Round-up: Asian cuisine showcased in four new restaurant openings

The Staff Canteen

Editor

This week’s round-up of new restaurants opening across the UK focuses in on Asian cuisine.

There are three new venues opening their doors in London in the coming weeks, as well as an expanding chain north of the border.

Pho, Edinburgh

Today (Friday) sees the popular Vietnamese chain Pho open at their second location in Edinburgh.

The Lothian Road street food restaurant will kick-off with a ‘free Pho day’, offering its signature rice noodle soups to all customers free of charge from midday, until stocks run out.

The 100-cover restaurant will then operate its normal hours.

The opening on the former Wildwood site comes following the success of the Pho in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter, as well as their central Glasgow location, which opened earlier this year.

Libby Andrews, marketing director for Pho, said: “As excitement builds in the leadup to the opening of our second Edinburgh restaurant, we can’t wait to begin inviting guests through the doors on the 25th – and encourage diners to come by early to ensure they have a chance to enjoy our delicious, freshly-made soups on the house.”

AngloThai, London

Next month will see the full opening of AngloThai on Seymour Place in Marylebone.

Husband-and-wife team John and Desiree Chantarasak are opening their debut restaurant, following successful pop-ups and residencies.

They will bring their unique vision of contemporary Thai-British cuisine and combine it with a European-focused wine list.

Highlights on the opening menu include Brixham crab with Exmoor caviar and coconut ash crackers, monkfish jungle curry with holy basil and Ryall Farm hogget massaman with black fig.

The restaurant is due to open its doors on Monday, November 11, with reservations available now.

Keu, London

Vietnamese Kitchen is opening Saigon street food brand Keu’s fourth London location in January 2025.

Following sites in Soho, City and Shoreditch, Keu are now to launch on Borough High Street.

It will introduce an expanded menu, with a wider variety of noodles and rice dishes, which takes inspiration from Vietnam’s late-night noodle bars.

Diners will be able to take away, or sit-in at one of the high-top counters.

Founder Hieu Bui, the restaurateur behind Vietnamese Kitchen, has been introducing traditional Vietnamese cuisine to Londoners for over 20 years, with other brands including Cay Tre and Viet Grill.

"I am thrilled to bring the Kêu brand to Borough, an area that mirrors the vibrant atmosphere in Saigon,” he said.

Bun House Disco, London

Bun House Disco is set to open in Shoreditch on Tuesday, November 12.

Z He and Alex Peffly, the husband-and-wife team behind Bun House in Chinatown, are launching at a new venue across town.

Located on the corner of Brick Lane and Bethnal Green, Bun House Disco will bring a new take on their signature buns to east London for the first time, as well as brand new wonton and spirited cocktail menus.

Open from lunch to late night, Bun House Disco will “take guests on a journey back to the hedonistic era of 1980s Hong Kong".

A maroon-tiled bar will take centre stage, under a dim, red glow and sparkling disco ball.

Z He said: “Growing up, I always admired the neon lights of 80s disco culture, particularly in Hong Kong, and wanted to create a place that captured the spirit of this.

“Shoreditch feels like a natural home for Bun House Disco and gives us the opportunity to embrace the creativity and energy of east London.

“We can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on for the last couple of years.”

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