Best Restaurants near Prince Charles Cinema

YiQi is a walk-in-only Pan-Asian restaurant on Lisle Street in the middle of Chinatown, built around a visible order-and-cook format. Seafood, vegetables, and meats are displayed before being finished with techniques such as binchotan grilling, sous vide, and teppanyaki. The room is relaxed rather than theatrical, making it a practical stop for lunch, dinner, or a pre-theatre meal in central London.

A sprawling Cantonese restaurant occupying multiple floors in London's Chinatown, New Loon Fung has served diners for over three decades with a menu spanning more than 100 dishes. Known for its dim sum, fresh seafood, and traditional Cantonese fare, the restaurant features a grand banqueting hall with ornate chandeliers and can accommodate hundreds of guests. Despite its dated interior, it remains a popular destination for both tourists and locals seeking authentic Chinese cuisine at competitive prices.

Ben & Jerry’s Leicester Square is a compact, branded ice cream stop in one of London’s busiest entertainment districts. Expect a short, casual visit rather than a lingering dessert session: choose a cone, cup, or sweet treat, then head back into the flow of Leicester Square, Soho, and the West End. The appeal is convenience, recognisable flavours, and a central location that fits neatly between theatres, cinemas, and late-afternoon sightseeing.

On Gerrard Street in the middle of London’s Chinatown, Wonderful Patisserie is a compact takeaway bakery selling Chinese pastries, cakes, and packaged snacks. It is not a place for a long sit-down meal; the experience is brief, busy, and practical. Expect a small counter, a fast-moving queue at peak times, and a steady stream of people using it as a snack stop between Chinatown and Soho.

Ku Lounge is a compact cocktail bar in the West End’s Chinatown-Leicester Square corridor, built for pre-theatre drinks, late-night meetups, and lively socialising. Expect an indoor lounge with a polished, nightlife-first feel rather than a quiet bar. Its appeal lies in location: a short walk from major theatres, busy restaurants, and the constant foot traffic of central London after dark.

Chinatown Bakery is a compact Chinese bakery on Newport Place, built for quick stops rather than lingering. Expect a counter lined with taiyaki, custard buns, BBQ pork buns and other sweet or savoury pastries, then a fast takeaway-style handover. The shop sits in the middle of London’s Chinatown food cluster, so queues are common at lunch and early evening, but they usually move steadily.

Tokyo Diner is a long-running Japanese restaurant in Leicester Square, serving sushi, udon and straightforward set meals in a compact, multi-level room. Open since 1992, it draws theatre-goers, office workers and visitors who want dependable Japanese food without ceremony. Expect a lively, informal setting, possible waits at busy times, and a central location that makes it easy to fold into a West End evening.

The Munster Tavern is a narrow central-London pub on Bear Street, a few minutes from Leicester Square. It is built for quick drinks, pre-theatre stops, and late-night meetups rather than lingering meals or heritage-pub nostalgia. Expect a busy, informal room, bar-led service, and a crowd that shifts with West End theatre times, weekend nightlife, and event nights.

On Gerrard Street in the middle of London’s Chinatown, Dumplings’ Legend is a busy, no-nonsense Chinese restaurant built around dim sum, soup dumplings, and shared plates. It is a place to eat, not linger for ambience: tables turn over quickly, the room stays lively, and the appeal lies in a focused menu served in the thick of West End foot traffic.

Meet Fresh offers a vibrant taste of authentic Taiwanese desserts in the heart of London’s Soho district at 100 Shaftesbury Avenue. Known for its generous portions of mochi, taro balls, and refreshing fruit teas, this dessert restaurant combines lively energy with a casual dining experience. While the menu features both hot and cold options, the atmosphere is bustling, making it a popular spot for dessert lovers seeking unique Asian sweets in a central London location.