The Hot Wok

You're on St James's Street in the city centre, and you've spotted the kind of place that doesn't need to shout about itself. The Hot Wok does something increasingly rare: it takes Chinese cooking seriously without any pretension. Walk in and you'll smell exactly what you want to smell—hot oil, garlic, properly charred vegetables. The menu reads like someone's actually cooked in Cantonese kitchens and decided to do it properly here. Whether you're after a quick takeaway or settling in, the wok work is the real deal. Nearly 100 five-star reviews tells you people keep coming back because the food is genuinely good, not just convenient.