Through the ages

Things to do
Dining Experiences
With over 80 restaurants to choose from, Chinatown offers
a wide variety of dining experiences. From traditional
Chinese dim sum to Japanese fare at the Tokyo Diner (2
Newport Place), there are all kinds of possibilities for a
unique meal. Chinese buffet restaurants are sprinkled
throughout the area; for something a little different, diners
choose Café de HK (47 Charing Cross Road), which serves
dishes from Hong Kong. Both Wong Kei at 41-43 Wardour
Street and Jen Café at 4-8 Newport Place are notable for
tasty fare at reasonable prices.

Bakeries
Wait an hour after lunch and then stop by one of Chinatown's
many bakeries, filled with visually appealing and equally
delicious treats. Specialties often include buns with bean curd
and other fillings, golden egg custard tarts, moon cakes and
Buddha-shaped sugar cookies. A favorite for some is the
Golden Gate Cake Shop at 3 Macclesfield Street.
 Photo Opportunities
The entrance to Chinatown is a tall gateway, decorated in
red and gold, and the many colored lights and lanterns that
festoon the area all make for a unique photo backdrop.
Stand in front of the tin dragon sculpture at the end of
Mandarin Street for a photo or perhaps next to one of the
lucky stone lions you'll find as you tour the area. You will
also see many tourists having their pictures taken inside
the pagoda-style phone booths.
Shopping
It's common to see market stalls set up here and there,
supplying vegetables for supper tables; stop and marvel at
how many varieties you can't name. Stop in any of the
general stores or supermarkets such as the New Loon
Supermarket (94 Gerrard Street) for their selections of
tableware, teas and spices---again, many of which you won't
be able to name unless you're an expert in Chinese cuisine.
Even though you won't be able to read much of what you
find at the Ying Hwa bookstore (14 Gerrard Street), you'll
enjoy browsing the shelves and checking out the English-
language books on Chinese subjects.
The importance of Chinatown
Chinatown may be tiny in
comparison to other cities, but
then it is not really the home of
London's Chinese Community,
more like its market place. Lisle
street is lined with restaurants
and supermarkets, while
pedestrianized Gerrard Street has
been "themed" with Shinoiserie
street furniture and gaytes to
complement another stretch of
busy restaurants. Both streets
meet in Newport Place.
The London Chinatown is a
vibrant part of the city full of
Chinese restaurants, bakeries,
supermarkets, souvenir shops,
and other Chinese-run businesses.
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