If you're a Londoner who loves eating out, there is almost certainly at least one Asian restaurant you're obsessed with. No surprises there – Asia is home to a vast number of cultures, each with their own spectacular cuisine. And almost all these cultures have found their way to London, where they've perfected the art of dining out.
From traditional Cantonese dim sum to the latest trend in Japanese fast food to Sri Lankan home cooking, there's almost nothing you can't find in the capital. Forget overcooked noodles and eye-wateringly spicy vindaloos; in 2017, it's all about combining authentic cooking techniques, nuanced flavours and the very freshest ingredients. These restaurants pack a punch both on the plate and with their super cool interiors. What's not to love?
Click through for our pick of London's Asian eateries.
Hoppers
You may know the difference between a balti and a korma, and be a dab hand at ordering chow mein in Mandarin, but you haven't even touched the tip of the Asian cuisine iceberg until you've visited Hoppers. The critics' favourite has just opened a new site north of Oxford Street in St Christopher's Place, serving up an eclectic mix of home-style Sri Lankan dishes.
This includes their signature hopper, a savoury crepe that is the perfect accompaniment to their wide choice of chutneys, kothus and karis. Don't know what a kari or kothu is? Don't worry. Hoppers' menu comes with a glossary so you can explore Sri Lankan cuisine without constantly having to google what you just ordered. Instead, sit back with one of Hoppers' powerful cocktails in hand and become an expert in this underrated Asian cuisine.
Hoppers
Locations in St Christopher's Place & Soho
MẮM
The little sister of cult North London noodle purveyors Salvation in Noodles, MẮM (pronounced like mum) aims to show a whole new side of Vietnamese cuisine. You can still find their killer pho noodle dishes on the menu, but founder Colin Tu has also decided to showcase traditional dishes usually found in country on Vietnamese barbecue stalls.
You can sample small dishes like skewers of beef in betel leaf or king prawns cooked to order over a robata grill. Their larger dishes like crispy chicken wings tossed in fish sauce and spicy water chestnut, chicken and prawn dumplings are designed to be shared and pair perfectly with their signature papaya cocktail. After all, what wouldn't pair perfectly with a papaya cocktail?
MẮM
16 All Saints Rd, London W11 1HH
020 7792 2665
Dishoom
No roundup of Asian restaurants in London would be complete without Dishoom. What started as a family affair with a simple mission – to bring the feel of old Bombay's café culture to London – has now been voted the best restaurant in the UK (twice) and is a favourite of almost every critic in the capital. Whether you pop in for a bacon naan roll at breakfast or a late-night serving of their signature black daal and a Bollywood bellini, be prepared to stand in line with half the city.
Since the word on Dishoom is clearly out (Instagram is awash with snaps of the fabulous interiors), here are our tips for getting a table. Firstly, choose your time and location carefully. Pre-5pm, you can book a table or, if you arrive after 9pm, you can likely skip the queue altogether. If you do end up waiting, though, don't despair; Dishoom's kindly staff keep it moving quickly and even offer free chai to warm you up. Although the promise of a truly top-notch meal should keep you feeling toasty anyway.
Dishoom
Locations across London
Ichibuns
Japanese fast food has officially arrived in London and (spoiler alert) it's amazing. With a menu featuring Wagyu beef burgers, panko chicken tenders, king crab ramen and cheeseburger spring rolls, did anyone think this wouldn't be a winner? Right in the heart of Chinatown, Ichibuns combines the convenience of traditional fast food with high-concept Japanese design.
You can order takeaway from the ground floor counter, including cocktails like their yuzu and grapefruit Collins, served in on-the-go cups. We recommend sticking around, though, in the basement bar or either of the Tokyo-inspired top floors where you can order a mini bottle of Moet & Chandon with your meal. If deep fried cheeseburger rolls and champagne doesn't equal class, we honestly don't know what does.
Ichibuns
22 Wardour St, London W1D 6QQ
020 3937 5888
On The Bab
Foodie Londoners might like to pretend that they always knew what kimchi was, but the Korean food trend is actually one of the latest to sweep through the capital. Just four years ago, On The Bab opened for the first time in Shoreditch, determined to introduce Londoners to the joy that is Korean street food. Now with four sites across the city, it's clear they've succeeded.
First there was the Korean tradition of chimaek – fried chicken wings with ice-cold beer – which might be up there as the world's easiest sell. Then came our love for Korean buns, cloudlike puffs of deliciousness stuffed with grilled meat and pickled veggies. Now we're falling over ourselves to order bibimbap, traditional Korean rice bowls, soju cocktails and frankly anything else that On The Bab cares to put on the menu. In the battle for hearts and stomachs, Korean food is winning.
On the Bab
Locations across London
A Wong
True dim sum is all about perfecting delicious bite-sized treats; at A. Wong, they have it down to a fine art. For just £1.50-£3 you can order such delights as a clear shrimp dumpling with citrus foam or French bean fritters. If your go-to Chinese dish is egg fried rice, this is the perfect place to try something new without blowing your budget.
Dim sum is traditionally the Cantonese version of brunch, so you're best visiting at lunchtime when all these delicious morsels are on the menu. If you do want to visit in the evening, visit their subterranean bar Forbidden City. Here you can have your cocktail expertly matched with a suitable snack or have a go at pairing your own – try adding a side of crispy duck to their signature G&T, infused with Sichuan peppercorns and orange. Perfect every time.
A Wong
70 Wilton Rd, Pimlico, London SW1V 1DE
020 7828 8931
Bone Daddies
The rise of high street sushi and pre-packaged gyoza might be the saviour of our lunch hour, but what's a girl to do when she's after Japanese food with a bit of heart? Head to one of Bone Daddies' excellent restaurants, each of which puts a different, delicious twist on Japanese soul food. The only trouble is choosing which one to go to.
You could start with Bone Daddies proper, which started as a traditional ramen bar and now has five outposts serving pan-Asian dishes like Japanese yakitori, Hawaiian poké and Korean fried chicken wings. Otherwise why not indulge in a bottomless brunch (you know how we love a bottomless brunch) at Flesh and Buns in Covent Garden, which specialises in Japanese drinking food and slamming cocktails to match. Finally, make your way to Shackfuyu, which brings food trends full circle by serving yōshoku (Japanese cuisine inspired by Western food) back to grateful Londoners. Whichever you're in the mood for, this food is guaranteed to be good for your soul as well as your tummy.
Bone Daddies
Locations across London
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