We challenge you to walk past Lucky & Joy’s popping neon-pink dining room without wanting to dive inside. The epitome of a good-time Chinese diner, this little Hackney joint was started by two friends with a shared love of the deliciously slippery noodle and soup dishes native to China’s Xinjiang province – with ex-Moro and Morito chef Ellen Parr on the food and drinks know-it-all Pete Kelly taking care of the grog. Pull up a pew, pick out your plates from a tick-list on a shiny pink slip and, whatever you do, don’t hold back – snacks start from just £3.50.

This classic Cantonese restaurant is renowned for its dim sum. Don't be put off by the seemingly formal atmosphere - once the food arrives all pretension is thrown out the window as the room is filled with oohs and ahhs of content. Book ahead to avoid the queue that often snakes its way down Baker Street, and settle down to order plates of fried gyoza, soft dumplings, roast pork buns and crispy spring rolls.

It may not be considered the crème de la crème of London’s Sichuan eateries, but if you ask any Chinese expat in the city where they go to get their fill of Chinese food cooked just right, they’ll likely point you in the direction of My Old Place. Old-school and slightly hectic, the restaurant gets our nod of approval for the sheer breadth of its menu. Expect everything from dandan noodles to duck tongue, served up in typically sizeable – and always delicious – portions.

Opposite Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, this no-frills restaurant serves Chinese food in unpretentious settings. Whitewashed interiors ensure that all focus is placed entirely on the food - and rightly so. Piled-up plates of sticky dumplings and thick udon noodles (the Xi'an Liang Pi Cold Noodles are a must-try) command all attention as they crowd the small tables, and disappear quicker than you can say bao bun.

At face value, this stalwart pub in Soho seems an unlikely addition to this round-up. While drinks are served in the buzzy ground floor bar, head upstairs for the real deal. Chinese food is served in the intimate dining room - be sure to order the Cantonese-style roast duck, hand-reared at a local family-owned farm.

Helmed by London-born chef Andrew Wong, this Chinese restaurant seamlessly switches between a delightful dim-sum menu during the day and heaped plates of authentic cuisine in the evening. Try the 10-course tasting menu, which showcases the best of Wong's culinary finesse.

This chinese restaurant brings Shanghai's 30s jazz lounges to London's Mayfair. Beyond its decadent red doors, the interiors pair rich velvets and fringed furnishings with sophisticated cocktails and raved-about food. Book into the Salon de Chine to sample the Asian menu in sophisticated surrounds, or slide into a booth downstairs at Club Chinois, where food is often served alongside curious entertainment.

Fragrant noodle dishes, meat-filled wontons and lip-smacking curries are served at Yauatcha on Soho's Broadwick Street, where dimly lit interiors are adorned with sleek furnishings. Be sure to save room for dessert - try the "Winter Sun", an exotic fruit mousse served with black-sesame cream and a banana-toffee compote, or the praline brownie topped with salted yuzu caramel.

This trendy Chinese hotspot does what it says on the tin - but with style. Originally a food stall, this restaurant prioritises quality over quantity, with a relatively short menu consisting of popular dishes such as steamed baos packed with juicy meat and veg. Round off the meal with a fried bao filled with ice cream - you won't regret it.

This popular Hackney dumpling restaurant often has queues out the door. Arrive early to nab a table, settle down in view of the kitchen and watch your dishes being skillfully prepared. Sample the restaurant's dim-sum menu - we're ordering the crispy wontons, steamed buns and fried potstickers.

If unnecessarily lengthy menus leave you sweaty-palmed and stressed, Hunan is the place for you. Leave the hard work to the experts at this menuless restaurant, which is tucked among Pimlico's galleries and antiques shops. Dine like an emperor on a series of small plates followed by heaps of hand-pulled noodles and fiery sauces.

Another restaurant by Chinese master-of-all Andrew Wong, Kym's is one for the Instagrammers. Pink-hued interiors coupled with a cherry-blossom tree make a picture-perfect setting for your evening meal. Yet this isn't all style over substance - dishes such as Cantonese crispy pork belly or Iberico pork char siu steal the focus every time.

In bustling Brixton Village, Mamalan specialises in northern-Chinese street food inspired by the owner's experience of watching her mother run a market stall in Beijing - the restaurant is even named after her. Huddle into the crowded restaurant for beef and pork potstickers, veggie dumplings and hearty noodle soups.

This cheerful restaurant in Camberwell serves food from China's Xinjiang province. Slide onto communal benches and peruse a refreshingly short menu before promptly deciding to order the lot. Hand-pulled noodles, fluffy dumplings and spicy stews prove that Chinese food is more than your typical sweet-and-sour chicken or beef in black bean sauce.

Dumplings' Legend offers dim sum with a twist. Try the fried turnip cake (luóbo gāo), stuffed rice noodles (cheung fun) and, of course, plenty of meat-filled dumplings. A glass-fronted kitchen allows diners to gawp at the chefs' magic while it happens.