top of page
Search

East & Southeast Asian Food Guide London: Street Food, Restaurants, Supperclubs & Pop-Ups

Last updated: 8 May 2026


ESEA food in London — meaning East and Southeast Asian cuisines from communities including Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Thai, Malaysian, and Nepali — spans everything from street food markets to restaurants & intimate supperclubs. This guide covers 30+ ESEA-owned food makers across London: the stalls at Southbank and Berwick Street, the roving supper clubs, and the café and deli spaces that have become quiet community hubs.


We'll keep adding to this list as we discover more.

If you're a food stall, restaurant, supperclub or pop-up that we should know about, let us know. Contact us at info@novaesea.com





Street Food Markets

From night markets to daytime street fairs, these ESEA food stalls serve up everything from karaage to Hong Kong noodles, momo to Pad Thai.


London's ESEA street food scene runs on weekends and market days, often pop-up and seasonal, always worth tracking down. Follow each maker on Instagram to see where they'll be.


Japanese | Karaage A mother-daughter operation, and that dynamic comes through in every bowl. Their karaage rice bowl is the thing to order — thighs fried crisp and juicy, served over rice with a sauce they won't fully disclose. There's a confidence to the cooking here that you don't get from a chain.


East Asian

The recipe behind Sen Noods has been in the family for a long time — Vietnamese-Chinese in origin, refined over years of home cooking before it ever went near a market stall. Brothy, deeply seasoned, and generous with the toppings.


Hong Kong

Hong Kong-style French toast is thick-sliced, egg-drenched, and fried until it's golden and just a little bit wrong in all the right ways. Cantoast serves it properly — hot, with the right amount of syrup, made by a family that grew up eating it.


Taiwanese | Japanese Wheelcake Island sits at the crossover between Taiwanese street snacking and Japanese influence, and the result is a pancake that's fluffy, slightly crisp at the edges, and filled in ways you didn't know you needed. This is the kind of stall you circle back to at the end of the market.


Vietnamese

Good pho is mostly broth — and the broth here has been looked after properly. Slow-cooked, clear, and fragrant with the spices that are supposed to be there. They've been doing this since 2019, a mother and daughter running it together, which tells you everything about where the recipe came from.


Vietnamese | Berwick Street Market, Soho A family-run stall at Berwick Street Market serving Vietnamese street food built on generations of home cooking. The pho broth simmers for hours and the banh mi are assembled fresh to order. Read our full interview with the family behind it.


Japanese | Fusion The concept is Japanese-inspired — compressed rice patties standing in for bread — but the execution is its own thing. Rice Burger Zen appeared in Issue 02 of our print magazine and has been a reliable find at markets since.


Thai | Street Food — Southbank Freshly made pad thai at Southbank, and it shows: this isn't the pre-cooked version sitting in a tray. The noodles are cooked to order, the flavour has the right balance of sour, sweet and heat, and the portions are substantial.


Vietnamese — Southbank Crispy bánh mì, pan-fried bao, and the kind of generous portions that suggest they're not trying to minimise cost. A family-run Vietnamese stall at Southbank that doesn't cut corners — the bread is right, the filling is right, and it arrives hot.


Japanese | Shepherd's Bush Market Handmade Japanese onigiri by Masami, found at Stall 6a inside Shepherd's Bush Market. Each rice ball is filled and shaped to order from a short, considered menu — the kind of place you'd travel across the city for and tell nobody about.


Malaysian | Fusion Nigerian-born, London-based, cooking Malaysian rendang and coconut rice. The rendang is slow-cooked to the point where the fat has gone sticky and the meat is almost falling apart. It tastes like somewhere specific, which is the highest compliment you can give market food.


Filipino — Tabard Street Market Filipino silog plates — Beef Tapa, Chicken Inasal, BBQ prawns — run by a family who knows what these dishes are supposed to taste like. Silog is a Filipino breakfast format (garlic rice + egg + your chosen protein) that works at any hour. Pinoy Eat is one of very few places doing it at a London market.


Restaurants

These ESEA-owned and ESEA-rooted restaurants have a permanent home in the city — worth booking in advance. BAO

Taiwanese | Soho, Fitzrovia, King's Cross, Borough, Marylebone A London institution since 2015. The braised pork bao — slow-cooked pork belly, peanut powder, fermented greens in a soft steamed bun — is one of the city's most-copied dishes. Founded by a trio of Taiwanese owners, BAO now runs five sites and holds the Michelin Bib Gourmand.


Thai | Shoreditch After years running its cult canteen in Leytonstone, Singburi relocated to Shoreditch in 2025. The larb, grilled fish, and house-made curry pastes are among the most deeply-flavoured Thai dishes in London. Michelin Bib Gourmand 2026.


Malaysian | Harbord Square, Canary Wharf A Malaysian kopitiam — traditional coffee house — planted in Canary Wharf. Kaya toast, Hainanese chicken rice, and teh tarik pulled tableside. One of the few places in London that does kopitiam culture properly.


Indonesian | St James's Market, SW1 Opened in 2023 near Piccadilly, Toba is London's first serious standalone Indonesian restaurant. The menu ranges across the archipelago — beef rendang, soto betawi, and house-made sambals — all executed with real technique.


Filipino | Poland Street, Soho Modern Filipino cooking in the heart of Soho. The name means 'home' and 'family' in Filipino, and the menu lives up to it — adobo, kare-kare, and lechon served in a room that's relaxed without being casual. Natural wine list to match.


Taiwanese | Long Acre, Covent Garden Taiwanese noodles near Covent Garden, with broths built over many hours. The hand-pulled braised beef noodle soup is the thing to order — thick, rich, and the kind of bowl that makes the surrounding area feel very far away.


Malaysian | Euston, Battersea, Waterloo Founded by Malaysian-born Sugar Gopal, Roti King spent years drawing queues outside its Euston canteen before expanding to three sites. The roti canai — layered, buttery, griddled to order with dhal — is the reason most people come. Exceptional value, consistently good.


Thai | Spitalfields A decade-old East London staple with a menu drawn from Thailand's regional cuisines. The khao soi and dry-roasted salads have been there from the start. Communal, loud, and exactly what it has always been.


Thai | Bermondsey A sibling-run Thai restaurant on Crucifix Lane, opened in 2018 by Bank, Roselyn, and Shakris Inngern. The menu is built on Bangkok home cooking: bold flavours, a minimal room, and service that feels like being hosted rather than served. Book ahead.


Vietnamese | Shoreditch Open since 2002, family-run, and still one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in London. The pho is slow-cooked and clear, the bun bo Hue carries real heat, and the menu covers regional dishes that most Vietnamese restaurants in London skip. On Kingsland Road — always the city's Vietnamese heartland.


Filipino | Soho The first Filipino restaurant in the UK to earn a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Donia sits inside Kingly Court in Carnaby and treats Filipino cuisine with the seriousness it deserves — adobo mushroom croquetas, chicken inasal, lechon with liver sauce. One of the most significant openings in London's ESEA food story.


Taiwanese | Bayswater A Taiwanese bistro with wine at its centre — some dishes are cooked with it, all are designed alongside it. The signature beef noodle soup arrives with a shot of rose stirred in. Refined, quietly original, and unlike anything else in London's Taiwanese scene.


Cafes, Delis & Hidden Gems


Thai — Borough Market RAYA runs a Thai grocery stall at Borough Market, selling fresh herbs, hand-pounded pastes, and the ingredients that make Thai cooking taste right at home. It's a grocery first, but if you've ever tried to find nam prik pao or galangal in a regular supermarket, you'll understand why it matters.


Japanese — Islington, Covent Garden, Brick Lane A Japanese tea room with three branches and a focused menu: matcha drinks, mochi cakes, Japanese sweets. Katsute100 earns its following through the quality of the tea and the calm of the room — both increasingly rare in London. Go to the Islington branch for more space, Brick Lane if you're already in East London.


ESEA | Community — Loom Club, Islington, Taiwanese breakfast in the morning, community canteen lunches during the day. Zao An Collective runs out of Loom Club in Islington and feels different from most cafes — less transactional, more like somewhere that actually wants you to be there.


Japanese | Pop-up — Dalston, Southbank, Stratford & beyond London's long-running Japanese market and culture event, running since 2019 out of The Factory in Dalston. Each edition brings together Japanese artists, craft makers, food vendors, musicians, and performers — onigiri, wagashi, ceramics, vintage kimono. Venues rotate across the city, so follow their Instagram to catch the next one.


Supperclubs & Pop-Ups

Whether it’s hosted in a home, gallery or warehouse, these ESEA-led supper clubs offer intimate menus and creative storytelling through food.


Filipino | Swedish | Fusion Swedish and Filipino heritage on one plate. swilipino started as a personal project and grew into one of the more interesting dining experiences in the city — not because fusion is automatically interesting, but because the two cuisines here actually have something to say to each other. Follow @swilipino for the next date.


East Asian Roving, seasonal, and seriously considered. 135 Supperclub does East Asian-inspired menus with a focus on local sourcing and a level of plating that belongs in a proper restaurant. The communal table format means you'll end up talking to the people next to you, which is the point. Follow @135supperclub for the next date.


Singaporean Homi is Singaporean at its core but the project is really about home — family food, diaspora memory, the version of cooking that exists between cultures. The supperclub format suits it: small numbers, one menu, a lot of intention. Follow @homikitchen.uk for the next date.



Want to Get Featured?

Are you an ESEA food maker? Whether you're just starting out or already serving the community, we'd love to interview and feature your story.



Frequently Asked Questions


What is ESEA food?

ESEA stands for East and Southeast Asia. It covers a wide range of cuisines from across East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan) and Southeast Asia (Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and more). In London, it's often used to describe food made by diaspora communities — people who grew up between cultures and bring both to their cooking.


Where can I find ESEA street food in London?

Southbank has a strong cluster of ESEA market stalls, particularly on weekends. East London markets in Hackney, Dalston, and Spitalfields also regularly host ESEA vendors. Borough Market has RAYA for Thai ingredients. The best way to track specific stalls is to follow them on Instagram — most post their upcoming market dates weekly.


What is a supperclub?

A supperclub is a ticketed, intimate dinner — usually hosted in a private space like a home, gallery, or studio rather than a restaurant. ESEA supperclubs in London often run on weekends, with 10–25 guests, a set menu, and a communal table. They tend to book out fast. Sign up for mailing lists and follow the hosts on Instagram to get early access.


How do I find out when ESEA pop-ups are happening in London?

Follow NOVA ESEA on Instagram (@nova.esea) and sign up for our newsletter — we post upcoming events weekly. The individual stalls and supperclubs listed above also announce dates on their own accounts.


Are these stalls suitable for vegetarians or vegans?

Several are — Sen Noods has vegan options, Zao An Collective caters to plant-based diets, and 135 Supperclub often runs seasonal menus with vegetable-focused dishes. Always check directly with the maker before attending, as menus change regularly.




Follow our newsletter for more content like this!

Comments

bottom of page