The menu includes bún thái, bún mắm, and bánh mì.
London is home to restaurants from around the world. Now, a street food vendor in the heart of Vietnam is coming to the capital. Vietnamese sensation Cô Thành is making its way from Ho Chi Minh City to Henrietta Street. Opening in September 2025, the venue will be situated in the heart of Covent Garden.
Cô translates to aunt in Vietnamese and highlights how the concept draws inspiration from family recipes. This culinary concept pays homage to the late Nguyễn Thị Thanh — fondly known as “the Lunch Lady” — whose daily-changing street-side dishes earned her international acclaim and a loyal following. When Cô Thành’s street food stall opened on Hoang Street in Vietnam, it was a local as well as international favourite. The venue attracted queues around the block and even the food presenter and writer Antony Bourdain. Antony visited during his TV show, No Reservations.
The full menu for Cô Thành has not yet been unveiled. The original venue is renowned for its soups and noodles, as well as its speciality, Spicy Bun Bo Hue. So far, we know that the menu will sell baguette sandwiches, bún thái, bún mắm, and bánh mì.
In 2017, chef and restaurateur Brian Woo went on to open Cô Thành in Hong Kong. He said: “London has always been a city I’ve admired for its creativity and diversity when it comes to food, so it’s a real honour to be joining that community.
“Everything I learned from Nguyễn Thị Thanh – the care she took with each dish, the pride in her ingredients, the way she connected with people through food – has stayed with me, and Cô Thành is my way of continuing her legacy. I’m excited to share her recipes and the bold, vibrant flavours of Vietnam with a new audience, and hopefully create the same sense of warmth and connection she inspired in me.”
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GO: Visit www.cothanhrestaurant.com for more information.