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Taiwanese comedian Monica Hsueh went from lockdown banter to a full live hour with How to Be a Strong Woman in One Hour in London, her funny and honest show about resilience, migration and messy life moments.

From Filipino pancit to Japanese karaage, this is your ultimate guide to Asian food in London. We spotlight ESEA-owned stalls, restaurants, supperclubs, and hidden gems with interviews, maps, and monthly updates.

Born in lockdown and run by Vivien, a London mum-of-three, My Kids Are Hungry  serves home-cooked Vietnamese comfort food with an easygoing “family kitchen” vibe. The stall grew from sharing recipes online to a full-time spot at Southbank Centre Food Market, and yes, the kids helped choose the menu.    What to eat? Two signatures stand out: chicken & prawn bao — pan-fried, juicy, sesame-topped dumplings — and a crunchy, classic bánh mì. Everything at the stall is nut-free, wh

Updated 3/11/2025 This is your hub for finding East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) events in London. From underground gigs and rooftop supperclubs to heritage festivals, exhibitions and theatre, we spotlight what’s happening across the UK each month. Bookmark this page or sign up to our newsletter for updates! Featured Events This Month This Week Asia Triennial Manchester 6  | Nov – Dec | Manchester A multi‑venue exhibition and research project exploring value, identity and Asia

If you geek out over clean, clever design, this one’s for you. Japan House London’s new show, Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs , traces how simple symbols evolved into a shared visual language — from early sign systems to the game-changing sets created for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and right through to today’s signage and emojis. It’s a crisp, hands-on look at clarity, consistency, and why Japan leads the way in pictogram design. What you’ll see inside The exhibition steps

East Asian noodles, made for London streets. Sen Noods began as a lockdown idea between two friends, Godfrey and Johnny. They were living together, both out of work, and kept joking about “one day” running a food truck. In late 2021 they bought a van and actually did it. Their first bestseller was a soy-milk ramen inspired by an episode of Food Wars, created to give the menu a strong vegan option. Today, it is one of their most ordered bowls. From kitchen mates to a noodle

At Victoria Park Market each weekend, Cantoast  keeps things simple: thick-cut milk bread, dipped and fried, topped with butter, golden syrup and condensed milk. It looks classic because that is the point. The founder wants the toast to feel familiar to people from Hong Kong and easy to try for first-timers. (updated: Cantoast no longer in Victoria Park, you can find them at Shōtengai Market at King's Cross) The key is the bread. They bake their own Shokupan (milk bread) s

When JC  and Yin  set up a modest griddle stall in an Oxford market back in 2017, the goal was simple: pay rent and cure homesickness with the sweet, round pancakes they grew up eating. Six years and thousands of wheel‑shaped cakes later, Wheelcake Island  has become a fixture at Old Spitalfields Market, luring queues with the hiss of batter and the scent of custard and azuki bean. A “fun‑to‑watch” dessert that caught London’s eye "People were intrigued by the cooking process

Pho Street Eats is proof that comfort can flourish in unexpected seasons. The mother‑an d‑daughter stall launched in 2019 while Old Spitalfields Market was still emerging from lockdown lulls. Footfall was low, conversations were long, and every bowl of beef pho felt personal. "Those quiet months let us meet everyone properly," the daughter recalls. "Now the market is busy again, but we still recognise our regulars and check in with them." Real Broth, Local Roots Their recipe

Hope you are enjoying the stretch of summer sunshine! ☀️ Pride Month may have wrapped, but the celebration rolls on: London Pride hits the streets this weekend. If you are in town, pop into Gay’s The Word  in Bloomsbury, the landmark independent bookshop that has championed LGBTQ+ voices for more than forty years.   Food lovers, pay Pad + Sen Thai  a visit at the Southbank Centre Food Market. Founders Kitti and Pop turn Pad Thai so bright with tamarind, you will feel like you

The UK's only curated Vietnamese cinema season returns with a bold mission: to show Vietnamese stories beyond war narratives. Star Nhà Ease Season 2 dives into the raw energy of 1990s 'instant noodle' films and the rebellious storytelling of Vietnam's Đổi Mới era, complete with live musical responses and the launch of the first bilingual digital archive of Vietnamese cinema

Hi friends, How incredible has this sunshine been? ☀️ I hope you’re soaking it up, topping up on sunscreen, enjoying that sunshine and staying hydrated! While we bask in this rare UK heat, we’re also marking Refugee Week , a time to honour the journeys, stories, and contributions of people who have sought safety here. If you’re looking for a way to celebrate migration in action, put the Migration Matters Festival  on your list. Sheffield’s week-long programme is packed with t

Hi friends, Happy Pride Month from NOVA ESEA! 🌈 Pride month always reminds us that equality and freedom are never given freely. They’re hard-won, hard-fought, and worth protecting. At NOVA ESEA, we stand proudly with the LGBTQ+ community and believe in creating a space where everyone feels seen, safe, and celebrated. Let’s keep showing up, not just during Pride Month, but all year round. Happy Philippine Independence Day, too! 🇵🇭 We’re excited to mark this occasion with

Hey friends,   Thanks for reading the second issue of NOVA. While we’re here to celebrate community and culture, I also want to take a moment to address something heavier. Recently, the UK Prime Minister claimed that immigration is turning the UK into “an island of strangers,” suggesting that people like us — immigrants — are the reason this country feels divided. As someone who lives, works, and pays taxes here (and pays extra for healthcare, depending on visa status), I can

Discover upcoming East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) events in the UK, a featured story on Nepalese Tibetan Street Fusion, and how the ESEA community is showing support for Myanmar & Thailand. Curated by NOVA ESEA.

Horniman Museum & Gardens is one of South London's hidden gems, nestled in the heart of Forest Hill, and has been captivating visitors...