Sichuan dreams: My favourite Chinese restaurants in London
Sichuan dreams: My favourite Chinese restaurants in London
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From fiery Sichuan feasts to comforting Uyghur classics, Maya Oppenheim shares her top picks for exploring the vibrant variety of Chinese cuisine in the capital – just in time for Lunar New Year. My love affair with Sichuanfood began just over a decade ago. At the height of this whirlwind romance, I barely went out to eat in London if Sichuan food wasn’t by my side – both returning to tried and tested favourites but also exploring new spots.
![[Cumin-drenched lamb skewers, silky dumplings, and a dose of nostalgia – My Old Place is a hidden gem for authentic Sichuan flavours]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/11/Myoldplace.jpg)
For the uninitiated, Sichuan food originates from the Sichuan province and the next-door Chongqing municipality in the southwest of China. Sichuan food is known for its bold, spicy flavours, with some dishes feeling like a firework of flavours in the mouth. It is a varied cuisine, with dishes for those who are apprehensive or antagonistic towards chilli.
![[Grill your own skewers and soak up the chaotic charm at Dad Grilled Skewers – where the food is bold, and the atmosphere is electric]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/11/Dadgrilledskewers3.jpg)
Sichuan food obliterates most Britons’ preconceptions and misconceptions about Chinese food. Many continue to wrongly assume Chinese food is synonymous with Cantonese food and not the country’s regional cuisines. Home to 1.4 billion humans, China is also home to an eclectic variety of foods.
![[Step into the homely warmth of Etles in Walthamstow, where Uyghur cuisine meets hearty, spice-packed dishes]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/11/Etles1.jpg)
For those keen to try a wider range of Chinese food ahead of the Lunar New Year starting on 29 January, here are some of the best Chinese restaurants I have tried in the capital. The name My Old Place perfectly encapsulates my relationship to this restaurant. I was going here so much in 2015 and 2016 that it felt like a home away from home and now when I go back I’m filled with a gentle nostalgia and warm familiarity. My Old Place excels at the classic nose-to-tail eating which Sichuan food is so famous for, but also offers up a range of other dishes for the offal-averse.
![[A Soho institution for cheap and cheerful Cantonese fare, Wong Kei delivers no-frills dining with a side of legendary status]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/11/wongkei.jpg)
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