The story
Dim Sum Duck, at 124 King's Cross Road in London's King's Cross, is a Cantonese dim sum kitchen recognised as Michelin Recommended in 2026. The menu draws on handmade dumplings and a roast duck prepared over 24 hours, served in a room that stays busy from lunch into the evening.
The chef-owner grew up in a fishing village in Hong Kong, where the family kitchen doubled as a gathering spot for neighbours. After arriving in London in 1997 without culinary school, the chef started as a dishwasher in Chinatown and learned from senior dim sum cooks, eventually rising to executive chef. The restaurant opened during the pandemic with the chef's sister, and the dim sum is still shaped by hand fresh each day.
The Shanghai dumplings in soup have earned praise for their depth of flavour. The BBQ roast duck is cooked with care, and the salt-and-pepper squid draws steady orders. Prawn wontons come with house-made salad cream, a nod to old Hong Kong, and the menu also includes peasant-style regional specialities.
The Good Food Guide, which lists the restaurant as a Local Gem for 2026, calls it cheap, delicious and authentic. Queues are part of the routine, and the service can feel brisk, but the cooking holds up. Portions are large enough that most diners leave well fed.
Recognition
Details
History
‘Cheap, delicious and authentic,’ is one snappy verdict on this constantly rammed, no-bookings Chinese. Queues come with the territory, long waits are inevitable and the whole experience can seem a tad perfunctory, but there’s no disputing the sheer quality of the food. Regulars praise everything from the Shanghai dumplings in soup (‘great depth of flavour’) to the BBQ roast duck, ‘beautifully cooked’ salt-and-pepper squid and a host of peasant-style regional specialities. Also try the 'dazzling' prawn wontons with house-made salad cream (a throwback to old Hong Kong). To drink? Bubble tea, perhaps. Helpings are more than generous, so expect to be well-fed.
Location
Instagram