Dining
The 6 Best Hot Pot in London
Six hot pot restaurants across London, from a Sichuan chain with tableside noodle dancers to a Chaoshan specialist built around thin sliced beef.
In short: our top picks are Haidilao, Hotto Potto and Happy Lamb Hot Pot. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Hot pot works best as a group meal, a shared pot of broth in the middle of the table with plates of raw ingredients arriving in waves. It rewards patience in a way most London dining does not, and that is part of why it has built such a loyal following here. The six restaurants below cover the main regional styles, from Sichuan’s heavily spiced broths to the cleaner Chaoshan beef pots that use almost no chilli at all. Pick based on how much heat your table can handle before you book.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Haidilao | Piccadilly | £££ |
| Hotto Potto | Aldgate | ££ |
| Happy Lamb Hot Pot | Holborn | ££ |
| Niu Hot Pot | Spitalfields | £££ |
| Shuang Shuang | Chinatown | ££ |
| Barshu | Soho | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
Haidilao
Why we pick itHaidilao is the Chinese chain famous for its theatrical service, staff who stretch and dance noodles at your table and manicures offered while you wait, and the Piccadilly branch delivers the same show alongside a huge range of broths and dipping sauces. Book ahead, since it fills up fast on weekend evenings.
Worth knowingBook ahead despite the 3am closing. Walk-ins are handled poorly at peak times, and the bill climbs quickly if you order generously across proteins.
Theatrical Chinese hot pot chain
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Hotto Potto
Why we pick itHotto Potto runs a Sichuan style hot pot on Leman Street with a broad choice of broths and a KTV room upstairs for anyone who wants to sing between courses. It is less polished than some newer openings but the ingredient range is generous.
Sichuan hot pot with karaoke rooms
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Happy Lamb Hot Pot
Why we pick itHappy Lamb Hot Pot serves a Mongolian style pot built around thinly sliced lamb, and the Holborn branch on New Oxford Street has been a reliable choice for a communal dinner for years. Portions are large enough that four people can comfortably share two broths.
Worth knowingBuilt for groups rather than a quiet dinner for two: the music runs loud for the size of the room, and walk-ins can wait half an hour or more at weekends.
Mongolian style lamb hot pot
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Niu Hot Pot
Why we pick itNiu Hot Pot specialises in Chaoshan style beef hot pot, thin sliced cuts of beef cooked briefly in a clear broth rather than the heavily spiced pots more common elsewhere in London. There is a private karaoke room too if you want to make an evening of it.
Chaoshan style beef hot pot
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Shuang Shuang
Why we pick itShuang Shuang runs a conveyor belt system, plates of meat, seafood and vegetables circling the room so you pick your own ingredients and cook them individually rather than sharing one communal pot. It suits solo diners and small groups equally well.
Conveyor belt individual hot pot
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Barshu
Why we pick itBarshu has been a Sichuan pioneer on Frith Street for close to two decades, and while it is best known for dry fried dishes and mapo tofu, its Sichuan hot pot brings the same heavy use of chilli and numbing peppercorn to the table. It is a smarter room than most hot pot spots, so book ahead.
Sichuan restaurant with signature hot pot
Before you book
Hot pot is a slow, communal meal, so budget at least ninety minutes and go with at least three people to make the broth choice worthwhile. Several venues here, including Niu Hot Pot and Hotto Potto, have private karaoke rooms that need booking separately from a normal table.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Haidilao is our editor's choice: Haidilao is the Chinese chain famous for its theatrical service, staff who stretch and dance noodles at your table and manicures offered while you wait, and the Piccadilly branch delivers the same show alongside a huge range of broths and dipping sauces. Book ahead, since it fills up fast on weekend evenings. Haidilao, Hotto Potto and Happy Lamb Hot Pot lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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