Duddell’s restaurant review - London, UK

A firm favourite among Hong Kong’s art world elite, Duddell’s has finally landed in London. And when it comes to location, Alan Lo, Yenn Wong and Paulo Pong could not have picked a more dramatic spot for their first international outpost.

In the Grade II-listed St Thomas Church, a few steps from the looming Shard, the restaurant’s Queen Anne exterior, high stained-glass windows, original dark timber wall panelling and ecclesiastical altar sets the tone for local firm Michaelis Boyd’s modern aesthetic inspired by traditional 1960s Hong Kong tea houses; set over two levels, bold green and blue-grey hues are revealed through leather banquettes, geometric rubber flooring and a tiled central bar.

Here, chef Daren Liew churns out the same elevated Cantonese fare that won the restaurant its legion of Hong Kong fans and its two Michelin stars. Expect exquisite handcrafted dim sum, crisp roasted duck and an array of perfectly executed small bites from wagyu beef baskets to spicy soft shell crab.