Kong is a Chinese public house in Shoreditch, combining the heritage of an East London pub with a contemporary Chinese kitchen. The project comes from Andrew Wong of the two Michelin-starred A. Wong and Amar Radia, co-founder of Dishoom, bringing together two hugely influential figures in London’s restaurant scene.
Set within a historic pub site dating back to 1792, Kong occupies a building that has traded under various names over the centuries, including the Pewter Platter, The Poet and the Water Poet - the latter closed in 2019. Kong takes that legacy a step further, drawing on both the longstanding pub culture of the East End and the area’s deep-rooted Chinese influences to create something unusual even in London's diverse landscape - a gastropub serving modern Chinese food.
The concept centres on all-day dining, with Wong's signature Cantonese cooking adapted to the ebb and flow of a traditional pub - pub and noodle house traditions are, after all, not that far from each other. Menus span everything from dumplings and noodles to heartier grill dishes, designed to be enjoyed from morning through to evening, whether alongside a quick drink or a more substantial meal. The aim is to create a relaxed, accessible space that welcomes both casual drop-ins and longer stays, offering 'dumplings at dawn, noodles at lunch, grills with a cold pint at dusk.'
Inside, the site stretches to just under 6,000 sq ft over multiple floors, complemented by a sizeable 800 sq ft courtyard that offers plenty of space for al fresco drinks and dining in the centre of Shoreditch.
Interiors are designed by Afroditi Krassa, known for delivering characterful, design-led hospitality spaces, including other London venues like Dishoom, HUMO, Lucky Cat, and Rosewood Hotels.