We challenge you to walk past Lucky & Joy’s popping neon-pink dining room without wanting to dive inside. The epitome of a good-time Chinese diner, this little Hackney joint was started by two friends with a shared love of the deliciously slippery noodle and soup dishes native to China’s Xinjiang province – with ex-Moro and Morito chef Ellen Parr on the food and drinks know-it-all Pete Kelly taking care of the grog. Pull up a pew, pick out your plates from a tick-list on a shiny pink slip and, whatever you do, don’t hold back – snacks start from just £3.50.

This classic Cantonese restaurant is renowned for its dim sum.
Don’t be put off by the seemingly formal atmosphere – once the food
arrives all pretension is thrown out the window as the room is
filled with oohs and ahhs of content. Book ahead to avoid the queue
that often snakes its way down Baker Street, and settle down to
order plates of fried gyoza, soft dumplings, roast pork buns and
crispy spring rolls.

It may not be considered the crème de la crème of London’s Sichuan eateries, but if you ask any Chinese expat in the city where they go to get their fill of Chinese food cooked just right, they’ll likely point you in the direction of My Old Place. Old-school and slightly hectic, the restaurant gets our nod of approval for the sheer breadth of its menu. Expect everything from dandan noodles to duck tongue, served up in typically sizeable – and always delicious – portions.

If you haven’t already seen this Mayfair outpost plastered
across your socials at least twice this month, we’ll assume you’re
living under a rock. Located on the handsome Curzon Street, MiMi
Mei Fair is the sort of place you could easily walk past and not
give a second glance, due to its unassuming turquoise facade. Yet
inside a sexy and stylish set-up awaits. We’re talking pink-blush
banquette seating, ruby-red chandeliers, beautifully handcrafted
screens and delicate Chinese ornaments. With the recent launch of
the Baskets in Bloom menu, head chef Peter Ho is set to serve
diners three different types of dim sum: Canadian scallop dumpling
with bamboo shoot; prawn and seasonal asparagus, and a garlic-chive
chicken dumpling. But, be warned, this is a traditional lunchtime
affair, so make sure to reserve a table to avoid disappointment and
a detour to the meal-deal aisle.

Opposite Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, this no-frills restaurant
serves Chinese food in unpretentious settings. Whitewashed
interiors ensure that all focus is placed entirely on the food –
and rightly so. Piled-up plates of sticky dumplings and thick udon
noodles (the Xi’an Liang Pi Cold Noodles are a must-try) command
all attention as they crowd the small tables, and disappear quicker
than you can say bao bun.

At face value, this stalwart pub in Soho seems an unlikely
addition to this round-up. While drinks are served in the buzzy
ground floor bar, head upstairs for the real deal. Chinese food is
served in the intimate dining room – be sure to order the
Cantonese-style roast duck, hand-reared at a local family-owned
farm.

Helmed by London-born chef Andrew Wong, this Chinese restaurant
seamlessly switches between a delightful dim-sum menu during the
day and heaped plates of authentic cuisine in the evening. Try the
10-course tasting menu, which showcases the best of Wong’s culinary
finesse.

This chinese restaurant brings Shanghai’s 30s jazz lounges to
London’s Mayfair. Beyond its decadent red doors, the interiors pair
rich velvets and fringed furnishings with sophisticated cocktails
and raved-about food. Book into the Salon de Chine to sample the
Asian menu in sophisticated surrounds, or slide into a booth
downstairs at Club Chinois, where food is often served alongside
curious entertainment.

Fragrant noodle dishes, meat-filled wontons and lip-smacking
curries are served at Yauatcha on Soho’s Broadwick Street, where
dimly lit interiors are adorned with sleek furnishings. Be sure to
save room for dessert – try the “Winter Sun”, an exotic fruit
mousse served with black-sesame cream and a banana-toffee compote,
or the praline brownie topped with salted yuzu caramel.

If unnecessarily lengthy menus leave you sweaty-palmed and
stressed, Hunan is the place for you. Leave the hard work to the
experts at this menuless restaurant, which is tucked among
Pimlico’s galleries and antiques shops. Dine like an emperor on a
series of small plates followed by heaps of hand-pulled noodles and
fiery sauces.

Another restaurant by Chinese master-of-all Andrew Wong, Kym’s
is one for the Instagrammers. Pink-hued interiors coupled with a
cherry-blossom tree make a picture-perfect setting for your evening
meal. Yet this isn’t all style over substance – dishes such as
Cantonese crispy pork belly or Iberico pork char siu steal the
focus every time.

In bustling Brixton Village, Mamalan specialises in
northern-Chinese street food inspired by the owner’s experience of
watching her mother run a market stall in Beijing – the restaurant
is even named after her. Huddle into the crowded restaurant for
beef and pork potstickers, veggie dumplings and hearty noodle
soups.

This cheerful restaurant in Camberwell serves food from China’s
Xinjiang province. Slide onto communal benches and peruse a
refreshingly short menu before promptly deciding to order the lot.
Hand-pulled noodles, fluffy dumplings and spicy stews prove that
Chinese food is more than your typical sweet-and-sour chicken or
beef in black bean sauce.

Dumplings’ Legend offers dim sum with a twist. Try the fried
turnip cake (luóbo gāo), stuffed rice noodles (cheung fun) and, of
course, plenty of meat-filled dumplings. A glass-fronted kitchen
allows diners to gawp at the chefs’ magic while it happens.