Something happened to British food over the past decade. Not gradually. Not quietly. A proper shift in how the country eats when it leaves the kitchen.
Twenty years ago, “going for Asian” meant the local Chinese takeaway or the curry house down the road. Both brilliant in their own way. Both limited in scope. Korean BBQ in Manchester or Vietnamese pho in Birmingham would have been specialist stuff back then, the kind of places you would need to research first and probably travel across town to find.
That has changed completely.
The Asian restaurant industry in the UK sits at roughly £7.3 billion as of 2024, projected to reach £7.5 billion by end of 2025. That is not a niche market. That is a significant chunk of how Britons eat when they go out. Though it is worth noting that this figure actually represents a decline – industry revenue has fallen at a compound annual rate of 2.3% over the past five years according to IBISWorld data. The market is contracting, not expanding, even as tastes shift towards more diverse options.
Why Did This Happen?
A few things converged at once.
Travel got cheaper. People visited Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul. They came back wanting more than sweet and sour chicken balls from a menu that hadn’t changed since 1987. Social media didn’t hurt either — suddenly everyone could see what actual ramen looked like, what proper dim sum involved, how Korean fried chicken differed from the Colonel’s recipe.
A few things happened at once that pushed British palates in new directions.
Research from HRA Global found that 90% of UK shoppers are now open to trying new products from or inspired by international cuisines. Not “would tolerate” but actively open to it. And 82% said they would like to see more international products in supermarkets, suggesting that despite what retailers currently offer, there is appetite for even more variety.
That’s a shift in how people think about food altogether.
The Death of “Westernised” Versions
For decades, British-Chinese and British-Indian food operated on a specific formula: take authentic dishes, adjust them for local palates, serve them consistently. It worked. These restaurants became institutions.
But something shifted in consumer expectations.
People started asking questions. Wait — is this what pad thai actually tastes like in Thailand? Is there more to Japanese food than California rolls? What even is Sichuan cuisine?
The answer, increasingly, came from a new generation of restaurants willing to serve the real thing. Spicier. More complex. Sometimes challenging. Often unfamiliar.
And diners responded by… loving it?
Consumer trends show appetite moving away from chow mein and chicken korma toward plant-based options, authentic regional flavours, and fusion concepts that actually understand what they’re fusing. The Westernised safety net is shrinking. People want the genuine article.
Food Halls Changed Everything
Traditional restaurants have an inherent problem. You commit to one cuisine, one menu, one price point. If you have never tried laksa before and it turns out you hate it, tough luck. That is your fifteen quid gone and you are stuck with it.
The UK has seen substantial growth in food hall venues over recent years. According to Cushman & Wakefield data, the country went from 19 food halls in 2017 to over 40 by 2024, making it Europe’s most established food hall market. A me&u industry report from early 2024 counted even higher numbers, noting 84 operational food halls with the sector growing 15% from June 2023 to February 2024, during a cost-of-living crisis while the broader hospitality sector struggled with closures.
Why did this format work when sit-down restaurants were shutting?
Think about how Asian street markets operate. You wander around. You sample bits from different vendors. Small portions, no commitment to a single menu. The whole experience becomes exploratory rather than transactional.
Food halls recreate exactly that energy in a British context
The model works because it removes the risk of trying something unfamiliar. Curious about Filipino food but nervous about ordering a full meal? Try a small plate first. Loved the Korean tacos but fancy Japanese dessert? Walk twenty feet. The variety becomes the point rather than a compromise.
Food halls recreate exactly that energy
50% of UK consumers now buy from street food vendors at least once a week. That’s not a trend — that’s a fundamental change in how people approach eating out.
The model works because it removes risk. Curious about Filipino food but nervous about ordering a full meal? Try a small plate. Loved the Korean tacos but want Japanese dessert? Walk twenty feet. The variety becomes the point.
One Example Worth Mentioning
The Asian Food Hall at Trafford Centre captures this perfectly.
The Asian Food Hall at Trafford Centre captures this approach quite well.
Multiple levels. Ramen bars next to bakeries. Dim sum counters alongside dessert stands. The energy of an authentic Asian marketplace but in Manchester rather than requiring a flight to Singapore.
Visitors can explore regional specialities, the kind of dishes that would never justify a dedicated standalone restaurant with all the overheads that involves, without betting their entire dining budget on something unfamiliar.
Spaces like this serve a purpose beyond just feeding people. They introduce dishes most Britons would not encounter otherwise. Widen the palate a bit. Create curiosity that leads to proper restaurant visits later when someone discovers they actually quite like something they had never heard of before.
Fusion That Actually Works
Some fusion concepts are terrible. Sushi burritos shouldn’t exist. (They do exist. Whether they should is debatable.)
But genuine fusion — where chefs understand both cuisines deeply before combining them — produces something worthwhile.
Korean fried chicken with British-style chips. Scottish salmon in sushi rolls. Miso-infused gravies transforming the Sunday roast. These aren’t gimmicks. They’re what happens when culinary traditions genuinely collaborate rather than awkwardly shake hands.
Emerging Asian cuisines are gaining popularity across the UK, with live cooking demonstrations and street food-inspired offerings showing particularly strong growth in urban areas. Interactive dining experiences — where the cooking itself becomes entertainment — are outpacing traditional restaurant formats.
Food as experience rather than just sustenance.
The Accessibility Factor
Here is something that surprised the research firms tracking this sector.
Consumers report they can still afford to eat out despite cost-of-living pressures. The caveat matters though: they are choosing differently than before.
Younger diners are driving much of this shift. Gen Z consumers eat out roughly twice as often as those over 55 (Gen Z goes out for dinner the most at an average of 4.1 times per month.), and they prefer to eat out cheaply and frequently rather than saving up for occasional expensive meals. This is good news for quick service restaurants and casual formats.
Asian dining formats align perfectly with this preference because food halls, street food vendors, and quick-service concepts deliver quality without ceremony. Flavour without formality. The £8 bao bun that is genuinely excellent beats the £25 starter at a place where you feel underdressed and worry about which fork to use.
Market Halls, which operates across multiple London locations, reported revenue growth from £8.6 million to £22 million for the twelve months to July 2023. Though the increase was partly attributable to soft trading during Covid restrictions the previous year, like-for-like sales still grew 40%. The commercial model works because the consumer model works.
Beyond the Plate
Food does something else that’s harder to measure.
Sitting down to shared hotpot teaches chopstick etiquette without anyone giving you a lesson. Lunar New Year dishes carry symbolism worth understanding if you bother to ask. The ritual of Korean BBQ, cooking together and eating together, creates connection differently than individual plates arriving sequentially while everyone stares at their phones.
As the UK becomes increasingly diverse, dining becomes common ground of sorts. Heritage gets celebrated. Shared meals transcend the awkwardness of cultural exchange performed through words alone. You do not need to discuss immigration policy when you are both focused on whether the beef is done yet.
Minimalist interiors, open kitchens, communal seating – these design elements spreading through UK restaurants trace directly to Asian hospitality traditions. Dining as shared ritual rather than passive consumption.
What the Numbers Actually Show
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Asian restaurant industry UK value (2024) | £7.3 billion | IBISWorld |
| Industry revenue trend | Declining 2.3% CAGR | GlobeNewswire |
| UK food halls (2017 vs 2024) | 19 to 42+ | Cushman & Wakefield |
| Market Halls revenue growth (to July 2023) | £8.6m to £22m | Company reports |
| Consumers open to new international flavours | 90% | HRA Global |
| Want more international products in supermarkets | 82% | HRA Global |
But numbers miss the texture of what actually happened to British eating habits.
The revolution did not come from fine dining trickling down to the masses. It came from street food bubbling up through markets and food halls. Through authentic flavours replacing Westernised approximations that had dominated for decades. Through formats that made exploration risk-free for people who might otherwise never try something unfamiliar.
Every bite carries history from Bangkok woks to Tokyo sushi counters to the bustling eateries now thriving across Manchester, London, Birmingham. UK diners are not just expanding their palates. They are discovering the world through plates rather than passports.
Sometimes the most interesting food journeys do not start with bookings at exclusive restaurants.
Sometimes they start with wandering through a food hall, curious about what is at the next stall, willing to spend a few quid finding out.
References
- GlobeNewswire: Asian restaurant industry UK valuation (£7.5 billion)
- Truly Experiences: Consumer demand for international cuisine (45%), casual dining preference (62%), eating out affordability (90%)
- Restroworks: UK food hall growth statistics (19 to 43 venues), Market Halls revenue (£8.6m to £22m)
- IBISWorld: Consumer trend shifts toward plant-based and authentic regional flavours
- Streetfoodexpo: Weekly street food vendor purchases (50%)
- me&u: Food hall operational growth June 2023-February 2024 (15%)
- OpenTable: Gen Z dining frequency preferences (71%)
- Lupa Foods: Emerging Asian cuisines and interactive dining growth
- GlobeNewswire: Asian Restaurants in the UK Industry Market Research Report 2024
- IBISWorld: Asian Restaurants in the UK Industry Analysis 2025
- Cushman & Wakefield: Food Halls of Europe report
- me&u: UK Food Halls Report February 2024
- HRA Global / Rochester PR Group: UK Consumer Attitudes to International Flavours 2024
- Market Halls financial reports 2023
