Chef Andrew Wong and Dishoom’s Amar Radia plan Chinese pub
The co-founder of Indian restaurant chain Dishoom, Amar Radia, and Andrew Wong, the chef behind the two Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant A Wong, are opening a “Chinese public house” in London.
The venture, named Kong, is due to open later this year in pub formerly known as The Water Poet in Folgate Street in London’s Shoreditch.
Reviving a piece of East London’s history
The derelict 6,000 sq ft pub site also has an 800 sq ft courtyard and has been closed since 2019, yet is set to be revitalised with the Michelin star chef at the helm. According to the property advisors Davis Coffer Lyons, who acted on behalf of Kong in securing the venue, the pub “first opened its doors in 1792, the same time the first Chinese settlers arrived in East London”. The “Chinese pub” will therefore pay homage to the history of the East End since from the 18th to the mid-20th century the area was considered to be London’s original Chinatown.
‘Old-pub warmth with noodle-house warmth’
The venue will offer “old-pub warmth with noodle-house warmth” according to its website while on social media, the owners shared that “Kong is a Chinese public house. Two histories under one roof — the grand east London pub and the Chinese kitchen. Dumplings at dawn, noodles at lunch, grills with a cold pint at dusk. Open all day. All welcome. Opening in Shoreditch. Late 2026.”
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Speaking about the venture, Wong said: ‘Kong is a Chinese kitchen reflecting our personality, shaped by London, the East End, China, and A Wong. Untraditional, instinctive, fearless, all-day cooking.”
‘Writing the next chapter’
Hinting at how the venue was playing a part in the future of London, while tipping its hat to the past, Radia explained: “The grand East London pub and the Chinese kitchen have been part of London for over two hundred years. Kong honours that history while writing the next chapter – a Chinese public house with a warm, wide welcome.”
British Land leasing director for restaurant and leisure Alice Keown added: “Norton Folgate is fast becoming a destination for some of London’s most sought‑after restaurants, and Kong joining the line‑up is another strong endorsement of that. It offers the rare combination of being right in the heart of the city and Shoreditch, while also feeling completely distinct – a series of character‑rich spaces set amongst historic buildings and cobbled streets, which attracts exciting, high‑quality operators who are looking for somewhere with a real sense of place.”
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