Chinatown

As the largest Chinatown in Europe, Chinatown London is the go-to destination for regional Chinese and Pan-Asian cuisine. Its twelve predominately pedestrianised and interconnected streets, lined with iconic red lanterns, are home to an ever-evolving mix of traditional and new concepts which reflect emerging dining trends from cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul.

Equally thriving day and night, the area’s restaurants, bars, shops and cafés, as well as its unique mix of oriental supermarkets, authentic Asian retail stores and more, attract large numbers of Londoners, tourists, Chinese students and local workers.

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Our Ownership

Europe’s premier Chinatown is in the heart of the West End’s entertainment district. Its twelve predominately pedestrianised and interconnected streets, lined with iconic red lanterns, offer an exceptional concentration of restaurants with a wide range of Chinese and East Asian dining choices. 

Equally thriving day and night, the area’s restaurants, bars, shops and cafés, as well as its unique mix of oriental supermarkets and authentic Asian retail stores, attract large numbers of Londoners, tourists, Asian students and local workers.

Our Heritage

Today’s Chinatown’s story begins with the Great Fire of London. In the panic to rebuild, attention turned to a military training ground on farmland. The area’s owner at the time, Lord Gerrard gave permission for houses to be built. Gerrard Street was completed in 1685, then later a market hall and slaughterhouse were built.

Over many years it has been the centre for many communities, and from the 1950s, Chinese entrepreneurs began locating here. By the late 1960s, Chinatown was truly established as the epicentre of London’s Chinese Community.

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