MOC Kitchen

Vietnamese restaurant · Strand

MOC Kitchen

Vietnamese restaurant · Strand

1

2, The Arches, Villiers St, London WC2N 6NG, United Kingdom

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MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null
MOC Kitchen by null

Highlights

All-day Vietnamese cafe with fresh spring rolls and healthy fare  

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2, The Arches, Villiers St, London WC2N 6NG, United Kingdom Get directions

mockitchen.co.uk
@mockitchen

£10–20 · Menu

Reserve

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2, The Arches, Villiers St, London WC2N 6NG, United Kingdom Get directions

+44 20 7930 8789
mockitchen.co.uk
@mockitchen
𝕏
@moc_kitchen

£10–20 · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Aug 26, 2025

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@infatuation

Where To Have An Affordable Sit-Down Lunch In Farringdon - London - The Infatuation

"La Kitchen is a small and unpretentious Vietnamese spot on the Clerkenwell Road that’s perfect for when you’re after half an hour with your friend, or on your own, with a bowl of something tasty. This is a cheap and cheerful place: there are a few stools and tables to sit at, the bowls of pho and bun cha are under a tenner, and everything tastes solid - though don’t expect it to be the best Vietnamese you’ve ever had." - oliver feldman, jo harris cooksley, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing

https://www.theinfatuation.com/london/guides/affordable-sit-down-lunch-farringdon
View Postcard for MOC Kitchen

JH Lee

Google
I ordered their classic beef pho and prawn summer rolls — both were reasonably priced and had an authentic Vietnamese flavour. I really appreciated the generous portion of beansprouts and fresh vegetables. The staff were friendly, and the overall atmosphere of the restaurant was fantastic. The only downside is the lack of mobile signal inside, and the Wi-Fi speed was quite slow.

Mark Tremel

Google
Obscure. Hard to find little gem of a Vietnamese restaurant. In a tunnel near Charing Cross station. Small and intimate and nice prices for excellent quality food. Casual atmosphere but quiet customers and friendly service. I think my favorite thing was the location in the tunnel.

Jerome Boisard

Google
Well hidden gem under the arches. Martini lichee for a start! The goat was an unexpected choice, but not the only original dish on the menu. Well cooked and light. Hearty Beef Pho soup. Ticking all the boxes. Nice chat with the waitress and the owner. Even had space for lovely dessert. Recommending it!

R M

Google
We decided to have dinner here without a reservation on a Saturday evening and we lucked out as there was a table for 6. We were all pleased with the dining experience. The dishes were varied and delicious. The portions were above-average but every bite was so tasty that we were happy to gorge ourselves. I can recommend this place to anyone looking for quality Vietnamese cuisine in London downtown.

Carmina Masoliver

Google
I was excited to see pancakes as I’ve not been able to find anywhere that does them. It’s not quite the same as when I was in Vietnam as the ones I’ve been longing for the filling like prawns are cooked into it, and there’s a peanut dip. If they did that in future I’d definitely come back for more! As it is, it was quick and tasty and just what I needed after finishing a dance class in Covent Garden!

Noir Bache

Google
This was my first experience of Vietnamese food, so I can’t speak to the authenticity of what we had. However I found the food fresh, delicious and filling but light. We ordered from the pre-theatre menu which is available 5-8 and it was perfect. We advised the waiter we needed to be done within 60 minutes and he rightly advised that any holdups would be because of the length of time ut took us to eat. I had duck rolls filled with duck, vegetables and herbs, I definitely tasted fresh mint - nom nom. Battered fish with greens, fresh chilli and noodles - so tasty. Finished with coconut vanilla ice cream, which came with Toasted almonds sprinkled on top. I would return if I was a local. Also lots of veggie options available using aubergine/tofu.

Elizabeth Maillard

Google
Delicious food, great service and lots of veggies/vegan options. Perfect for a pre-theatre dinner and even have a special menu for this! Been several times and is always amazing!

rachel

Google
I have ordered the Special Garlicky Pho which came with beef & some veggie. Although the portion was not enough for me, I would still recommend to try the pho because the soup tastes great which’s extra good at a cold windy night. However, I found a fly in the soup when I’m almost done. I was pretty shocked, also glad that it didn’t go into my mouth. I have let the waitress know about it, she said sorry but there’s no other action taken. I’m not angry as they didn’t put the fly on purpose, also feel so speechless as I have almost finished the whole meal at that moment. I believe there are possibly better options for them to solve the issue of foreign matter.
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Phil N.

Yelp
Nice little unassuming Vietnamese spot with fast service. Not fancy. Had the Pho and it was just like back home in Cali

Loc L.

Yelp
Great food. Excellent authentic Vietnamese flavor. Suprizing little hole in the wall restaurant. Server was very nice, friendly and helpful.

Vange B.

Yelp
The slow cooked braised beef pho had generous portions of melt in your mouth cubes of beef. Great bowl of pho for when you're in cold winter London. There weren't the sides of sauce I'm used to. Carrot juice was unfortunately bitter.
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Karen P.

Yelp
Food is comforting but I wouldn't call it authentic pho. We got the beef pho, slowed cooked braised beef pho and chicken pho. The soup tasted watered down. The slow cooked beef had an overwhelming taste of butter. Staff is friendly but it's such a shame that the food was not up to par. Not sure if it's because I am used to and grew up around South Vietnamese food/cooking and northern Vietnamese food is different, from the type of noodles used to broth to flavoring. For example, we used a different Vietnamese basil/mint rather than regular mint to add into our pho. Definitely not worth $79 for 4 bowls of pho. There is both indoor and outdoor seating with one bathroom.
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Leonard S.

Yelp
Extremely mediocre food served at extremely high prices by workers who do not seem to care.
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Janet A.

Yelp
We needed something quick, outdoors, fresh and with a cold beer. MOC fit the bill perfectly. It's under the arches of Charing cross bridge, which worked in our favor: there was a breeze running through the tunnel, and no one was seated nearby. The food was fresh and reasonably priced and good. Was it the most amazing Vietnamese food I have ever had? No. The fresh rolls had too many noodles and not enough Thai basil for instance. But it was very good, and we were very happy to be there and the beers were cold. The people were nice and obliging. I asked for a substitution and it wasn't a problem.
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Hai H.

Yelp
tasteless Pho. so much MSG in the broth. no better than instant Pho that you can buy at supermarket for 50cent each! how could anyone give this restaurant more than one star? their taste buds must be impaired or they have no ideal how authentic Vietnamese food suppose to take like service terrible as well, look at the pair of mismatch chopsticks! how could one make such mistake? furthermore the waiter never brought us water, yet 12% service charge was still added to our bill!
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Nickie C.

Yelp
We were in need of a tasty pre-theatre meal, and Brian has been raving about MOC since he went to a Yelp event here, so it seemed a good choice. It was pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table. We decided to order some spring rolls to share, and each had the Spicy Grilled Beef. The spring rolls came quickly and were tasty - but a bit overpriced at £6.50 for 2 spring rolls (each cut into three). Our mains took a while, but not too long. I thought the portion seemed a bit stingy, to be honest, with a big hunk of lettuce bulking up the bowl, but the first bite I had was really tasty. The sauce was savoury and tasty, and the noodles were nice. Unfortunately my first piece of beef was so chewy I had to spit it into my napkin. So then I started prodding at the other beef - and it was all inedible. I couldn't even pull it apart with my hands. Brian tried some of his beef and couldn't chew it, either. And then he realised most of his meat was so underdone it was cold/raw in the middle. Since we were going to the theatre, we didn't have time to get food recooked, but obviously I wasn't prepared to pay for food we couldn't eat. Suddenly the good service dried up. We sat there, not eating, for going on for 10 minutes before someone came over. They did offer to make us something else, but they were not at all happy when I said we would like the 2 mains taken off the bill. Until I specified that of course we'd pay for our spring rolls and drinks - then the bill came quickly and off we trotted. A shame, as I liked the taste. I'll have to give them one more chance, I think, but not for a while.
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Brian C.

Yelp
Now firstly, you have to try the jasmine iced tea - I've no idea what else there is in the concoction but it is delicious. As for the food, well I've had Vietnamese food a couple of times before so that helped as I knew what to expect. However, I felt that this was far tastier than I've had elsewhere and afterwards not only was I very satisfied with what I'd eaten, but it made me feel really good too. I had the pork and prawn summer rolls to start, followed by the beef bowl for the main. The summer rolls were hands down the best I've had. The beef was so freakishly delicious! It was sweet and savoury and sour and spicy all in the same bite. Man that was good - I'm half tempted to go back again tomorrow. Other attendees also raved about the cha cha fish which also looked amazing. I think this is a great concept with real potential - certainly I want to bring everyone I know back here - and if you're reading this then I suggest you do the same!
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Christie K.

Yelp
I used to really love the challenge of having as many first to review badges. This review is so delayed because I added the first photo and details of this place when it opened! Working on Villiers street for so many years I do get excited to see new places pop up. By now, I've tried this place around 3 times. First experience... pho - it was meh. I thought it was a little on the bland side. Probably would've given this place a 2 at first. Second time I picked up a lunch box - grilled chicken with noodles and a drink. Much better! Most recently I tried the BBQ pork bahn mi - this is the real winner! It takes a bit of time to prepare but it is so worth it. Out of everything they have there, the baguettes are the way to go. I haven't tried the restaurant yet so maybe next time. The only gripe I have about this place is the prices - I think they are a bit on the high side for a take away joint and think perhaps they should lower the takeaway prices especially when it is like Wasabi and Kimchee to go. I'd probably come here more often if they did.
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Trong N.

Yelp
After a day of English food, I had to find a Vietnamese restaurant. I didn't know what to expect but I'm glad to had came across MOC Kitchen. I ordered beef pho. The food cane out fast and hot. The broth was amazing. If no one was looking, I may had brought the whole bowl to my face to slurp every last drop. Meats were tender and delicate. The noodles were perfectly cooked. The service was lovely. I picked up a few English words... They even offer Saigon and Hanoi beers.
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Simon W.

Yelp
Pretty good Vietnamese food, available on one side in a sit-down restaurant, and across the street as a takeaway. Summer rolls are good, some nice fresh juices, and the takeaway lunches are just right in terms of size. Currently offering a £10 lunch deal ( lunch dish + spring rolls or summer rolls + drink), but I believe this only applies to takeaway( I.e. No dice if you buy from the takeaway but want to sit at the tables outside.). Does take cards, believe minimum payment is £7.

Dereck M.

Yelp
Nice spot tucked away, ambience is nice and relaxing with gorgeous pictures of Vietnam on the walls. The service is very prompt and friendly. I had the fish summer rolls which unfortunately were not very fresh but the Pork and Spring roll Bun which was lovely. I will be back again as good Vietnamese is hard to find, even in London.
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Antonio A.

Yelp
Tastefull Pho. Not the best one I've ever tried... But above average. The Meat could be better.
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Charlie D.

Yelp
This place has wi-fi! Which is necessary as the signal doesn't exist down here, so we could redeem the check-in voucher that brought us there in the first place. We had 2 10% off vouchers that I managed to blag added up to 20% off. Sweet. So I came here because I was longing for some real Asian style Street food - which it was - to reminisce my time spent in Asia. Also they had a check in deal, so off we went. This place is small, not in a cosy, fun way, but more claustrophobic. It reminded me of how Asian cafes were, before the price rudely ripped me from that thought. It's not massively expensive for London, but I feel you can get better for the price. Whether it'll be Vietnamese I'm not sure. The starter was bland until you dunked the duck spring roll into the sauce, which shouldn't be necessary. The coffee was ok, I've had better. We had pho, which was the redeeming factor of this place. The soup part of the soup was great. Absolutely photastic. I love pho. Their beef was a little bland though, I'd aim at chicken next time. They gave us a plate of mint, parsley, beanspeouts and chili to add to it. Surely that should come ready so the soup absorbs the flavour? And so you don't have cold beansprouts that you can tell are far from fresh? I don't know, it wasn't appreciated, but hey pho. Ok I'll stop with the pho puns. The atmosphere was non existent when we went in, though it was like 8.
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Mei C.

Yelp
Authentic pho can be found here. The service is really quick and good. It is a little expensive being in a tourist area. The restaurant is small and gets full quick. Making a reservation is ideal as many do. The only thing we didn't like what the portion. Seems small when they only have one size. You can pay extra for larger size but it's off the menu.
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Katherine A.

Yelp
I got the pan wok noodles with chicken and it was quite good. I used the Yelp offer on this one, just make sure to check the receipt and remind the waitress of the discount. She was able to respond to mistakes appropriately so overall had an okay experience. It tastes authentic and is better than the gentrified Vietnamese places.
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Greg R.

Yelp
Went here for lunch (takeaway) and enjoyed the Chicken Pho that I ordered. Good quality, big portion and friendly staff. The prices are reasonable (around £6 for food, £1 for a drink) Highly recommend and will be back again to try their set meals. A big advantage is its location, tucked away under the arches off Villiers street
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Hiro A.

Yelp
While we stayed in London, we want to have some good Pho. Found this place one Yelp and decided to go there. It was easy enough to get there by Underground (We stayed near Paddington station). The restaurant was a bit smaller than we thought. Fortunately we got seated with a short wait. I had a beef noodle soup and my wife got a bun with BBQ pork. It was a good pho as I expected. Yet, my wife's bun was a better choice. It had got a plenty of BBQ pork & Spring roll which my wife generously shared with me. They tasted yummy. We would definitely go back to this restaurant.
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Munder A.

Yelp
Great wholesome light food. It's nice small place for those with small quite group but big worldly appetites.

Daiki M.

Yelp
I was so excited for this place. There is no pace near waterloo. I ordered Banh Xeo... but it was too hard to eat! I couldnt even cut with Knife. Tried to soak in the sauce, but didnt work. I wont go back, but hope it was just overcooked.
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Marie S.

Yelp
There have been a number of restaurants springing up and I had heard about MOC Kitchen, initially, from some other foodies. Knowing that they wouldn't steer me wrong, I accepted an invitation to go along and try it out. The premises are located in The Arches down by Charing Cross. I arrived at the restaurant at 7.00. I was the first one there so it gave me a good opportunity to have a look through the menu and take stock of my surroundings. This is not some uber-trendy, flash-in-the-pan,'look at me daaaahling' kinda place. This is a place that is welcoming, has comfortable chairs and tables and delicious smells drifting out from the kitchen. The menu has dishes that you would expect, Pho soups, fresh or hot spring rolls and curries, and some that surprised me. Mongolian duck and beef bourguignon for example. I had no idea there was a French influence in Vietnam! To start our night we ordered the fresh spring rolls and rare beef mixed salad. Both were as you would expect, fresh and tasty. The importance of using fresh herbs is evident in all the dishes and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the beef had been 'cooked' in lime juice. It was tangy, meltingly soft and texturally contrasted nicely with the onion and chilli (though personally speaking, I can never have enough chilli). Mains were a bit trickier to decide. It all looked delicious so we had to resort to sensible tactics in choosing the protein dishes. Having had prawns and beef in the starters, we went for a yellow chicken curry and the Mongolian duck. There are of course vegetarian dishes and I would have tried them but I was in a carnivorous frame of mind. Of these I particularly liked the duck, it was sweet, sour and fresh, all at the same time. With good size portions of both, I was feeling pretty good after I had finished. Which is just as well as Vietnamese don't have a particularly sweet tooth, there are no desserts here. This is definitely my kind of restaurant - fresh ingredients showcased in a healthy, clean style of cooking.
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Caroline K.

Yelp
Excellent service, warm and glad staff. They know their food and are fast to get their food on the table. Good place to go for dinner and specially before going to the theater next door.

Jason L.

Yelp
A great closing meal on our trip to London. We shared the veggie spring rolls, which were light and crispy. She had a tofu dish which well flavored and light. I had the Pho, which was fresh and wonderful flavored. Highly recommend a visit on your trip to London (or while waiting for your train and Charring Cross. Service was also pleasant, kind and attentive.

Krisann W.

Yelp
Really fantastic place with outstanding fresh and flavorful food. I had the lemongrass chicken and prawn summer rolls both had lots of flavor. Attentive service, a lovely setting with great old style background music (think Sinatra). Tucked away in the Arches but veer down there and some some super great Vietnamese food.