Our Story
About Kingston Compass
We're locals who got tired of generic recommendations. So we built the guide we wished existed.
Why we built this
We live in Southwest London. Kingston, Surbiton, New Malden — these aren't just names on a map to us. They're where we grab coffee, meet friends for dinner, and take weekend walks along the river.
But when friends visited and asked "where should we eat?", we'd struggle. Google reviews are hit-or-miss. TripAdvisor is full of tourists. Most "local guides" are written by people who've never been here.
So we built the guide we wanted to exist. Every recommendation comes from someone who's actually eaten there, drunk there, walked there. No sponsored posts. No paid placements. Just honest opinions from people who care about getting it right.
What we cover
Kingston
Historic market town with riverside charm, independent shops, and surprisingly good food.
Surbiton
The "Queen of the Suburbs" with excellent brunch spots, cosy pubs, and a thriving high street.
New Malden
London's Korea Town. The largest Korean community in Europe, with food to match.
Our approach
We actually go there
Every venue has been visited by someone on our team. We don't write about places we haven't been.
We're opinionated
If a place isn't worth your time, we won't list it. We'd rather have 50 great recommendations than 500 mediocre ones.
We stay current
Restaurants close, quality changes. We regularly revisit and update our recommendations.
No pay-to-play
Venues can't pay to be listed or featured. Our recommendations are based purely on quality.
Know a spot we should cover?
We're always looking for recommendations from locals. If you know a hidden gem — or think we've got something wrong — we want to hear from you.