Chinatown is one of London's greatest food destinations. But for halal diners, it's historically been tricky to navigate. Most restaurants aren't halal. Some claim to have "halal options" but can't back it up. And asking at every door gets exhausting.
We get it. That's exactly why The Greedy Sheep exists.
The halal challenge in Chinatown
Chinatown's restaurants primarily serve Cantonese cuisine, which traditionally uses pork extensively and often cooks with alcohol. That makes finding genuinely halal options difficult - not impossible, but difficult.
A few things to watch out for: - "Halal options available" often means a limited selection, prepared in a shared kitchen - No visible certificates is a red flag - legitimate halal restaurants display their certification proudly - Alcohol in cooking is common in Chinese cuisine but not always disclosed
The Greedy Sheep - Chinatown's only 100% halal Chinese restaurant
We're not a Chinese restaurant with a halal section. We're a fully halal Chinese restaurant. There's a big difference.
- Every dish on our menu is halal
- Our kitchen is exclusively halal - no non-halal ingredients on the premises
- We don't serve alcohol
- Our certificates are on the wall and on our website
- Our meat suppliers are named and certified
We serve Northern Chinese street food - think Xi'an and Lanzhou-style dishes. Hand-pulled noodle soups, rou jia mo, dumplings, stir-fries, and more. It's a completely different style to the Cantonese food you'll find elsewhere in Chinatown, and it's all halal by tradition.
Tips for halal dining in Chinatown
1. Always ask to see certificates - a legitimate halal restaurant will have them displayed 2. Check if the whole kitchen is halal or just certain dishes 3. Ask about alcohol in cooking - it's used more often than you'd think 4. Look for Muslim-owned restaurants - they're more likely to understand halal requirements fully
Visit us
The Greedy Sheep is at 8 Little Newport Street - a one-minute walk from Leicester Square station, right in the heart of Chinatown. Open 12pm-10pm daily.
Come hungry. Leave greedy.
