Hong Kong–style Cantonese roast meats are heading to Canary Wharf as Mama Li prepares to open its third London restaurant at the end of January. Located in Wood Wharf, the capital’s newest waterfront district, the new site marks an evolution for the much-loved brand, combining its signature Siu Mei with a more considered dine-in experience.
Mama Li Canary Wharf
3 Rivington Walk, Wood Wharf, London E14
A family-led Cantonese food story
Founded by Catherine Hua and her mother, Mama Li began as a deeply personal passion project. After struggling to find Cantonese roast meats in London that tasted like the food they grew up eating, the pair turned to their own family recipes to recreate those familiar flavours. What started as a way to preserve a sense of home has since grown into a restaurant group built around comfort, generosity and everyday Cantonese cooking.
Since launching, Mama Li has earned a loyal following for bringing authentic Hong Kong flavours to London without compromise, something that continues with its Canary Wharf opening. You can learn more about the brand’s journey on the official Mama Li website.
Siu Mei remains at the heart of the menu
At the core of Mama Li’s offering is Siu Mei, Hong Kong’s iconic style of roasted meats. At Canary Wharf, the kitchen will continue preparing its roasts using traditional Cantonese techniques, including a charcoal-fired roast duck oven that delivers unmistakable depth of flavour.
Guests can choose from four signature roasts — crispy pork, BBQ pork (char siu), soy chicken and roasted duck — served with rice and seasonal vegetables. Plates can be personalised with one, two or three meats, alongside extras such as fried egg or Mama Li’s house chilli.
New noodle dishes and cha chaan teng classics
Alongside its established favourites, the Canary Wharf menu expands into a broader range of soup noodle dishes, reflecting how Cantonese food is eaten day to day. New additions include roast duck lai fun (燒鴨瀨粉) and wonton noodle soup (雲吞麵), staples of Hong Kong’s casual dining culture.
The restaurant will also introduce a selection of nostalgic cha chaan teng dishes — comfort foods rooted in Hong Kong café culture. Highlights include bolo bao with butter (菠蘿油), golden scrambled egg with char siu and rice (叉燒滑蛋飯), and salt and chilli pork chop with rice (椒鹽豬扒飯).
Designed for both dine-in and grab-and-go
Unlike Mama Li’s earlier express-led sites, the Canary Wharf restaurant strikes a balance between sit-down dining and quick takeaway. Over half of the space is dedicated to seating, encouraging guests to linger, while still catering to Canary Wharf’s busy lunchtime crowd.
The restaurant has been designed in collaboration with award-winning interior architects Macaulay Sinclair, with the shared goal of creating a space that feels warm, welcoming and lived-in.
Drawing inspiration from traditional Hong Kong cha chaan tengs, the interior blends nostalgic references with modern functionality, making it equally suited to fast lunches and relaxed evening meals.
Tea-based cocktails replace bubble tea
In a new move for the brand, Mama Li Canary Wharf will debut a range of tea-based cocktails, developed in-house to pair specifically with Cantonese roast meats. Built around fragrant teas such as jasmine and lychee, the drinks offer a lighter alternative to classic cocktails while nodding to the tea culture that underpins Cantonese dining.
“Food that feels like home”
Speaking about the opening, founder Catherine Hua 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.”
As Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf continues to establish itself as a food and cultural destination, Mama Li’s arrival adds an authentic Cantonese voice to the area’s growing dining scene. You can explore more about the district via Canary Wharf Group.
Mama Li Canary Wharf stays true to the brand’s original intention: serving food that feels like home — rooted in family tradition, cooked with care, and shared in a space designed to make everyone feel welcome.
