Welcome to London’s Korea Town
New Malden has the largest Korean population in Europe — around 20,000 residents — and the food scene reflects it. This isn’t Korean food adapted for British tastes; it’s the real thing, served to Korean families who’ve been coming to the same spots for decades.
The high street and surrounding roads are packed with restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, and cafes. Some look unremarkable from outside, but inside you’ll find charcoal grills, sizzling pancakes, and banchan spreads that rival anything in Seoul. No pretension, no fusion — just proper Korean cooking from people who know what they’re doing.
This guide covers 12 spots we actually recommend. Whether you’re here for Korean BBQ, fried chicken, comfort food, or dessert, there’s something worth travelling for.
Quick picks: find your perfect spot
Korean BBQ
The main event. New Malden has more Korean BBQ joints than anywhere else in the UK, but quality varies. These are the ones worth booking.
Jin Go Gae
Best for: Charcoal BBQ purists, serious food lovers
The romantic backstory — the owner named it after the place in Seoul where he met his wife — is nice, but the real reason to trek to Burlington Road? They cook over proper red-hot charcoal, not gas, and you can taste the difference in every caramelized edge.
The room fills with Korean families as smoke rises from tabletop grills. The gae jang (spicy raw crab) is face-tingling, finger-licking stuff worth the trip alone. The kalbi tang (short rib soup) is their specialty.
Order: Marinated short rib, gae jang, kalbi tang
Price: £££ | Location: 272 Burlington Road (12 min walk from Motspur Park)
Cah Chi
Best for: Date night, impressing visitors, Guardian-approved dining
Grace Dent called it “an umami-drenched patch of extreme deliciousness” in The Guardian, and she wasn’t exaggerating. This is Korean BBQ done properly — marinated meat sizzling on the table-side grill, banchan arriving in waves, and staff who know what they’re doing.
The complimentary starters set the tone: spicy potatoes, crunchy bean sprouts, and some of the best kimchi in New Malden. The sundae (Korean blood pudding) is their signature if you’re feeling adventurous.
Order: Beef bulgogi, sundae, fried chicken with chilli honey
Price: £££ | Location: 79-81 Kingston Road
Sorabol
Best for: Groups, Korean BBQ beginners, vegetarians
Sorabol has been feeding New Malden’s Korean community for over 15 years. Right on the high street, it’s one of the most accessible Korean spots in K-Town — no trek required.
The banchan spread is generous, and there’s more choice for vegetarians than most Korean restaurants offer. The royal galbi jjim — slow-cooked beef rib with dates, chestnuts, and ginseng — is the dish to order if you want something beyond standard BBQ.
Order: Royal galbi jjim, yukke bibimbap, seafood pancake
Price: ££ | Location: 180 High Street
Yami
Best for: Best value, bossam lovers
Out of all the Korean restaurants in New Malden, Yami is the one reviewers say tastes exactly like Seoul. Three minutes from the station, casual, and the prices are genuinely friendly: £30 for two people, stuffed.
The bossam (steamed pork belly) is some of the best in the country — tender, rich, wrapped in lettuce with the proper banchan spread. Staff are helpful if you’re navigating the menu for the first time.
Order: Bossam, galbi, kimchi jjigae
Price: ££ | Location: 69 High Street
Han
Best for: Groups, celebrations, karaoke nights
Han’s tucked-away location at the bottom of an office tower belies the grandeur inside. Four traditional wooden pavilions create stunning raised seating areas, and there are six karaoke rooms downstairs (£35/hour for up to 8 people).
The BBQ is solid, the cocktails are strong, and it’s more about the experience than chasing perfection. Come with friends, order soju, and stay late.
Order: BBQ pork belly, kimchi pancake, beef noodle soup
Price: ££ | Location: 1 High Street
Korean Fried Chicken
New Malden does fried chicken properly. Skip the chains — these two are the real deal.
Tongdak
Best for: Takeaway, crunch obsessives, late-night cravings
No-frills takeaway joint with about ten seats, no toilets, and a 20-30 minute wait — because everything is hand-battered and fried to order. The crunch factor is genuinely exceptional.
The Infatuation calls it “70% better than anything you’ve seen in an Amelia Dimoldenberg interview,” and they’re not wrong.
Order: The Original, White Spice, Cheese Spice
Price: £ | Location: 95A Kingston Road
Chick and Beers
Best for: Sit-down chicken, beer pairing, groups
The crunch at Chick and Beers would make for genuinely hypnotic ASMR. Double-fried chicken, beer from frozen glasses, and a proper restaurant setup if you want to sit.
The Half and Half lets you try two flavours at once — the Honey Garlic Soy Glaze is the standout. There’s a second branch on Burlington Road.
Order: Half and Half chicken, honey garlic soy glaze, spam fries
Price: ££ | Location: 24 Coombe Road
Home-Style & Specialty
Not everything is BBQ. These spots serve the kind of Korean food that doesn’t involve grilling at your table — comfort food, noodles, and dishes that remind expats of home.
Imone
Best for: Food lovers, date night, pajeon pilgrims
Imone means “Aunt’s place” and that’s exactly what it feels like — a small family-run spot where the cooking has the care of a home kitchen. The Infatuation rates it 8.7 and calls it “not just the best Korean spot in London, but one of the city’s best restaurants full stop.”
The pajeon is arguably the best in London — golden, crispy, with an aggressive amount of spring onion. The kan pung gi chicken is addictive.
Order: Pajeon, kan pung gi, calamari
Price: ££ | Location: 169 High Street
You Me Korean
Best for: Noodle lovers, solo dining, history seekers
The OG — making handmade noodles since at least 1988, the first jajangmyeon restaurant in the area. The dining room has BBQ grills and framed selfies of the owner’s daughter with famous footballers.
The jajangmyeon arrives with scissors because the handmade noodles are that long. At £8, it’s perfect for solo dining.
Order: Jajangmyeon, garlic prawns, pajeon
Price: ££ | Location: 96 Burlington Road
Ha Ru
Best for: Comfort food, authentic home cooking
Ha Ru looks more like a family kitchen than a restaurant — and that’s why regulars keep coming back. Complimentary kimchi and marinated beansprouts arrive before you’ve even ordered.
The kimchi jeon is a standout: wonderfully crispy, satisfying. Prices hover around £25 a head.
Order: Kimchi jeon, yukgaejang, boneless fried chicken
Price: ££ | Location: 50 High Street
Seoul Matjib
Best for: Comfort food, cold evenings, tteokbokki
This is where you go for warm fuzzy feelings. Simple marble tables, no fuss, and food that warms you from the inside. Korean locals come weekly.
The tteokbokki is throat-ticklingly good — chewy rice cakes in a moreish red-orange broth. The gamjatang is the kind of bowl you want when it’s grey outside.
Order: Tteokbokki, gamjatang, pajeon
Price: ££ | Location: 74 Burlington Road
Dessert
Cake & Bingsoo Cafe
Best for: Afternoon treat, K-dessert lovers, post-shopping
K-dessert heaven on the high street. Towering bingsoo (shaved ice mountains) come piled with Oreo crumbs, matcha powder, or fresh mango — smooth and refreshing enough to rescue any summer afternoon.
The cafe runs on Ozone coffee, and the croffles (croissant-waffles) are worth adding to the order. Open until 9pm on Saturdays.
Order: Matcha bingsoo, mango bingsoo, croffle
Price: £ | Location: 39 High Street
Practical information
Getting to New Malden
By train: New Malden station is 25 minutes from London Waterloo. Most restaurants are within a 5-minute walk of the station.
By car: Street parking is available, but can be tricky on weekends. There’s a car park behind the high street.
When to visit
- Weekday lunch: Quieter, easier to get tables, many spots do lunch specials
- Weekday dinner: Good balance of atmosphere and availability
- Weekend evenings: Busiest — book ahead for BBQ spots
- Late night: Some spots stay open until 11pm or later
Booking recommendations
- Groups of 5+: Book ahead at Cah Chi, Han, Jin Go Gae
- Date night: Book Imone (it’s small)
- Casual: Walk-ins usually fine at Yami, Sorabol, Ha Ru
- Fried chicken: No bookings at Tongdak, but expect a wait
What to know before you go
- Banchan is free — the small dishes that arrive before your food. Refills are usually free too.
- Table-side BBQ takes time — expect 90 minutes minimum for a proper meal
- Cash is sometimes preferred — most places take cards, but check smaller spots
- Soju is cheap — the green bottles are around £10 and go with everything
- Vegetarian options vary — Sorabol is your best bet; call ahead at BBQ spots
FAQs
What is the best Korean restaurant in New Malden?
For overall quality, Imone has the highest rating from The Infatuation (8.7). For BBQ specifically, Jin Go Gae is the purist’s choice with real charcoal grills. Cah Chi has the best press (Guardian recommendation).
Where is London’s Korea Town?
New Malden in Southwest London is the UK’s largest Korean community, with around 20,000 Korean residents. The main concentration of restaurants is along New Malden High Street and Burlington Road.
Do I need to book Korean BBQ in New Malden?
For weekend evenings, yes — especially at popular spots like Cah Chi, Jin Go Gae, and Han. Weekday lunches and dinners are usually fine for walk-ins.
What should I order at a Korean BBQ?
Start with beef bulgogi (marinated beef) or galbi (short rib) if you’re new. Samgyeopsal (pork belly) is the most popular cut. Always get a pancake (pajeon) for the table.
Is Korean food in New Malden authentic?
Yes — New Malden’s restaurants serve the Korean community, not tourists. Many are family-run, use traditional methods (like charcoal grills), and have been operating for decades. This is as close to Seoul as you’ll get in the UK.
What’s the best Korean fried chicken in New Malden?
Tongdak for takeaway crunch perfection. Chick and Beers for sit-down with beer pairings.
Where can I get Korean dessert in New Malden?
Cake & Bingsoo Cafe for shaved ice (bingsoo) and croffles. They also have proper Korean coffee and bubble tea.
Make a day of it
A perfect New Malden food crawl could look like this:
Lunch: Start at Yami or Ha Ru for something light — bibimbap or a soup
Afternoon: Sweet tooth at Cake & Bingsoo (the mango bingsoo is essential in summer)
Browse: Korean supermarkets on the high street for snacks, ingredients, and K-beauty
Dinner: Full BBQ experience at Jin Go Gae or Cah Chi — book ahead
After dark: Karaoke at Han (book a private room)
This is exactly what Londoners in the know do on a Saturday in K-Town.
Featured in this guide
12 curated venues
Cah Chi
79-81 Kingston Road
Cake & Bingsoo Cafe
39 High Street
Chick and Beers
24 Coombe Road
Ha Ru
50 High Street
Han
1 High Street
Imone
169 High Street
Jin Go Gae
272 Burlington Road
Seoul Matjib
74 Burlington Road
Sorabol
180 New Malden High Street
Tongdak
95A Kingston Road
Yami
69 High Street
You Me Korean
96 Burlington Road
Find them on the map
More guides coming soon
About this guide
This guide is part of Kingston Compass, covering Kingston, Surbiton and New Malden. We focus on practical local recommendations and regularly checked information. All venues are researched and verified by our local team.