In a city where restaurant openings arrive almost daily and accolades are hard won, a Michelin Bib Gourmand remains one of the most respected seals of approval. This year, that distinction has been awarded to Calong, the quietly confident Korean restaurant tucked away in Stoke Newington, marking a major milestone for the husband-and-wife team behind it.
Announced on 3 February, the Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2026 recognises restaurants offering exceptional food at moderate prices. For Calong, which only opened its first permanent site in February 2025, the award represents an impressive achievement in its very first year of trading.
Already recommended by Michelin and named one of the Financial Times’ Best New London Restaurants of 2025, the Bib Gourmand feels like a natural next step rather than a surprise. Still, in London’s hyper-competitive dining scene, few neighbourhood restaurants rise this quickly.
Calong is owned and run by Joo Won and Sujin, whose combined experience reads like a roll call of prestigious kitchens. Joo previously spent several years as head chef at Galvin at Windows, where he helped maintain its Michelin star, while Sujin built her front-of-house and hospitality expertise at institutions including The Wolseley, The Delaunay, and Fischer’s in Marylebone. Together, they bring both technical finesse and a deep understanding of hospitality to their venture.
The restaurant’s name, Calong, translates loosely as “cool” in Korean – a fitting description for a place that has made a name for itself without noise or hype. There are no neon signs or viral gimmicks here, just a calm dining room, thoughtful cooking and a loyal local following that has steadily grown beyond N16.
Calong’s journey began as a pop-up concept in 2021, allowing Joo and Sujin to refine their ideas before committing to a permanent space. When they finally found their ideal site in Stoke Newington, they knew it was the right place to put down roots. The area’s strong sense of community and independent spirit mirrors their own approach to food and hospitality.
At the heart of Calong’s success is a menu that feels both familiar and quietly inventive. The restaurant offers a small, daily-changing selection of Korean dishes, shaped by European techniques and built around seasonal British produce. Rather than replicating traditional Korean cuisine dish for dish, Joo and Sujin set out to create something more personal.
Their cooking remains firmly rooted in Korean flavours, but it is unafraid to borrow from Western methods and unexpected combinations. This balance is what sets Calong apart from much of the UK’s Korean food scene, which often leans heavily on either street-food nostalgia or strict tradition.
Signature dishes include a crisp kimchi fritter with chilli mayonnaise, a dish that neatly bridges comfort and refinement, and Joo’s fried chicken, glazed in sweet chilli and peanut, which has quickly become a customer favourite. Another standout is the grilled pork jeyuk, marinated in a Korean-style spicy sauce and served with apple kimchi and ssamjang, offering layers of heat, acidity and depth without overwhelming the palate.
Despite the accolades, the atmosphere at Calong remains refreshingly unpretentious. The dining room is intimate and relaxed, with service that reflects Sujin’s background in some of London’s most polished restaurants, without ever feeling formal or stiff. It is the kind of place where regulars are remembered, dishes are explained with enthusiasm, and diners are encouraged to return often.
Receiving a Michelin Bib Gourmand places Calong in esteemed company and signals its status as one of London’s most exciting places to eat well without excess. For Joo and Sujin, the recognition is both a reward and a motivation.
“We are incredibly proud to be awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand,” said Chef Joo Won. “It’s a real honour to be recognised for the food we cook here at Calong. We will continuously work on our craft to deliver the best to our customers.”
As London diners increasingly seek thoughtful cooking, genuine hospitality and value-driven dining, Calong’s rise feels timely. Cool by name and by nature, it has quietly become one of the capital’s most compelling Korean restaurants — and now, officially, one of Michelin’s favourites too.