Takeaway to the fore at Chinatown London, the F&B hub for locked-down locals

The vast array of cuisines that are on offer throughout lockdown span from Cantonese steamed buns at Bun House; to Taiwanese bubble tea from Cuppacha and YiFang; to Sichuanese hot pot from Shu Xiangge; to all things matcha at Tsujiri, and many more.

With 6,000 residents within a five-minute walk of Chinatown London, and 13 universities within a one-mile radius, the destination is well-placed to provide its rich and diverse culinary offer to customers craving something different during lockdown. This includes Japanese patisserie Sakurado, who chose to open during the second lockdown.

The drive to bring East Asian cuisine to the tables of local residents is the latest in a series of initiatives by Shaftesbury designed to support tenants and customers alike in these challenging times. It started with #BringingChinatownHome in March, which helped people take inspiration from Chinatown London’s culture and cuisines from the safety of their own homes, with a virtual ‘routine’.

As the Summer brought customers back to Chinatown, Shaftesbury introduced the #LoveChinatown campaign, which saw the creation of an open air food destination with additional outdoor seating, and the installation of new multi-coloured lanterns to signify hope. As lockdown restrictions ease, Shaftesbury intend to reinstate the outdoor seating, keeping an al fresco dining environment at Newport Place until spring 2021, helping tenants that have had to reduce capacity inside their establishments for social distancing.