Chinese Tapas House

Chinese Tapas House takes a small-plates approach to Chinese cooking on Little Newport Street, the short Chinatown lane running between Newport Place and Charing Cross Road. Rather than big set dishes, it builds a meal from a spread of little plates, which makes it an easy, low-commitment way to graze across a lot of flavours in one sitting.

For a change of pace among Chinatown's larger dining rooms, it is a good bet for Chinese tapas in Chinatown: crispy dumplings, savoury skewers, cold starters and hot small plates designed to share and stack up as you go. It suits a couple or a small group who want to try a bit of everything rather than commit to a single main.

What to expect from this Chinese small-plates restaurant in Chinatown

Expect an order-as-you-go run of small plates: dumplings and buns, grilled skewers, chilli-spiked cold dishes and stir-fried bites, with steamed rice to fill in. Prices are modest and portions bite-sized, so it rewards ordering widely. It is casual and quick, a handy stop before Leicester Square's cinemas and theatres.

The format and the setting

The tapas format sets it apart on a street of more traditional kitchens, on the Leicester Square edge of Chinatown. It sits near dim sum landmark Imperial China, with more of the area's tables in our Soho restaurants listings.

How a visit works

Chinese Tapas House serves lunch and dinner on Little Newport Street, taking walk-ins and bookings. It is listed on the official Chinatown directory, with reviews on Tripadvisor.