Three Uncles (Camden)
The duck and the pork belly get marinated inside, rubbed outside, then hung and fan dried overnight before they ever meet the oven, which is the step that decides whether the skin shatters (Three Uncles).
Why go
Pui Sing, Cheong Yew and Mo Kwok grew up on the siu mei cafes around Wan Chai market in 1970s Hong Kong, moved to Britain more than twenty years ago, and opened a roast meat counter by Liverpool Street station in 2019 because that everyday food was stuck inside Chinatown (Three Uncles). Eight sites later, the Camden branch sits on the second floor of the Hawley Wharf food hall and runs the same short list: roast duck, char siu, crispy pork belly, over rice or with lo mein. Deliveroo's 2025 Restaurant Awards named the group Best Chinese Restaurant in London, per the company's own awards page. Prices start at £2.50 for a starter and £12.30 for a main (Hardens).
Order this / avoid
- Order: the roast duck and the siu yuk together on a two-meat rice box, which is the cheapest way to compare the two roasting styles in one sitting. Char siu is the third meat.
- Avoid: planning an evening around it. Hardens scores the ambience 2 out of 5 and the counter stops serving at 8.45pm (Hardens).
What locals & experts say
- Hardens (Camden entry):
The definition of cheap and cheerful Asian food,
with food and service both rated 3 out of 5 and ambience 2.1 - Deliveroo Restaurant Awards (2025): winner, Best Chinese Restaurant, London, as listed by the group.2
- Three Uncles (founders, on method):
marinate on the inside, rub on the outside, hang and fan dry overnight, roast, rest, and serve.
2
Good to know
- Timing: daily noon to 8.45pm. Lunch is the sweet spot; the food hall thins out well before closing.
- Booking: walk-in only. Counter seating in a shared hall works for a group that does not mind sitting apart.
- Dietary: no allergen, gluten-free or vegan statement is published by the group. Listings elsewhere claim both; treat as unconfirmed.
- Location: Hawley Wharf, second-floor food hall, NW1 8AA, four minutes from Camden Town station. This is the Camden branch; the City of London row is the 2019 Liverpool Street original.
Jeff's take (his words)
- Note: "Cheap and fast cantonese multiple locs." REAL.
Verdict
could-visit — Three Hong Kong chefs doing siu mei by the book, including the overnight hang-and-fan dry that most London kitchens skip, at £12.30 for a main. Hardens calls it the definition of cheap and cheerful and scores the food 3 out of 5 and the room 2, which is the honest shape of it: the cooking is better than the setting. Worth a stop in Camden, and the Liverpool Street original is the branch to seek out if you are choosing.