The first full restaurant for John and Yee Li, known for their popular street food. It features Sichuan fried chicken on the ground floor and shengjianbao in the basement.
Sichuan Fry and Dumpling Shack is part of the Dumpling Shack Group, owned and run by John and Yee Li. It originated as a pop-up during the 2020 lockdown, bringing crunchy fried chicken with authentic Sichuan heat to London. The restaurant is known for its combination of spicy fried chicken and handmade dumplings.
Customer Perception
Customers praise the restaurant for its 'crunchy fried chicken' and the distinctive 'Sichuan heat,' indicating a strong appreciation for its spicy and numbing flavor profile.
Additional Details
Co-founder Yee Li is also recognized for her baking skills. The concept started as a one-off pop-up during the 2020 lockdown before expanding.
Specific peak times are not detailed, but the associated Dumpling Shack locations typically operate during lunch and dinner hours, suggesting similar availability for Sichuan Fry and Dumpling Shack.
Delicious food and great value for money. The soup dumplings was absolute bliss, bursting with juices on first bite; the chilli oil in prawn wontons gives a nice flavourful kick; and the dan dan noodles are also chewy with generous portions of beef.
Only downside is that due to the environment, it could be hard to get seats; service is efficient despite the busy environment.
Tried Dumpling Shack at Spitalfields Market — it’s quite popular and there’s usually a queue.
Ordered a dumpling + noodle combo. Overall, it was decent but not particularly memorable.
The dumplings had a slightly thicker skin with a nice chew, and the filling was well-seasoned but fairly standard. The chilli oil added a bit of flavour, though nothing too standout. Noodles were fine — more on the simple side.
It’s the kind of place that works when you’re already in the market and want something quick and satisfying, but probably not somewhere I’d go out of my way to revisit.
Atmosphere-wise, it’s a typical market stall setup — casual, a bit busy, and not really a sit-down-and-linger spot.
Good, but not quite a must-return.
5
**Amazing Shengjianbao at Dumpling Shack**
These pan-fried pork soup dumplings are an absolute masterpiece. The contrast between the thick, fluffy top and the ultra-crunchy, golden bottom is spot on. Inside, the pork filling is incredibly flavorful and swimming in a rich, savory broth. They are so well-seasoned and authentic that you don't even need any soy sauce or dipping sauce to enjoy them—the natural flavors completely stand on their own.
1
This was, without question, the worst lunch I’ve ever paid for – and it cost me £12 of my hard-earned money.
I ordered the Dan Dan Beef set with two dumplings. The service was impressively quick, which, in hindsight, should have been my first warning. Good food takes time. This arrived with the urgency of something they were desperate to get rid of.
The noodles had fused together into a single architectural structure that could probably have supported a small bridge. The minced beef tasted like it had been reminiscing about last week. By the time I’d finished, I wasn’t wondering whether dessert was on the menu – I was wondering how close the nearest toilet was and whether my evening plans needed cancelling.
The dumplings were… fine. Not offensive, but also not nearly good enough to justify the journey through culinary purgatory that surrounded them.
I won’t be eating here again, and I’d recommend others give it a wide berth unless they’re looking for an inexpensive way to lose faith in lunch. Absolutely grim.
4
Great soup dumplings, but 2 out of 8 had no soup inside - which is a bit of a let down.
Wontons in chilli oil were good - but just wontons, nothing to rage about.
Staff was very friendly and food came out super quickly.
We tried a few spots from Spitalfields, and this is definitely one you shouldn’t miss
