Korean Restaurant London: Where to Eat

New Malden is the reason London has proper Korean food at all. A wave of Korean families settled there from the 1950s on, and the high street still carries that history: grills, banchan counters, bakeries. It's a train ride out, but it's where cooks who grew up on this food tend to eat.

Central London has caught up fast. Soho now has its own cluster of Korean spots, tucked in among the ramen bars and karaoke rooms, and you'll find good kitchens further out too, in places like New Cross and Camberwell, run by people who trained properly and aren't cutting corners.

Two different nights, really. One is a barbecue table, thin-cut beef or pork belly cooking in front of you, banchan refilled without asking, the room loud and a bit smoky. The other is quieter: a bowl of stew, kimchi jjigae or a soft tofu soup, the kind of food you'd order if you had a cold or just wanted something honest. Both count as Korean food in London and both are worth knowing.

Timing follows the food. Barbecue places get busy early evening and stay loud through the night, especially at weekends, so book if you're going as a group. Stew and rice-plate spots work fine for a quick solo lunch and rarely need planning ahead.

If you're new to it, start with what's in front of you rather than over-ordering. Banchan keeps coming regardless, and a good server will tell you what's spicy and what isn't. The feed below pulls together what's on in London around Korean food right now, so check it for what's actually happening this week.