup dumpling location, they definitely are! The broth is scrumptious and the dumpling wrapper does not over-power. Go check out these tasty soup dumplings.
Chuan Royal China is a classy restaurant with exquisite food, but don't let the fancy interior fool you, this restaurant has a killer soup dumpling. The Shanghai Soup Dumplings (上海小笼包) are absolutely face melting and gut busting. I definitely also have to recommend the Lotus Leaf Fried Rice (荷葉飯) and the Honey Roast Pork Puffs (密汁叉燒酥). Chuan Royal China also has some sweet veggies and if you come here with some 朋友's you will definitely have a smile on your face. Get out there and eat some Xiao Long Bao!
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Hopefully these suggestions helped to supply you with some awesome dumpling spots! Let us know if you visited any of these restaurants (饭馆、餐厅) on one of our instagrams: @manhattan_mandarin_london or @manhattanmandarineats