China Tang at The Dorchester: Two Decades of Decadence

There are restaurants, and then there are institutions – and for two glittering decades, China Tang at The Dorchester has been very much the latter. Since Sir David Tang flung open its lacquered doors in 2005, the Mayfair mainstay has shimmered with the energy of 1930s Shanghai, serving Peking Duck and Old Fashioneds to the world’s most discerning clientele under the soft glow of Art Deco chandeliers.

This autumn, China Tang is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and London’s culinary landscape seems to pause for a moment of reverence. The restaurant, a jewel in The Dorchester’s crown, has long been synonymous with a certain kind of understated glamour, the sort that doesn’t need to announce itself. Guests slip into its dimly lit bar for a martini and conversation as if they’ve stepped into a Wong Kar-wai film, only to be ushered into dining rooms where nostalgia meets modern refinement.

To mark the occasion, the iconic venue has undergone a refurbishment that gently elevates rather than reinvents. Expect new carpets and subtle design flourishes – the kind of thoughtful updates that whisper, not shout – ensuring the restaurant remains every bit as inviting as the day Sir David first dreamt it into being.

Adding to the celebrations, acclaimed fashion designer Huishan Zhang has crafted new uniforms for the staff, an inspired collaboration between two purveyors of East-meets-West elegance. Zhang’s creations, all sleek lines and impeccable tailoring, bring couture sensibility to hospitality, blurring the line between service and style.

And because no anniversary is complete without a toast, China Tang unveils its Art Deco Cocktail Flight, a trio of exquisite concoctions celebrating 100 years of the movement that inspired the restaurant’s design. Each of China Tang’s three global outposts – London, Hong Kong, and Dubai – has contributed its own signature serve, distilling the essence of its city into a glass. Think glamour, creativity, and just the right amount of mischief.

But China Tang has never been just about what’s on the plate or in the glass. Its allure lies in its ability to bridge worlds – past and present, East and West, tradition and innovation. This year, that spirit extends to a literary supper club series launching in partnership with EA Festival, bringing together authors who explore Chinese identity, culinary heritage and the stories that weave through both. Each event, hosted in the restaurant’s intimate private rooms, pairs exquisite conversation with equally exquisite cuisine.

For Nathalie Ford, VP Europe and Middle East for China Tang, this milestone is both tribute and transition. “Celebrating 20 years of China Tang honours not only Sir David’s remarkable legacy but also the generations of guests who have made our restaurant a cherished part of their lives,” she reflects. “As we move forward, we remain dedicated to delivering the same understated glamour, timeless hospitality and genuine warmth he envisioned.”

Sir David Tang, ever the consummate bon vivant, might have called it good form. His legacy now spans not only London’s original outpost but also Dim Sum by China Tang at Harrods and the newly opened China Tang Dubai at The Lana, part of the Dorchester Collection.

Two decades on, China Tang remains a place where every detail tells a story of taste, culture, and continuity. A restaurant that feels at once like a celebration and a secret.

www.ChinaTangLondon.co.uk  

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