My mates and I were suddenly hit with a severe case of dumpling cravings. Blame it on a few pints and a platter of these flavorful little balls of dough.
Right then, we decided to hunt for dumplings worthy of worship. But London is teeming with choices—dingy joints in Chinatown and posh restos in St. James’s. So, where do you even start?
We asked around, went here and there, then compared notes. Turns out, we had some common favorites, and we’ve listed them for you!
So, after a year of dumpling-hunting, here’s the culmination of our foodie adventure. Now, you’ll know exactly where to start!
How we chose the best dumplings in London
•Value and Taste: We compared the value per the price point because taste is usually subjective, but the value is quantifiable.
•Atmosphere: We assessed whether the restaurants were buzzing or relaxed and also paid attention to their lighting, decor, and overall ambiance. This helped us capture the complete dining experience.
•Customer Review: We interviewed people—co-workers, friends, and fellow foodies in the queue. Additionally, we took note of online reviews to gather diverse perspectives and enhance our understanding of the dining experience.
•Accessibility and Location: We loathe locations that take hours to find, so we only included restaurants accessible by different modes of transportation.
•Service: The restaurants we included here generally had prompt service, meaning our orders were quickly fulfilled. Second, they passed our tit-for-tat rule: If we’re nice or civil and we get a similar response, then we consider it well done!
•Hygiene and Cleanliness: We checked with the Food Standards Agency and considered those that have satisfactory to excellent ratings in general.
•Noteworthiness: Because of so many choices, we also considered the highlights and interesting features of a restaurant as part of the noteworthiness criteria.
1. Bun House
Address: 26-27 Lisle Street
Phone: +44-020-8017-9888
Business hours:
- Mon: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Tues-Thurs: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Fri-Sat: 12:00 PM – 10:30 PM
- Sun: 12:00 PM – 9:30 PM
More popular as a takeaway service, Chinatown’s Bun House made it to our list for one reason alone: Cantonese-style bao buns. Yes, we’re talking about those fluffy, slightly sweet, and filling-rich buns!
There are different filling options to suit various kinds of cravings. They have beef, egg yolk, and veggies.
For the more adventurous, lamb is also available, while those with a sweet tooth can go for custard. Just be careful as it’s quite runny!
We chose chicken and were won over by how the bun melts your mouth and mixes with the curry and lemongrass pungency. Their prawn wontons are generously filled, and the hot and sour chilli sauce has just the right zest.
On the downside, the place can be pretty busy at times. This makes the service feel somewhat impersonal.
What impressed us the most was the restaurant’s Hong Kong 60s-inspired diner-like interiors, which transport you to another time. To complete the laid-back experience, we skipped the lager and sipped tea instead, and we recommend you do the same!
Impressive buns!
The variety of buns on offer is impressive, from classic pork buns to innovative vegetarian options. Each bun was perfectly steamed and filled with flavorful, well-seasoned ingredients.
- Local Guide, Google Review
Highly recommended veggie bun!
Really tasty veg bun, glass noodle salad and sweet chili egg rice! Highly recommend!
- Alison Y, Google Review
2. Xi Home Dumplings Bay
Address: 43 Chandos Place, Covent Garden
Phone: +44-020-7379-6523
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 12:00 AM – 3:30 PM; 4:30 PM – 10:30 PM
- Sat: 12:00 AM – 10:30 PM
- Sun: 12:00 AM – 9:30 PM
Just a two-minute walk from Charing Cross station, Xi Home Dumplings Bay is a must-visit restaurant for the serious dumpling aficionado.
At the prompting of an overly enthusiastic co-worker, we headed to what turned out to be a disappointingly small eatery. However, the window sight of chefs handcrafting 20+ dumpling options was rather energizing for the tummy!
We noticed that the menu didn’t give any allergen notice, but we went ahead and sampled the black cuttlefish and jade lobster dumplings. Boy, were we in for a gastronomic delight of oceanic proportion!
One bit of a bummer, though, was that one of our orders got mixed up!
However, the little mishap was forgotten when our order of a giant soup dumpling arrived—with a straw. Definitely an Instagrammable foodie hit—sipping from a bun!
Bear in mind the servings are large, so it is best to team up with your mates to be able to humanely try different varieties.
Solo diners or couples can ask for half portions, but beware. The fillings are quite generous, so it’s easy to get full quickly!
Amazing handmade dumplings
Overall, we enjoyed our meal and would return again for the Handmade Dumplings!
- Kelvin S., Google Review
Delicious lobster dumplings
Lobster dumplings 5/5: They looked super pretty and were also really delicious! They don’t skimp on the filling, it was packed with lobster.
3. A. Wong
Address: 70 Wilton Rd, Pimlico
Phone: +44-020-7828-8931
Business hours:
- Tue: 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM
- Wed – Sat: 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM; 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM
- Sun – Mon: Closed
Born from the research of award-winning Chef Andrew Wong in 2012, A. Wong is a Michelin-starred restaurant that offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
We picked this because of word-of-mouth reports and bloggers gushing about “a guided culinary journey from China’s ancient Silk Road to Shanghai’s jazz age.” Because of the gastronomically interesting cuisine, we got hooked—line and sinker—and made reservations.
A note to adventurers: This restaurant is so upscale it requires advanced reservations and imposes a cancellation fee 72 hours prior. On the bright side, it’s conveniently located—just a stone’s throw away from Victoria’s public transport systems.
We tried the tasting lunchtime dim sum menu and marvelled at the wide array of options. Turns out you can ask the chef for recommendations!
However, the servings are quite tiny. But the meticulous presentation of the rabbit-and-carrot glutinous puff and rice-vinegar-cloud shrimp dumpling made up for it!
One of us sampled the Laughing Buddha Bun. She was smirking all the way and said it was the umami from the vegetable filling that won her over.
Upon going home, we couldn’t help but notice our pockets were much lighter now. But because of the luxurious dining experience, every quid spent seems worthwhile.
Best food we have ever tried!
We have been to this restaurant two times, simply because it is the best food we have ever tried! No joke! This restaurant deserve all the stars and let me tell you why…
- Veronica D., Google Review
Best food I have eaten.
This was the best food I have eaten, anywhere in the world. It was absolutely outrageous!
- Gary, B, Google Review
4. Fatt Pundit
Address: 77 Berwick St
Phone: +44-020-7287-7900
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM; 5:00 PM – 10:30 PM
- Sat: 12:00 PM – 10:30 PM
- Sun: Closed
Everybody knows what a “pundit” nowadays means, but few may remember its Sanskrit origins as “scholar”. This restaurant is named after its two ethnic roots, with “Fatt” being a common Chinese surname.
Confused what menu to expect?
Think of it as Chinese-style cooking in India, where these Hakka migrants settled. Later, they moved to Nepal and the surrounding regions, and the migration shaped the restaurant’s cuisine.
Our Tangra meal started with the signature Indo-Chinese dumplings, or momos, piping hot from the steamers. These are vegetables, tofu, and meat encased in dough served with spicy chutney.
The highlight? Momos filled with kid goat meat spiced with garam masala, cardamom, and ginger.
Not to mention the industrial-chic interiors—perfect for the Soho vibe.
A bit of a letdown though; it can be quite noisy on the weekends, just like when we visited.
Fine dining is the last thing you can expect here. But if you’re going after a lively night out, this place is for you.
Bang for your buck!
Really great experience. Quality and bang for your buck. All around the best well rounded experience in london. Highly recommend. Make a reservation since the place is small.
- Alfred B., Google Review
Best dinners I’ve ever had
Hands down one of the best dinners I’ve ever had. Everything was delicious and Utsav was very knowledgeable/ helpful about the menu. Would come back each time I’m in London.
- Nora R., Google Review
5. Dim Sum & Duck
Address: 124 King’s Cross Road
Phone: +44-020-7278-8878
Business hours:
- Mon: 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Tue-Sun: 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM; 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Dim Sum & Duck is unlike other restaurants in the King’s Cross area. It resembles the busy eateries you’d find in Asia, furnished with just the basics.
The place fills up quickly and is known to have long queues, depending on the hour. So, it wasn’t the best start when we had to line up in the drizzle.
Additionally, we couldn’t help but notice that some of the servers seemed to check their phones a tad too frequently. However, we were not disappointed when our orders arrived promptly.
While the dumplings were the standard fare you’d expect at a Chinese restaurant, the depth of flavour was anything but ordinary. The Shanghai dumpling, submerged in soup, had just the right meaty taste.
Plus, the deep-fried prawn balls were juicy.
Simple yet satisfying, we enjoyed our hunger-satiating dining experience for under £30 for two.
Worth every wait
I recently had the most romantic date at Dim Sum Duck in Kings Cross. The food was absolutely amazing and worth every minute of the wait. We did have to wait for over an hour to get a table, which was a bit frustrating, but the delicious food made up for it.
- Josette T., Google Review
Best dumplings ever!
Got the Shanghai soup dumplings, salt and pepper dry ribs, and pork buns. Some of the best dumplings I’ve had and Asian food in general. If you’re craving authentic dumplings/ Asian food…
- Lukas M., Google Review
