Restaurateur and entrepreneur, Linda Lee will launch new ‘table & market’ concept Mee Market on Archer Street, Soho, this December.
Mee Market follows Linda’s successful ventures with fine dining Korean restaurant Koba, in Fitzrovia, and popular Korean street food outfit On The Bab - which now has four sites across London. Mee Market will open its doors to the public on Monday 4 December.
Located on Archer Street, Soho, alongside Jacob Kennedy’s Bocca di Lupo, Mee Market is split across two levels and will offer Korean and Asian-inspired hot and cold foods for both takeaway and dine-in, as well as a retail space on the lower ground floor. With Mee Market, Linda hopes to bring what she refers to as the ‘table & market’ concept, commonplace in her home city of Seoul in South Korea, to London.
The varied food offering at Mee Market will include a Korean poke rice and salad bar, a hot counter for hearty Asian-stews, hot pots and side dishes, and Korean and Asian-inspired dry foods including a customised Mee Market white and brown rice dispenser. Asian fresh vegetables will also be available, and a frozen Asian food section will allow customers to pick up meals for home.
For lovers of Koba and On the Bab, Mee Market will serve some signature dishes from each restaurant. Korean burdock root and green teas will also be available, as well as recipe cards that will provide inspiration for customers who can purchase all of the ingredients on site at Mee Market.
Lee will also honour the time-held Korean tradition of hot soup noodles for anybody celebrating a birthday, engagement, or special day. Downstairs, Vitsoe shelving will display Mee Market branded homeware, accessories and stationery including wallets, crockery and aprons, as well as 18-covers for people to dine in.
Lee commented, “After launching Koba and On the Bab in London, Mee Market seemed the natural next step. I wanted to offer Londoner’s a great grab-and-go Korean and Asian food option, and with Mee Market they will have a choice of takeaway options as well dried ingredients and recipe cards to cook dishes at home. Mee Market homeware will allow customers to enjoy our beautifully crafted products anywhere in the world!”
Founder and owner, Linda Lee’s background spans across hospitality and fashion. Linda was born in Seoul before moving to Paris to study design. After running several successful restaurants in Seoul, she moved to London and now has over 12 years experience of operating restaurants in the capital. Her first venture Koba, opened in 2005 in Fitzrovia, providing Korean table barbecue, and is regarded as one of the best Korean restaurants in London.
Her next venture was Nizuni, a five-storey Japanese restaurant on Charlotte Street, followed by Nizuni Go in Marylebone. Due to the high growing demand for Korean cuisine in London, she decided to focus on this and introduce more Korean cuisine to the public. Having built up years of knowledge in the restaurant industry, Linda wanted to show London something authentic but different, and launched On the Bab, which now has 4 branches.
