London’s Chinatown is the largest such neighborhood in all of Europe. Although it has been relocated during the 20th century, it is currently in the Soho area of Westminster and is concentrated in and around Gerrard Street. Tourists and locals alike come here to try London’s best Chinese cuisine, see unique crafts from the East, and witness various annual Chinese festivals.
Chinatown’s history is as colorful as the neighborhood today. At the beginning of the 20th century, most of the city’s Chinese population was found in the East End of London, specifically around Limehouse, so it was there that there was the first semblance of a Chinatown. It mainly catered to Chinese dock workers and began to carry a negative connotation of violence and opium use. In the decades after World War II, the combination of many buildings in the area being destroyed by bombing and more and more Chinese immigrants entering the country led to a shift from Chinese-centric settlement areas to the area current around Gerrard Street and Shaftesbury Avenue. . Today, Chinatown is still very residential in addition to its restaurants and other attractions. One of the largest residential blocks is called Vale Royal House, built in the 1980s, with the well-known China Town car park below. Gerrard Street was later converted into a pedestrian walkway to further enhance Chinatown’s tourism prospects. Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus stations are the closest tube stations to the neighborhood.
London’s Chinatown keeps many traditions alive. One is that on September 2 every year, businesses in the area still close their doors early to commemorate the death of Yelu Xian, the emperor of the Liao dynasty. The red pagoda-style phone booths are a fun feature to note. Watch as vibrant red decorations are put up for Chinese New Year and enjoy traditional lion and dragon dances. The nightly fireworks are the centerpiece of the holiday. It is estimated that nearly 500,000 people flocked to Chinatown for the 2011 Chinese New Year festivities on February 6. The Mid-Autumn Festival is also a cause for celebration in Chinatown. During this festival you can try the ubiquitous and tasty mooncakes. Food traditions from across Asia are very much alive in Chinatown. You can find Cantonese, Mongolian, Sichuan, Malay and more dishes of the highest quality. There are over 70 restaurants crammed into this relatively small area. You can also visit its Asian markets to find exotic ingredients for your own cooking. Cantonese dim sum and seafood specials are great eats, and Shanghai dumplings, or Xiao Long Boa, are also a local favorite. If you want to have a true Asian dining experience and are planning to try your hand at chopsticks, there are a few rules and guidelines to remember. Never point your chopsticks at anyone unless you are trying to insult your neighbor. Also, do not place chopsticks upright on a plate or bowl of food to stand upright. It resembles incense sticks burned to honor ancestors. When you have finished a meal, always place your chopsticks in a pair on top of your plate or bowl.