Golden Phoenix

Golden Phoenix is a long-running Cantonese kitchen on Gerrard Street, the kind of dependable Chinatown restaurant locals return to for roast meats and dim sum done properly. It works the classic Hong Kong-style repertoire, from glossy barbecue pork and crisp-skinned roast duck to steamed dumplings and stir-fries, in a straightforward, busy dining room.

For familiar, well-executed Cantonese roast meats in Soho, it is a reliable choice. The barbecue meats hanging in the window tell you what to order: char siu, roast pork belly and duck over rice or noodles, backed by a broad Cantonese menu and a dim sum list for daytime visits. It is comfort food rather than fine dining, and all the better for it.

What to expect from this Cantonese restaurant in Soho

Expect the Chinatown staples done well: roast duck and barbecue pork over rice, wonton and noodle soups, seafood and vegetable stir-fries, and dim sum earlier in the day. Portions are generous and prices fair, which keeps the room busy with a mix of local workers, families and visitors. It is quick, satisfying and unpretentious.

The kitchen and the setting

Golden Phoenix keeps to the honest, roast-meat-led cooking that made Chinatown's reputation, in a room built for turnover rather than lingering. It sits among Gerrard Street's Cantonese kitchens, near New Loon Fung, with more of the area's tables in our Soho restaurants listings.

How a visit works

Golden Phoenix serves lunch and dinner in the heart of Chinatown, taking walk-ins and bookings. It is an easy stop for a quick roast-meat rice or a fuller Cantonese meal. Menus are on its official site, and it is featured by Time Out.