NOVA ESEA

Your guide to the UK's best ESEA (East & Southeast Asian) music, arts, culture & more

FEATURE

Yokimono Japanese Market: How One Woman's Community Became East London's Favourite Japanese Market

Sonoe Sugawara came to London for three months in 2001. She never left. Over two decades later, she runs a vintage kimono shop in Dalston and organises Yokimono Japanese Market — an independent gathering of Japanese food makers, artists, and craftspeople that was only ever supposed to happen once.

Best Bánh Mì in London: Vietnamese Sandwich Spots Worth Seeking Out

Bánh mì is one of those sandwiches that shouldn't work on paper — French baguette, Vietnamese pickles, pâté, coriander, chilli — and yet it's one of the most satisfying things you can eat. London's Vietnamese food scene has grown quietly and steadily over the past decade, and the bánh mì options have grown with it. From Hackney to Southbank, here are the spots we think are doing it well. Pho Street Eats ⭐ Our Pick This mother-daughter duo has been at Old Spitalfields Market s

Nha Trang Kitchen: Vietnamese Street Food Stall Built on One Family's Recipes

The Stall Named After Her Mum's Hometown Chau's parents were among the Vietnamese boat people who fled the country after the war. They made it to Hong Kong, met there, and that's where Chau was born. She came to the UK at one year old. The journey that brought her family here was dangerous; everything left behind is the quiet foundation beneath every dish she sells. Her mum's family is from Nha Trang. The stall carries that name. Which means every bánh mì sold at Berwick Stre

Chiharu Shiota & Yin Xiuzhen at Southbank Centre: Threads, Suitcases & the Things We Carry

There's something about visiting two exhibitions in one go that feels indulgent, like ordering two desserts without feeling guilty. We went to the Hayward Gallery to see Chiharu Shiota. Her thread installations had been all over my feed, and I'd been meaning to go for weeks. Yin Xiuzhen was the other name on the ticket, someone I didn't know much about going in. But I left thinking most about her work. Yin Xiuzhen: Cities in Suitcases You walk into Yin Xiuzhen's half first, a

Zao An Collective: The ESEA Community Café That Feels Like Coming Home

What does it feel like to walk into Zao An According to co-founder Rihlan, it's like going to someone's house and having their parents cook for you. Part café, part canteen, part community hub. Zao An is an ESEA diaspora workers' collective built on the belief that the best hospitality happens when everyone has a real stake in it. We sat down with Irene and Rihlan to hear the story behind it all.

Cernamic: Clay, Community and a Small Oasis in London

If you walk into Cernamic on a busy evening, London suddenly feels quieter. Wheels are spinning, hands are deep in clay, and there is that soft concentration that happens when everyone is making something together. It feels less like a strict class and more like a shared studio, a small oasis tucked between train lines and traffic. Cernamic is a pottery studio with three spaces in Stoke Newington, Deptford and Dalston, founded by ceramic artist Nam Tran with co-director Susi

Monica Hsueh on Resilience, Migration and Stand-Up in London

Taiwanese comedian Monica Hsueh went from lockdown banter to a full live hour with How to Be a Strong Woman in One Hour in London, her funny and honest show about resilience, migration and messy life moments.

East & Southeast Asian Food Guide London: Street Food, Restaurants, Supperclubs & Pop-Ups

From Filipino pancit to Japanese karaage, this is your ultimate guide to Asian food in London. We spotlight ESEA-owned stalls, restaurants, supperclubs, and hidden gems with interviews, maps, and monthly updates.

My Kids Are Hungry Asian Food Stall at Southbank Centre Market

My Kids Are Hungry: Vietnamese comfort, made for Southbank weekends

Born in lockdown and run by Vivien, a London mum-of-three, My Kids Are Hungry serves home-cooked Vietnamese comfort food with an easygoing “family kitchen” vibe. The stall grew from sharing recipes online to a full-time spot at Southbank Centre Food Market, and yes, the kids helped choose the menu. What to eat? Two signatures stand out: chicken & prawn bao, pan-fried, juicy, sesame-topped dumplings and a crunchy, classic bánh mì. Everything at the stall is nut-free, which m

ABOUT

NOVA ESEA is dedicated to curating and spotlighting the most vibrant East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) cultural experiences, creating a central hub that makes it effortlessly simple for both enthusiasts and newcomers to discover and engage with music, arts, and cultural showcases. Our aim is to become the definitive online platform, where the richness of ESEA culture is celebrated, shared, and explored, bridging communities and fostering connections through the universal language of art and heritage.