Scandi flatpack furniture chain IKEA picked Hammersmith for its first standalone restaurant in the UK... and it's already proving popular with locals.
Once a Wasabi restaurant, the new dining space at 38 King Street – next to the Hammersmith IKEA store – seats 75 and has a full range of Swedish dishes, including the meatballs-and-mash classic.
Other menu highlights include fish & chips, salmon with couscous and plant-based alternatives. Main meals start at £4.95, kids' meals from 95p, while cooked breakfasts, up to 11am, start at £2.75.
Local resident Marie, sipping a coffee in the peaceful upstairs seating area, said: "It's a big improvement that IKEA now has a standalone restaurant on the high street, with much more space and light. Now I can get almost anything I need for my home shopping locally, and – even better – enjoy a coffee afterwards."
Fellow shopper Leda was trying the fish & chips. "The food is pretty good," she said. "And it's very reasonably priced. I'd definitely come back."
IKEA has been a staple of Hammersmith since opening in February 2022. The first of its kind, the compact store is currently the only small city version in the UK, with similar branches set to open in Oxford Street and in Brighton.
IKEA's Matthew Gould said the response from Hammersmith has been fantastic. "Many have come by just to experience the new restaurant," he said. "We're seeing all kinds of community gatherings, from breakfast meet-ups to after-school visits, and even a sewing club that's made our space their home."
The restaurant is open 8am-8pm Monday-Friday, 9am-8pm Saturday, and 9am-4.30pm Sunday.
