Chinatown London welcomes trio of F&B additions

Shaftesbury Capital has announced the signing of Chinese tea brand HEYTEA at Chinatown London, alongside the recent openings of Arôme Bakery and Kawan by Uncle Roger.

Set to launch in the summer at 118-120 Shaftesbury Avenue, HEYTEA will span c2,600 sq ft, and serve a selection of fresh fruit and milk teas, as well as matcha. HEYTEA’s addition will further extend the destination’s comprehensive collection of modern tea concepts – including the likes of Happy Lemon, Tsujiri, and Woo Tea – as Chinatown remains the go-to destination for on-trend F&B from across the ESEA region.

The signing of HEYTEA coincides with the launch of Arôme Bakery, a stone’s throw away at 92 Shaftesbury Avenue. Led by co-founders Alix Andre and Ellen Chew, the new artisan bakery occupies a 900 sq ft space, and stocks a wide selection of French-Asian-inspired baked goods. This is also the first Arôme Bakery to offer soft serve, with Chinatown providing the ideal launchpad for this menu diversification.

Pan-Asian restaurant, Kawan by Uncle Roger, also recently debuted at 12 Macclesfield Street, backed by influencer turned restaurateur, Uncle Roger (aka Nigel NG). The restaurant spans c1,600 sq ft and comes equipped with vibrant interiors, serving up a menu of Asian cuisines and family-style dishes, reinterpreted through a modern British lens.

Emma Matus, Head of Restaurant Leasing at Shaftesbury Capital, commented: “Chinatown London’s reputation as the go-to for an authentic ESEA F&B line-up is so important; it means potential new brands and restaurateurs know what we’re looking for, and visitors are absolutely spoilt for choice. The additions of HEYTEA, Arôme, and Kawan by Uncle Roger reflect our drive to balance the offer with both heritage and trend-led concepts, as we support new formats, debut locations, and entrepreneurs that know what resonates with our visitors.”

Ellen Chew, Co-Founder at Arôme, added: “Arôme remains one of London’s most sought-after bakeries, and our recent Chinatown London launch reminds us that we boast a dedicated customer base that loves what we do. It’s important to us that we operate from the best locations, and there is no question that we have launched in the prime place for meaningful brand expansion.”