By: Rishini Weeraratne
Ten years on from the opening of its cult Soho original, Hoppers has arrived in East London with the launch of Hoppers Shoreditch, its fourth London restaurant and the start of a new chapter for one of the city’s most influential restaurant brands. Opening at the Tea Building on Shoreditch High Street, the new site marks a bold evolution for Hoppers, turning its gaze beyond Sri Lanka to the great regional food capitals of South India, the cuisines that have long shaped the DNA of the Hoppers kitchen.
Since opening its doors in 2015, Hoppers has played a defining role in bringing Sri Lankan food into London’s mainstream dining conversation. From egg hoppers and kottu roti to bone marrow varuval and generous family style feasts, the brand has built a reputation for warmth, generosity and bold flavour. Shoreditch represents both a celebration of that decade long journey and the beginning of the next chapter, rooted in travel, research and storytelling. The new opening is shaped by recent journeys across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka and translated into a menu that feels deeply regional yet unmistakably Hoppers.
At the heart of Hoppers Shoreditch is a menu created exclusively for the East London site, inspired by the team’s travels across South India. While guests will still find much loved Hoppers classics, Shoreditch introduces a series of new dishes that reflect the street food, home cooking and regional specialities of the south.
Highlights include a Crab Curry Omelette served with thread paratha, inspired by late night meals in Madurai, a crispy Benne Dosa stuffed with Paneer Ghee Roast drawing on the rich buttery flavours of Bengaluru, and a Sizzling Salmon Mappas from Kerala showcasing the coastal region’s fragrant coconut-based curries. There is also a Kochi Chilli Chicken Chop, crunchy and spicy with a coconut and curry leaf crumb, alongside a deeply regional Dindigul style Short Rib Beef Biryani cooked with traditional short grain Seeraga Samba rice from Tamil Nadu. The menu is completed by stuffed Prawn Paniyaram inspired by the bold aromatic flavours of Chettinad. These new dishes sit alongside Hoppers signatures, offering familiarity for long-time fans and discovery for first time guests. The Shoreditch menu reflects a natural progression for the brand, one that honours Sri Lanka while acknowledging the South Indian influences that have always shaped its cooking.
The design of Hoppers Shoreditch is as considered as the food. Created by Atelier Wren, the interiors draw from the old Chettiyar family homes of Tamil Nadu and the region’s craft traditions. Carved timber details, patterned Athangudi tiles and tropical textures create a sense of warmth and lived in richness, reimagined for a modern Shoreditch setting. The space is brought to life with custom made sculptures, art and photography from artists based in Chennai and Colombo, celebrating everyday culture, colour and creativity.
The bar menu extends the regional storytelling through drinks inspired by South India’s cafe culture and nostalgic flavours. Signature cocktails reinterpret classics such as Rose and Milk Punch inspired by the rose milk of Chennai and the Young Monk, a playful take on Old Monk rum and cola. The drinks list also introduces new zero alcohol options including a Jigarthanda Lassi inspired by Madurai, alongside house made coolers and botanical soft drinks celebrating southern botanicals and tropical fruits.
Speaking on the opening, co-founder Karan Gokani said that Hoppers has always been a love letter to Sri Lanka, but South India has been a huge part of the story from day one. He explained that over the last few years the team travelled deeper across the region, eating in homes, restaurants, hotels and streets and discovering many exciting new flavours and techniques. Shoreditch, he said, is their chance to bring that inspiration to life with new dishes that feel personal, exciting and proudly regional; while keeping everything people love about Hoppers at the heart of the experience.
Founded by JKS Restaurants and Karan Gokani in 2015, Hoppers began life in Soho inspired by the toddy shops, roadside stalls and home kitchens of Sri Lanka and South India. The restaurant went on to secure a Michelin Bib Gourmand in its first year and quickly became one of London’s most celebrated restaurant openings. Further sites followed in Marylebone and King’s Cross, each exploring different design and culinary narratives inspired by Sri Lanka’s landscapes and architecture. Over the past decade, Hoppers has become one of London’s most influential restaurant brands, widely credited with bringing Sri Lankan cuisine into the heart of the city’s dining culture. From its signature egg hoppers and bone marrow varuval to its short eats and sharing feasts, the brand has been praised for its warmth, originality and consistency by critics and diners alike. Its collaborations and cultural projects have further extended its influence across the global food scene.
Hoppers Shoreditch signals the next phase of the brand’s evolution, one rooted in deeper regional research, broader cultural storytelling and an ongoing commitment to discovery. It is not a departure from Hoppers’ Sri Lankan roots but a widening of the lens, placing Sri Lanka in dialogue with the South Indian food cultures that have always informed its kitchens. Now open at the Tea Building on Shoreditch High Street, Hoppers Shoreditch invites guests to experience a new era of the brand, where Sri Lanka meets South India through a menu built on regionality, research and the simple joy of eating together.
