IKEA opens first Swedish restaurant selling iconic meatballs on the UK high street

Meatball lovers, rejoice –Ikea has announced the opening of its first restaurant on the UK high street.

While the Swedish furniture retailer is known for its affordable flat-pack homewares and trustworthy designs, the brand’s in-store restaurant – selling its iconic meatballs and Daim cheesecake – is easily the highlight of any Ikea trip.

To celebrate its much-loved menu, the company has opened its first restaurant in Hammersmith, west London, next to its recently revamped local branch, to allow fans to pop in for a meatball meal whenever they fancy.

The store, formerly home to a Wasabi restaurant, has been fitted out to seat 75 diners, serving a wider range of iconic Swedish dishes, including 8 meatballs served with mashed potatoes, a battered cod and chips, a children’s pasta with tomato sauce, and 8 plant balls served with mashed potatoes, cream sauce, peas and lingonberry jam for £4.95.

There will also be a bargain breakfast option that includes bacon, sausage, a hash brown, omelette, baked beans and tomato for £2.75. There is also a regular nine-piece breakfast, which includes two slices of bacon, two sausages, two hash browns, omelette, baked beans and a tomato for £3.75

“We know how much our customers love the Ikea restaurant and we’re excited to celebrate the opening of our very first high street restaurant,” said Matthew Gould, Market Manager at IKEA London City.

“Fans of our delicious dishes can recharge during their shopping trip with our famous Swedish meatballs, pop in for a traditional Swedish ‘fika’ break for coffee and a sweet treat, or find an affordable meal for the kids right on the high street.”

It comes as the opening of Ikea’s Oxford Street store, which was previously home to Topshop’s flagship store, has faced delays due to leaks in the building’s basement..

Ingka Investment, the investment arm of the retail group, bought the Grade II listed building at 214 Oxford Street after Topshop owner Arcadia fell into administration.

The  Swedish furniture giant said the shop will not be opening in Spring 2025 due to the “hugely complex” nature of the renovation.

It said work across all seven floors of the building has seen “significant progress” but it had faced “unexpected conditions” during the process.