Mama Li, a restaurant specialising in authentic Hong Kong-style Siu Mei, will open its third London location in Canary Wharf at the end of January.
Located at 3 Rivington Walk in the Wood Wharf area, the new site promises a “more considered dine-in experience” while retaining the signature Cantonese roast meats that have made Mama Li popular.
Mama Li was founded by Catherine Hua and her mother as a personal project inspired by their search for Cantonese roast meats in London that matched the flavours they grew up with.
The pair began recreating those familiar tastes using family recipes, and what began as a nostalgic endeavour has since grown into a restaurant group rooted in comfort and everyday Cantonese cooking.
At the heart of the menu is Siu Mei – Hong Kong’s iconic roasted meats – prepared using traditional techniques.
The Canary Wharf location will offer four signature roasts: crispy pork, BBQ pork, soy chicken, and roasted duck.
The meats are cooked in a charcoal-fired roast duck oven for authentic depth of flavour and are served with rice and seasonal vegetables.
Guests can choose one, two, or three meats per plate and personalise their meal with options such as a fried egg or house chilli.
Catherine Hua, founder of Mama Li, said: “With this opening, it was important to us that we stayed true to the food our customers already love, while giving ourselves room to show more of how Cantonese food is really eaten.
“The new dishes, and the space itself, reflect the everyday meals I grew up with – comforting, familiar and designed to be shared with loved ones around the table, but just as comforting when enjoyed on your own.”
The Canary Wharf menu will also introduce a broader range of soup noodle dishes. These will include roast duck lai fun and wonton noodle soup, reflecting typical Cantonese dining.
Other options will nod to Hong Kong’s cha chaan teng café culture, such as bolo bao with butter, golden scrambled egg with char siu and rice, and salt and chilli pork chop with rice.
Unlike Mama Li’s earlier express-led sites, the new location will provide a larger dine-in space while still catering to the grab-and-go crowd.
More than half the restaurant will be dedicated to seating, encouraging guests to relax and dine in, while maintaining the efficient service expected by existing customers.
The design of the new restaurant was developed in partnership with interior architects Macaulay Sinclair.
Taking inspiration from Hong Kong’s cha chaan tengs, known for their informal and welcoming feel, the restaurant blends nostalgic elements with modern practicality.
This fusion creates a versatile space suitable for both quick lunches and unhurried evening meals.
Mama Li Canary Wharf will not offer bubble tea, but will instead introduce a range of in-house developed tea-based cocktails.
Created to complement Cantonese roast meats, the drinks will use fragrant teas such as jasmine and lychee, and are intended to offer a lighter alternative.
The brand describes the new offering as a “thoughtful evolution,” rooted in the comfort and generosity of Cantonese home cooking while bringing new depth to its menu and dining environment.
The opening marks Mama Li’s third location in London.
Londoners working in or visiting Canary Wharf will soon have another dining option that blends the comfort of home-style cooking with the vibrancy of Hong Kong café culture.
