Pitstop Cafe

Ive been a customer at Pitstop café for over 3 years, and I can count with one hand when Ive been disappointed! Located on Berwick street, just next to yauatcha, the original pitstop café is a small kiosk on wheels run by Carol and her family/​friends. They serve up freshly made south east Asian food — ranging from bbq pork buns to fried sea bass on egg fried rice. The kiosk is almost always busy and the queue almost always long! Another amazing fact is how different the orders can be — one customer can order the assam pork belly on rice, another the Singapore noodles… The variety offered from such a small kiosk is very impressive indeed. The kiosk is visited by regulars (Carol remembers who you are) like myself to newcomers who are drawn in by the length of the queue and the sweet smell of gas fried chicken/​prawns/​fish/​pork. My personal recommendations are the CKT and sea bass fried rice. But you are free to try whatever combination you fancy. The fifth star (the most difficult to earn in my opinion) comes from the fact that this is all on offer for a mere £6 or £7! PitStop café always makes me look forward to lunch time.
Recently they have opened up another stall next to the original kiosk, which serves buns and soup — a must on my to try list.

I can only speak to their popup tents, and even more specific, to their bau tacos. Although I am not a bau or oily meat fan, the ingredients are so fresh and lean that it’s worth the splurge experience. The bau buns are fluffy and soft without being spongy or leathery, moist without being heavy or sticking to your teeth at each bite. The crispy duck is_​flipping_​incredible. Not just in flavor but also preparation. It’s minced thin, almost as if to maximize crispness. The pork belly is quite lean for what it is, and sliced thin so you don’t feel as if you’re biting into chunks of blubbery fat – which, I suppose, is pitfall if you’re into that. What truly makes the food-​truck-​like fare out of this world is the red chili oil garnish, the game-​changer being that they blend crispy bits of bacon and its accompanying fat. Super addictive, I could put it on everything if I had the means. It’s the new Sriracha in my mind, only more fun and decadent. The baus have a simplistic yet pretty presentation, a fair price point (around £3.50 each), and they pack a lot of punch in such a small package. A bit messy, especially with the bacon chili oil, so definitely equip yourself with napkins.

Absolutely love Pitstop, it’s just a shame they’re not based there permanently. It’s a bit hit or miss whether you find them, best to check their Twitter page @pitstopcafesoho. Thoroughly recommend the duck fried rice and pan fried sea bass!

Wow, how do they do it? Two people squeezed into a mobile kitchen the size of a shoebox, turning out tasty, freshly cooked food to order? It’s a bleedin’ miracle.
Most lunchtimes there are people queuing up for a good ten minutes outside the Pitstop, some of them lingering long after they’ve received their goods. And it’s no surprise; the duo’s culinary (and economic) wizardry is a worthy spectacle in itself.
Current favourites are the Assam Pork Belly, served with egg-​fried rice. I’ve also developed a weakness for the prawn and chive dumplings. But I’m fast filling up my loyalty card, and there’s plenty more dishes to work through yet!

Pit stop is the best kept secret in Soho. There simply is nowhere better for fast, fresh, tasty chinese food on the go. It’s better thatn Hong Kong and I was there recently! Get there early afternoon, because the queues can be long.