Koba — London, UK

A leading outlet of Korean food, long before it became a hot trend in the capital, Koba has stood in London’s Fitzrovia since 2005. However, a recent refurbishment to celebrate the restaurant’s second decade of trade has dramatically brought it into the present day, finally matching the impressive cuisine with an environment it deserves.
Working with chef and owner Linda Lee, Korean design agency Elephant have married elements of the country’s traditional design heritage with more contemporary accents, peppering the restaurant with craftworks from Korean ceramic specialists KwanJuYo, as well as pottery from Seoul’s renowned Woong Gallery. Fronted by trompe l’oeil doors, the ground floor dining room is now a bright and modern space, heralded by a long bar and illuminated by a skylight. Downstairs, the basement space takes on a noticeably more sultry mood, with art picked by Lee lining the walls, including porcelain panels printed with enlarged versions of famous Korean imagery.
To coincide with Koba’s reopening, Lee has introduced a new menu, yet the focus remains on table barbeque cuisine, signalled by a series of unadorned low-hanging extractors hovering over tabletop burners. Here, classic dishes like bulgogi are cooked by diners themselves, but for those not keen on the DIY approach, other Korean staples, such as shinsunro, a hotpot served in a flaming copper pot, and bibimbap are prepared traditionally: in the kitchen.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
11 Rathbone Street
-
Horns, tentacles and spikes: Louis Poulsen plays with its iconic lighting designs in new collaboration
Louis Poulsen’s ‘Pale Rose’ collection by Poul Henningsen and Vilhelm Lauritzen was reinterpreted by New York creatives Breanna Box and Peter Dupont of Heven
By Timothy Anscombe-Bell • Published
-
Maeving RM1 electric motorbike is a classic looker with zero emissions
The road opens up with the Maeving RM1, a retro-styled e-motorbike that splices practicality with style
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
The Danish shores meet East Coast America as Gubi and Noah unveil new summer collaboration
Gubi x Noah is a new summer collaboration comprising a special colourful edition of Gubi’s outdoor lounge chair by Mathias Steen Rasmussen, and a five-piece beach-appropriate capsule collection
By Rosa Bertoli • Published
-
‘Where To Now’: Zara and Wallpaper* launch offbeat travel guides
Zara and Wallpaper’s ‘Where To Now’ travel guides launch with five off-the-beaten-track adventures, from California to Naoshima, for armchair and actual explorers, available to buy now
By Simon Mills • Published
-
London tour: from design shopping to exciting dining, architecture and art
Our London tour is a guide to the city’s must-sees of the moment, from Battersea Power Station to a hyperlocal design hub and the best bars and restaurants
By Martha Elliott • Published
-
Cosiest London cocktail bars for chic soirées
The best London cocktail bars for cosy drinks, from a fairy-lit terrace in Fitzrovia to snug surrounds in Covent Garden
By Martha Elliott • Published
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
By Chadner Navarro • Published
-
Notting Hill’s Sister Jane Townhouse is a theatre of whimsy
Sella Concept devise an eccentric, multi-experiential home for fashion brand, Sister Jane
By Harry McKinley • Last updated
-
Holmes Hotel carves out its own corner on London’s Chiltern Street — London, UK
By Melina Keays • Last updated
-
Aparthotels: the new breed of accommodation offering the best of both worlds
Aparthotels are big business. We take a look at Native, the design-led brand with big plans
By Lauren Ho • Last updated
-
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland
By Daven Wu • Last updated