Ask anyone who grew up in Kathmandu what they miss most and the answer comes back fast: momo. These little steamed parcels are the food of family kitchens, street corners and late-night catch-ups across Nepal, Tibet and the wider Himalaya. Over the last few years they have quietly become one of the most sought-after things to eat in south-east London.
If you have been searching for a momo restaurant in Woolwich, this guide covers what momo actually is, what separates a good one from a forgettable one, and where to find them made by hand every day.
What is momo?
Momo is a Himalayan dumpling: a thin wheat wrapper folded around a seasoned filling, then steamed or fried. The filling is usually chicken or vegetables, mixed with onion, garlic, ginger, coriander and a blend of spices that changes from household to household.
What makes momo distinct from other Asian dumplings is the balance. The wrapper is thinner than a gyoza and softer than a potsticker. The filling is juicier and more aromatic, carrying far more fresh herbs and ginger. And it is almost always served with achar, a tomato and sesame chutney with real heat behind it, which is as much a part of the dish as the dumpling itself.
Eating momo properly means picking one up, biting a small hole in the top, drinking the broth that has gathered inside, then dipping the rest in achar. Anyone who hands you a fork has misunderstood the assignment.
Why Woolwich has become a momo destination
South-east London has one of the most established Nepalese communities in the country, and Woolwich sits at the centre of it. Where there is a community, there is demand for the real thing rather than a softened version of it, and that has pushed the standard of momo in this corner of London well above what you might expect.
Woolwich is also easy to reach. The Elizabeth line put it within half an hour of central London, and the DLR and National Rail connections mean people now travel in specifically to eat here. Momo has gone from a neighbourhood staple to something people make a trip for.
Momo at Rewa Sushi
At Rewa Sushi, momo is not a side dish bolted onto a sushi menu. It is half of what we do. The restaurant brings together two traditions that rarely share a kitchen: Himalayan dumplings and Japanese sushi, both made by hand, both held to the same standard.
Rewa takes its name from a Tibetan word meaning hope, and the kitchen is led by Chef Dolma, who spent over a decade in some of London’s best-known Japanese restaurants, including Nobu, Tokii and Izakaya Japan, before opening here in 2021. That background shows in the precision: the folding, the thickness of the wrapper, the seasoning of the filling. None of it is left to chance.
Steamed momo
The classic, and the one to order first. Steamed until the wrapper turns translucent and the filling releases its broth, served with our house achar. This is momo in its purest form, and it is the dish that tells you everything about a kitchen. Ten pieces, £7, with chicken, pork or vegetable filling.
Fried momo
Steamed first, then fried until the base turns golden and crisp while the top stays soft. The texture contrast is the whole point, and it is consistently one of our most ordered plates. Ten pieces, £7, with chicken, pork or vegetable filling.
Jhol momo
Steamed momo sitting in a mild, spiced sesame and tomato achar broth. Somewhere between a dumpling and a soup, and the order to make on a cold evening — you drink what is left in the bowl. Ten pieces, £8, with chicken, pork or vegetable filling.
Chilli momo
Stir fried in a chilli tomato sauce with white onion and peppers. Closer to a main than a starter, and the one to order if you want heat built into the dish rather than sitting beside it. Ten pieces, £8, with chicken, pork or vegetable filling.
All four are on our main menu alongside the sushi, and every one can be made with chicken, pork or vegetable filling.
What makes a good momo
Three things separate a momo worth travelling for from one you forget by the car park.
The wrapper
It should be thin enough to see the filling through, but strong enough to hold the broth without tearing when you lift it. Machine-pressed wrappers are uniform and dull. Hand-rolled ones vary slightly, and that variation is the tell.
The broth inside
A properly made momo produces its own small pool of liquid as it steams. If a momo is dry when you bite it, the filling was underseasoned, overworked, or made too far in advance.
The achar
The chutney is not a condiment, it is the second half of the dish. It should be freshly blended, sesame-forward, tomato-sharp and genuinely warming. A momo served with sweet chilli sauce from a bottle is a momo that has given up.
Sushi as well as momo
The other half of the menu is Japanese, and it is not an afterthought either. Chef Dolma’s years in London’s Japanese kitchens mean the sushi is prepared with the same attention as the dumplings, from fresh, high-quality ingredients. It makes Rewa an easy choice for a group where not everyone wants the same thing: momo for one half of the table, sushi for the other.
How to order
You can eat with us three ways:
- Dine in — the best option, because momo is at its peak within a minute of leaving the steamer.
- Collection — order ahead on +44 20 4559 9331 and pick up.
- Delivery — available through Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat.
If you are ordering for a group, momo travels better than most things on a menu. Order the steamed and the fried, and let people work it out between them.
Find us
Rewa Sushi Ltd
2D Brewery Road, Woolwich, London, SE18 7PT
Phone: +44 20 4559 9331
Email: info@rewasushi.com
Opening hours
Monday to Tuesday: 3:00pm — 10:30pm
Wednesday to Sunday: 12:00pm — 10:30pm
We sit between Woolwich and Plumstead, a ten-minute walk from either station, with free parking directly outside and on nearby streets. We have gathered over 160 Google reviews since opening, and a fair number of them mention the momo before they mention anything else.
Frequently asked questions
Is momo the same as a dumpling?
Momo is a type of dumpling, specific to Nepal, Tibet and the surrounding Himalayan region. It differs from Chinese or Japanese dumplings in its thinner wrapper, its heavier use of fresh ginger, garlic and coriander, and the sesame-tomato achar it is served with.
Is momo spicy?
The dumpling itself is aromatic rather than hot. The heat comes from the achar served alongside, so you control how much you use. Chilli momo is the exception — that one is spicy by design.
What is the difference between steamed and fried momo?
Steamed momo is soft throughout, with the broth held inside the wrapper. Fried momo is steamed first and then fried, giving a crisp golden base while the top stays soft. Steamed is the traditional starting point; fried is the one to order if you want texture. Beyond those two we also serve jhol momo, in a sesame and tomato broth, and chilli momo, stir fried in a chilli tomato sauce.
Where can I find momo near Plumstead?
We are on Brewery Road, roughly ten minutes on foot from Plumstead station and the same from Woolwich, with free parking outside.
Do you serve vegetarian momo?
Yes. Every style of momo we make — steamed, fried, jhol and chilli — is available with a vegetable filling, at the same price as the chicken and pork versions.
Do you take bookings?
Yes. You can book a table through the website or call us on +44 20 4559 9331. We get busy in the evenings, so booking ahead is worth it.
Come and try them
Momo is simple food that is difficult to do well. It rewards a kitchen that makes everything by hand, every day, and it exposes one that does not. If you have been looking for a momo restaurant in Woolwich, come and see which kind we are.
