When Did Wagamama Open in the UK? First Restaurant
Wagamama first opened in the UK in 1992, in Bloomsbury, London. An anniversary report identifies 22 April 1992 as the opening day.
The year confirmed by Wagamama
The company’s official history places founder Alan Yau’s first Wagamama in Bloomsbury in 1992. It explains that Tokyo ramen bars inspired the original concept. Our origin guide puts that place in context.
Where does the exact date come from?
A 2022 Guardian anniversary article captions a photograph of the first branch in Streatham Street, London, as being taken on its opening day, 22 April 1992. That precise date and street come from secondary reporting; the official history cited above confirms the year and Bloomsbury location.
Opening and incorporation are different
A company can be registered before its first restaurant serves customers. Companies House records Wagamama Limited’s incorporation in 1991; that is not a claim that the first restaurant opened in 1991. For the difference between the chain’s London birthplace and its food, see is Wagamama Japanese?