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Angela Hui

Picture this: slabs of ruby-red char siu (barbecue pork) hanging over glowing charcoal, fat dripping and hissing as the meat blisters into a caramelised crust.
In Hong Kong, you will see such siu mei (Cantonese roast meats) on almost every street corner, the air thick with the sweet, smoky aroma of roast duck, goose and crispy pork belly.
In Bristol, in the southwest of England, such an experience is harder to come by. But Wangs, a restaurant in the city’s colourful Montpelier neighbourhood, is hoping to change that.
The restaurant, which opened in July 2024, was co-founded by Sandy Or and Sacha Watts.

Or, originally from Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin district, grew up in her dad’s noodle shop. She worked in finance after studying in the Netherlands and eventually circled back to her first love: food.
Watts, who is from Oxford, moved to mainland China when he was 22 to study language and culture, later working in brand strategy in Hong Kong, where he met Or in a queue for street food at a music festival.
In 2019, they moved to the UK and began hosting successful pop-ups and supper clubs in Bristol. Then, they found an old fruit and vegetable shop in Montpelier – known for being home to artists, musicians, young families and professionals – and turned it into a permanent space.
The idea behind Wangs is simple: to celebrate the beauty, diversity and deliciousness of food across mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The name was chosen to give the restaurant a familiar feel, like the Chinese equivalent of a “Smith’s” or “Jones’s”.
“Or’s doesn’t have the same ring to it,” Watts laughs. “We wanted a space that was built on bringing the local community together and cultural exchange.”
The restaurant’s head chef, Emily Xinxin Chan, grew up in her family’s Chinese takeaway in Swindon, a town 65km (40 miles) east of Bristol, and previously worked at Tare Bistro, a Michelin-recognised Bristol restaurant that closed earlier this year.
She has created a menu that includes handmade dumplings and wontons, Taiwanese fried chicken, fresh noodles, and sticky rice bowls.

Earlier this year, Wangs launched a crowdfunding campaign to help ship and install a traditional Cantonese charcoal roasting oven from Hong Kong.
The oven will take pride of place in the garden terrace and will be similar to those used across Hong Kong to make char siu, roast duck and crispy pork belly.
The funds raised will also enable Wangs to turn the basement of the property into a mahjong room and increase the outdoor dining and walk-in capacity, bringing the buzz and energy of Hong Kong’s dai pai dong street food culture to Bristol.
The crowdfunding was complete by the end of August, and soon Wangs will be the first restaurant in Bristol with this kind of oven.
Unlike conventional equipment, these cylindrical roasters suspend meat vertically over charcoal to help achieve an evenly crispy skin, juicy meat and sweet, salty and smoky flavours – the hallmarks of Cantonese roast meats.
The restaurant is currently focusing on char siu and pork belly and will eventually add roast duck, goose and vegetable-led tasting menus.

For Wangs, expanding knowledge and learning how to cook with fire is only part of the goal. It is also about shifting the perception and narrative around Chinese cuisine in the UK.
“Our mission is for people to see that Chinese food is a craft. It’s not cheap, fast or easy,” Chan says. “It’s like a Sunday roast; it’s something that takes time, patience and love. You have to prepare the meat, tend to it like a baby, and coax the best out of it. That’s the level we’re aiming for.”
Or and Watts’ decision to crowdfund directly from customers rather than seek investors was made with the aim of finding a model that worked financially without compromising on their mission or values.
“We wanted to do this our way without someone dictating what we can or can’t do,” Watts says. “There’s already so much pressure on restaurants, especially in Bristol, where so many are closing, even big chains, because of tight margins and fewer people eating out. People are waking up to the fact that independent places need support, and this campaign feels like a way for the community to get behind us.”
Wangs aims to bridge mainland Chinese, Hong Kong, Taiwanese and British cultures through food, in a space that is welcoming and inclusive, especially for the growing community of BNO (British National Overseas) Hongkongers who have settled in Bristol.
The ultimate goal of Wangs is to help break down barriers and build connections through shared meals.
“We’re constantly on this journey to look deeper into different regions of China, exploring the techniques and crafts while pairing that with the community side of things, too,” Chan says.
“We’ve collaborated with chefs and neighbour restaurants like Lee Lap-fai, Tomo No Ramen and Jenny Lau from Celestial Peach to showcase what Chinese food can be.”
With big plans to grow, Wangs is leading a new chapter for Cantonese barbecue that honours tradition while pushing boundaries. Through love, passion and meticulous craft, it is redefining Chinese food, proving that exceptional cooking comes from grit, heart and dedication.


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The Chinese restaurant bringing real Hong Kong barbecue to the UK’s West Country

These Cantonese barbecue dishes were the result of a collaboration between Chinese restaurant Wangs and roast meat specialist Lap Fai-lee for a one-off pop-up in August 2025 to raise funds for Wangs’ Cantonese barbecue oven. Photo: Instagram/@oishinboy

Customers gather outside Wangs. Photo: Wangs

An assortment of dishes at Wangs. Photo: Wangs

Wangs celebrates the diversity of food across mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Photo: Wangs

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Hotpot is enjoyed throughout Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia, but how can you eat it without offending your fellow diners? Photo: Shutterstock

Although hotpot is a communal dining experience, it is easiest to let everyone serve themselves. Photo: A Smoking Affair

Dipping plastic utensils in hotpot is a big no-no, as it can lead to contamination of the broth. Photo: A Smoking Affair

It is highly recommended to wait until the hotpot broth is bubbling before adding food, so it cooks safely and quickly. Photo: Shoo Loong Kan Hot Pot 

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Mamoru Hayashi, managing director of the Heichinrou Group, which owns Metropol, chooses dim sum dishes at the Hong Kong restaurant in Admiralty on August 26, 2025. Photo: Elson Li

Hayashi chats over dim sum at Metropol on August 26, 2025. Photo: Elson Li

A still from a video from 1990 shows “aunties” pushing dim sum trolleys among diners at Metropol. Photo: Metropol

Heichinrou restaurant was founded in Yokohama, Japan, in the 1880s. Photo: Heichinrou

Diners pack Metropol in July, after it was announced the restaurant would close on September 27. Photo: Jelly Tse

A customer picks dim sum dishes at Metropol. Photo: Elson Li

Food name tags are seen on a dim sum cart at Metropol. Photo: SCMP

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Kent Wong, aka Uncle K, at Lok Yuen, a traditional Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng cafe in Kowloon City. The content creator has risen to Instagram fame in recent months with his videos about Hong Kong restaurants. Photo: Sam Tsang

Wong enjoys a dish at Lok Yuen, in the Kowloon City Market and Cooked Food Centre. Photo: Kylie Knott

Kent Wong’s videos exploring Hong Kong’s food scene have made him a reluctant social media star. Photo: Kent Wong

Wong with Hong Kong-born Canadian actress Grace Chan in Chungking Mansions, in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: Instagram

The cover of Wong’s book. Photo: Kent Wong

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Bartenders at Chandu create drinks with a narrative that are loosely based on history. Photo: The Robertson House by the Crest Collection

A bartender mixes a drink at Chandu, one of our picks of six of the best hidden speakeasy bars in Singapore. Photo: The Robertson House by the Crest Collection

The Mizuwari whisky highball at Live Twice uses Hokkaido soft water rather than soda to accentuate the malt notes of the Japanese Nikka whiskies. Photo: Instagram/@livetwicesg

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Chandu’s Mata Hari cocktail is named after a Dutch dancer and courtesan. Photo: Facebook/Chandu

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Jade Harbour is part of The Bund menu currently offered at Junior the Pocket Bar, inspired by the Shanghai district. Credit: Junior the Pocket Bar

For its Korean Joseon dynasty-inspired menu, the interiors of Junior the Pocket Bar featured dragons. Photo: Philipp Meier

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The drinks at Roxy are based on classics, but are given their own spin. Photo: Facebook/Roxy

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Lifestyle

Food & Drink

Wangs, soon to be Bristol’s first restaurant with a traditional Cantonese charcoal roasting oven, wants to bridge cultures through food


Wangs, soon to be Bristol’s first restaurant with a traditional Cantonese charcoal roasting oven, wants to bridge cultures through food.


The Chinese restaurant bringing real Hong Kong barbecue to the UK’s West Country

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Wangs, soon to be Bristol’s first restaurant with a traditional Cantonese charcoal roasting oven, wants to bridge cultures through food

Wangs, soon to be Bristol’s first restaurant with a traditional Cantonese charcoal roasting oven, wants to bridge cultures through food