London's Japanese & Asian Restaurant Map: £30 a Head to Special-Occasion Dining

After a day at the British Museum, Covent Garden and Chinatown, what you actually want probably isn't a trendy afternoon tea — it's a bowl of hot noodle soup, a curry, or a proper sit-down Asian meal. This isn't a "best restaurants in London" ranking; it's a map sorted by budget first, restaurant second: casual around £30 a head, £35-80 for something better, and £85-plus for special occasions — three very different briefs.

Around £30 a head: fed, warm, no long queue

• Kanada-Ya (ramen, several branches including Soho and Covent Garden): tonkotsu ramen, with weekday lunch sets that have run at £12.50 — a reliable fix when you're short on time.
• Koya (udon): the original Soho branch (50 Frith Street) is walk-in only and queues at peak times; the City branch takes bookings, so go there if you're tight on time.
• Roti King (Malaysian, Euston and others): Roti Canai £9.95, chicken curry £10.95, beef rendang £12.50 — one roti plus a rice or noodle dish between two is plenty.
• Eat Tokyo (Japanese teishoku, multiple branches): solid for hot dishes, donburi and udon; don't expect high-end sashimi here — it's a set-meal spot, not a substitute for proper sushi.

A rule of thumb: one main, one side, one soft drink usually keeps things sane — go easy on ramen/udon toppings, since they push £20 to £30+ fast.

£35-80: dinner with friends, a low-key date

• Hoppers (Sri Lankan / South Indian, Soho, Marylebone, King's Cross): the signature Hoppers Experience set is £35 a head — a good way to stretch "Asian food" beyond Chinese and Japanese.
• Kiln or Plaza Khao Gaeng (Thai, both in the Michelin Guide): don't come expecting pad thai — both cook regional Thai food, and it's worth it if you can handle spice.
• BAO (Taiwanese): the Soho branch (53 Lexington St) is walk-in only, with a weekday lunch BAO15 set; most other branches take bookings, so you don't have to queue in Soho for it.
• Jang (Korean-Japanese, Royal Exchange): Korean fried chicken £13, a 12-piece sushi and sashimi platter £44 — striking space, good for pairing with a Sky Garden or Tower Bridge evening.
• Akatuki (Covent Garden): theatrical, flame-and-dry-ice Japanese dining, great for a celebratory date — but go in expecting atmosphere, not a traditional sushi or omakase experience.

For two, two mains/sharing plates plus 2-3 sides and a rice or noodle dish works well; for three or four, a set menu is easier to budget than everyone ordering separately.

Special occasions: price it out before you book

At this level, the real task isn't finding a restaurant — it's separating menu price, service charge, and drinks into three distinct numbers. London restaurants routinely add a 12.5-15% discretionary service charge, and wine or pairing at a special-occasion restaurant can push the total up considerably.

• Zuma (Knightsbridge): tasting menus at classic £85, signature £105, premium £170 — chosen for the whole table, a lively, modern Japanese izakaya.
• Nobu (Old Park Lane): a 1-hour lunch omakase at £75 — strong brand recognition, a safe pick for a first celebration in London.
• UMU (Mayfair, Michelin star): Kyoto-style kaiseki, with the full Kaiseki menu at £260; lunch is friendlier, with a vegetarian Shojin bento from £50 and a wagyu bento at £98.
• Sushi Amamoto (Mayfair, 16 seats, formerly known as Taku): omakase runs Tasting £180 (lunch only) or Prestige £380, plus £320 for the drinks pairing — only for guests who specifically want top-tier omakase.
• Sushi Kanesaka (45 Park Lane, Michelin one star): the sample menu is £420 per person, excluding the 15% service charge — one of the most expensive sushi experiences in London, so budget for it deliberately.
• A.Wong (Victoria, Michelin two stars): modern Cantonese, with à la carte dim sum at lunch that's better value than the evening tasting menus. From 18 August to 19 September 2026 it's running a pop-up at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, with the Pimlico site temporarily closed and reopening 22 September — worth checking before you go.

If anyone in your group doesn't eat raw food or seafood, or has allergies, omakase isn't always the right call — the menu is usually built around the day's ingredients and hard to adapt. A.Wong, Hakkasan, or Hoppers offer more flexibility.

Before you book

• Walk-in only doesn't mean no queue — Koya Soho and BAO Soho still queue at peak times, so pick a bookable branch if you're racing a show or a train.
• Book popular spots 1-4 weeks ahead, earlier for Mayfair, omakase, or a birthday weekend; omakase seatings usually expect you on time, and arriving late can affect the experience.
• Some booking platforms take a card guarantee or charge a cancellation fee — screenshot your confirmation email.

Get the budget and the occasion sorted first, and the rest of the evening takes care of itself. If dinner follows a day of sightseeing, the British Museum guided tour and National Gallery guided tour both keep the museum time tight and focused, so there's more time — and energy — left for dinner.