Ping Pong

£20 / Chinese, Asian, Vegetarian options

Festival Terrace, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London

Opening hours

12PM-11:30PM

Sunday 12PM-10PM
Monday 12PM-10PM
Tuesday 12PM-10PM
Wednesday 12PM-10:30PM
Thursday 12PM-11PM
Friday 12PM-11:30PM
Saturday 12PM-11:30PM

Flavorful Feasts Amidst a Vibrant Atmosphere

Nestled amidst the vibrant whirl of Southbank, Ping Pong is a culinary retreat that buzzes with the kind of lively energy you might expect from a place deeply cherished by its patrons. Even amidst what could be likened to a controlled chaos—tables packed tight and waitstaff weaving through the crowd with ballet-like precision—there's an undeniable charm here, ignited partly by fantastic service from folks like Zsanett and Aish. Their warmth transcends the mechanized hustle of typical big-city dim sum joints, ensuring moments of genuine connection between patrons and servers—a rare comfort in this fast-paced urban sprawl.

The food at Ping Pong flirts tantalizingly with my taste buds, but it's the illicit love child of authentic hand-steamed treasures and the more elusive flavors of aspiration. Dishes arrive sporadically, sometimes minutes apart, mimicking raindrops on a busy street. The diversity of dumplings, those bite-sized parcels promising delight in every mouthful, is impressive, even as I find myself wishing the price didn’t match meals of heftier fare elsewhere. Still, the synesthetic pop of ambiance, enthusiastic exchanges over gin lychee cocktails, and the children's excited chatter through extravagant bao buns earn repeat visits. It's less the pull of impeccable cuisine and more the restaurant’s gentle chorus of symphony and chaos that beckons return, if only for the experience wrapped in the Yoo-hoo of modern-day expectations. — Clarissa Cuisinier