Discover the fascinating stories and characters behind this iconic district and gain a whole new perspective on London’s Chinatown! Our trained volunteer History Champions can’t wait to take you on a journey through this area’s complex, nuanced and fascinating evolution.
On our Chinatown Stories walking tour, you will hear incredible stories of migration, entrepreneurship, family histories and transformation. The content of the tours is rich and all thoroughly researched and recorded by people who are passionate about the history of this area.
This tour has been specially curated for Veganuary, with stories about the families who first imported Chinese vegetables into the UK and who run Chinatown’s own rice noodle factory – where you can pick up some fresh noodles after the tour. We will give you some tips on Chinese grocery shopping, show you where you can get vegan dim sum, and point out which of the new wave of pan-Asian dessert restaurants offer vegan options. Your guide will also have some personal recommendations for Chinatown’s best vegan food.
The 2.5hr experience includes a delicious vegan Chinese lunch served family-style, giving you the chance to get to know your guide and learn more.
What makes our tours special?
- Chinatown Stories are led for the benefit of the community – all guides are trained volunteers and tickets include donations to three Chinatown charities supporting the neighbourhood.
- The 2.5 hour experience includes a family-style lunch.
- Tours are in-depth and thoroughly researched – you won’t hear these stories anywhere else!
- This is a special Veganuary edition of the Chinatown Stories walking tour. See other dates for meat eaters or history-focused experiences.
Chinatown Stories: Community-Led Walking Tours is a project led by China Exchange. The initial 2018 pilot was developed in partnership with the Museum of Soho and The Anglo Asiatic Arts and Heritage Alliance (AAAHA). The project has been supported by Chinatown London and Airbnb Experiences. The 2021 edition is supported through the Champion Chinatown Heritage crowdfunding campaign supported by members of the public.
This tour comes with a vegan lunch. Do let us know at least 24 hours ahead of your tour of any food allergies: info@chinaexchange.uk
Private tours and school tours are available. A 10% discount is available for five tickets or more booked in the same transaction. We can accommodate larger groups by request. Email us to find out more: info@chinaexchange.uk
Our tours are in English. We can also offer tours in Cantonese and Mandarin for groups of 2 or more. Contact us to make arrangements.
We can also provide gift vouchers for tour experiences. Contact us to find out more.