On The Bab Founder Linda Lee Will Open New Korean ‘Table and Market’ in Soho

Restaurateur and entrepreneur Linda Lee, has told Eater London that she will launch ‘table and market’ concept Mee Market on Archer Street in Soho on Monday 4 December. It is the follow-up to Lee’s two other ventures with the Korean restaurant Koba, in Fitzrovia, and Korean street food brand On The Bab — which has four sites across London.

Mee Market will live next door to Jacob Kennedy’s iconic Italian restaurant, Bocca di Lupo. The site is split across two levels and will offer “Korean and Asian-inspired hot and cold foods” for both takeaway and eat-in, plus a retail space on the lower ground floor. Lee’s aim is to bring what she refers to as the “table and market” concept, commonplace in her home city of Seoul in South Korea, to London.”

Lee shared details of the new site’s distinctly varied offer:

• A Korean poke rice and salad bar
• A hot counter for Asian stews, hot pots and side dishes
• Korean and Asian-inspired dry foods, including a customised Mee Market white and brown rice dispenser
• Asian fresh vegetable counter
• A frozen Asian food section will allow customers to buy ready-meals
• Signature dishes from both Koba and On The Bab will be available (fingers crossed for the latter’s kimchi pancakes)
• Korean burdock root and green teas
• Recipe cards will aim to provide inspiration for customers who can purchase all of the ingredients on site
• Hot soup noodles designed for celebrations is a Korean tradition Lee wishes to bring to the site
• Downstairs, Mee Market-branded homeware, accessories and stationery including wallets, crockery and aprons
• Downstairs there will also be 18 covers for people to dine in

Lee said: “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!”

Lee’s background spans fashion (she moved from Seoul to Paris to study design) as well as hospitality. After running several restaurants in South Korea, she launched her first venture Koba in 2005 in Fitzrovia, a restaurant specialises in Korean (table) barbecue. Nizuni, a five-storey Japanese restaurant on Charlotte Street, followed by Nizuni Go in Marylebone, came later and have since closed, as she look instead to focus on Korean concepts. On The Bab first launched on Old Street in 2015 and now has sites in Covent Garden, Marylebone and St. Paul’s as well.

Lee has worked with Adam Hyman and CODE Hospitality as consultants on the Mee Market venture.

Open every day 11am to 8pm