If you’re anything like me, your Instagram feed is overwhelmed by influencers promoting the hottest new Chinese restaurants in London. In a saturated Soho, places like these now have to work harder to cut through the noise. But Ye Ye’s on Wardour Street ditches the theatrics. Instead, it leans into a homely, slightly weathered charm – offering genuinely tasty, bang-for-your-buck food.
Beef short rib is the size of Mjölnir
Ye Ye’s – meaning grandfather’s in Chinese – is an inviting testament to its family-friendly name. Founder Jianxing Xiao (Sean) claims to visit each of its four London locations every day to ensure quality is consistent. And unlike the one-in-one-out chaos of most Chinatown mainstays, you’ll instead receive an enthusiastic, grandparent-worthy welcome at the door.
Inside what was once historic Soho goth pub The Intrepid Fox, there’s a food hall feel (exposed brick and an open kitchen), with an added splash of neon flair, industrial beams splashed in cherry red, and lanterns floating down from the ceiling. Barring loud chatter from rowdy diners, the Chinese soft pop makes for an enjoyable ambience.
Even though our food arrived within minutes of ordering, our waitress still managed to dish out a substantial spread of tomato-flavoured rice snacks first. In this economy, beef short rib the size of Mjölnir is practically a myth, but for £17.99, Ye Ye’s ‘Golden Supreme Beef Rib Noodle’ delivers. A generous slab of meat, it’s sweet, tender, and easily slides off the bone into a rich, slow-cooked broth, allowing the thick chewy noodles to soak up all its goodness.
Next came grilled, juicy crab and pork dumplings, lightly sprinkled with sesame seeds. As a self-proclaimed dumpling fiend, I’d like to think I’ve tried them all. Yet, the base had a unique, golden, deep-fried taste that I’d not encountered before – the sort you get from crunching into fresh youtiao (essentially a savoury version of Mexican churros).
My only complaint was the help-yourself-to-water-from-a-paper-cup situation, which felt a bit too food hall for my liking. And apart from forgetting one of our sides (thankfully, because it would have tipped the button holding my trousers together over the edge), it’s pretty hard to fault this place.
The vibe Industrial and rustic, blended with a Chinatown charm.
The food Authentic and hearty Chinese food with unapologetically huge noodle soups and the crispiest dumplings.
The drink The usual stars – teas, soybean milk and their house rice liquor.
Time Out tip Fancy Chinese for breakfast? Head over to Ye Ye’s Wentworth Street branch in Aldgate to try out morning staples like youtiao, bay leaf tea eggs and fresh soy milk, daily until midday.