05/10/26

Canary Wharf celebrates Black History month with four new murals

Canary Wharf is marking Black History Month this October with a free public art trail celebrating Black creativity, achievement and identity through four striking new murals by interdisciplinary artist Jasmine Kahlia. Free to explore throughout the month, the temporary installations have been inspired by Kahlia’s Jamaican, Indian, Somali and Yemeni roots, alongside a series of interviews with Black entrepreneurs, scientists, artists and professionals who have built their careers or lives in Canary Wharf.

The trail begins with Folkloriq on North Colonnade, a colourful celebration of Caribbean and Central American art and intergenerational storytelling. Over on Upper Bank Street, Facin our Dreamz features portraits of accomplished individuals from fields including science, AI, sport and finance, with each subject’s personality reflected through Kahlia’s bold use of colour.

At Montgomery Square, Blaq Excellence explores liberation, belonging and the wider Black diaspora, blending a spectrum of skin tones into its central figure. Completing the trail on George Street is Heartest Truth, which follows the highs and lows of building a successful career through four themes: Downfall, Triumph, Connection and Freedom. The new works sit alongside Canary Wharf’s permanent public art collection, which includes more than 100 sculptures, murals and architectural pieces dotted throughout the neighbourhood.

Designed to be stumbled upon as much as deliberately sought out, the trail offers an easy way to combine art, culture and a wander around Canary Wharf this autumn. Jasmine Kahlia’s Black History Month trail is free to visit throughout October at North Colonnade, Upper Bank Street, Montgomery Square and George Street, Canary Wharf.

Dates: Throughout October 2026

Locations: North Colonnade, Upper Bank Street, Montgomery Square and George Street, Canary Wharf, London

For more information, click here.

Written by Enytha Peer

Mural titled Facin Our Dreamz by Jasmine Kahlia for Canary Wharf Black History Month. Photo credit Sean Pollock

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Xi Home Dumplings Bay - Review

Sep 25, 2024

2 min read

Updated: Sep 26, 2024

Inspired by Dalian, China, Xi Home Dumplings Bay is a dumpling haven on Blossom Street near Liverpool Street Station. Founded by 27-year-old Wenjun Xiang. The restaurant offers over 20 authentic, handmade dumplings, along with tea pairings, cocktails, and detox juices. Dishes are freshly prepared by selected Dalian chefs, and diners can watch the action in the glass-panelled open kitchen.

Hidden down an unsuspecting side street by Spitalfields Market, it was 1:30 PM on a Wednesday afternoon, and the place was packed. With a lively lunchtime, we were lucky enough to arrive while the owner was there. She talked us through the menu and shared the most popular options. We apologized in advance for the amount of food we were about to order, as we wanted basically everything.

Kicking things off with their signature dumplings, these Northern Chinese delights have earned their reputation as some of the best available in London. We ordered the fresh jade lobster dumplings (which we were told was a best seller), these vibrant and fresh dumplings were an absolute winning dish! The lobster inside was fresh, meaty, and very moreish.

We also ordered the mushroom dumplings, which were fresh, flavourful, and perfectly balanced between filling and casing. I'd highly recommend finishing them off with a healthy drizzle of the house chili oil if you enjoy spice.

We also ordered the Instagram-worthy ‘pork soup bun,’ which I can only describe as a giant soup dumpling that you enjoy through a straw. It sounds and looks a bit strange, but it’s so delicious — who doesn’t like trying something new?!

We followed the obligatory dumplings with a selection of items from each side of the menu. The super fresh smashed cucumber salad was crisp, crunchy, and packed with umami flavour, perfectly complementing the heavier items we ordered. The sweet and sour mushrooms had a crispy exterior with a chewy inside and a sauce that truly packs a punch. They also offer a chicken version, which they assured us is just as good as the vegan option.

The handmade cold noodles were my personal favourite; served with sesame sauce, seitan chunks, vegetables, and more chili oil, this was a truly epic version of the famous Chinese dish.

Definitely not to be forgotten were the Dan Dan noodles, featuring a spicy sauce that was another outstanding vegetarian option, bursting with flavour and fresh ingredients.

For dessert, we had the steamed sticky pumpkin cakes: little sweet patties with a crunchy crumb crust. Served as miniature cakes, these are a great sharing option when you want something sweet but can’t eat much more.

Given the monumental amount of food we ordered there was plenty of leftovers but the team gave us containers to take this all with us so there was zero waste. We also picked up a couple of jars of their ridiculously good homemade chilli oil which is honestly a reason to visit in itself.

I Would highly recommend Xi Home Dumplings Bay to the Chinese food lovers out there, one of the best in London!

Opening Times: Monday to Sunday 8:30am – 10pm

Address: XI Home Dumplings: Blossom Street, London, E1 6PL

Website www.xihomedumplings.co.uk

Written by Jordan Crowley

Photography by Nyla Sammons