I loved everything about the place: service, food. Tables are too close to each other though, and it could be very uncomfortable. As in my case, we finished out dinner and when we were eating desserts our neighbours started their dinner and they sat so close to us that we could smell their food. Overall ur is a very nice place and very attentive staff. And food is delicious and inexpensive. I will definitely come back.
Pingo-pong is a very good chinese food restaurant, for groups of people and also very noisy. The waiting time can be around 30minutes on busy days but it is worth the wait. The food is very good, plenty of options and the best is to order several different dishes to share. The dim-sums are amazing.
Chinese New Year celebrations in London, which hosts the biggest party outside of Asia, are always loud and colourful and usually come with delicious food, decorations, dragons and dancing.
So when an email from Ping Pong popped into my mailbox, inviting me over for an evening of dim sums, cocktails and general mischief to celebrate the beginning of the year of the monkey, I knew I was in for a treat.
Kristine Diana Tsiknaki
+4
Ping Pong has always looked so stylish from the outside so I was excited to go in and try the food.
Ordering can be a bit tricky, as you are called to fill out a form with all the items on the menu. We were four people and 3 of us went for the set menu so when the items started arriving it took a while for us to figure out which one belonged to what menu and explain to the waitress she would have to tell us what was what.
The food itself was very satisfying, I particularly enjoyed the fried selection but the dumplings and vegetables were quite nice too. The black tea was a bit bitter but full of flavour so I enjoyed that without needing to add any sugar.
I felt quite full after that meal but the guys in the group (the other two set menus) did mention they could still eat more so you may want to keep that in mind and order a couple more dishes. I'd say ordering lots of things and sharing would be the best option.
In general it was a lovely place for a midweek lunch with my team and I hope we go back again.
Ping Pong have been serving quality Dim Sum, Cocktails and Chinese Teas in London since 2005. Now with 8 London restaurants they’re a go to venue for a good value meal in nice surroundings. Whether you’re after a quick lunch, or a social sharing dinner, Ping Pong has got it covered. They’ve also recently introduced Bao Burgers as part of their summer menu, chose from Chargrilled Vegetable, Chilli Prawn or Smoked Duck.
Tea lovers are in for a treat here! Their tea range is creative and different, and it's always a good idea to stop by for a glass of the white tea after a stroll down southbank.
I had guests over from Singapore and took them here for lunch, they said the vegetarian dim sum was better than having dim sum in Singapore - and that's quite the compliment!
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I've been here a few times, mainly because it's the best of an okay bunch of restaurants closest to the National Theatre and Festival Hall to grab a quickish meal before, or after a show. Also the nearest place that does Chinese. I went here on Thursday just before an event at the summer Southbank 'Udderbelly'. Despite it being really busy they were able to give us a place on a shared round table - our own table would have been a 25 min wait. I think the drinks are the best thing about ping pong; their variety of mocktails, teas and cocktails are all a bit different to your bog standard usual. We liked the goji berries, mango and mint drink on the mocktails list. For cocktails, the forbidden martini is also fairly good (cherry based) and the kumquat mojito. I know this is a dim sum restaurant, but I would welcome a bit more choice for those not wanting dumplings or everything wrapped in pastry, especially as not all those in the party will be keen or might be gluten free. I had the chicken mushroom rice pot as one of the few non dim sum dishes this time, which tasted nice and was really well seasoned with ginger - it even made the broccoli, which I'm not much of a fan of taste good. However, there were just three pieces of chicken in the dish - which were difficult to eat each in one mouthful with chopsticks as a little bigger than bite size. There wasn't that much mushroom either and what there was also in big chunks/ difficult to eat. So at over £6 for the dish, the relatively small quantity didn't seem like great value compared to the quantity of chicken and veg you get at all the other chinese & thai restaurants I've been too. We also had the prawn crackers with black pepper and sesame seeds, which although an off putting grey colour, tasted good and came with a hot & tasty dipping sauce for the brave. The spring rolls are also good and filling, but spring rolls at the end of the day.
Ate Ping Pong on a busy summer Thursday night. It was a half hour wait for a table, but it was well worth it. Ordered the set menu and it was a bounteous medley of gelatinous Cantonese tapas.
My liking for this restaurant developed every recently. The drinks here are really nice along with the dimsums. The prawn crackers are really nice too. You might find it to be a bit expensive but I think you should at least try it once.
We moved into the neighbourhood and Ping Pong is bang opposite our building. Back in India, Ping Pong was short lived. I loved it but all my friends who lived in London lamented the limited options.
So we had to see what the fuss was about.
We tried pretty much all the vegetarian options. Everything was excellent and we will come back when we have another dimsum craving.
Chocolate coulant dessert is to kill for. :) must try!
Great food. Great if you want a quick dinner or a more relaxed meal. The amount of food you get with the set menus is amazing, even for the most hearty of eaters.
Great Casual place to dine. One of my favourite spots in London for a casual dinner. The cocktails are amazing, the wait staff are attentive and friendly and the food is fantastic! Always order far too many dishes here!
Best Pre-Theatre option. 3 of us went in recently for an early lunch before the theatre, no booking but got nice table by the window. The waiter was friendly if slightly unintelligible. Ordered 4 dishes each which was plenty, arrived as & when and were delicious. We were advised to try at least one new dish so we had rabbit dumplings which were also very good. All very relaxed and fun. We had exquisite jasmine handsewn flowering teas which I also recommend. Food, drinks, tip came to just over £20/head.
Very delicious food, was very impressed! Will definately be going back again!
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Top Spin Ping Pong!. Something different and for the adventurous, this modern stylish restaurant is located right next to the Festival Hall and while propably not the best place out of the parade, they do very well to look alluring and inspiring. This venue is both smart and elegant looking which compliments the menu and cocktails they have to offer. Outside sitting available but giving the location eating inside might be more comforting.
The food ordering system consist of marking on a tick box format order form but don't let this put you off as it adds to the character and fun of the place. The atmosphere is lively and seems constantly busy making the staff prompt and very attentive looking for where needed.
The food and presentation is just as interesting as the menu suggests, arriving in nice woven packages of baskets and leaves which is tasteful. Steamed dumplings a must and the sticky rice being exactly sticky. Cocktails are a treat too, offering a wide and vibrant range of both alcholic and non.
Overall this place is as interesting as impressive and merits more visits to get to full taste of the experience. However, this is by far a great way to try this style of food giving the portions as everything but the cocktails and desserts comes in threes. Spacious restaurant and generally busy so I can imagine they can cope with large parties and the round bench like tables inside would cater for a small gathering of friends.
Remember - it's fast food. Nothing like authentic, ping pong is to dim sum what pizza express is to pizza - it's not the real thing, but what you get is good enough. Slightly on the pricy side.
The food is awesome but can be pricey therefore the affordable alternatives are The set menus which are well worth a try. Give the flowering teas a try for something special!
Ping Pong also has several different set menu options which eases the pressure of choosing a selection of dishes of which you're not entirely sure what they are. All of the staff were ridiculously helpful and accommodating too so I wouldn't hesitate in asking them for guidance. We all went for the special £20 V&A Masterpieces of Chinese Painting menu. This consisted of a course of baked and fried dishes, a rice bowl and a course of steamed dishes. There are several set menu options at di
Bored of Costa and Starbucks and your skinny latte? This Winter pop along to one of the many Ping Pong chains for a slightly different Sunday afternoon tea. With a whole range of beautiful decorative choices you will not hesitate to come back for more. These three are just some of the spectacular pieces that you can try: and they are healthy galore with pure plant extracts and hot water you are in for a warm healthy treat. To find out about other Ping Pong locations check out http://www.pingpongdimsum.co.uk//#locations
Just before the Christmas holidays, we were lucky enough to be taken out for dinner by our friends from Digital Tribe. It was a fantastic evening at Ping Pong filled with amazing food, good company and a great atmosphere! Ping Pong is a funky dim sum restaurant and feels quite unique. It's atmosphere is helped by the DJ style music playing in the background. Our evening started off with some cocktails! There was a huge range of drinks including cocktails, wine, juices and teas. The flowering teas are very pretty to the eye and also taste good to the palate! The pineapple, coconut and lime non-alcoholic cocktail is a favourite of mine! It's served in a tall glass and is a really moreish drink! I could easily have had a couple of these throughout the meal but it is a filling drink! We couldn't decide on which dim sum dishes to have as there was so much choice. So to make things that little bit easier, a couple of us (not including myself!) took the executive decision to order the Extrava
Not normally a huge fan of chains, but Ping Pong is great for Dim Sum, and I think the Southbank one is the best.
The dim sum selection is varied and the seasonal menu is great, firm favourites are the pork puffs and the steamed monkfish dumplings.
Well worth going and very reasonably priced, if you haven’t been before then opt for the set menu as you get a good variety of dishes (baked and steamed plus rice bowl).
The kumquat mojito is also pretty delicious.
Nice ambience, great food. Black prawn and spice chicken dumplings, duck spring rolls are very good. Booking a table is needed to avoid the huge queue after working hours.
This place will improve your outlook on life, the food is that good! Dim sum and an assortment of smaller dishes (recommended 2-3 per person) certainly puts this among my favourite Asian restaurants.
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As one of my favorite restaurants in London, I come out happier than I go in every time I visit Ping Pong. I love the giddy feeling in there and the servers help make things run smoothly. The wait time is not too long for the drinks or the meals and it is great restaurant to go with family or friends.
I recommend the almost everything on the meal. There are still some things I have not tried. What one should do when visiting ping pong is to tick different things on the menu but not too much so you can go for a second round of orders and really get the things you like. With their extended menu, recommending meals is largely based on ones preferences in terms of the ingredients. It is best to try small plates in a tapas style as oppose to getting larger plates like the chilli tenderloin. I will say that my favorite thing to get is the char sui bun. Wow. My favorite drink there is a strawberry lemonade and it is quite different to other strawberry lemonade as they give you some strawberry extract to add at your discretion to a glass of lemonade.
I will definitely continue going to Ping Pong and trying new things.
Ping Pong have an extensive menu filled with tasty Dim Sum delights. It is just a quick stroll from the cultural hot-spots in South Bank and is well worth a visit if you are a Dim Sum enthusiast!
The look of the restaurant itself is very appealing, and their dishes and drinks are equally attractive and well-presented. At Ping Pong, your dining experience will not only excite your tastebuds, but your eyes are also in for a treat! The food is all good and I have to recommend their Roast Port Puffs, which are delicious. I've also heard that their teas are lovely.
The service is quick and friendly, which makes for an enjoyable evening. Ping Pong has a great atmosphere that matches the food perfectly!
Unfortunately I don't remember exactly what I ordered and this review will be a bit poor...but the food was good and something slightly different to most of the chained restaurants you find around Southbank. It cost just over £50 for 6 dishes and 2 glasses of wine. Not too bad really.
I have tried Ping Pong - Southbank a few times now, my office is just around the corner.
This visit was my favourite visit, so far...
Decided to go with the 'Christmas Selection'. At £20, it was great value with a very good selection. A mixture of baked, fried and steamed dishes.
The lobster dumpling, har gau and beef and chilli parcels were all a delight.
However, the dessert was unavailable and was replaced with a chocolate melting pudding with ice cream and I must say, this was the best substitution EVER! The chocolate was warm and melting and it was gone within 4 spoonfuls. Could have easily polished off 5 of these desserts.
Ping Pong is quite popular for its tea so a friend and I decided to see what all the fuss was about! As you walk in you are surrounded by its warm dim oriental interior, which makes a perfect setting for an evening meal. However, we visited during the day after lunch so it was still light outside. We both ordered the Jasmine tea which comes in a glass with the jasmine flower sitting at the bottom of the glass - it looked absolutely beautiful. It also tasted as good as it looked, including its beautiful aroma. I'd definitely come to visit again for a meal some time, as I've heard good things about the Dim Sums!
Just great Dim Sums. As well as perfect cocktails for very good price. Just ask for Potato and Edamame cake which is just great! For the next time I will order 2 portions of that.
Great concept restaurant serving only dim sum and about 4 other dishes. Some of the best cocktails I have had in London in a very long time. The dim sum comes piping hot and fresh, the service is fast and efficient. Great vibe, good food. Only I felt that the portions were a bit small.
The spicy chicken dim-sum, the char-sui bao and the chili pork were to die for. While a couple of the other dim sum were just mehhh...
Great option on an evening out with friends where you want to try a variety of dishes rather than stick to one thing.
Easily one of my fav go to places for a quick bite of dimsums in London. I have been to multiple outlets and never been disappointed. The restaurants are all done up in a very appealing manner and the atmosphere is always fun. My fav restaurant is by the Thames, near the London Eye.
So for food here, I usually go for the four mushroom puff, char sui bun, spicy chicken and crab and prawn dumplings. The sticky rice are also nice and I like both the veg and prawn versions.
Their flowering teas are worth trying - it's almost magical to watch the pod open up and turn in to a full blossom right inside your tea glass.
Food - 4.0
Ambience - 4.0
Drinks - 4.0
Service - 3.5
Why Waste Annual Leave?
+3.5
This is a restaurant I've been to many times so that in itself I think says a lot about my impression of it. Why do I keep returning? The dim sum (nearly the entire menu is dim sum and that is the concept of the place) is consistently good - no matter how many times I have been, I have never been disappointed with the taste of the food. The menu is really broad so there is more than enough choice and in fact, the hardest part is choosing and there is good choice for vegetarians as well. The other thing I like is that they have some set menus too, which are great value including a lower calorie menu - although I tried this once and honestly, there were a lot of vegetarian dishes on it and it just didn't taste all that great so I'm sticking with the things I love. Favourites of mine include crispy prawn balls, roast pork puff and today, I tried some specials including the battered asparagus and the fish and black pepper dumpling.
The service is very quick, which is one of the reasons it makes a great choice for working lunches and quick after work dinners. The price again is very reasonable - today we paid approximately £15 per head for around 9 plates of dim sum, drinks and tips (no alcohol though). They have a great range of drinks, cocktails and mocktails - the vanilla and strawberry ice tea is a bit of a favourite of mine but the flowering teas are also lovely. The downsides? Service is okay - it's quick and efficient but I wouldn't say it is particularly friendly, accommodating or that anyone goes above and beyond what is expected and in the evenings, it gets really busy so you do very much sense the feeling of being turned around as quick as possible. But then you don't come somewhere like this expecting to linger around for a long time anyway and really you come for the food, the location and the speed.
The other bug bear of mine is the no-booking thing. I have come in the past around 6pm and have come on weekday lunchtimes and this has been fine but on one occasion, I was waiting approximately 45 minutes for a table and the bar was really cramped so it wasn't great waiting around for so long but I can understand entirely why they don't take bookings - they really don't need to to be honest, it fills up well without it.
It's also got a lovely location right on the south bank and near the other bars, restaurants and local markets. Be prepared to share tables with other people - some tables are private but you can't guarantee that you'll get one so this isn't ideal for intimate, romantic restaurants or if you want privacy for your group. It can get quite noisy. I've only had dessert on a couple of occasions and I must admit, I found it quite average - a little on the bland side and a bit un-memorable but the dim sum themselves are so delicious that I usually just fill up on that.
All in all, I like coming back to Ping Pong whenever I'm after a reliable, good value dim sum meal, which will be quick, simple and delicious. It's a great place to meet friends and family, particularly for after work dinners and weekday lunches.
Excellent place for a quick bite or a lazy lunch. The location is wonderful. The food was excellent. The spicy vegetable dumpling and the prawn and coriander dumpling are a must try. So is the Lychee and Lemon mocktail.
Read the entire review here: http://adgirlalisha.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/foodie-on-the-prowl-ping-pong-southbank/
Honestly, I wasn't really sure of what to order so I just went along the set menu for one. Must be the best decision I made. The fried potato cakes were delicious. It was followed by dumplings platter which had an assortment of vegetable dumplings and spinach and mushroom dumplings. By the time I had these, I was already too full. Then I was served the rice with mushroom and black bean - absolutely delightful. The £11 was totally worth it. I also had a blackcurrant lemonade - best mock tail I've had till date.
Great low kcal veggie set meal. Interesting and tasty juices and teas. Good lighting.
I quite enjoyed my dining experience at Ping Pong Southbank. The concept of Ping Pong is like a tapas bar, where you are served dim sum instead of tapas, and they promote sharing. Their cocktails, and coolers for the non-alcoholic are refreshing, we had Lemon and Lychee, Black and Pink, and Vanilla and Chilli. We chose the set menus as these are quite well planned and saves you from painstakingly picking out different things from the menu. I wouldn't say that the food was an out of the world experience, but I would go there again. It is fun to go there with friends on a night out, but a little too lively for a date!
Amazing food, reasonable prices and very easy-going, efficient and helpful staff! I ordered the healthy set menu. The food ingredients were fresh and top quality. Even the steamed broccoli was astonishingly delicious! Although low on calories the meal got me full and warm.
The flower tea was delicious and neatly accompanied the food. I have my mind set on a pink drink that a lady across me was having. Definitely my order for next time!
A classic modern Asian chain, where you often find yourself on a table with other diners. i always like to get the set menu which is excellent value, you get a a variety of dim sum without having to buy stuff individually which can get a bit pricey. Handy between waterloo and the river so nice to meet after work.
This is a pretty good place for starters/snacks... You will have to order quite a bit or at least 3 portions to feel satisfied...
I quite like it though, it's a nice casual atmosphere...
Quality food and a lot of variety.
Very good for vegetarians also!
Enter Ping Pong knowing that you're going to have great food and pay well for it. A fantastic spread of dishes on their menu, and the location of this South Bank branch is the perfect setting for a good meal. I would recommend the dimsum specials- prawn, duck & chicken dishes are a must have! There are rice dishes and puffs, but if you're a fan of dimsums go all out with the options they offer. A decent mix will cost you £15-20 a head. Or you can go for the Sundays all-you-can-eat buffet at £21. That's going to be my next try.
Renowned for its dim sums, this restaurant is definitely worth a visit. It is situated a 3 minute walk from Waterloo station. The food is delicious but the portions are extremely tiny. Prices are quite high as it is considered to be quite a posh place. The prawn dim sum is my personal favourite. The interior is lavish and quite dark. Service is quite good, with the staff being efficient and friendly. This place is ideal for someone looking to have a good meal and doesn't mind spending quite a bit of money.
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Ping pong is my ultimate favourite, first time went for my friend's birthday party, in the lounge upstairs. Well just freaking amazing. Love everything about it. One of the best Dim Sum place, a MUST !!
Ambience - It's great ! I love the contemporary interior, the low lightings. I definitely get authentic chinese vibe as soon as I enter and it's just the thing needed, when you are having authentic dim-sum, but the only problem - it's crowdy and noisy in the evenings.
Food - Me and my friends usually go for their set menu ! £10/person And it's amazing. They have small portion so it's never enough, but the food is amazing !!! To recommend, everything is MUST - from steamed buns to dumplings to spring rolls to hoi sin baked puff, it's amazing and delicious. I'm already salivating. Set Menu usually covers everything and they have amazing flowering teas (yes it had have an actual flower in it) It's pretty unique. Must order !!
Price - So after visiting, you might remain hungry and complain about the price, but without drinks it's just £15/person
Whenever I visit London a trip to Ping Pong for dumplings and cocktails is a must.
Despite always being busy the staff are friendly and promptly bring food and drinks.
Great for couples and groups alike.
Go hungry and order lots of different dishes.
Definitely try the dumplings!
Can highly recommend their buns and the crispy duck spring rolls, the sauce that accompanies the duck is sensational. Also, 5 dishes was perfect to share between 2 people. The portion size seemed to be 3 pieces per dish.
Very central location. Welcoming staff, nice service. We walked in without a reservation and quickly got a table.
The place is a little tight, but with a good vibe. Food came in on time.
Not the best Chinese cuisine I’ve tried, but not bad overall.
I visited Ping Pong Southbank a few years ago and had a very good impression. So this is a revisit and the impression is as excellent. 👍
The food is as delicious, the staff as friendly, and the atmosphere as comfy and relaxed. 🥰
We particularly like the tea and the culturally-infused decorations. Not to mention that the restaurant's location is amazing, with many tourist attractions and landmarks around! 🤩
I certainly would like to visit again, hope you like Ping Pong as much as I do. ☺️
The cocktails were very unique and tasty! Big venue, nice music. The dumplings were good, especially black prawn dumplings. It can a bit expensive but it's a treat anyway for a fancy dinner out.
Ping pong is a great location near London eye and aquarium. The meal portions are small but prices are also reasonable. Easy to share a few plates with friends or family. The food was quick and very good but service could be improved. We were put in a corner and had a very hard time flagging down servers to order extra plates and get the bill. One dish was forgotten but they quickly fixed this after we let them know. Friendly staff and overall great experience! Very clean with many options.
Great place with friendly staff & excellent food. They explain the ordering process to you and always checkup on you during th course of your meal. There is an open kitchen there so you can see the chefs busy preparing th food. The place has a relaxed atmosphere with a great vibe. The whole area is kept clean & the toilets are clean too. We arrived without a booking midweek and were given a table straightaway. A really great place to relax & have some fantastic Dim Sums & Cocktails👍🍹😁
We visited this restaurant on Saturday afternoon. We booked a table - highly recommend doing this as you get to sit in a nicer area, not that the other area is bad at all. The atmosphere in the restaurant was great, with a very London feel. The dumpling choices were great. Service was good. My only criticism is that I ordered the lemon chicken which was around 15 pounds, which was very expensive for what it was (fried chicken with a little lemon syrup). Otherwise we had a great time, and would recommend it to others.
Love the dim sum options. The duck is a bit dry but all the other dishes especially dumplings were nice and good comfort food. Can come again.
We were looking for mochi in whole London, after quite a while we finally found them here which made my son really happy. We met a really nice lady Mrs Aneta and she served us in an excellent way, took time for a chat with us and recommended some stuff, all with a smile on her face.
Amazing place where you can spend time with you friends.
Amazing food. Service was very good as well, and the atmosphere was top-notch.
Reasonable prices too. They recommend about 4 dishes per person and we had a few drinks, and it only came to £45 pp.
Our table got the chicken katsu, chicken and cashew dumplings, honey chicken rice bowel, prawn dumplings, vegetarian noodles and a bunch of mocktails, the apple cinnamon and the lemon + lychee drinks were the best! So refreshing! The chicken katsu and the prawn dumplings were delicious as well though the katsu comes with such little curry it’s not enough at all and they charge for extra which seems crazy given it’s a curry dish? They bring it on the side like a dipping sauce…. The chicken cashew dumplings were okay, a little bland and honey chili chicken is nothing like the menu describes it. The service overall is a bit all over the place but they are nice.
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