London’s Chinatown, London

Vibrant, ornamental gate with traditional Qing Dynasty designs in a bustling enclave.

by TRIN PATRACHOATPREEDAKUL

May 18, 2020

Bordered by Soho to the north and Covent Garden to the east, and heralded by a set of striking, Qing-era style gates, Chinatown is one of the most bustling, colourful pockets of London.

It may be located in the heart of the City of Westminster, but London's Chinatown doesn't feel anything like London at all. As a matter of fact, wandering through its many streets lined with red paper lanterns and Mandarin street signs, tourists in London may feel like they're walking around somewhere in East Asia rather than in London's lively West End district.

London’s Chinatown has been around since the 1950s (although the original Chinatown was located in London’s East End during the 18th century), and is home to more than 80 different Asian restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as Chinese food shops, bakeries, souvenir stores, and even reflexology specialists and traditional Chinese medicine experts. There’s also countless supermarkets which are crammed full of authentic and exotic ingredients that can normally only be found in Asia.

Today, Chinatown attracts up to more than 17.4 million visitors each year, and is especially busy during the Chinese New Year, which takes place sometime between mid-January and February every year (depending on the Chinese lunar calender).

Getting There

Address

10 Wardour St, West End, London W1D 6BZ, England

By Tube

The nearest station is Leicester Square (which is less than a minute walk away). Once you arrive at the station, take exit two, turn the corner and you'll be smack dab in the middle of Chinatown. Other nearby underground stations are Covent Garden (a four-minute walk away) or Piccadilly Circus (a seven-minute walk away).

By Train

The nearest station is Charing Cross, which is an 11-minute walk away.

By Bus

You can reach Chinatown via routes 14, 19, 38, N19, and N38. (Be aware that the buses do not travel directly through Chinatown, but stop along the streets which border it).