Xi'an Impression in Islington

Small “street food” eatery in front of the Arsenal stadium. Just follow where the two guns are pointing! Delicious and authentic spicy Chinese food. Fast service and fast turnover of tables. (40 covers?) I had to wait in the queue on weeknight at 7.30 for about 15 minutes. The cold chicken in chilli oil starter was try to its Chinese name: “mouth watering chicken”. The famous biang biang noodles are messy to eat (one long sheet!) but worth the mess. (Bring a bin.). Plus pot of tea made the bill £28.

I love this place. I come here every time that I'm around this area.

Love the food and nice place to eat too very cozy! Love the burger bun too!

Accidentally ended up here whilst attending an event nearby (I’m based in south London). This is incredible! Probably best Chinese I’ve had in London in a long time. Will definitely come back just for that! Had to queue a little bit, but the staff is very efficient and the food is definitely worth waiting for!!!

I wish there was a sixth star ⭐✨. Best Chinese restaurant I've ever been. A real (hidden) gem in upper Holloway, right next to the Emirates stadium. The black fungi were excellent, and all the noodles served in the restaurant are hand-stretched. Really recommended.

Very casual place directly opposite the Emirates. We had heard amazing things about here but it wasn’t as great as we had hoped. The noodles lacked flavour and the meat was very fatty. It was still quite good but we wouldn’t rush back unless we were in the area

The food was absolutely amazing, some of the best East Asian I've had - especially for very reasonable prices. I ordered the biang biang noodles with chilli oil sauce (not broth) which was the best but everything we tried was exceptional.

Most amazing biangbiang noodles in chilli sauce (25A), highly recommend!!

This tiny Chinese rest is a small wonder, at the foot of Arsenal stadium—eat-in is tiny & welcoming. The food is EXCELLENT, service too & it’s quick. They deliver too. Give it a try 👍🏻

Really enjoyed: Beef biang biang noodles, potsticker pork dumplings, pork and veg dumplings. However had a big dud with the Sweet and sour pork, and their steamed rice. Sauce was so sweet it was almost like ketchup, with no acidity to cut through (pork was nice and chewy though) and the rice was a bit dry. There's so many great dishes however that I wouldn't hesitate to come back!

Food was ok, hand pulled noodles are their speciality and it’s not bad and if you lived nearby perhaps you would frequently visit this place but nothing extraordinary or worthy of traveling for. And the service is pretty authentic countryside Chinese 😅🤣 blunt, direct and borderline rudeness 🫣

Amazing food, this place is my go to for the best Chinese food in London.

get the biang biang noodles, one of the most satisfying dishes I’ve had in London

The menu is indeed very much like a local restaurant in Shaanxi Province, however, the food wasn’t local enough (I used to live in Xian so I know what I’m saying). Overall it’s pretty good if you’re not chasing the really local Xian food.

Fantastic noodle house. More like a mini cafe but worth a visit.

Not sure why this place has so many positive reviews, mediocre Shan xi cuisine, terrible seating and cash only service….pay your taxes!

Big fan of this spot, does the best biang biang noodles, and the chilli beef burger is the truth.

Visited a while back. I had taken a friend there. We got the chicken pot stickers. They came raw unfortunately. That wasn’t nice, but I understand mistakes are made. The worst part was, they still charged us for them, I just thought that was unnecessary and inconsiderate. Sorry for the harsh review but that would do it for anyone I imagine.

Quick service, small and cosy. Tasty well priced authentic food.

Authentic Xi'an noodle restaurant. Best known for flat bang bang noodles. Sauces were spicy, and slightly vinegary, but very well balanced. Pork ear appetizer was my favourite. The seasoning was great, and the cucumbers gave another depth of texture.

Wow! All I can say is wow! I ordered hot and sour soup along with X’ian biangbiang noodles with beef - the soup was quite delicious but the noodles were superb! I could tell that they were homemade with high quality ingredients. This is the place to go if you are craving for authentic Chinese food

Noodles here are super tasty. Nice quick and easy meal that’s right across from the emirates if you’re looking for a pre/post match bite.

A real local gem! Highly recommend! Dishes are packed with flavour and the noodles are amazing! Not many options if you don’t eat meat

Very tasty food and very friendly staff

Food was really good and so was the service. Loved the atmosphere as well, cozy and homey

I was with my boyfriend to see an arsenal match (we won!) and then we decided to go and eat at this restaurant. What a nice surprise! The noodles were delicious, as was the beef. I really had a great time there.

heard so many great reviews about this place near arsenal, so went down last thursday. i called to check if we could book but it's walk in only - we went down at 7pm on a thursday and got pretty lucky to get a table for 4 with no wait. i went for beef noodles and the beef burger - really different to any other chinese food i've ever had, but sooo tasty. particularly loved the burger / bun!

I love this restaurant with all of my heart, we go here nearly once a week! The women who work front of house are so lovely and amazing at their jobs. The food is unbelievable, and I think Xi’an Impression is one of the best restaurants in North London.

Had a wonderful lunch last weekend. Beef with the big fat noodles and funghi to start with. All my family have been there and similarly rave. What a spot. I will return!

I love this place with all my heart. I accidentally discovered Xi’an Impression on Deliveroo during the first half of the pandemic and I’ve never looked back. I always order the same thing wether I’m in house or at home: the hand pulled noodles (v), the sweet and sour soup (v), the smacked cucumber (v) and occasionally the veggie dumplings and the mushrooms. Considering this is all vegetarian- it’s absolutely divine and it’s my go to on a bad day or sick day. Anytime it’s been a rough day, Xian Impression is there. The food always tastes the same, so hearty and so delicious. It’s more than just food, it is a religion. It is love. It never gets old. It is always there - rain or shine. Bonus: the restaurant is also a BYOB so if you wanna spice up your winner with a decent bottle of something to go with it - anything is possible.

A wonderful, authentic restaurant. Reasonably priced and delicious. Would recommend to anyone.

Xi'an Impression in London is a hidden culinary gem that I stumbled upon by accident during my travels in 2015, and it turned out to be one of the most amazing dining experiences of my life. The restaurant's specialty, Xi'an cuisine, is a delightful departure from the ordinary. The flavors are bold, aromatic, and utterly unforgettable. The hand-pulled noodles, in particular, were a revelation – perfectly chewy and accompanied by rich and flavorful sauces that left my taste buds dancing with joy. What added to the charm of Xi'an Impression was its unassuming and humble setting. It felt like a true neighborhood gem, where the focus was on the food and not on the frills. The staff was warm and welcoming, making me feel like an honored guest. That accidental discovery in 2015 has stayed with me ever since. Xi'an Impression is more than just a restaurant; it's a culinary journey that transports you to the heart of Xi'an. If you find yourself in London and want to embark on a unique and delicious adventure, do yourself a favor and seek out Xi'an Impression. It's a culinary experience you won't soon forget.

Always good food. Friendly efficient staff

Best Xibei cuisine in London, ordered thousand times, never disappointed

Nice but overpriced and small portions. A starter/not main is at least £7/8 but despite the price the portions are small. If you are having a solo dinner and you are hungry or simply want to try 3/4 dishes, you'll pay around £35 without drinks. I have tried better hand pulled noodles: those were quite tick and a bit heavy where normally Chinese hand pulled noodles are really light and thin. The cucumber salad and the pig's ears were tasty but very small portion. The best was the cold Xian rice noodles. I didn't fancy that the service charge was over £5 but, of course, it was discretional. I wouldn't come back soon since the prices but overall a nice experience and staff was kind, especially the older lady with a bob. Thank you.

Marvellous. Maybe the nicest Chinese I’ve ever had

Best Chinese food I've ever eaten. No MSG, thank goodness, and the noodles are long thick and wonderful. Highly recommend but you have to be prepared to wait for a table as you cannot book. Really worth the wait

Es un restaurante chino, bastante mejor que el típico chino de barrio donde encuentras la misma comida, como si fueran las hamburguesas prefabricadas, el servicio atento, si te lo piensas tardan en servirte, la comida está bien. El sitio es muy pequeño, tienes que reservar fijo o no tendrás sitio, aún así tendrás que esperar un poco. El local al ser pequeño las mesas están muy juntas y hay excesivo ruido de las personas hablando muy alto para entenderse, una pena, es casi lo único que desmerece al local. La comida está bien preparada y las raciones están bien, algunas bastante generosas. Al no tener licencia de alcohol, puedes comprarlo fuera y te cobrarán por el servicio 1,9 libras. Está enfrente del campo del Arsenal

The dumplings were a standout. The handpulled noodles were great and a good menu with the right amount of dishes on there, a little bit too much choice. But better to order a few and arrive very hungry, overall felt very authentic and staff were friendly.

Bring a bib! You will need it from the copious amounts of chilli oil sloshing everywhere. The hand-pulled noodles this place is known for are addictive; it's some of the best value food I've had in London. Sides/appetisers such as pig's ear terrine, cucumber salad and 'refreshing black' fungus are nice to try too, although the small dishes aren't as good value as the noodles. Please note you don't come here for the service, atmosphere, lack of queue, or indeed room to stretch your legs (it's a small place), but no matter.

Wow! Echt superlekker! Heel eenvoudig eethuisje - maar zulke goede zelfgeslagen noodles. Ligt misschien niet op de route, maar als je in de buurt bent - zeker naartoe. Het ligt tegenover het Arsenal stadion.

I can’t really fault this place. It’s authentic, the food is really tasty, and it’s reasonably priced. If I had to be really picky, I would say… the pork and vegetable dumplings disappointed me quite a bit. The texture of the dumpling skin was super but there was not enough filling inside the dumpling so there wasn’t that juicy burst in your mouth dumpling effect. The black fungus salad (not pictured) was good but lacked that rich refreshing flavor I’d tried in other Chinese restaurants. The stars of the night was definitely the Biang Biang vegetable noodles, ginger chicken, and hot and sour soup. It was honestly sooooo good. Please try the above three dishes if you visit. I will most definitely be back to try their other dishes!

You're not going here for fine dining it is a rough and ready cafe with excellent food. Fantastic xi'an noodles and squid was also really good. Will be back!

My first time to try their noodles and other was nice. Although i have doubts if noodles are freshly prepared daily as they claim to be. I have tried fresh hand pulled noodles and the texture and taste is different. But don't get me wrong, the food is still nice. 🙂👍🏻

Great food but really expensive .

What a location, go for the noodles, ignore the naysayers (unless you want chain-style boring food).

点了个外卖恶心到了，牛肉泡馍里面真的就只有两片牛肉，粉丝和馍也没有和汤分开。分量也很小。要是觉得价格定低了涨点价吧。

Xi’an Impression serves Xian local street food from Xian City, Shan Xi Province, where it is well-known for Terracotta Warriors of Qin Dynasty. This is literally adjacent to my beloved ‘The Arsenal’ stadium. Parking will be very limited and difficult to find during match days. Off-Season, parking will be easier to find. Nearest underground stations, Holloway Road. Come out of station, cross the road and go straight down Benwell Road. Food Ordered Today: Chicken & Mushroom Pot-Sticker - 鸡肉香菇锅贴 - (Think Gyoza) Xinjiang Stir Fried Chicken With Bones Serve For 1 (Hand-Pulled Noodles) - 新疆 大盘鸡/一人份 (带面) 🌶️🌶️ (I didn’t find it spicy enough, had to put chilli oil) Extra Noodles - 加面 - (Extra portion for gravy of Xinjiang Stir Fried Chicken With Bones) Plum Juice This is best describe as a Chinese speciality café, the same that you’ll find in London’s China Town. Service was very friendly and food was delivered very quickly. The stand out dish for me was the Chicken & Mushroom Pot-Sticker. Drizzled some chilli oil and good to go with the chop sticks The Xinjiang Stir Fried Chicken With Bones, is best describe as homely comfort food. It’s gravy is a watery one not thick. I’d ordered an extra portion of noodles to soak up the left over gravy for this dish. Had to add extra chilli oil to make it more spicier to my liking. As I didn’t find it spicy at all. However, others may find it to their pallet. The plum juice is one of the nicest drinks you can find here. I’ve had it often. A little hint, further along Holloway Road, there are some Asian supermarkets that sell it there and a little cheaper to what this place is charging. A nice little bite to eat and opposite the greatest football club in London. North London is Red & White 🔴⚪️

The hand pulled beef noodles were absolutely delicious! I loved the texture and the mouthfeel of the noodles. They are coated in a fragrant chili oil that is the perfect amount of spicy. Such a simple yet effective dish! By far the best thing i have tried in London.

Ordered takeaway and they forgot to pack our main dish. Otherwise very yummy.

We tried to book a table via email and they replied that they don't do bookings and quoting "I am sure you will get the seats." which is fair enough. We then arrived at the restaurant at 7.30pm and they refused us to queue and sent us away for some reasons that we couldn't understand. This is definitely not a way to treat people's time, especially since there aren't any other restaurants around.

Incredible food at X’ian Impression. Had #31 the Chili Sauce Noodles with Beef.

The food was great. The service was excellent. What more can I say.

Authentic Xi'An food. Delicious 🤤

Would give it ten stars if I could

Horrible food, stay away. Overpriced.

The best north Chinese food quality you can find in the Islington. They have very delicious food. However the restaurant itself is not great and there is no atmosphere at all. Because the food is supper so we will keep going back.

The food here is great especially the noodles. The service is also very fast but the taste isn’t compromised. I suspect they need to be fast being next to a stadium. This is a very busy place and good value for money. Definitely worth a visit if craving spicy noodles and dumplings.

西安料理…おいしい、そしてコスパもいいと思います。すでに何度か来てます。日本ではあまり聞いたことがないので、チャンスがあればぜひお試しを 体のなかを爽やかに駆け抜ける辛さ、ロンドンも熱くなってきたので、とくに今日は蒸していたのでこういうお料理を食べると元気がでます。ヨーロッパのごはんに飽きたときにもいいですよね 11:30からやっているのもポイント高い 四皿をふたりでシェアして41ポンドくらいでした

Super yummy, I’d come back for the pig ears alone. I believe they don’t take reservations so it’s best to go at an off-peak time or you may have to queue.

Pork Biangbiang noodles were excellent as was salt and pepper squid - actually properly seasoned! Note for those talking about the cold dumplings, the menu says that they are a cold starter so that's how they're supposed to be!

Very good Xi'an food in a small cute affordable place! :)

Quite tasty food, but mean portions and overpriced. First visit, last visit.

*screams* GET THE HAND PULLED NOODLES YOU WONT REGRET IT

Pork and hand pulled noodles delicious, perfect in every way, let down by cold dumplings and burger bread cold. Would have got 5* if they put a little corriander or chives or fresh herbs on the dumplings and in the burger (as it’s pictured). And if it was hot. There was a small queue but went quick. Lots of take away drivers outside. Maybe was unlucky to come when they’re rushed on a bank holiday and didn’t pay close attention to the temperature, or serving was off. Would come again to try once more.

不知道为什么点了一份牛肉油泼面加可乐，收了我17.8镑，请问你们的服务费收30%吗，全程只给我拿了纸和空杯子，不知道怎么收的

This place gets recommended as one of the most interesting restaurants in London for a reason. It’s definitely not the location or its looks but once you open the menu you start getting the idea (check out the pictures). Home made hand pulled noodles seem to be the thing foodie pilgrims travel here from all over but there are so many other options on the menu that quite probably you would never think of trying (like cold pig ears or black fungus). Incredible value for money. An absolute must if you’re remotely into Chinese/Xi’an cuisine.

The absolute most delicious noodles I’ve had in my entire life. A friend brought me here and it was the most delectable meal I’ve had in as long as I can remember. Surprisingly extremely vegetarian friendly!! Every single thing I ate was better than the last but what stood out the most was the cold noodle dish - wow that was stunning. I will definitely be dreaming of coming back here!!!!

味道不错 但Take away 凉皮没给酱汁 只有一个服务员态度很一般 把外卖给我之前检查了一下 但很明显和没检查一样

Great food, friendly service, amazing location opposite the Emirates Stadium

The food was acceptable but the service was not acceptable as the lady was avoiding us as she didn't like to serve us we felt discriminated, from unfriendly attitude on the phone till arrival, the order was taken however the place seems be dirty. The extraction does not work properly so I start to cough however she was on her phone trying avoid to serve us regardless was only us and other table inside. The food was presented nicely and was flavoursome however the service was far from attentive and when I ask for WiFi password I learned was only for the staff and I was told off even I try to reach connection with my bank in order to pay my bill. Do not recommend unfriendly, racist and poor understanding of guest needs. Will not return either recommend to anyone, as long you speak Chinese or expect poorly presented takeaway.

Really great Chinese restaurant - the location and the design of the place is slightly odd, but great food and efficient and fast service for good price

Tom Yum soup is best I've ever had

拔草了，点的biangbiang面，调味不错，但是面有的过薄，薄的能透光，口感很差，感觉做的很不走心，价格不贵，一如既往的没有服务可言，对中国人和外国人两副面孔的服务员已经懒得吐槽了…. 这个价位也不能说很差，个人不会再来第二次

Best Chinese food in a small local restaurant. Value for money and it doesn’t get more authentic. Close to the Emirates - so a perfect combination with a visit to Arsenal.

This restaurant could become 4 stars with a little bit of an improvement. The tables are very close together and you do not feel like you are in a restaurant, more like you are eating at a train station. The food came within 2 minutes of ordering it which clearly indicates it is not fresh at all. The pork ribs did not taste right at all and we did not eat more than a single bite however the other dishes were pleasant so that is why it takes an average 3 stars. I also do not like being rushed, the staff are polite but slightly better customer service would be appreciated.

Small restaurant right opposite the Emirates Stadium; the food is amazing 🤩 We ordered the pig ears with soy sauce & chilli oil, pork burger and biang biang noodles with chunky beef. I highly recommend the pig ears!! It’s probably something not common to a lot of people but it’s delicious! Reasonably priced and the owner is from Xi’an so you’re definitely getting authentic Xi’an food from here!

Lovely polite staff and delicious authentic food

The vegetarian spicy hand pulled noodles is out of this world, and I have to send my special thanks to the person of the staff that SAVED me and suggested this dish. At first me and my partner had ordered a different dish, a more soup like noodle in a tomato broth. Happens that there wasn’t two of this ones we ordered, so this person, an angel that came from the kitchen to save us, showed up to give the news and suggest the hand pulled vegetarian spicy instead. We got one of each, and even though the one more soup like was very good and beautifully fragrant the spicy hand pulled is THE REAL STUFF. So damn good it’s incredible. I would usually go for this one in normal days, but for a unknown reason I thought it would be best to avoid spicy this day. I was wrong. You should never avoid spicy. Anyways, this place was a beautiful hug in form of noodles.

Delicious hand pulled noodles! The restaurant is very small so gets busy in the evenings. It's also BYOB

One of The most tasty Chinese restaurant in London, incredible good!!! Highly recommended!

Very good Chinese. cucumber starter and the dumplings were excellent. Authentic flavours and BYOB

Simply amazing food, good Service too!

Everything is excellent and flavorful, great service as well. Only downside is the view of the Emirates out of the window. COYS

Good place for take away only! For dine in definitely no!

The food was absolutely delicious. I wanted to Order more but unfortunately my stomach didn’t allow it. I will definitely be back one of the best Chinese restaurant I’ve eaten at in London.

Very nice and tasty food. Temperature could've been hotter on the food.

Absolutely banging. No frills, no need.

Can't wait to get back! The food here is divine, to say the least!

They make the best hand pulled noodles I've had in my entire life, and the dumplings are incredible too! I can't stop thinking about the food here, it's the most I've ever craved anything.

Delicious biang noodles with beef. The oil is one of the most flavorsome things I have eaten. However the beef was a bit tough and chewy and could have been cooked longer on a low heat to tenderise it. Tasty wood ear mushrooms Lovely polite staff

Some of the best Chinese food I’ve ever had. I had the beef street food burger, and the spicy chicken noodles. Both very good, both quite expensive but definitely worth it for the experience.

Went here for dinner tonight and it was absolutely lovely. Noodles were super yummy and well portioned. Perfectly seasoned. Service was great. My new favourite noodle place in London. You are missing out if you don’t come here.

The BEST Xi’an noodles I’ve had in London!! Defo get the 3 in 1 Biang Biang noodles. And the dumplings!! Handmade and so delicious. Highly recommend!!!

Best Biang Biang noodles I ever had, but on the pricier side

Food is amazing. I live closely and order from here often. Try the stir fried potatoes with chili for a trance-like numbing spice experience ;)

Honestly one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to! I’m vegan and I had the hand pulled noodles in chili oil, stir fried greens, black fungus and shredded potatoes in vinegar. It was extremely delicious and as if that wasn’t enough, the waitress was super nice and helpful. I really can’t eat spicy food, but even dishes with two chili signs on the menu were fine for me. What a perfect dinner!

Have ordered takeaway from here countless times and finally popped in on a cold Friday evening for a quick dinner. There are only a few tables (maybe 12), but service is fast. Take a peek into the kitchen - clean and moves like a well oiled machine!! Food is obviously delicious! Great hand pulled noodles, and a 'western' Chinese selection too if you need it.

Authentic and delicious, but chaotic at times. Very cramped, but that's part of the experience.

They make their own noodles, and dress them with intensely delicious sauces.