Restaurant Clusters

Successful restaurants are usually in clusters. Individual or standalone restaurants have to be unique. They have to be a destination in themselves.

Let me give you some examples from my personal experience. This is probably the way to get the best restaurant of that speciality—for example – authentic Malaysian Food or Korean Food.

1. Malaysian Restaurants

There is a cluster of Malaysian Restaurants in the Northwest of London. They are centred around Malaysia Hall in Bayswater. Malaysia Hall Canteen has served Malaysian Food for students since the 1960s. Generations of Malaysian Cooks who have worked in the Canteen has started their own restaurants nearby, knowing that this is the hub of Malay style of Malaysian Food.

2.  Korean Restaurants

This cluster is based in New Malden, which has become London’s Little Korea. There is a range of Korean Restaurants. They are really good. They have to be as this is where the Koreans live. The Koreans started living in New Malden in the 1908s.

3. Chinese Restaurants

This cluster is in Soho and is commonly referred to as China Town. This was a sleazy part of London, but gradually, more and more Chinese Restaurants gathered here to become what it is. There is a wide range of restaurants. Some are marketed to the Tourists, some are regional Chinese specialities, and some are more upmarket.

4. Bangladesh Restaurants

This is centred in Brick Lane in London’s Spitalfields area. It is commonly referred to as Banglatown. This area has been a safe haven for immigrants moving to London from abroad. Since the 19^th Century – the Irish, Jews and then Bangladeshi communities.

5. Indian Restaurants

These are based around the Southall in West London. It is known as Little India or Little Punjab as it is home to more Indians than anywhere else in the UK. It also has the largest Punjabi population outside India.

 

Other types of Restaurant Clusters

Street Clusters: The restaurants sell different types of foods. Although they are rivals, they are helping each other by their presence in the cluster. Most of these street clusters are on the road with a North/South Axis

In London, here are some examples: Minories, St Christopher Place, Queensway, Great Titchfield Street, West Hampstead

Areas like Mayfair in London’s West End, Spitalfields in London’s East End have a good number of restaurants.

Food Halls: They have only just arrived in the UK even though they are extremely common in the Far East and Europe.

Examples of Food Halls in Victoria, Borough Market Hall, Mercato Mayfair. There are plans to re-open in Oxford Street and Canary Wharf.