Top 5 Covent Garden Asian Restaurants

London’s often-packed centre of shopping, dining and street performances, Covent Garden has gone from strength to strength in recent years when it comes to it's diversity of food offerings. Here are 5 of the top Asian restaurants in the area that are well worth your time…

By George Maguire | Updated May 31 2023

A blue plate holding spicy, glazed chicken wings garnished with slices of red chili and chopped green onions. The plate is placed on a table with other items slightly visible in the background. — www.inamo-restaurant.com/our-venues/inamo-covent-garden/

A close-up of a blue plate filled with stir-fried noodles, green onions, and meat. In the background, there's a plate with spicy red wings, chopsticks, and a bamboo steamer basket. The setting appears to be a dining table.

1 Inamo Covent Garden

A juxtaposition of old and new, Inamo is a Pan-Asian restaurant featuring high-tech tables and a menu filled with popular hits like Popcorn Prawns, Sichuan Chicken and their signature Dragon Roll. Order via screens doubling as tables (or the opposite?) and make sure to go for the spicy wings but be warned - they are hot!

A colorful spread of various dishes including a bowl of soup with seafood, a plate of noodles with mussels, a green bean salad, bowls of rice, and beverages. Two hands are visible, one holding a drink and the other opening a bamboo container. — www.busaba.com/locations/busaba-covent-garden

2 Busaba Covent Garden

A warm and atmospheric Thai chain restaurant, Busaba aims to represent the best in contemporary Bangkok eating. There is something for everyone here with Thai salads packed with natural flavour (as usual, watch the raw chillis!), wok noodles, curries, soups and much more.

Where? 44 Floral St, London WC2E 8BT.

A busy kitchen is visible behind a transparent glass enclosure. Chefs, dressed in white uniforms and hairnets, are actively working. Bamboo steamers are stacked on the counter. The kitchen features a brick base and wooden frame with intricate carvings. — dintaifung-uk.com/

3 Din Tai Fung

Representing an arguably underserved cuisine, Din Tai Fung is a Covent Garden-based Taiwanese restaurant founded by Mr Bing-Yi Yang. The restaurant operates across two floors and is decorated with oriental designs such as a set of carved stone lions, alongside hand-carved Chinese wood. Enough about the interiors - what should you order? The signature Xiao Long Bao is a great place to start, as are the exquisite dumplings!

Where? 5 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8PS.

A wooden platter with a grilled meat dish, surrounded by assorted small bowls containing various sauces, pickled vegetables, and garnishes. Nearby are a pair of chopsticks on a napkin, a steaming bamboo basket, and a small black teapot. The table is dark-colored. — www.fleshandbuns.com/

4 Flesh & Buns

A welcome addition to the food scene in Covent Garden (and the restaurant's original site), Flesh & Buns is a Japanese Izakaya-style bar/ eatery. With a tagline of 'unleash feasting', order their sought-after Beef Fat Chips, alongside a range of pillowy steamed buns filled that can be filled with all manner of meats and seafood. Did we mention the sashimi?

Where? 41 Earlham St, London WC2H 9LX.

An assortment of Japanese dishes is displayed on a light wooden table. It includes sushi rolls, sashimi, gyoza dumplings, a salad, and a rice bowl topped with grilled meat. Chopsticks, soy sauce, and wasabi accompany the dishes. — www.facebook.com/itsuofficial/photos/a.115167908642636/1257349357757813

Itsu

Now a well-known sushi chain, Itsu is a one-stop shop for casual Japanese eating which includes the likes of gyoza, bao buns, rainbow salads and more. Whilst perhaps not matching the quality of London's top sushi restaurants, Itsu offers great value and quick service; important currencies amidst all of the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden!

Where? 2-4 Neal St, London WC2H 9LY.