Dig into delightful dim sum at the new restaurant in Covent Garden.
Long Acre is not the sort of street that begs you to linger. It is a brisk corridor between Covent Garden and Leicester Square, busy with theatre crowds and thronged with tourists. For years, the best dining along this stretch has felt like a handful of exceptions, such as Dishoom and Barrafina, rather than a reason to linger. Dim Sum Library, the latest London arrival from Aqua Restaurant Group (Azzurra, Aqua Kyoto, Aqua Shard, Hutong), aims to change that. It has taken over the former Luci site and, in doing so, has planted a Hong Kong-born concept right in the middle of Theatreland.
As the name suggests, the restaurant is dedicated to dim sum. Mirrors add a decadent sheen, while framed images of signature dishes are treated like gallery pieces, a tongue-in-cheek exhibition of pleats and pastry. On the right-hand side, the space gives way to a bar with Chinoiserie flourishes and an open culinary display that does the smartest thing a dim sum restaurant can do in central London: it shows you the work. Chefs in pressed white uniforms pleat dumplings in quick succession, folding and pinching with speed. Through the large glass frontage, Long Acre streams past, but inside, the tempo is calmer.
Service is friendly and attentive without hovering, quick with recommendations, and well-versed in steering you through a menu divided into sections that read like a dim sum taxonomy, from Chef’s Recommendations to Dim Sum, Hot Cheung, Rice, Vegetables and Desserts. The staff gently nudge you towards the signatures first, and they are right to do so. This is a restaurant that wants to make its case early, with dishes that balance tradition with bold flavours and refined presentation.
Start with the Wagyu Beef Puff (£15), which arrives looking deceptively simple, a golden parcel with crisp layers that splinter neatly under the teeth. The filling is where the luxury lands with finely marbled wagyu, sautéed and folded through a house-made sauce that leans savoury and faintly sweet. It is rich but not heavy, the fat melting into the meat while the pastry stays light, giving you that rare fried bite that feels indulgent without becoming greasy.
The Dan Dan Xiaolong Bao (£10) is an intriguing signature, partly because it takes a format so often associated with purity and restraint and coats it in swagger. Each soup dumpling is handcrafted with eighteen folds, the wrapper thin enough to show the promise of broth beneath. The filling combines minced chicken with a Dan Dan sauce that brings sesame and peanut aromas first, then warmth and a gentle, insistent spice. There is also a subtle acidity that stops the richness from pooling on the palate.
Classicists will find comfort in the Crystal Har Gau (£10), which combines plump shrimp with a clean sweetness, wrapped in a translucent skin that holds its bounce without turning gummy. Har gau can be a litmus test for technique, and here it passes. Beside it, the Wild Mushroom and Beetroot Dumpling (£10) adds a more contemporary flourish, its earthy mushroom depth lifted by the beetroot’s gentle sweetness.
Dim Sum Library proves it can do more than dumplings. The Black Truffle Crispy-Skin Chicken (£28) arrives with skin that crackles properly, a brittle golden layer that gives way to tender meat beneath. The truffle is handled with relative restraint, with a more earthy undertone than perfume cloud, sharpening and elevating that familiar roast-chicken satisfaction.
The Cod Fillet in Spicy Tangy Sauce (£36) is a bolder move. The fish is cooked with care, its flakes still moist and encased in a light fry. The sauce is spicy, sweet, and tangy, keeping the cod from fading into the background. Then there is the Wok-Fried Ho Fun with Diced Wagyu Beef (£21), where the noodles arrive glossy and broad, carrying that wok-kissed flavour that Cantonese kitchens chase, with a gentle chew that holds up against the richness of the beef.
Dessert is where the meal softens, though not every sweet note lands. The Chocolate Lava Mochi is a textural oddity: chewy, warm, and slightly cloying, the chocolate centre veers towards intensity without enough bitterness to balance. Better is the Oolong Crème Brûlée, a tea-heavy custard that leans into oolong’s toasted, floral character. The caramelised top cracks satisfyingly, giving way to a silky base that aligns with the restaurant’s broader East-meets-modern vision.
The bar, meanwhile, is more than decorative. Tea-infused cocktails make sense here, and they offer a playful counterpoint to the food’s refinement. Whether you stick to classics or experiment with the tea-led creations, the drinks programme feels considered rather than bolted on, which matters in a neighbourhood where many restaurants still treat cocktails as an afterthought.
Dim Sum Library is an ode to delicious dumplings. In a part of the city where dining can sometimes feel like a supporting act, Dim Sum Library makes a strong case for taking centre stage, one pleat at a time.
GO: Visit https://dimsumlibrary.co.uk for more information.