Baiwei
8 Little Newport St, WC2H 7JJ
Fancy a hot pot solo? Order the ‘mao cai’ at Baiwei if you’re sans crowd but still in the mood for flavour-dense, slow-cooked Sichuan goodness.
Little Lamb
72 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 6NA
At Little Lamb it’s all about big bowls of bubbling stock and the traditional Mongolian-inspired hot pot. Do try the namesake lamb, too – sliced wafer-thin – or everything from beef to cuttlefish. This one’s easy on all budgets too, as you can eat all you like for around £25 pp.
Sichuan Chef
15 Kenway Road, Kensington, SW5 0RP
From the same group as Sichuan Folk and the famous Xi’an Impression, Sichuan Chef is the west London counterpart, and perfect if there are hot pot first-timers in your crew. Order the all-you-can-eat platter of fish slices, noodles, meat and vegetables, and be sure to give the house sauces a whirl too.
The Ransom Note
Sichuan Folk
32 Hanbury Street, E1 6QR
Out east with a hot pot craving? Then find your way to sister branch Sichuan Folk, who specialise in herbal hot pots that do not pull a punch with the chillies – you’ve been warned!
Shuang Shuang
64 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 6LU
After you’ve worked your way through the classics, switch it up with a slick vibe. Shuang Shuang specialises in a contemporary take on a hot pot, where you can add ingredients from conveyor belts to bowls of broth.
By AS-H