Ottolenghi co-founder, Noam Bar-Chang, and Chris Hsu continue the rise of Taiwanese street food in the capital with a bold new opening in London’s business hub
Kung Fu Mama — the Taiwanese noodle bar created by Ottolenghi co-founder Noam Bar-Chang and founder of Kung Fu Mama Retail Chris Hsu — is thrilled to announce that its second London restaurant will open in Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf in Q1 2026.
The launch follows the success of the brand’s debut Covent Garden site and marks another step in the growing momentum behind Taiwanese cuisine in London. Known for its contemporary take on Taiwanese street food anchored in high-quality, traditional ingredients, the restaurant continues to introduce Londoners to a modern expression of Taiwan’s vibrant culinary culture.
At the heart of Kung Fu Mama’s offering are its signature sun-dried noodles, crafted using a traditional hand-folding method that gives them a uniquely firm, springy texture. The menu balances bold flavours with nutrient-dense, feel-good components: proteins are oven-baked instead of fried, extra-virgin olive oil replaces seed oils, and salt, sugar, and fat are carefully moderated.
Dishes include noodle bowls such as Chicken with Ginger & Sesame; 12hrs Beef with Szechuan Pepper; Grandma’s Beef and Tomato Noodles; Portobello Mushroom with Romano Pepper; and Traditional Beef Noodle Soup. Bao sandwiches, designed to be enjoyed burger-style, include Oven-Baked Chicken Bao; Ginger and Sesame Chicken Bao; and Soft-Shell Crab Bao, while sides feature Mixed Greens; Cucumber Salad; and Wood-Ear Mushroom Salad. For dessert, guests can enjoy Taiwanese night market classics like Mango Shaved Ice Cream or Pineapple Pie.
Noam Bar-Chang says:
“London’s enthusiasm for Taiwanese food has exceeded all our expectations, and we’re excited to bring our contemporary take on these flavours to Canary Wharf in early 2026. Chris and I set out to create food that is high-quality, nutrient-dense, joyful and full of character — dishes we’d happily serve to our own families — and we’re proud to see this vision resonating with Londoners. This second opening feels like an important step in putting Taiwanese cuisine more firmly on the UK culinary map.”
Chris Hsu adds:
“Kung Fu Mama Retail introduced sun-dried noodles to the UK for the first time, and it has been amazing to watch people fall in love with them. Expanding the restaurant concept to Canary Wharf allows us to show even more diners how versatile and flavour-packed these noodles can be. We’re thrilled to bring more of Taiwan’s street food culture to London in 2026.”
As with the Covent Garden site, the Canary Wharf restaurant will feature Kung Fu Mama’s playful, design-led aesthetic, including a humorous custom font by Scott Wittman, and a bespoke mural tracing Chris Hsu’s Taiwanese culinary heritage — a spirited visual identity that mirrors the brand’s fresh, contemporary approach.
Kung Fu Mama, 64, Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf, E14 5NY
Kung Fu Mama, 80 Long Acre, Covent Garden, WC2E 9NG
Prices between £6.95 and £11.85 per serving
kungfumama.co.uk | @kungfumama_uk
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Notes to Editors
For all media enquiries contact Gemma Hitchon: gemma@ghpr.co.uk | 07738 105087
ABOUT KUNG FU MAMA RESTAURANT
The brainchild of Ottolenghi co-founder, Noam Bar-Chang, and founder of Kung Fu Mama Retail, Chris Hsu, Kung Fu Mama is a fast-paced Taiwanese noodle bar concept. The first sun-dried noodle restaurant in the UK, it is dedicated to bringing the vibrant street food of Taiwan to London — with a twist. Serving Kung Fu Mama Retail’s sun-dried noodles and quirky bao sandwiches, the restaurant offers curious, adventurous food enthusiasts a healthy, affordable taste of Taiwanese flavours adapted to the London palate.
ABOUT KUNG FU MAMA RETAIL
Founded by Chris Hsu, Kung Fu Mama Retail is the first and only brand offering premium Taiwanese sun-dried noodles in the UK. Crafted using a time-honoured sun-drying and hand-folding process, these noodles are made with just wheat flour, salt, and water — free from artificial additives yet packed with bold, authentic flavours. Committed to sustainable packaging, several products have won the Guild of Fine Food’s Great Taste Award.
ABOUT NOAM BAR-CHANG
Noam Bar-Chang is the co-founder of Ottolenghi, the globally renowned culinary brand known for its vibrant, flavour-packed Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. With a passion for fresh ingredients and bold, innovative cooking, Noam played a key role in shaping Ottolenghi’s philosophy. Now, he embarks on a new project in collaboration with Chris Hsu, showcasing contemporary Taiwanese street food through Kung Fu Mama.
ABOUT CHRIS HSU
Chris Hsu is the founder of the successful Taiwanese noodle chain Shuang Ren Hsu, operating in Taipei since 2009. In 2019, he moved to London and founded Kung Fu Mama Retail, the first business to import premium Taiwanese sun-dried noodles to the UK. He now joins forces with Noam Bar-Chang to bring contemporary Taiwanese street food to London via the Kung Fu Mama restaurant concept.
HALAL INFORMATION
At Kung Fu Mama our chicken is halal-certified as a raw product, and we use halal-certified beef as a raw product in our ‘Grandma’s Beef and Tomato Noodles’ dish. Whilst we prepare our halal dishes separately, our kitchens are not exclusively halal.
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About Canary Wharf Group (‘CWG’)
Canary Wharf Group (CWG) is the developer of the largest urban regeneration project in Europe. CWG develops, manages and currently owns interests in approximately 9 million square feet of mixed-use space and over 1,400 Build to Rent apartments. Canary Wharf’s retail offering is ranked the UK’s number one shopping destination by Green Street.
CWG is committed to turning sustainability ambition into impactful action. Examples include purchasing 100% electricity from renewable sources since 2012, our partnership with the Eden Project creating a place for nature and people and working to deliver our Science-Based Targets.
CWG has created a 24/7 city where people can live, work and thrive and enjoy all the benefits that Canary Wharf provides: great transport links, access to 16.5 acres of green spaces and waterside living; and a wide range of amenities including an award-winning arts and events programme. Canary Wharf’s retail and leisure offer includes over 80 bars, cafes and restaurants and more than 320 shops, including 8 grocery stores, pharmacies and health clubs all within 15 minutes’ walk. CWG recorded its highest annual footfall of more than 76 million in 2025.
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