Xi Home Dumplings Bay — Restaurant in London

More like a 4.5 but the dishes that my friend had recommended me were all hits and the dish I voluntarily ordered was not as good, so I want to make a fair judgment by saying that perhaps I just ordered the wrong dish! I also heard that the owner is from my hometown so that gives some nostalgic sentimental value to what I had for dinner today!

I ordered the handmade chives, eggs and prawn dumplings (韭菜鸡蛋虾饺), and those are the exact kind that I used to have at home (maybe sometimes without the prawns), so suffice it to say that I got a taste of home! The dumplings were very decent in size and one plate came with 10 dumplings, which was definitely not enough for me as a Manchurian, as opposed to people from southern China. Then I had the pork with fennel dumplings (猪肉茴香饺), which tasted like exactly how I envisioned them! The fennel flavor was very evident and complemented the pork dumplings very well. I would highly recommend both kinds!

Then my friend got what she usually got. The first dish was the potato salad (土豆丝), which is a really awkward translation because it's definitely not the southern American potato salad you would have in Mississippi. But then again, this store is in London, so... Anyway, it was delicious! I wished the portion was bigger because we would have a gigantic plate back home, but amazing regardless, with even added bell pepper slices that worked perfectly with the original dish! The second dish was the steamed cold noodles (凉皮), which might've been one of the best I have had anywhere, including in China. The spiciness and the sesame sauces were perfection, and added two layers of flavors to the dish that allowed me to discover how these two flavors coincided with each other and worked together simultaneously. Once again, I wished there were more noodles because at times I definitely felt like there was a lot of sauce and spiciness but not enough pieces of cold noodles to go with them. Regardless, simply outstanding!

The dish that I would not recommend was the chive pancakes (韭菜盒), which I grew up eating very frequently as well. For some reason the egg flavor was so evident and the chive flavor was completely missing, which was inconceivable because everyone knows how strong chives are in terms of smell and flavor. As a result, those "pancakes" became more like scrambled egg mixtures with fried flour outside them. Unfortunately they were bland as a result with not enough salt or chive flavor.

One major advantage is that I think they are very affordable. My dumplings were only £10.8 and £12.8, respectively, and I was definitely close to full after both plates. The cold appetizers were relatively smaller for their prices in comparison to the dumplings, but I think by themselves without comparison, the prices were more fair. Just the dumplings were super economical, that's for sure.

My friend would bring anyone from out of town to this place and if I lived in London I would probably do the same. Kudos to my friend for blessing me with...

Every now and then, you’ve got to roll the dice on somewhere new. For me, it was Xi Home Dumplings Bay — a cozy little spot promising handmade northern Chinese dumplings and that kind of family-run, open-kitchen charm you want to root for. And while the spirit was definitely there, the execution sadly missed the mark for me.

We dropped in on a packed evening, lured by the promise of authentic dumplings and fluffy mantou. Instead, we found ourselves wedged tighter than a dumpling wrapper on a bad day.

First impressions? Visually, it’s giving — bold lanterns, neon signage, and a lively open kitchen where you can watch the dumplings being made fresh to order. It looked promising. Vibe-wise, though, it was intimate in the way only a Ryanair flight in economy can relate to — elbows grazing strangers, apologies flying, the works.

We kicked off with a smashed cucumber salad…which sadly lacked the punch you’d hope for. Light on seasoning, it felt more like an afterthought than a proper starter.

Then came the dumplings. Handmade? Absolutely. But while I loved the ambition, the reality was a little heavy-handed: thick, slightly stodgy wrappers and muted fillings that didn’t quite live up to the lively visuals or backstory. They weren’t terrible — just a little underwhelming.

Their showpiece soup dumpling — served with a paper straw and a lot of ceremony — looked fantastic. Sadly, the flavour didn’t quite match the theatre. The dough was a touch too dense, and the broth inside lacked the rich, savoury depth that makes a great xiao long bao unforgettable.

Service was warm enough, but with the tight squeeze of the room and drinks arriving after starters, the logistics of the night felt a little chaotic — and not in a fun way.

I’m always rooting for independent spots, and Xi Home Dumplings Bay has a lot going for it — heart, hustle, and a clear love for what they’re doing. But the details matter, and right now, a little more finesse (and a lighter hand on the dough) would go a long way.

Would I rush back? Maybe not just yet. But I’d love to see them refine what’s already a charming, promising foundation.

If you’re nearby and craving dumplings with a side of cozy chaos, it might still be...

Dumplings lovers… ready to put on your shoes immediately to run to the place where you can eat the best dumplings in the world? I'm not kidding, I've been to Xi Home restaurant and… believe me… a world has opened up for me! After my trip to China, I fell in love with their cuisine and, sitting at the table of @xihome.dumplingsandbuns, all the slightly faded memories returned to… feeling really enveloped by the flavours, aromas, smiles of wonderful China. With their open kitchen, you’ll be able to see skilled and expert hands while they knead, stuff, combine the freshest ingredients that will certainly delight your palates. Here you won’t find any "obvious" dish: it will be for you a journey to discover new tastes prepared with great attention and care also in the aesthetic aspect. In my opinion, the dumplings stuffed with lobster and those with cuttlefish are NOT to be missed; absolutely fantastic those with white truffle; from fainting the crispy rolls stuffed with taro or shrimp served with an unforgettable mango sauce; funny, as well as very tasty, the dumplings to be enjoyed with ... a straw … but I could go on writing for hours what I tasted trying to explain the goodness of every single dish ... but believe me, only going there you’ll really understand the reason for my enthusiasm. Indeed ... how about getting back together? Who comes with me? Any excuse for me is a good one to be able to go to Xi Home Restaurant to pamper my palate in a super welcoming environment in the heart of London.

My review: 🍽 FOOD: nothing will disappoint you, you’ll discover high quality both in the taste and in the appearance of each dish 💡 ENVIRONMENT: the place is welcoming, very clean and well lit. 💰 PRICE: medium price range 📍 LOCATION: Location 1: 43 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, WC2N4HS Location 2: F28, Bang Bang Oriental Food Hall, 399 Edgware Road, NW90FH 👨‍🍳 PERSONNEL / SERVICE: professionalism, courtesy and attention to every request are a guarantee … OVERALL… unmissable

For some videos about the restaurant, take a look at my page on Instagram...