Shan Shui Social

Incredible experience. One of the best meals I had in London! I cannot recommend this restaurant more. Wonderful lunch selections and very helpful staff with questions and suggestions. The pepper salted squid reminded me of my favorite childhood spot in Portland, Oregon. Brought back many good memories. Every dish was flavorful and bright. I missed a couple dishes in photos because I couldn’t wait!! Can’t wait to be back and visit again!

I found this restaurant when searching for restaurants that are good for big groups. We were celebrating my dad’s 70th. When we went we learnt that it was newly opened, a few months old. We got a table downstairs and were the only ones there. Perfect. The server was friendly and helpful. She recommended dishes to us and the food came quickly. Portion sizes are small which would have been perfect for sharing in smaller groups. (I say that because we usually dine with 3-4 people and some dishes are so large that trying food is difficult because of the large amount.) This time there were 12 of us so we just doubled up. Everything was delicious! I didn’t manage to photo everything because the children were hungry. The roast duck was so good. This is definitely kid-friendly food. I really hope this restaurant stays. It’s a great addition to the neighborhood.

The serving speed is impressively fast—if you eat slowly, you might almost feel disrespectful to the food. Overall, this is one of the best Cantonese meals I’ve had in London recently. 💡 Drinks ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lion Eye: A lychee & longan mocktail, refreshing and lightly sweet without being overwhelming. ⭐⭐⭐ Elderflower Zest: Tastes like elderflower soda, non-alcoholic but with a hint of “boozy” character. 🍴 Dishes ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ¼ Roast Duck: Distinct from Beijing or Nanjing styles—Hong Kong–style roast with rich, slightly sweet soy-based flavor. Would be perfect with a plum sauce. ⭐⭐⭐ Salt & Pepper Squid: Tasty, but too much batter; the crunch overpowered the squid itself. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Salted Egg Yolk Prawns: Bold, savory flavor with plump prawns. Not too heavy—perfect for those who love salted egg dishes. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Chongqing Chili Chicken: More numbing (málà) than spicy, dry-fried style, very suitable for Cantonese palates while still keeping Sichuan flavor. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fried Wontons: Absolute favorite. Thin, crispy skin with big, juicy shrimp inside. Paired with a sweet-spicy sauce—unmissable. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Custard Lava Buns: Sadly, the filling wasn’t runny since we didn’t eat them immediately, but still tasty with a more savory salted egg yolk filling (not the sweet custard type). ⭐⭐⭐ “Mouthwatering Chicken”: Decent, but not the highlight compared to other dishes. Still solid, but overshadowed. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Braised Wheat Gluten: First time having this in the UK—closer to frozen tofu in texture, pleasantly flavorful.

Absolutely loved my meal here! This Shanghai restaurant offers authentic flavors with a modern twist. The braised pork belly was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and the drunken chicken was perfectly seasoned. The service was warm and attentive, and the atmosphere was cozy yet stylish. A great place whether you're a fan of classic Shanghainese dishes or trying them for the first time. Highly recommend!

My boyfriend and I had a very tasty dinner here on a Monday evening. The staff was really nice and the food was amazing. They had a happy hour offer with 2 for 1 drinks and starters for £1 (really good and not small at all, a normal starter size in fact). We got 3 mains and one rice to share between the two of us which was the perfect amount. The Mapo tofu was possibly our favourite dish. Paid £66 in total for £1 starter, 3 mains, rice, drinks (incredibly reasonable amount for central London & quality of food, will definitely go there next time we're on London)

Absolutely amazing restaurant! I had a really great experience at Shan Shui Social. The food was incredibly delicious and full of flavour – honestly some of the best I’ve tried in London. The whole experience was fantastic, but it wouldn’t have been the same without Sree, our host. She was extremely helpful, attentive and made everything so easy for us. Her warm hospitality really stood out. And to be honest the whole staff were actually welcoming and friendly. I would definitely come again. Highly recommended!

We randomly found Shan Shui Social after visiting Buckingham Palace, and it turned out to be such a hidden gem! The restaurant is beautifully decorated — vintage Chinese touches with a modern twist, and the bar area is perfect for photos. We ordered the roast duck and char siu, both were absolutely delicious. The duck skin was crispy and the meat was juicy and well-seasoned. The char siu had that perfect balance of sweet and savoury, with a slightly caramelised edge — exactly how it should be. Their Three Cup Chicken was a pleasant surprise — super fragrant with basil and sesame oil, and perfect with rice. We also had tofu with mushrooms, which was light, fresh, and full of flavour.

Authentic, newly opened Chinese dining spot with a quality bar. Service was friendly, and the staff seated us at a lovely spot as requested. Drinks were genuinely good in both flavour and creativity, and the snacks paired wonderfully too. It honestly had all the makings of a perfect date night. 😇 The 2-for-1 cocktail offer turned out to be a little confusing/misleading, though. The T&Cs state “in each 2-for-1 order, the lower-priced drink will be complimentary,” which makes it sound like discounts should apply per round. But in our case, it was instead calculated across the whole bill — something that wasn’t explained at any point and in fact, contradicted its own T&Cs. It only made about a £7 difference for us, but I’d just be aware if you’re visiting for the first time and ordering multiple rounds of drinks, as it’s not made clear upfront. A bit more clarity (or transparency) would’ve easily made it a five-star night.