Xinxin

Walk down Belsize Lane on a Friday night and you'll spot Xinxin glowing quietly amongst the neighbourhood's gastropubs and wine bars. It's refreshingly unpretentious—no Instagram-bait plating, no craft cocktails, just honest Sichuan cooking that actually makes you sweat. The dining room feels lived-in rather than designed, which means you're here for the food, not the furniture. Order the mapo tofu if you want proper numbing spice, but honestly, everything from the dumpling selection through to the hand-pulled noodles deserves space on your table. It's the kind of place locals guard jealously.