Korean Restaurants in London: Where to Eat Now
New Malden’s Koreatown and the City’s Growing Appetite
If you have lived in west London for any length of time, you will know that New Malden is the place to go for Korean food. The town has long been the city’s Koreatown, home to Korean-language churches and schools, supermarkets stocked with ingredients you cannot find elsewhere, and an estimated 10,000 Korean residents. It has a past to match. The South Korean ambassador once lived in the area during the 1970s, and a Samsung head office was based there until 2005. Those roots helped turn it into the destination it is today.
What has changed recently is how far Korean cooking has travelled. For years, the best meals were largely found in New Malden and in Chinatown. Now the cuisine has spread across the capital, with new openings in neighbourhoods that once had little choice. The Korean Wave, fuelled by films, music and television, has clearly played a part. Londoners who discovered kimchi through a streaming series are now looking for the real thing, and restaurateurs have responded.
For residents of Whitton and Hounslow, the nearest Korean stretch is still a short drive away, and many families make the trip regularly for weekend shopping and a long lunch. Diners in Richmond and across the borough can make the same journey in under half an hour when traffic allows. The practical advice is simple: if you are heading to New Malden at the weekend, arrive early, as the busier restaurants fill quickly and queues build up at lunchtime.
Miga on Mare Street: A Family Kitchen With Deep Roots
Among the newer arrivals, Miga has quickly earned attention. The modern Korean kitchen opened quietly on Mare Street in the summer of 2024, but its story began much earlier. Miga started in New Malden 22 years ago, when the brothers’ grandmother opened the first branch. Today the business is run by the two brothers and their father, who takes sole charge of the kitchen. It is a true family affair, and that shows in the food and the atmosphere.
The menus change between lunch and dinner, and several dishes stand out. The fresh steamed tofu comes with grilled kimchi made in-house, which gives a smoky edge to a simple dish. The sanchaeg bibimbap is loaded with crisp vegetables, including spinach, soya bean sprouts, courgette, radish and dried napa cabbage. The ox bone broth follows a family recipe handed down by the grandmother, and the soy-braised short ribs are rich and tender. For something with more heat, the spicy noodles topped with beef jeon are a good choice, while the cucumber and spinach roll with miso sauce makes a lighter option.
The restaurant’s modern east London look, with warm, unfussy hospitality, suits the Mare Street crowd. Its success matters beyond the plate. It shows that a family business built over two decades in one part of London can find a new audience in another, and it gives local diners a reason to explore Hackney’s food scene beyond the usual haunts.
What Local Diners Should Know and What Comes Next
There is plenty to try across the city, whatever your budget or mood. Angel Dabang serves traditional twisted doughnuts called kkwabaegi, dusted with cinnamon sugar or pistachio for around £1.50, along with bulgogi croquettes, tteokbokki and its condensed milk dabang coffee. Its King’s Cross branch offers a fuller sit-down menu, with hearty dishes such as Gamasot Tongdak chicken. Both sites lean into the newtro trend, pairing retro interiors with a modern twist. For a casual night out, Hongdae Pocha and Pochawa Grill bring the Korean pub experience to London, while Chungdam on Greek Street, named after Seoul’s Cheongdong district, is one to watch as a Korean barbecue newcomer.
For local people thinking of turning a love of Korean food into a business, the practicalities matter as much as the recipes. Small restaurants and cafés in Hounslow and Whitton often need steady financial records, sensible cash flow planning and help with tax, so a reliable local Hounslow bookkeeping service can make a real difference. Owners should keep receipts and supplier invoices organised from day one, as this will save time and stress at the end of each quarter.
As a resident, the most useful thing you can do is support the places that make the neighbourhood distinctive. Book ahead for weekend meals, try a dish you have never ordered before, and tell friends when a family business does something well. Keep an eye on new openings in the coming months, particularly the arrival of Chungdam and any further expansion from the family-run spots that have built their reputations over many years.
Source: The Best Korean Restaurants In London
