UK Chinatowns Guide Reveals 80+ Restaurants
The newly released Vittles Chinatowns Project offers the first comprehensive guide to London's six Chinatowns, now home to more than 80 restaurants spanning 15 distinct Chinese cuisines. The guide covers historic enclaves like Soho and Queensway plus emerging new Chinatowns driven by growing Chinese international student populations.
- London's first Chinatown was in the East End's Limehouse district, established by Chinese sailors and traders in the 19th century. The community largely dispersed after the area was heavily bombed during The Blitz and the post-war decline of the shipping industry. - The shift to Soho began in the 1950s and 60s as migrants from Hong Kong took advantage of cheap leases in what was then considered an undesirable part of London. This area around Gerrard Street grew into the city's most well-known Chinatown. - The guide, guest-edited by Angela Hui, identifies four newer Chinatowns in addition to the historic enclaves of Soho and Queensway: Bloomsbury, Spitalfields, Colindale–Hendon, and the Docklands. - The emergence of these new hubs is driven by Chinese international students, whose population in London grew by 20% in the 2017/18 academic year alone. This has fueled demand for more authentic and diverse regional cuisines beyond the traditional Cantonese fare. - While older Chinatowns were dominated by Cantonese cuisine, London now features a wide array of regional specialties, including Sichuan hot pot, Hunanese dishes, and Taiwanese food. - The changing demographics have also led to a rise in businesses catering to mainland Chinese tastes, from bubble tea shops to specialized food delivery services.
