Silk Road, London

There are plenty of Chinese restaurants in London, but most serve up an interpretation of Cantonese cuisine that people have come to expect.

At Silk Road, the focus is on Xinjiang cuisine. Hailing from western China, the dishes have a lot of roasted mutton, roasted fish and rice. The noodles also tend to be thicker than the Singapore-style vermicelli many people in the West are familiar with.

The best way to order is to share a lot of dishes between the table, starting with dumplings, kebabs and spicy cabbage. Each of the starters was delicious, with the spicy cabbage packing a real punch. Next up were the main courses, accompanied by huge portions of rice and noodles that make sure no one goes home hungry. The chicken with green chili was particularly good, as was the Yu-Shiang pork and the lamb with spring onion.

In terms of atmosphere, the restaurant was lively and the staff efficient. It feels more like a place to grab a quick bite to eat than to linger over a leisurely meal. The bench-style seating suggests as much, and the speed of service suggests the staff appreciate a quick turnover.

It comes as no surprise given the queue of people waiting for tables even on a Wednesday night, which proves the popularity of the place. With the average bill coming to less than $14 per person and beers at $3.50, it’s not hard to see why.

Silk Road

49 Camberwell Church St,

Camberwell, London

+44 20 7703 4832