Chinatown London is more than restaurants. Packed into a few blocks between Leicester Square and Shaftesbury Avenue, it's one of London's most vibrant neighbourhoods - full of colour, culture, and character.
Here's what to see and do beyond the dining tables.
Walk through the gates
Chinatown has three ornamental gates - on Wardour Street, Gerrard Street, and Macclesfield Street. The main gate on Wardour Street is the largest, decorated with gold dragons and red lanterns. It's one of London's most photographed landmarks and the perfect starting point for a Chinatown visit.
Browse the supermarkets
Chinatown's Asian supermarkets are an experience in themselves. You'll find ingredients you won't see anywhere else in London - fresh noodles, exotic fruits, sauces, snacks, and spices from across Asia. Even if you're not cooking, it's worth a wander.
Try the bakeries
Chinese bakeries serve some of the most underrated pastries in London. Egg tarts, pineapple buns, red bean pastries, and coconut buns - all for a couple of pounds each. Perfect for a walking snack.
Bubble tea crawl
Chinatown has more bubble tea shops per square metre than anywhere else in London. Each has its own style - some specialise in fruit teas, others in milk teas, some in cheese-top teas (yes, really, and yes, it's good). A bubble tea crawl is a Chinatown rite of passage - and a good way to build an appetite before a proper sit-down meal. Got a question about your visit? Drop us a message.
Visit during a festival
Chinatown comes alive during Chinese New Year (January/February) and the Mid-Autumn Festival (September). Lion dances, lanterns, street food stalls, and performances fill the streets. Chinese New Year in Chinatown is one of the biggest celebrations outside of Asia - and it pairs nicely with a date night in Chinatown if you can get a table.
Eat at The Greedy Sheep
Obviously. We're at 8 Little Newport Street - right in the heart of it all. After you've walked the gates, browsed the shops, and had your bubble tea, come to us for proper Northern Chinese street food. 100% halal. Open 12pm-10pm daily.
