The Best Asian Restaurants in London
The capital boasts a wealth of Asian eating options with many restaurants being established for decades and still using original family recipes.
By Clare Dentith | Updated Nov 22 2023
Whatever the time of day in London, you know you’re guaranteed to be spoilt for choice. Culturecalling.com has whittled it down to our 10 favourite and most popular Korean, dim sum, Japanese, Thai, Indian and Chinese menus across London. Soy sauce at the ready…
Ivy St Pauls
The Ivy Asia St Paul's, New Change, London EC4M 9AG
Located in the heart of the city in proximity to Bank station, with stunning views of the St Paul’s Cathedral, The Ivy Asia St Paul’s is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.
The restaurant, as you’d expect, boasts a stunning interior – think gold mirrored bar and illuminated floor crafted from green, semi-precious stone. You can tell you’re in the heart of the city.
The menu sweeps across Asia and is broken down into sushi & sashimi and small dishes including, prawn dumplings and prawn tempura, The larger plates serve up fish, meat, beef and veggie options including - black cod and miso, sumptuous Wagyu beef with glazed shitake mushrooms or Szechuan veggies.
Fancy afternoon tea with an Asian influence? It’s available daily from 3 - 4.45pm with our without champagne.
Chutney Mary’s
73 St James's St, St. James's, London SW1A 1PH
Award winning, Chutney Mary’s is arguably one of London’s best Indian restaurants. It started life on the Kings Road, Chelsea in 1990 and relocated to the exclusive neighbourhood of St James. It’s a large, chilled restaurant with a low-lit decadent interior. Think table sizes for all occasions featuring a few oversized tables with plush seating and cleverly positioned at the front of the restaurant.
The accessible menu offers lots of choice and updated signature Indian dishes, whilst retaining the foundations of Indian cooking. All the dishes we tried are mouth-watering but the Drunken BBQ Tikka, Calcutta Prawn curry and Karwari fish curry will definitely beg you to go back.
Book a table here
MBER
1A Pudding Ln, London EC3R 8AB
MBER is located in the heart of the city on Pudding Lane. Hidden below ground, it’s a tranquil and intimate escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
MBER’s proud to select their ingredients from around the globe to re-create an authentic Asian flavour and the vast majority of the ingredients are organic.
This is an Asian restaurant with a twist; a tapas twist and you’re encouraged to try three dishes and a side per person. The small dishes’ menu is extensive and cuts across fish and seafood, meat, to veggie and vegan.
Our favourites include the freshest sashimi platter, crispy sesame squid and miso aubergine with an all veggie Thai Massaman curry.
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Hutong
33 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY
Like Chinese? Hutong is an award winning Northern Chinese restaurant with a view. The 33rd floor of the Shard to be specific. There are 2 lunch time menus and a large evening menu which caters all your Chinese favourite dishes and a lot more besides.
There’s a lot of Dim Sum, rice and noodles and a great choice of delectable seafood dishes. If you’re feeling really indulgent, you can sample the Sichuan deep-fried lobster with chilli and black bean with dried garlic.
Prices are certainly steeper than your average Chinese, but then you’re getting spectacular views of London thrown in.
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The Duck and Rice
A Chinese in a pub in the middle of Soho? It doesn’t sound right, does it. Well, this is a legendary restaurant serving up mouth-watering Cantonese from the same man who set-up Wagamama, Busubai and was awarded the first Michelin star for a Chinese restaurant, Hakkasan.
The Duck and Rice is in a former pub and takes inspiration from a traditional pub menu. You’ll find comforting home-cooked and truly delectable fragrant dishes including salt and pepper squid, crispy duck fried rice, Kung po chicken and sweet and sour pork.
Like a pub, there’s a good beer selection to choose from and a solid cocktail list. It’s Soho after all, darling. Oh there’s also a drag queen quiz night, just in case you were wondering.
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Spicy Mango
Tower Bridge | 36C Shad Thames, London, SE1 2Y1
Waterloo | 33 Coin Street, London, SE1 9NR
Islington | 6g Esther Anne Pl, London N1 1WL
Renowned chef Patron, Peter Lloyd set up Spicy Mango, first restaurant + 2, after a prestigious career leading some of the finest kitchens in London (think W Hotel, BANK, and Suka restaurant). It’s no surprise that this small chain makes it into culturecalling.com’s top 10 Asian menus.
There are 6 menus to choose from at Sticky Mango including: an Express lunch, a la cate, nine course tasting plus dietary menus. The a la carte is stripped back and serves up a nice selection of fish, meat, vegetables, rice and noodle dishes.
If you’re a meat eater, the Massaman lambshank is mouth-wateringly tender and the turmeric potatoes are moreish. The lobster pad thai is inventive and the wok fried monkfish with apple blossom and Malaysian chilli sauce packs a gentle kick.
You’ll want to return to this restaurant again and again.
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Ping Pong Bow Bells
Unit 7-9 Bow Bells House, 1 Bread Street, London EC4M 9BE
Lost in the city and in need of good food, an amazing atmosphere, and quirky cocktails? The fun sounding Ping Pong Bow Bells is a great casual Chinese restaurant located in the heart of the city a stone's throw from St Paul's and moments away from One New Change shopping center.
The menu serves up mothwatering Chinese bites including: dumplings, bao buns and gyozas. This is small plate heaven!
Their steamed delicacies are handcrafted every morning and packed with a selection of assorted fresh fillings including prawn and chive, spicy vegetable, and the grilled beef gyoza is to die for. They come served with authentic sweet, savoury or spicy dipping sauces and perfect for sharing.
There's also a wide ranging list of cocktails to chose from if you fancy sipping on a beijing sunset with your bao buns!
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Itadaki Zen
139 King's Cross Rd, London WC1X 9BJ, United Kingdom
Not everyone is inclined towards raw fish, and guess what, sushi isn’t all about that either. If you prefer to stick to veggies or have a vegan in the group, Itadaki Zen is the spot for you as the first organic and vegan sushi restaurant in Europe.
Known as a sociable venue, they regularly host events and live music. The combination of food and experiences that are both good for the body and the soul equates to a wholesome, conscious, experience.
Their set menu is also on the affordable range of pricing with dishes starting from £4 - we recommend the vegan tempura!
Sushisamba
Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY
Established in 2012, Sushisamba is a unique Japanese fusion sushi restaurant that offers a unique blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian culture - think samba Rolls, nigiri and moqueca all combined into a colourful dish that will take your tastebuds on a global flavour adventure.
It’s not only the food that will tickle your fancy, if you decide to dine at Heron Tower you can enjoy the stunning views across the landscape of London. With their plant filled interiors and open kitchen, Sushisamba have made fusion dining an entire sensory experience.
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Machiya Bar
5 Panton Street, Soho, London SW1Y 4DL
This is a lovely Japanese chilled bar and restaurant located just a short walk from Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Machiya is the perfect venue to stop by to dine, drink and celebrate.
Named after the traditional townhouses that defined the Kyoto cityscape, Machiya serves simple home style cooking alongside unique drinks and desserts inspired by the great food halls of Japan.
Expect to find traditional Japanese dishes such as omurice, tonkatsu, Japanese curries and seasonal donburi. Their pastry team also offers an authentic taste of Japanese patisserie, with a focus on premium Uji matcha and seasonal ingredients such as cherry blossom and yuzu.
There's also a large selection of whole cakes for special occassions.
Machiya is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner and of course a range of Japanese beers, sake, sprits, and cocktails.
Book a table here