London has quietly (and then not so quietly) become one of the great Asian food cities on earth. It's home to more Michelin-starred Asian restaurants than almost any city outside Asia; a Chinatown that has expanded well beyond its original borders; and diaspora communities from across East, Southeast, and South Asia who have been feeding the city for generations.
If you know where to look, you can find hand-pulled noodles made to the same standard as Xi'an, omakase counters that rival Tokyo's best, and Korean barbecue joints in New Malden that locals drive across town for.
In this guide, we’ll list down the best Asian restaurants in London across six cuisines: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai, with practical details to help you plan. Ready your notes and let’s go on a food trip!
Chinese restaurants in London
Red lanterns on London’s Chinatown | Photo by Artūras Kokorevas on Pexels
London's Chinese food scene goes far beyond Chinatown, though Chinatown itself, centered on Gerrard Street in the West End, remains the city's most iconic spot for a Chinese meal. The restaurants here run the full spectrum, from roast duck canteens to elegant dim sum parlors.
Head further out and you'll find regional specialists in Archway, hot pot restaurants in Queensway, and some of the city's most talked-about Cantonese cooking in the suburbs.
1. A. Wong
Address: 70 Wilton Rd, Pimlico, London SW1V 1DE, United Kingdom
Must-order: Tasting menu, har gau (prawn dumpling), and Peking duck with pancakes
Nearby attractions:
• Westminster Cathedral: 8-minute walk
• St. James's Park: 18-minute walk
One of London's most celebrated Chinese restaurants, A. Wong in Victoria has held two Michelin stars since 2021, making it the first Chinese restaurant in Europe to reach that milestone. Chef Andrew Wong takes classic Cantonese and regional Chinese dishes and presents them with impressive technique; the dim sum here is definitely worth the hype.
Reservations are essential, sometimes weeks in advance. The tasting menu is the way to go if budget allows; the lunchtime dim sum is more accessible and still excellent.
Klook Tip: For a more casual introduction to London's Chinese food scene, join a Soho and Chinatown food tour that takes you through the city's most famous Asian dining district with a local guide.
2. Yauatcha Soho
Address: 15-17 Broadwick St, London W1F 0DL
Must-order: Prawn and scallop dumplings, venison puffs, and baked egg custard tarts
Nearby attractions:
• Leicester Square: 8-minute walk
• Carnaby Street: 4-minute walk
Yauatcha is right in the heart of Soho and is widely regarded as London's best spot for dim sum. The ground floor is a sleek, dark-lit dining room; downstairs is a pâtisserie café. The dim sum menu is extensive, with delicate skins, flavorful fillings, and seasonal specials that change throughout the year.
3. Four Seasons (Chinatown)
Address: 12 Gerrard St, London W1D 5PR, United Kingdom
Must-order: Half roast duck with rice; wonton noodle soup
Nearby attractions:
• Covent Garden: 7-minute walk
• Leicester Square: 4-minute walk
• National Portrait Gallery: 6-minute walk
For roast duck done the Cantonese way, Four Seasons on Gerrard Street is a London institution. The lacquered duck glistens in the window; there's usually a queue out the door on weekends, and the prices are refreshingly reasonable for the quality. It's a no-frills dining room, but the cooking is the point.
Chinatown is at its best on a weekday evening when the crowds thin out and the neon lights come on. Four Seasons is the sort of place you can eat brilliantly for under USD $25 a head.
Japanese restaurants in London
Eat the best omakase in London | Photo from East West - Sushi, Grill, Lounge on Wikimedia
London's Japanese food scene has come a long way over the past decade. The city now has everything from approachable ramen shops and izakayas to omakase counters where chefs source fish directly from Japan. Soho and Mayfair have the most, but excellent Japanese restaurants are turning up across the city.
1. The Araki
Address: Unit 4, 12 New Burlington St, London W1S 3BF, United Kingdom
Nearest tube: Bond Street or Green Park
Must-order: Omakase counter menu
If omakase sushi is your thing, Araki in Mayfair is one of the most exceptional Japanese dining experiences in Europe. Chef Mitsuhiro Araki, who earned three Michelin stars in Tokyo before relocating to London, runs an intimate 9-seat counter where every piece of nigiri is made to order. The fish are sourced partly from Japan and partly from British waters.
This is a serious special-occasion restaurant with price tags to match, but for the right diner it's world-class. Reservations open months in advance and are hard to get.
2. Tonkotsu (Soho)
Address: Unit 4, 12 New Burlington St, London W1S 3BF, United Kingdom
Nearest tube: Bond Street or Green Park
Must-order: Omakase counter menu
For the best Japanese food in London at a more accessible price, Tonkotsu in Soho is hard to beat for ramen. The broth is cooked for 18 hours, and the result is deeply rich and fatty in the best possible way. There are now several branches across London, but the original Dean Street location in Soho has the atmosphere the others lack.
Korean restaurants in London
A comforting bowl of sundubu jjigae, or soft tofu stew | Photo by Cynthia Ortega Espinosa on Pexels
New Malden in south-west London is the heart of the UK's Korean community and home to more authentic Korean restaurants than anywhere else in the country. Central London has caught up fast, with excellent Korean barbecue and jjigae spots opening across Soho, Covent Garden, and Fitzrovia.
1. Cahchi Korean (New Malden)
Address: 79-81 Kingston Rd, New Malden KT3 3PB, United Kingdom
Must-order: Sundubu jjigae, galbi, banchan selection
Nearby attractions:
• Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve: 14-minute drive
• Hampton Court Palace: 22-minute drive
For a truly local Korean experience, Cahchi Korean in New Malden is the name that comes up again and again among Londoners who know their Korean food. The restaurant is no-frills in decor, but the sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew), galbi (short ribs), and range of banchan (small side dishes) are the real deal. Prices are very reasonable by London standards.
Klook Tip: New Malden is about 30 minutes from central London by train from Waterloo. Set aside a Saturday afternoon to explore the high street and its Korean grocers, bakeries, and restaurants.
2. Daebak
Address: 316-318 Kennington Ln, London SE11 5HY, United Kingdom
Must-order: Korean fried chicken (yang nyeom), seafood pancake, beef bibimbap, kimchi jjigae
Nearby attractions:
• Vauxhall City Farm: 1-minute walk
• Tate Britain: 16-minute walk
Daebak has been bringing Korean cuisine to the Vauxhall area since 2017, and it's become one of South London's most reliable neighborhood Korean spots. The cooking centers on classic Korean staples: Korean fried chicken, sizzling beef bibimbap, rich seafood tofu stew, and bulgogi dumplings, all done with care and at prices that make it easy to order generously.
The Korean fried chicken is what Daebak is best known for: lightly battered, perfectly crisped, and deboned so portions are impressively large. The yang nyeom (sweet and spicy) sauce is the one to go for!
Vietnamese restaurants in London
A bowl of bun bo hue (spicy beef and pork noodle soup) | Photo by FOX ^.ᆽ.^= ∫ on Pexels
Kingsland Road in Dalston, known locally as "Pho Mile," is still the best place for authentic Vietnamese food in London. The restaurants here are largely family-run, inexpensive, and consistent. In recent years, more polished Vietnamese spots have opened in Shoreditch and Soho, bringing the cuisine to a wider audience without sacrificing quality.
1. Mien Tay
Address: 106-108 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8DP, United Kingdom
Must-order: Bún bò Huế, bánh xèo, fresh spring rolls
Nearby attractions:
• Ridley Road Market: 5-minute drive
• Shoreditch Park: 15-minute walk
Mien Tay on Kingsland Road is one of the originals on Pho Mile and still one of the best. The menu focuses on southern Vietnamese cooking that’s lighter, fresher, and more herb-forward than northern styles. The bún bò Huế (spicy beef and pork noodle soup) and bánh xèo (sizzling crepe) are standouts.
2. Shoreditch Grind / Viet Eat (Brick Lane area)
The area around Brick Lane and Shoreditch has seen a wave of new Vietnamese spots open alongside its Bangladeshi and South Asian establishments. Join a Shoreditch small group food tour that covers the neighborhood's diversity well and often includes Vietnamese and Southeast Asian stops that aren't on most tourist maps.
Thai restaurants in London
A vibrant bowl of Pad Thai | Photo by Sai Kuen Leung on Pexels
London's Thai food scene has seen an upgrade in recent years. Beyond the reliable high-street Thai chains, a new generation of restaurants is cooking regional Thai food: Isaan, southern, and northern, with an authenticity that would have been hard to find in London a decade ago.
1. Smoking Goat
Address: 64 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JJ, United Kingdom
Must-order: Smoked chicken wings, laab, som tam, and pork collar
Nearby attractions:
• Spitalfields Market: 9-minute walk
• Brick Lane: 8-minute walk
Smoking Goat in Shoreditch is one of London's most talked-about Thai restaurants. The menu centers on Thai barbecue and fermented flavors: som tam (green papaya salad), laab (minced meat salad), and aged fish sauce-marinated meats, and the cooking is more aligned with a late-night Bangkok canteen than a London restaurant.
2. Rosa's Thai
Addresses: Soho, Covent Garden, London Fields, Warren Street, Carnaby, Baker Street, Spitalfields, Tower Bridge, etc.
Must-order: Pad thai, green curry, mango sticky rice
For reliable, well-priced Thai food across multiple London locations, Rosa's Thai is the city's go-to. The Soho original on Dean Street is the best of the bunch. Pad thai, green curry, and massaman are all done properly, and the portions are generous.
FAQs about Asian restaurants in London
Where is the best Asian food in London?
London has excellent Asian restaurants spread across the city, not just in one area. Chinatown and Soho are the most concentrated spots for Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Pan-Asian dining. Kingsland Road (Dalston) is the address for Vietnamese food; New Malden is where you go for Korean; and Tooting is outstanding for South Asian and Sri Lankan.
What is the best Chinese restaurant in London?
A. Wong in Victoria is widely considered the finest Chinese restaurant in London and holds two Michelin stars. For dim sum specifically, Yauatcha in Soho is a go-to. For roast duck at a fraction of the price, Four Seasons in Chinatown is a local institution.
Where is the best Japanese food in London?
For some good omakase sushi, Araki in Mayfair is exceptional (although also exceptional in price; expect to pay upwards of USD $400/head). For ramen, Tonkotsu in Soho remains the benchmark. London now has strong izakayas, yakitori counters, and Japanese ramen shops across the city, and Soho and Fitzrovia have the highest concentration.
What are the best Korean restaurants in London?
For the most authentic Korean restaurants London has to offer, New Malden in south-west London is where the city's Korean community is concentrated, and restaurants like Cah Chi offer a level of authenticity and value that central London equivalents rarely match. It's worth the 30-minute train journey from Waterloo.
Where can I find authentic Vietnamese food in London?
Kingsland Road in Dalston, known as Pho Mile, is the place for authentic Vietnamese food in London. Mien Tay is one of the longest-standing and most reliable spots on the strip. Prices are low, quality is high, and the atmosphere is as close to a Vietnamese canteen as you'll get in the UK.
London's Asian food scene is waiting 🥢
From Michelin-starred dim sum in Victoria to sundubu jjigae in New Malden, London's Asian restaurants span every cuisine, price point, and experience. The city's diaspora communities have built something world-class here, and you could spend weeks eating your way through it without covering the same ground twice.
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