London Chinatown restaurant Tao Tao Ju uses dark kitchens to extend reach across capital

The dim sum restaurant, which opened its doors on Lisle Street in Chinatown back in 2011, opened its first dark kitchen earlier this year and now has locations in Wandsworth, Bermondsey and Acton.

Further delivery-only locations are planned in the coming months, with a kitchen in Brent Cross set to open in December, and ones in Crouch End and Battersea to launch in January. 

Tao Tao Ju's delivery kitchens serve the same menu as that at its Lisle Street flagship, and includes a selection of steamed, fried or grilled dim sum; barbecued meats such as roast duck, or honey roast pork char siu; wonton noodle soup; and lobster baked with ginger and spring onion.

A pivot to dark kitchens is unusual - although not unheard of - for a Chinatown restaurant, which often focus any expansion efforts on bricks and mortar locations.

Sichuan restaurant Jinli, and Shao Wei's BaoziInn are both notable examples of restaurants that have grown larger restaurant estates having first launched in Chinatown. Jinli now operates sites in Uxbridge and Birmingham, alongside two restaurants in Chinatown; while BaoziInn, which also has two Chinatown sites, has gone on to open restaurants in London Bridge and Soho, as well grab-and-go locations in Market Halls Victoria and Market Halls West End.

Tao Tao Ju's popularity as a delivery brand recently saw it awarded a 2021 Travellers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor, and also saw it nominated for Best Chinese Restaurant in the Deliveroo Restaurant Awards 2021.