The first Chinese sailors appeared in London during the 18th century and from this point, a smaller version of Chinatown began to take root in the East End. By the early 1900s, the number of Chinese businesses in the area was booming but sadly, due to heavy bombing during WW2 most of this area was severely damaged. It was around this time that Chinatown took up new residence in its current location in Soho. In the 1980s, Chinatown became completely pedestrianised which makes it the perfect spot to stop and grab a bite to eat - which is exactly what we did...
We had a fully booked day in London and wanted to grab a few snacks around lunchtime to see us through to later in the evening. I was desperate to try some new places and thought Chinatown would be the perfect place to start. We stopped at two places, but really, we could have spent longer - I am desperate to return and try some of the sweet treats and puddings next time.
Bun House, 26-27 Lisle St, London WC2H 7BA
Our first stop was to Bun House. I have recently jumped on the steamed bun wagon and am totally obsessed. I was so excited to try these Cantonese-style buns and really had a hard time narrowing it down to just one flavour to try for our lunch. I settled on 'Chick' which was filled with chicken thigh, lemongrass and coconut curry. It was delicious, warming and reasonably priced. It was filling enough too that for a little quick snack, you'd be very satisfied.
Although Chinatown was busy (we visited on a Saturday), there were plenty of places to stop out of the way and eat your snack and people-watch. Some of the venues along the street did have outdoor seating which is fantastic, but not to worry if not.
2. Good Friend Chicken, 14 Little Newport St, London WC2H 7JJ
After seeing so much of this Taiwanese-style chicken shop online, I knew I had to try it. I settled for the popcorn chicken, flavoured with chilli and garlic. It was INCREDIBLE! The chicken had such a crispy coating and had a texture, unlike anything I had tried before. When we arrived, we were a little unsure what to order (although it really is just variations of chicken!) but the number of unique seasonings got us thinking. I remember seeing flavours like cheese or plum! The lady behind the counter suggested the chilli and garlic as it is the most popular and I can see why it was. It was a fantastic choice. The serving size is huge too! If you are choosing to stop here for lunch, there are also an assortment of combo meals too.
I would totally recommend both of these stops on your walk through Chinatown!
Do you have any favourites? I would love to hear them for my next trip!
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