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Londonderry

Europe

United Kingdom

Nestled in the heart of Westminster, Zen China Restaurant offers an authentic Chinese dining experience with a stunning view of London's iconic landmarks. Located at County Hall, Riverside Building, this restaurant combines traditional flavors with a modern, elegant setting, making it a perfect spot for both locals and visitors seeking a memorable culinary journey.

This restaurant is renowned for its authentic Peking duck, expertly carved in front of guests, and its flavorful spicy stir fry dishes that bring a taste of China to London’s vibrant culinary scene. The panoramic views of Big Ben and the Thames create an enchanting backdrop for a dinner that delights all senses.

Signature dishes include the succulent Peking duck served with traditional accompaniments, and the spicy, numbing stir fry pot loaded with fresh seafood and lotus root. The restaurant’s interior boasts a spacious, contemporary design that complements its historic location, offering a perfect blend of tradition and modernity.

Zen China Restaurant is best known for its authentic Peking duck and flavorful spicy stir fry dishes that bring a taste of China to London.

Guests are treated to spectacular views of Big Ben and the Thames, combined with authentic Chinese cuisine in a spacious, modern setting that offers a unique dining experience in London.

Indulge in authentic Chinese dishes like Peking duck and spicy stir fry, all while enjoying breathtaking views of London's historic landmarks. Perfect for a special night out or a memorable family dinner.

Experience the flavors of China with a view in London

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Very pleasantly surprised! The food was excellent, and incredibly authentic for non-Chinatown London Chinese food. 

Ordered the seafood stir fry which was fantastic (but medium is far too spicy - go with mild!!). Very good variety of seafood (shrimp, squid, fish) and veggies (all the classics + lotus root!). Was additionally very impressed with the aubergine and greens / veggies we ordered as sides. 

Knocking down 1 star because of wine menu - the vintage they have in the cellar does not match with what's on the menu, and they refused to budge on price. With that said, wasn't too expensive to begin with - just seemed like false advertising to me. 

Service has never been an issue, generally fairly empty establishment. 

Overall, would recommend - solid Chinese food and great views.

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The view was pretty incredible even though we weren't seated by a window.  Really slow service even though there's tons of staff everywhere.  We were hoping to grab a bite to eat after going on the London Eye and before going out to a club.  My companion kept saying "excuse me" to staff as they walk by. They basically just ignored him, even though it was obvious they could hear him.  He had one soda the entire meal, and he always orders two or three, but he just couldn't get anyone to wait on him.  

I liked the soup. The chicken fried rice was nothing special. The pina colada wasn't bad. 

I wish I could have talked my friends into sharing the Peking duck. 

The staff spoke almost no English and didn't understand our requests at all.  I told three different people that I wanted my check separate from the couple I dined with. This can't possibly be an unusual request but they screwed it up. A normal one hour meal ended up taking two hours, and we had VIP tickets to a  club at 10:30 so we were a little annoyed that they couldn't get their shit together. We wanted to go back to the hotel and change into cute club clothes.

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After enjoying the views from the London Eye, I got hungry. I was craving Chinese food and little did I know that this place was in super close proximity - County Hall. Hard to find if you aren't looking for it but there were signs advertising this place and a nice fellow who told us exactly where to go. The inside is nice and big. There was only one group at a table. Felt like me and my mom had this place to ourselves! The view of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament is a huge plus. 

Lucky for us, it started to rain while we were enjoying our dinner. As for the food itself, loved the fried rice with beef. The chicken with the sweet and sour sauce on the side was pretty tasty and the vegetable egg rolls were amazing. The food got an A. 

Taking one star off because I felt like we were a burden to the servers.

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The experience was very lackluster and had zero order, sadly. We were immediately seated and our "waiter" (who was actually their bartender) took our drink order right away. When I asked what came on the dim sum platter, he didn't have a clue what it came with and got the manager to which I appreciated.

The manager leaned in to explain the ingredients but his breath nearly wiped me out. I actually leaned away during his explanation. We decided to go a la carte and again, the waiter didn't seem to have any answers to simple questions.

The food...sadly better going off with a Panda Express (and I'm not a fan of that place). The manager decided to start an argument with a waitress who had seated a very large group and while I applaud her for demanding respect and standing her ground, the manager should have the decency to address issues off the floor.

The large group must've had the manager flustered because he seemed to be. When my dirty martini came at the end of my meal, it tasted exactly like fish vinegar!!! Disgusting! I took it upon myself to ask the bartender to remake it and was met by the manager explaining the bartender would be back within 5 mins. Sadly I didn't have 5 mins to spare.

He apologized and said he would take the drink off my bill and give me a new receipt. I waited as he printed it out and ran back and forth from the large group, forgetting about me. Thankfully the waitress reprinted the receipt so we could just leave. The manager then looked at her like she was to do it the whole time, but he explained to me that he'd do it. 

We were starving and honestly wish we
Would've kept walking for better food and service!!

1baf5eaa-3bd5-4f77-8f46-2fa610e2e823

Visiting London for the first time.   Great location! At the south bank of the Thames, near the London Eye, beautiful window view of the Big Ben, the Westminister bridge, and the Abby.  

Tried take out yesterday,  the presentation of food was understandably not too good, but the taste of the food is pretty authentic.  Totally wiped off the rumor of bad Chinese food in London before my visit.  When facing the question of where to eat,  we came again.  A simple bowel of beef noodle (which we consider 验金石 how food is in Chinese restaurant) was made really appealing in a cute bowel and really delicious!  My son finished it all including the last drop of soup.  The only issue now is that it is late night and what time he is going to bed.

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Summary:
+ Great location to take out of town guests, amazing view of Big Ben and the Thames
+ Really good food, authentic pecking duck
+ Reasonable price for central London (esp for half of a duck)
+ Off menu specialties are very tasty : spicy stir fry pot(麻辣香锅), spicy crayfish pot(麻辣小龙虾)
- Don't expect great service

I discovered this place on Chinese Twitter. They happen to make two of my fav dishes: pecking duck/北京烤鸭，and spicy pot stir fry (麻辣香锅）.

Despite the underwhelming reviews, the food is actually really good! 

The pecking duck is authentic. The slice it in front of you, separated the skin and the meat, and it's served with shredded green onion, cucumber, wraps (in a steamer) and two different dipping sauces. The sauce was a bit sweet to my taste, but it's an insignificant problem comparing to the joy of eating REAL pecking duck outside of China. They also ask you to choose a way to prepare the leftover duck meat (and bones), I'd always opt for soup. 

The stir fry clay pot was really good as well! Spicy, numbing, full of flavour, and it has lotus root in it (my fav stir fry veggie). They are not on the menu but you can ask for them. There are a few different types: beef, pork, chicken, seafood and mixed, all accompanied by assorted vegetables.

But I do understand why it has such a bad rating on Yelp: the service! 

Our server didn't seem too patient and had no smile at all, but he did take the order right and delivered pretty fast. I don't usually care too much about services for a regular eating out so wasn't really disappointed. However, it all went down hill when a large group of people walked in. They didn't make a reservation and was hoping to  get two adjacent big tables. The restaurant was quite empty but there were only 2 big tables at the back, and one was currently occupied. The servers were obviously annoyed and they didn't hide it, outraged by the guests who forgot to make reservation, and refuse to seat them. After a lengthy discussion between the organizer or the group and a waiter, he finally agreed to let them wait, very unwillingly. What makes the situation worse was that he refuse to let them sit at smaller tables while waiting, but also didn't tell them to wait outside, so about 20 people were just standing in the middle of the restaurant chatting with each other, while other guests were trying to enjoy a private dinner conversation with the view of Big Ben... While they are waiting several people sat down at the small tables, and one of the waiters looked furious because he had to cleanup after. When the big tables were finally ready and the guests moved over, the waiter intentionally threw menus around loudly to show his anger, again ignoring the fact that there were other innocent guests around trying to enjoy their dinner. I was amused, but I don't think others were feeling quite the same. 

The whole attitude was unnecessary and completely unprofessional. The restaurant is at a great location with a perfect view of London landmarks at night, the venue is spacious and decently decorated, and the food is good. I can see that it's trying to create a fine dining ambiance, but the service is seriously below par, which ruined all the other effort. My advice for the restaurant would be to train the servers how to act professionally, or pay them better so they can stop being grumpy all the time.

That being said, if you are not going with a giant party without reservation ahead of time, you are probably fine =P.

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OK food, not great service. But the views are spectacular.

If you're a Londoner, I would not bother with this place. The food was not bad - in fact the Peking duck (real Peking duck, not the crispy duck you usually get in Chinese restaurants) was spectacular. But the service was inattentive with a lick of pretend politeness that almost smacked of feelings of superiority. And you can get similarly good Chinese food elsewhere.

But if you are a visitor, the setting is great. Located inside County Hall, a grand old building by the river that formerly housed the headquarters of the London County Council. You get great views of Big Ben and the houses of Parliament, which in the evening are beautifully lit up. Just don't go expecting too much.

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Really lovely place... perhaps one of the best dining views in all London.
The food was "pretty" and very elaborated and was actually good. We were a group of 4 and we all ask different things and end up trying each other dishes and was everything lovely. Price was ok too.
Will go back.

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As a big fan of chinese food I can say that I've tried a lot of restaurants serving that type of food.
The only one I can recommend is Zen China Restaurant! Fantastic food and service!

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I came here for the crayfish. But not as good as I expected and not the same as the  one in China. Noisy and the service is just so so.

Zen China Restaurant: Authentic Chinese Dining by London’s Thames, Near Big Ben & Westminster

Experience authentic Chinese cuisine with stunning views at Zen China Restaurant in London.

Delight in a variety of starters such as crispy spring rolls, savory dim sum, and fresh sushi, perfect to begin your culinary journey.

Savor expertly prepared main courses featuring classic dishes like Peking duck, seafood stir-fry, and tender beef in black bean sauce, all crafted with authentic flavors.

End your meal with sweet treats like traditional mooncakes or refreshing mango pudding, offering a perfect balance to your savory experience.

Complement your meal with a selection of traditional Chinese teas, sake, or a refreshing cocktail like a lychee martini.

Enjoy seasonal specials like spicy Sichuan hot pot and off-menu delicacies such as crispy Peking duck and spicy crayfish, crafted to elevate your dining experience.

Savor authentic Chinese cuisine at Zen China Restaurant near Westminster Bridge in London. Experience a delightful culinary journey—book your table now!

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