Wagamama reopens Noodle Lab test kitchen in Soho

Wagamama has reopened its Noodle Lab in London’s Soho to act as a test kitchen for potential menu items.

The group has converted its 120-cover Great Marlborough Street restaurant to the experimental site, which launched yesterday and will open seven days a week.

Wagamama said the site would be a “playground” for its chefs and serve dishes that have never featured on its menu before.

These include vegan Korean corn dogs coated in a crispy noodle crumb; sweet potato fries covered with Korean sauce, vegan mayo and either barbecue chicken, beef brisket or aubergine and caramelised onion; and chouxnuts with a custard filling.

The Noodle Lab will also host a series of collaborations with “some of the country’s most exciting food innovators” in the coming months, Wagamama said.

The original Noodle Lab opened on Soho’s Dean Street in 2017 but moved to Old Street in 2021.

The Old Street restaurant will continue to trade as a normal Wagamama following the Noodle Lab’s return to Soho this month.

Steve Mangleshot, Wagamama’s global executive chef, said: “Our chefs can’t wait to showcase their skills and play with the weird and wonderful to create innovative and groundbreaking dishes.”

Wagamama owner the Restaurant Group is aiming to open between seven and eight new sites under the brand this year off the back of rising sales.