Dining with impact: eight great refugee-run restaurants

Cue Pont, near Shoreditch, east London
Co-founded by Mursal Saiq and head chef Joshua Moroney, this British-Afghan mash-up fuses everything from Texan brisket to Guyanese spice into an inclusive menu that works for pretty much everybody (it also offers Halal, vegan, gluten-and dairy-free). No cultural clichés here, just a mission to serve up BBQ that’s as proudly and fiercely diverse as the capital. Or so it ought to be: many of us, this writer included, literally wouldn’t be here if it were not for immigration. So, three cheers to this smoky gem in our own ‘Big Smoke.’
Find out more about Cue Point

Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, near Carnaby Street, central London

After losing everything in the war, Syrian chef Imad Alarnab came to London in 2015 to rebuild his life. And after working a number of jobs, including car salesman Imad “burst onto the London restaurant scene” via a series of sell-out supper clubs and pop-up takeaway lunches. He now serves authentic, soulful Syrian fare to delighted diners from across the globe. And news just in – his latest venture, Aram, opens this autumn at Somerset House, showcasing the diverse flavours of Syria’s 14 provinces. Come for the falafel and the kofta – and leave full of hope (and hummus).
Find out more about Imad’s Kitchen 

Mazi Mas, Hackney, east London

Inspired by the Greek home cook Maria Maroulis, this roaming restaurant and social enterprise, with Mediterranean-inspired fare, offers employment, kitchen training, and support to help refugee and migrant women launch their own food businesses. Its four stated main aims are: to empower women by offering independent income; develop their culinary skills in a professional setting to build their confidence; reduce social isolation through community enterprise; and preserve and celebrate diverse cultural recipes as a vital part of what makes the capital unique. Incidentally, “Mazí mas” means “with us” in Greek – a fitting name for such an inclusive set-up.

Find out more about Mazi Mas

Trampoline Cafe, Angel, north London

Founded by the team behind (the organic and biodegradable) NEMI Teas, this social enterprise supports London’s refugee community by providing training and employment opportunities, helping them to integrate and thrive; and in partnership with The Hotel School, Seasoned, Thomas Franks, and Groundwork, offers a pathway from refugee status to meaningful work. Here, team members are named ‘Kinfolk’ – “to reflect the mutual obligation we all have to each other, and the bond that exists between us. This is important because we can only be successful by working together, and by breaking bread together.” 

Find out more about Trampoline Cafe

Mriya Neo Bistro, Chelsea, south-west London

After they were displaced during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the celebrated chef Yurii Kovryzhenko and his partner Olga Tsybytovska founded this Ukrainian neo-bistro in 2022 in London’s Chelsea. Mriya (which means “dream” in Ukrainian) serves 24 innovative dishes (the owners describe it as “Ukrainian haute cuisine”) including borsch, chicken Kyiv, and pearl barley risotto, using seasonal ingredients and combining pickling, fermenting, and French cooking methods. The restaurant, which features authentic Ukrainian furniture and art, is also a social mission: its 15 staff members are all Ukrainian refugees too, many from non-hospitality backgrounds.

Find out more about Mriya Neo Bistro

Bekas Cafe, Liverpool

Liverpool’s first, family-run Kurdish café is named after the celebrated Kurdish poet Sherko Bekas, often described as “the voice of Kurdistan”. And here’s the taste of Kurdistan: hot drinks, pastries, and cakes from the Kurdistan region of Iraq. But guests also get a history lesson too: “When you next visit the café, feel free to ask our staff to tell you more about Kurdistan region of Iraq and the lives of our famous poets while waiting for our signature Kurdish Coffee to be brewed for you.”

Find out more about Bekas Cafe

Vietbowl, Manchester

As a child, Vietbowl’s founder, Tuan, cooked for his siblings in a refugee camp in Hong Kong. After moving to the UK, but dropping out of college in Manchester, due to the language barrier, he found renewed purpose working in a restaurant at age 16, rekindling the skills he’d learned in the camp. Despite venturing into other businesses, including owning a nail bar and a nightclub, food remained his true passion. He now runs his own restaurant, with a focus on healthy, flavour-packed Vietnamese dishes, and with support from his father, a chef with over 20 years’ experience.

Find out more about Vietbowl

MoonSha, Derby

Founded by Ailee Dang, a Chinese refugee who fled the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979, via dangerous boat journey to Hong Kong, this Japanese bar and restaurant is known for its high-quality sushi, teppanyaki, and Japanese tapas. It’s suitable for everything from romantic dinners to corporate events, and led by a master chef using authentic, seasonal ingredients flown in from Japan.

Find out more about MoonSha