With a commitment to long-term curation and partnership with the Chinatown London community, Shaftesbury has announced that new Taiwanese restaurant and bar concept, XU, has opened its debut 2,479 sq ft restaurant at 30 Rupert Street in Chinatown London, one of the West End’s most iconic destinations.
Established by the founders of BAO in Soho and Fitzrovia and designed in collaboration with Brady Williams, the 74-cover restaurant is split over two levels and features an emerald tea counter, where diners can experience competition level leaf teas and the theatre of a Tawainese tea brewing ceremony.
Influenced by 1930’s Taiwan, the décor includes traditional Xiao Chi house wooden ceiling fans, five-seater pink marble dining bar and a hand-painted ‘Mountains of Taiwan’ mural.
Julia Wilkinson, Portfolio and Group Restaurant Strategy Executive at Shaftesbury, said, “We are elated XU has opened its debut site in Chinatown, London, and joined our diverse mix of restaurants. The concept’s Taiwanese origins presented as a modern dining experience, reflect our curation of Chinatown London to create a destination that embraces East Asia traditions alongside modern culture.”
Shing Tat Chung, one of the Founder’s of XU, added, “Opening XU in one of the West End’s most iconic destinations has been extremely exciting for us. The location benefits from fantastic footfall, so it’s proving to be a great place for our debut restaurant. Chinatown London offers visitors an exciting and diverse dining offer, and we are proud to add our traditional Taiwanese cuisine into the mix.”
The news follows the announcement of Central Cross, a 48,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme bordering Chinatown, London and providing a range of new double-height restaurant and retail units across up to three floors; and the recent signings of Thai operator Hot Pot and cult Hong Kong street food concept Bubblewarp on Wardour Street.