Little Lamb

Little Lamb is a Chinatown-edge institution for hotpot, sitting on Shaftesbury Avenue where Soho meets the theatres and serving the communal, cook-it-yourself style of dining that made its name. Mongolian and northern Chinese in spirit, it is built around bubbling pots at the table and a self-serve run of raw ingredients, and has a loyal following for good-value, all-you-can-eat feasts.

For a proper Mongolian hotpot in Soho, the format is the appeal: choose your broth, pile up plates of thinly sliced lamb, beef, seafood, tofu, noodles and vegetables, and cook them in the simmering pot in front of you. A self-service sauce bar lets you mix your own dips, and the buffet option makes it a favourite for hungry groups.

What to expect from this hotpot restaurant in Soho

Expect a hands-on, sociable meal: a divided pot with spicy and mild broths, a fridge of raw meats, seafood and vegetables to help yourself to, and a sauce station to build your dip. The signature thin-sliced lamb is the thing to order, and the all-you-can-eat deal keeps the plates coming. It is casual, warming and best shared around a full table.

The hotpot and the setting

Little Lamb keeps the focus on the ritual of hotpot rather than frills, in a busy room on the Chinatown side of Shaftesbury Avenue. It sits among the neighbourhood's Chinese kitchens, near Cantonese stalwart Wong Kei, with more of the area's tables in our Soho restaurants listings.

How a visit works

Little Lamb serves lunch and dinner on Shaftesbury Avenue, taking walk-ins and bookings, with the hotpot best suited to groups. Booking ahead helps at weekends. It is listed on the official Chinatown directory, and featured by Time Out.