Miga, located in Hackney, is a super unassuming joint—the exterior just looks like a random white block on the street—but honestly, they don’t need more than the food to make a statement.

It’s family run and you can absolutely feel that in the casual, homely vibes. We love it when you know you’re getting a truly authentic experience. Even the menu is simplicity at its finest: a plain A4 sheet, no fluff, just telling you what to order. For starters, we went for the japchae—sweet potato glass noodles with mushrooms and onion paprika. Yes, noodles for a starter, but they were so light and refreshing.

For mains, we went for the roasted chicken thighs coated in bulgogi sauce (essentially a spicy, umami-packed marinade). The meat was so tender and came with a side of potatoes and carrots. Again, we don’t know how they make such simple dishes taste this good.

And you absolutely must get the cucumber kimchi as a side—it’s the perfect refreshing palate cleanser.

Have to try: Sweet potato glass noodles
Perfect for: Top quality Korean food in a simple setting
Approx price for 2: £60-£100 (starters and mains + drinks)

Koba has a super sleek, open, minimalist interior, and they’re all about Korean BBQ—probably exactly why you’re here.

For starters, we went for kanpoonggi, Korean fried chicken with sweet chili sauce. When has that ever been a regret? Forget Kentucky Fried Chicken—Korean fried is where it’s at. Since we were here for BBQ, we wanted a veg starter too, so we tried the deep-fried aubergine. Didn’t realise it came with prawns (oops, our bad for not reading properly), but no complaints—the aubergine was smoky, tender, and delicious.

Now for the main event: the Koba BBQ selection, recommended for two. If it has the restaurant name in the title, surely it’s a bestseller—and it did not disappoint. You get rib eye, LA galbi, pork belly, spicy chicken, squid, prawn, and vegetables. Perfect for trying a bit of everything without sticking to just one meat.

And, of course, in classic summer BBQ style, it had to be a fruity cocktail to wash it all down. We went for the Sunset Breeze—soju, cranberry, grapefruit, and lime. Sweet, tart, and really strong. Perfect.

Have to try: Kanpoonggi (Korean fried chicken with sweet chilli sauce)
Perfect for: When you’re craving an indoor bbq
Approx price for 2: £80-£120

Lime Orange is a super casual, homely spot in Victoria that nails all those specific dishes you see online and can’t stop thinking about. The menu is huge—classic starters like dumplings and kimchi salads, mains like Korean BBQ and bibimbap, plus stir-fried rice and noodle dishes. Be prepared to spend a while just staring at the menu trying to decide.

We started with the spicy prawns—deep-fried prawn tempura with sweet chili sauce. They’re a perfect match with a chilled beer. Even though it was hard to ignore the BBQ (it never disappoints), we wanted to branch out and go for what Lime Orange is most famous for: the bibimbap. You can choose veg, chicken, beef, pork, or seafood—we went for chicken. On a bed of rice comes tender bulgogi-marinated meat, seven marinated vegetables, and a sunny-side-up egg. It’s hearty, healthy, and guilt-free, while still tasting incredible. Plus, you get a complimentary bowl of miso soup to round it all off. What a win!

Have to try: Chicken Bulgogi Bibimbap
Perfect for: Causal lunch
Approx price for 2:  £30-100 (depending on how many starters/sides/drinks)

You’ll find Petite Corée in West Hampstead, a super cosy, quaint spot with exposed brick walls giving off all the homely vibes.

We wanted to share everything so we could try as much as possible, and that’s exactly what we did. Skipping starters, we went straight for the mains. First up was the fried chicken on rice in a gochujang sauce. Spicy, smoky, and utterly satisfying, the rice just melted in your mouth. Think your classic katsu curry – but ten times more flavourful and hearty.

Our absolute favourite, though, had to be the spicy rice cakes with cheese, the dish we’d been seeing all over socials. Chewy, squishy rice cakes and vegetables simmered in a flavour-packed spicy tomato sauce, topped with a generous layer of mozzarella. Creamy, indulgent, and perfectly balancing the heat of the sauce, it’s the kind of dish you know you’ll be coming back for on your next hangover—soothing, comforting, and utterly decadent.

Have to try: Spicy rice cakes with cheese
Perfect for: Casual lunch/dinner
Approx price for 2: £30-£60

Sarang in Golders Green is ready to serve up all the classics—BBQ, hot pots, noodles, bibimbap, you name it.

For starters, we went for the kimchi pancakes. Honestly, we’d seen this dish on every Korean menu but never tried it—so as such a common denominator, we figured it must be good. And it really was: slightly tangy and pickly from the kimchi, yet still soft and comforting. Now we get the hype.

For mains, we went for one of their hot pot dishes, choosing the budae jjigae—a spicy soup with kimchi, ham, noodles, and pork. To make it even more indulgent, every pot comes with a side of steamed rice, the perfect way to soothe the spice and soak up the flavours. That said, we do wish we’d gone for the BBQ, as the set menus there allow you to try a bit of everything—and the smell wafting past our table each time someone ordered it was a tiny torture!

Have to try: Kimchi pancakes
Perfect for: Lunch with friends
Approx price for 2: £30-£60

Majang Dong is all about the Korean BBQ – so come hungry and ready to absolutely feast.

They’ve got loads of different set menus with a mix of BBQ selections, so you’re never stuck with just one meat. There’s a combo for everyone, but we went for Set 5: marinated short rib, spicy chicken, and brisket. They also have a huge range of beef cuts if that’s more your vibe. Either way, whatever your protein goal is, you’re smashing it in one sitting here.

The staff told us the best drink to pair with BBQ is soju, so we tried the Calamansi Fizz — soju, bergamot, pear juice, and lime. Sweet enough to cut through all that glorious meat. We also clocked something called the Bloody Kimchi — soju, kimchi juice, gochujang puree, tomato juice, and black pepper. We weren’t brave enough to order it… but is that bravery, or just pure chaos?

Have to try: Calamansi Fizz cocktail (soju, bergamot, pear juice and lime)
Perfect for: Craving a bbq
Approx price for 2:  £25- £40

Gogi in Maida Vale is a more sophisticated spot, with its dim lighting and posh burgundy tones throughout. We went for a mate’s birthday and it’s the perfect spot for special occasions without making it too overly fancy and refined. 

For starters, we shared the rose tteokbokki which was rice cakes, fish cakes, jammy eggs, and vegetable all swimming in this spicy and creamy sauce (almost like a carbonara type sauce but with a tomatoey spicy kick). The menu here is annoyingly good in the sense that both the sharers and individual options looked equally tasty so it was so hard to pick. 

As it was a big group of us, the sharing option seemed teh way to go. We got one BBQ spicy platter which comes with pork, Bulgogi and spicy chicken and the BBQ premium platter which is pretty much the same plus egg and corn cheese. Each feeds 2-3 people so it was the perfect amount and everyone was left rolling out of there because of ohw stuffed we were. 

Have to try: Rose tteokbokki
Perfect for: Special Occasions
Approx price for 2: £40-£80

We’re back on the casual vibes with Imone in New Malden – because honestly, who’s trying to be civilised while they’re demolishing every cut of meat they can get their hands on?

We learned that “Imone” means aunt’s palace, so we knew straight away this was going to be homely, comforting, authentic food. And it absolutely was. We kicked things off with Korean fried chicken wings — still gloriously crispy despite being drenched in the most sensational sweet-and-sour chilli sauce.

For mains, we went for the stir-fried squid in yet another fiery sauce. Let’s just say there’s no need for lip filler after a visit here — the heat packs a punch and your mouth will be burning in the best possible way. To cool things down (kind of), we had egg noodles on the side. They’ve got a more adventurous noodle line-up, but with such a bold main, going plain was the smart choice.

Have to try: Korean fried chicken wings in sweet and sour chilli sauce
Perfect for: Comfort food
Approx price for 2: £40-£80

Sollip’s got that refined, elegant look down, but still keeps it stripped-back and minimalist — even with a Michelin star to its name.

Fair warning: this one will put a dent in your wallet. But you’re paying for the absolute best ingredients London can get its hands on, and the kind of execution that makes you rethink your life choices in a good way. We went for their lunch set menu — four courses of pure artistry.

It kicked off with brown crab paired with courgette, bringing a pop of freshness to balance out the richness. Then came the main event: barbecued wagyu with a side of artichoke. This was the moment that justified the price tag — tender, rich, packed with flavour… absolute madness. We won’t lie, after that high, nothing else quite compared. Dessert was a green pea and basil madeleine — as chocolate obsessives it wasn’t our dream finish, but if you’re into earthy flavours, you’ll be in heaven.

Have to try: Barbecued wagyu
Perfect for: Special occasions
Approx price for 2: £150-£200

Olle is the perfect elevated-casual spot. We can’t lie, we wanted everything off their starters menu — and we honestly mean everything. It’s like they compiled our dream list because they knew we were coming. But because we were here for BBQ, we had to at least try and control ourselves and not get too stuffed, so we picked our favourite two. This wasn’t a peaceful decision by the way — words were said, feelings were hurt — but ultimately we landed on the topokki (rice cakes in a gochujang sauce, plus we added cheese because if you can, we’ll never say no) and the tiger prawn tempura. They nailed both of these, honestly.

For the star of the show — the BBQ. We went for Selection A, one of four different sets to choose from, which included wagyu, bulgogi, pork belly, and prawns. It was honestly the perfect combo for us, though we kind of wish chicken was included. Otherwise, we can’t fault it. We paired this with grape-flavoured soju — and they should honestly warn you beforehand how strong and how quickly it hits!

Have to try: Rice cake in spicy gochujang sauce
Perfect for: Special occasions
Approx price for 2: £160