Harden's says
Noya Pawlyn runs this supper club / cookery school / cafe in the heart of Bath; she left Vietnam aged seven and cooked for her whole family in a Hong Kong refugee camp.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“My favourite spot for an Asian meal in Bath” – “Noya cooks homely Vietnamese food that’s not fancy or pretentious, but boy is it good, a fantastic meal at a great price” (“I always leave with a smile on my face”). The “diminutive” host learned to cook as a seven-year-old, feeding her three younger siblings in a Hong Kong refugee camp while her parents were out at work; she now showcases her “fabulous, very authentic dishes” at this “really cosy little restaurant in a small Georgian house”. “Do book as it is very popular, and deservedly so”.
Summary
“The word’s got around that the Vietnamese home-style cooking here is seriously delicious”, so this “terrific Dining Club restaurant presided over by the wonderful Noya” (who “also runs supper clubs menus once a week and classes”) is “usually packed” (it is the most commented-on restaurant in Bath in our annual diners’ poll and one of the top-50 most commented-on destinations outside London in the UK). It’s only a “small” and “unpretentious” venue, but “service is always efficient, friendly and welcoming” and “whilst she is only small in stature, her meals are gigantic in terms of flavour and sophistication”; and also very “affordable”. On the downside, one or two visiting Londoners are “disappointed after the local hype” (“good but nothing super-special, but I grew up in south London where we have dozens of not dissimilar places to choose from…”). But when you visit may also be key (“the simplicity of its Pho and Noodle menus – great for pre-theatre – are juxtaposed with Noya’s five-course fixed supper club menus once a week”). Top Menu Tips – “lovely pork belly noodles are very tender and well spiced”; “herby prawn summer rolls and coconut-rich An‘s chicken curry!”.
Summary
“Brilliant Vietnamese venue, owned by chef Noya who was taught to cook by her mum”. “Honest and fresh-flavoured dishes” are “prepared with flair” in this “vibrant”, “reasonably priced” townhouse restaurant, where the “consistently friendly and enthusiastic service contributes to a lovely experience” – “every time I go here, I come out with a smile!”
Summary
Noya Pawlyn’s “delightful Vietnamese food” – “varied, interesting and full of fresh flavours, with a vibrant and zesty edge” – “delivers on every single visit” and has made the small restaurant she opened five years ago “justifiably popular”. “How little Noya does it so well is a mystery” – but it may have something to do with the skills she learnt as a child, cooking for her siblings in a Hong Kong refugee camp while her parents went out to work. And it’s not just a cheap and cheerful option: there’s a “surprisingly good wine list”, and “it’s a great place for a date”.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Noya’s Kitchen?
7 Saint James’s Parade, Bath, BA1 1UL
Restaurant details
Noya’s Kitchen Restaurant Diner Reviews
"This was our first visit: based on the reviews we were excited but ultimately disappointed by some rather bland cooking (including the pork belly noodles) and slapdash service. The starters were great. The place is small and a little cramped, downstairs feels like, well, downstairs. Maybe the supper club is worth the hype, but the day-to-day, maybe not."
"My go-to place in Bath, to satisfy a craving for Asian food. It never fails to please with Vietnamese dishes that genuinely taste like inspired home cooking, as indeed they are. Only mild criticism is that the menu rarely changes unless you are lucky to go on a day when several specials might feature on the blackboard. However, can you blame Noya for making her life a little easier when she can pack the place out day after day?"
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
7 Saint James’s Parade, Bath, BA1 1UL
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 5:30 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 5:30 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 5:30 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑3 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 5 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
Best Vietnamese restaurants nearby
Vietnamese restaurant in South Kensington
Vietnamese restaurant in London
Vietnamese restaurant in Soho
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
Pizza restaurant in Bath
restaurant in Bath
Japanese restaurant in Bath
