Xian Beijing Chinese Cuisine

Saw this on the Noodles episode of Chef's Table and never knew what a great place this is, having gone by dozens of times before. Short walk from the tube station. Humble and cosy premises. We had the smashed cucumber salad, black mushrooms, pig ear, pig bun, salt and pepper spare ribs, noodles with chunky beef, ginger chicken, cold noodle salad, pork dumplings and sweet and sour pork. All of it was excellent. Amazing food, filling but not heavy. Beautifully nourishing. We will be back.

Small, quiet, unprepossessing Chinese restaurant just outside the Emirates stadium. I went for lunch and was served up in five minutes, maybe the best tasting Chinese fish I’ve ever had. I had the pulled noodles with chilli sauce and vegetables. Cannot begin to describe how delicious it was. Great work and the dish was only about £10. I’ll definitely have to return some time.

Simple but very delicious. I don’t know how you can get so much flavour from just a couple of ingredients. Came out impressed and very happy. Well done chef! Wow! Coming back for sure and recommend it to everyone.

Have been wanting to try this hole in the wall for a couple months now and it did not disappoint! They don’t do reservations and the restaurant is a bit small, but the food was amazing and the service was great! I absolutely loved their hot and sour soup and the biang biang noodle sauce was unforgettable! Would also recommend their beef ho fun.

The portions are huge! Everything is absolutely perfect and we loved the place so much!

phenomenal food!!! If you want to drink beer or wine just go to the mini markey nearby and buy some. Thats what we did. Everything at this place was amazing. Everyone had a good time. Thier are no reservations so it's a first come first serve very small and intimate establishment. The service is fairly quick and great. The egg and tomato soup was delectable.

This place gets recommended as one of the most interesting restaurants in London for a reason. It’s definitely not the location or its looks but once you open the menu you start getting the idea (check out the pictures). Home made hand pulled noodles seem to be the thing foodie pilgrims travel here from all over but there are so many other options on the menu that quite probably you would never think of trying (like cold pig ears or black fungus). Incredible value for money. An absolute must if you’re remotely into Chinese/Xi’an cuisine.

The dumplings were a standout. The handpulled noodles were great and a good menu with the right amount of dishes on there, a little bit too much choice. But better to order a few and arrive very hungry, overall felt very authentic and staff were friendly.

Xi'an Impression in London is a hidden culinary gem that I stumbled upon by accident during my travels in 2015, and it turned out to be one of the most amazing dining experiences of my life. The restaurant's specialty, Xi'an cuisine, is a delightful departure from the ordinary. The flavors are bold, aromatic, and utterly unforgettable. The hand-pulled noodles, in particular, were a revelation – perfectly chewy and accompanied by rich and flavorful sauces that left my taste buds dancing with joy. What added to the charm of Xi'an Impression was its unassuming and humble setting. It felt like a true neighborhood gem, where the focus was on the food and not on the frills. The staff was warm and welcoming, making me feel like an honored guest. That accidental discovery in 2015 has stayed with me ever since. Xi'an Impression is more than just a restaurant; it's a culinary journey that transports you to the heart of Xi'an. If you find yourself in London and want to embark on a unique and delicious adventure, do yourself a favor and seek out Xi'an Impression. It's a culinary experience you won't soon forget.

Delicious, no nonsense central Chinese street food located just across from the Emirates Stadium. The house specialty noodles were fresh and full of texture. That and the chicken were doused in chilli oil which gives a gentle kick well into the meal. The salt and pepper squid were of a good size. The beef noodles were done perfectly, with generous amounts of de-rooted bean sprouts. The staff was reticent but the food came very quickly despite a large number of take-out orders.

The most scrumptious hand-pulled noodle place around. Their noodles are soft yet chewy. All of their menus are very tasty. Not a good place for gathering as the restaurant is rather small. A place to grab a quick but heavy meal.

Best Chinese in north London 100%. Portions are pretty big and it tastes so good. My favs are the salt&pepper squid and the biang biang noodles.

Very tasty food for great prices. Service was quick and staff were friendly. The cold noodles were a surprise hit with everyone, great flavours and very refreshing in hot weather. Szechuan chilli oils gave it a lovely little numbing heat. The other hand pulled noodle dishes were fantastic too, with a satisfying chewy texture. There are some exciting options for vegetarians too (which is unusual or so I'm told). We really enjoyed our visit here, and would highly recommend.

I wish there was a sixth star ⭐✨. Best Chinese restaurant I've ever been. A real (hidden) gem in upper Holloway, right next to the Emirates stadium. The black fungi were excellent, and all the noodles served in the restaurant are hand-stretched. Really recommended.

Discovered this restaurant through Uber Eats and was a big fan from the start. Never had Xi’an noodles before and wow, this is a whole different ball game. Dining in is, expectedly, an even better experience. Noodles are hand pulled creating a very chewy and snappy long ribbon that’s got a very satisfying mouth feel. The sauce has a pleasant sourness to it with an amount of chilli that I think most people will be able to handle. And the beef...so tender and juicy. The cold noodles (not pictured) is really good and a great starter. It’s different and If you haven’t tried before, definitely get it. Don’t let the cold dish factor scare you off. Fried rice is solid, not too greasy, plenty of flavour, and fluffy in a way only good fried rice can be. Everything else was great as well, nothing outstanding like the noodles and you’ll walk out satisfied every time.

Best xi’an food in London and we tried a few to compare. The biangbiang noodles have great texture, delicious sauce and softest beef meat. Would really recommend the boneless chicken! We come here few times a month because it’s just so good. Fast service, too.

Great little place in the heart of North London! The food and service both were amazing and cannot thank the staff enough for being so accommodating, the atmosphere would be 5 stars but I am not an Arsenal fan YNWA

Authentic Xi'an noodle restaurant. Best known for flat bang bang noodles. Sauces were spicy, and slightly vinegary, but very well balanced. Pork ear appetizer was my favourite. The seasoning was great, and the cucumbers gave another depth of texture.

Definitely the most authentic Chinese you will get in whole London! The dumplings are amazing, I believe they do they own dough in house, same for the vegan noodles in chilli sauce- they are tick and a meter long. The sauce is incredibly tasty and they come with steamed bok choi. The sweet and sour chicken is incredible as well, the sauce is tick and the chicken crispy, very generous on the portion. The cucumber salad is probably the only way I want to eat cucumber from now on- incredible! The restaurant is just in front of the Arsenal stadium and probably have 20 covers top inside but totally worth it!! It’s a 5 stars from me 🙌🏼 ⭐️

Xian delivered. Was able to organise a table of 9 for a group of friends. Can BYO wine to the occasion, we had some cancellations and dietary restrictions that the staff handled easily. If you want a good value Chinese, with great dumplings and northern Chinese cuisine there is not much better at the price. Will come again Ryan

Alright, so I recently tried the Chinese egg fried rice, special fried rice, squid, and sweet n sour pork. I gotta say, it was surprisingly tasty, especially compared to other Chinese takeaways I've had before. The egg fried rice was cooked just right, fluffy and not greasy. The special fried rice was also good, with a decent mix of meat and veggies. The squid was cooked well, not too chewy, and the sweet n sour pork had a good balance of sweet and sour flavors. I loved the plum juice and herbal tea. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a decent Chinese takeaway.

Xi’an Impression — A Taste of China, Straight from the Soul Xi’an Impression isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a portal. From the first bite, you’re transported to the streets of Shaanxi province, where bold spices, hand-pulled noodles, and centuries-old recipes come alive. It’s intimate, unfussy, and deeply authentic — a true slice of China in North London. Signature dishes that speak volumes: Biang Biang noodles — thick, chewy ribbons drenched in chili oil and garlic Spicy beef buns — crispy outside, tender inside, with a kick of cumin Cold noodles with sesame sauce — cooling, nutty, and full of texture Lamb skewers — smoky, spiced, and grilled to perfection The flavours are unapologetically bold — chili, vinegar, garlic, and spice layered with care. The space is modest but full of character — handwritten menus, quick service, and a quiet hum of regulars who know they’ve found something special. Staff are efficient and kind, happy to guide you through the menu or share a story behind the dishes.

Fantastic little place. Had some banging hand pulled noodles and a lovely starter of ginger chilli chicken. Cho was an excellent host and managed people’s wait time perfectly. Will definitely be back.

Xi’an does things their own way, and we like them for it. You’ll need to book in advance or visit off-peak hours to ensure you’re not caught out with the queuing, it can be very busy on weekend nights. Definitely worth trying their biang biang noodles if it’s your first visit. BYOB is a nice touch too

Went in with my sister on a whim as we fancied some Asian food. Service was absolutely class as the manager suggested dishes to us as we hadn’t been before and told us the most popular dishes etc. The dishes we had were unreal and left absolutely stuffed and very happy. 100% worth the visit and would recommend to anyone.

We really likes the food. The Potstickers with chicken and mushroom are amazing, the noodle dishes are great! The pork hamburger was very tasty! Definitely recommend the place to eat.

Pig ears, smack cucumber, big pot chicken, their signature beef hand pulled noodles and pot stickers. Tasted as good as it looks. Wheelchair access ♿✔️ - small lip to get in but the place is tiny, with only a few tables but it was accessible enough

I visited during a late lunch on a weekday. It was fairly busy, but I was able to get a table immediately. The portions were quite generous, and the flavours reminded me of comfort food, as they were milder than at other restaurants with the same menu. I ordered the vegetable biang biang noodles, which came with only two stalks of bok choy. In my opinion, that was a bit too few, and I would have liked them to add a bit more garlic and green onion, but that is my personal preference. The salt and pepper pork ribs were tender, and eating them with the topping was well complemented, but the seasoning was not evenly mixed throughout, so some bites were bland. The service is okay and friendly.

Small busy restaurant with tasty food, we ordered three plates and paid 50 pounds, not huge portions but enough to satisfy, the price was reasonable for Londoners but us Canadians pay a bit more,the noise level is very high with many people stuffed in a small space. Went to this restaurant twice, food is fantastic. Staff are friendly and quick and polite.

Food was nice but both the signature noodles and the tomato and egg dishes tasted pretty similar.

I can’t really fault this place. It’s authentic, the food is really tasty, and it’s reasonably priced. If I had to be really picky, I would say… the pork and vegetable dumplings disappointed me quite a bit. The texture of the dumpling skin was super but there was not enough filling inside the dumpling so there wasn’t that juicy burst in your mouth dumpling effect. The black fungus salad (not pictured) was good but lacked that rich refreshing flavor I’d tried in other Chinese restaurants. The stars of the night was definitely the Biang Biang vegetable noodles, ginger chicken, and hot and sour soup. It was honestly sooooo good. Please try the above three dishes if you visit. I will most definitely be back to try their other dishes!

Very tasty food! The hand pulled noodles were delicious 😋 My only critique would be that there is only one veggie option for the main course. I'm surprised to see that there are no dishes with tofu, maybe it's not traditional for Xi'an cuisine, but in this case it could have used to make veggie/vegan options of traditional dishes.

Food was great, although the dumpling options were limited. The space was too small, with tables jammed together so close you can hear the next person’s every single word. I felt… claustrophobic in there. Service was quick; food flavorful.

I tried the dumplings and their signature noodle dish with beef chunks. Whilst the dishes were good, I didn’t find the flavour particularly different from the standard dumplings and I found the noodle dish to be missing some punch - either the spiciness or umami flavour. The service is fast and it does satisfy dumpling and noodle craving and is a good place to visit if you are craving for these in the neighborhood.

Nice little restaurant. Good variety of dishes, but other than the chili oil, our noodle dishes were lacking in flavor, very simple. Not a fan of the pig's ears, but mostly a personal distaste for the texture. Great service, quickly served. Drinks/teas were a bit overpriced, but they are happy to serve only tap water.

Food was ok, hand pulled noodles are their speciality and it’s not bad and if you lived nearby perhaps you would frequently visit this place but nothing extraordinary or worthy of traveling for. And the service is pretty authentic countryside Chinese 😅🤣 blunt, direct and borderline rudeness 🫣

Pork and hand pulled noodles delicious, perfect in every way, let down by cold dumplings and burger bread cold. Would have got 5* if they put a little corriander or chives or fresh herbs on the dumplings and in the burger (as it’s pictured). And if it was hot. There was a small queue but went quick. Lots of take away drivers outside. Maybe was unlucky to come when they’re rushed on a bank holiday and didn’t pay close attention to the temperature, or serving was off. Would come again to try once more.

I’ve been ordering from Xi'an Impression for a long time and usually really love their food, so I’m honestly sad to be writing this. A few nights ago I ordered delivery through Deliveroo (only a few hundred meters from the restaurant). We had the seaweed and rice vermicelli soup, which arrived lukewarm rather than hot. The next morning, both of us became very sick with what felt like food poisoning and we ended up bed‑ridden for two days. Of course I can’t say with 100% certainty what the exact cause was, but the timing and the fact that we shared that soup makes us strongly suspect it. I’m not writing this to be harsh, but because I’ve been a loyal customer and I really want to see this place do well. I hope the restaurant will review their food safety and hygiene practices, especially around keeping soups at a safe temperature for delivery. I’d love to be able to order from here again in the future, but for now I’m a bit nervous until I know this has been addressed

I am not so sure about the hype about this place anymore. Have heard a lot about this from different insta food influencers but think the biang biang noodles are much nicer at Biang Xian or the ones at food courts really. Salt and pepper pork ribs were pretty average. Service is as most chinese restaurants really, flat emotions only business and the place is small so all in all dont know what this is much about anyways

Used to be good, but look at the portion sizes now! £9.60 for 8 small pieces of squid… Also the biang biang noodles wasn’t as good as 5 years ago!