Read all about the hottest new restaurant openings of the last six months.
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Apr
UBA - EC2A
London
Opening April 2024 in Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch, a vibey pan Asian spot from the Middle Eastern-based outfit behind Sucre and Clap. Expect a modern take on Japanese favourites including sushi and teppanyak, eaten to the beat of DJ sets.
Cardinal - EH3
West End
Opening in March on the fringe of the New Town in Eyre Place, Canonmills, the first solo venture from chef Tomás Gormley, one of the duo behind Heron and Skua. It's an intimate venue serving ambitious 13-course tasting menus using prime Scottish ingredients.
Amber's - HG1
Harrogate
Scheduled for an April opening in the Cedar Court, Harrogate’s oldest hotel (originally Queen’s Hotel, from 1687), a flagship fine dining restaurant promising a traditional British menu using the best of Yorkshire and UK produce. The £500,000 investment includes the Imaginarium private dining space, and takes its name from a distinguished former resident, the progressive thinker and scientist Lady Amber Fitzwilliam.
Los Mochis - EC2M
Fusion
London
Open in autumn 2023, a glossy-looking rooftop venue in British Land's first net Zero development in the city. It is to serve the same Japan-meets-Mexico menu as the original off Notting Hill Gate, but the main emphasis will be on the selection of tequilas and mezcals.
Carmel - W1W
London
Opening in March in Fitzrovia, the second branch of popular Queen's Park
eastern Mediterranean-inspired venture. Founder Josh Katz's first big
hit was Berber & Q. Look out for its signature huge filled flatbreads.
Cibo - M2
Italian
Manchester
On the site that - for 14 years - was Rio Ferdinand's Rosso, RIP. There are Cibo branches in Hale and Wilmslow, plus sister restaurant Sasso in Disley, but this will be the first city centre opening.
Agora - SE1
London
Taking over the former Rabot 1745 site at Borough Market in March, a Greek steetfood specialist with a 2-metre rotisserie cooking whole lamb and pig on the spit. Upstairs, opening in April, is the more laid-back Oma, with a raw bar. The team behind the pair have good pedigrees, including Manteca, Kiln and Sabor.
The Bear - SE5
London
A classic neighbourhood boozer in Camberwell, brought back to life after being closed for six years. The tucked-away dining area showcases the talents of chef Joe Sharratt, formerly of Brixton hot spot Naughty Piglets.
Cuubo - B17
Harborne
A tiny 20-seater from ex-Simpsons chef Dan Sweet, who transformed his Covid-era takeaway Qbox on Harborne high street following a crowdfunding campaign. The Observer’s Jay Rayner hailed it as "one of the most exciting new restaurants" of recent times.
The Clifton - BS8
British, Modern
Bristol
A former pub in Clifton serving hearty dishes. William Sitwell of the Daily Telegraph gave it a big thumbs-up.
Twenty Eight - CH1
Chester
Little sister restaurant next door to Chef's Table on Pepper Street, serving 'growing-led British tapas', with much of the produce grown on the team's pesticide-free farm, Field28. Times critic Giles Coren is a big fan of the dishes served by ex-Sticky Walnut head chef Jay Tanner.
Med Salleh Viet - W2
London
In Chepstow Road, Westbourne Park, from the Malaysian team behind Med Saleh Kopitiam, a Vietnamese restaurant specialising in pho and grills.
Med Salleh Kopitiam - W2
Malaysian
London
Tucked away in the Berjaya Eden Park Hotel in Inverness Terrace, near Bayswater Tube station, which caters mainly for Malaysian tourists, the kopitiam or coffeeshop serves one of London's only Malaysian breakfasts, along with authentic dishes at lunch and dinner. Jay Rayner of the Observer and Giles Coren of The Times are both fans.
Mar
Freddie's - NW3
London
In the shadow of the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, a New York-style Jewish deli named after the owners' son. Open daily until 4pm for Ashkenazi classics, to eat in or take away. Tipped by the Observer's Jay Rayner as a challenger to London's best in the genre.
The Shed - SA1
In a converted Victorian warehouse near the docks, a restaurant celebrating Welsh produce from locally born chef Jonathan Woolway, who polished his skills at St John in London. The Guardian's Grace Dent is an admirer.
A Braccetto - SW5
London
Close to Earl's Court station, a modern take on the classic Italian neighbourhood trat, with pizza and pasta dominating the menu. So it's familiar comfort food with contemporary touches, including natural wines and a communal central table.
thirty7 - WC2E
London
Opening in late March In Bedford Street, Covent Garden, an all-day brasserie from the team behind The Oystermen and nearby Bedford Street Wines. Inspired by the brasseries of Paris and Manhattan, they're not all about seafood this time round and they're sourcing their meat from the West Country.
Maya - M1
Manchester City Centre
Opening in March 2024 in a renovated historic warehouse which it shares with Leven lifestyle hotel on the corner of Canal and Chorlton Streets, this 3-storey venture offers a glossy ‘dinner plus’ experience, with late-night entertainment and DJs. Chef Gabe Lea has worked at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir and The French at the Midland Hotel.
Mimosa at The Langham - W1B
London
Opening in March at the landmark Langham hotel on Portland Place (where it replaces Roux at the Landau), the London outpost of a Paris restaurant inspired by the cuisine and atmosphere of the French Riviera. It even has a 'Mimosa Bar', presenting the French version of devilled eggs as the basis for tapas-style bites.
Lita - W1U
London
In Paddington Street, Marylebone, featuring live-fire cooking over wood on a dramatic grill, a new restaurant inspired by the sokuthern Mediterranean. Co-founder Luke Ahearne is a former head chef at Corrigan's in Mayfair, and he's working with top-class ingredients.
Prelude - WC2E
London
Opening March 2024 in Covent Garden's The Yards development, a
three-month pop-up that will morph into a permanent site for Oriole,
from the Speakeasy cocktail bar group behind Bar Swift and Nightjar. The
emphasis here is on food, with South American fusion cuisines to the
fore, including Nikkei and Argentinian/Italian dishes.
Rucola at The Conduit - WC2H
London
On the top floor of Covent Garden's the socially conscious Conduit members' club, in The Yards development, this restaurant is open to the public on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. There's a 'plant-forward' menu of northern Italian-via-Brooklyn dishes – so no beef on the outdoor terrace barbecue.
Fish & Bubbles - W11
London
A first of its kind in London, Fish & Bubbles – a modern Italian seafood restaurant and aperitivo bar - is now open on Notting Hill’s Kensington Park Road, brought to us by the brothers behind Stanley Tucci favourite, La Mia Mamma. Expect gourmet seafood panini, giant fritto misto sharing boards and cicchetti, plus knock-out negronis and plenty of bubbles to boot!
Gracey's Pizza - AL2
Chiswell Green
A former lockdown project that has graduated via pop-ups to a permanent site with an enthusiastic social media following. Featured in the Sunday Times for its New Haven-style pizzas, cooked at low temperatures for a light crust and with a concise choice of toppings.
The Counter - W10
London
Chef Kemal Demirasal’s first restaurant outside Turkey showcases his upscale take on the traditional Anatolian ocakbasi, with dishes including his signature white chocolate babaganoush. The wine list features bottles from Turkey, Greece, Armenia and Georgia.
Wilson's - SE13
London
Restaurant and wine bar on Ladywell High Street in southeast London, next door to organic food stockist Plenty and opposite coffee shop Oscar’s, both from the same founders. Chef Henry Freestone has worked in some of the hippest kitchens around town, including nearby Peckham Cellars and east London’s Crispin and Bambi.
Paz Taqueria - EH2
New Town
In New Town’s thriving Thistle Street, on the former site of Mexican cantina El Cartel (from ex-El Cartel group honcho Stuart McCluskey), an ultra-minimalist addition to the city’s taco scene highly rated by Times critic Chitra Ramaswarmy.
Dream Xi’an - EC3R
City of London
A modern venue near Tower Hill featuring Shangxi-style hand-pulled noodles and dumplings from the people behind cult favourites Xi'an Expression and Master Wei. Its a bigger space with a kitchen to match, so there are new specials including fried bao buns.
Bavette - LS18
Horsforth
Opened In February 2024, a contemporary bistro in Horsforth from Yorkshire-born chef Sandy Jarvis, returning after a successful decade in London. Low-intervention wines are a major focus: co-founder Clement Cousin grew up on a biodynamic vineyard in the Loire Valley, and his family's wines are on the list.
Laghi’s - B15
Edgbaston
This longstanding family-run Italian in Islington Row, Edgbaston, now has a kitchen run by MasterChef: The Professionals’ 2019 winner Stu Deeley. His pasta and other dishes won a rave review from Tom Parker Bowles in the Daily Mail.
Arlington - SW1A
London
Veteran restaurateur Jeremy King has taken over the lease of the order Le Caprice, behind the Ritz in St James's – the restaurant where he made his name 40 years ago. Opening in spring 2024, it will be very much a re-creation of the original but for legal reasons under a new name – even down to a menu of 'greatest hits' from Le Caprice of the 90s, such as bang bang chicken and salmon fishcakes.
Feb
Yum Bug - N4
London
Now at a permanent venue in Finsbury Park with a menu based on crickets farmed near Cambridge, this project from an entomologist and a designer seeks to demonstrate that insects are edible, delicious and good for the planet. A pop-up in Shoreditch in late 2023 proved that the proposition had legs – now it has wings to fly.
Bar Bruno - E9
London
Opening in January in Hackney's Victoria Park Village, the latest venture from Swiss-born wine specialist Michael Sager (of Sager + Wilde) promises a "very personal" selection of natural wines, accompanied by Swiss-style stuffed pretzels and other light nibbles. It doubles as a bottle shop by day.
RAI - WC1B
London
Reopening in February at a new address in Bayley Street, Bloomsbury, this highly rated sushi and omakase specialist (from the team behind Islington's Hot Stone) had a brief run in Fitzrovia before closing down last year. With just 10 seats at tables and another eight at a sushi counter, it is a tiny space but is big in culinary ambition.
Camille - SE1
London
A modern bistro in Borough Market from the team behind Soho's Ducksoup. The early reviews are very promising for both its atmosphere and its classic Gallic cuisine.
Alfi - E1
London
This new 'pub' in Spitalfields Market has no fewer than 10 wines on tap (and just a couple of beers), with a focus on organic and biodynamic European vintages, including orange and pet nat. Its restaurant is scheduled to follow in February, with dishes cooked on a lava stone robata grill.
Ho Lee Fook - W1T
Chinese
London
From Black Sheep group, owned by Hong Kong restaurateur Syed Asim Hussain; guest-cheffed at Carousel 27 July–5 August 2023 before looking for a permanent home - more info as we know it.
Franklin & Baines - SW4
London
Opening March 2024 in Clapham High Street, an Anglo-American steakhouse
with rooftop dining. Expect a US-leaning menu featuring grass-fed,
dry-aged British steaks along with drinks from both sides of the pond,
with bottomless lunches and late-night DJ sets providing a party
atmosphere at weekends.
Mistress - SW1A
London
In the basement below Caviar House on Piccadilly, a decadent Parisian-inspired restaurant and members’ bar. With walls and furniture in plush dark-red set against white tablecloths, this is very much a high-end late-night hangout.
Morchella - EC1R
London
Opening in February in Exmouth Market (in the former Firebrand Pizza site), a Mediterranean-style restaurant with separate wine bar from the team behind Perilla on Newington Green. Chef Daniel Fletcher has worked at The Square and Sky Garden, so expect top-class cooking.
Liu Xiaomian - W1B
London
On the first floor in Kingly Court, Carnaby, the first permanent venue
for Chongqing natives Liu Qian and Charlene Liu. Their noodles in hot
broth and other specialities from central-western China have been a big
hit on the supperclub circuit.
Singapulah - W1D
London
Opening in February in Shaftesbury Avenue, a showcase restaurant for specialist ingredients from Singapore, which are also available to buy retail. Restaurateur Ellen Chew, who also runs Chinatown's Rasa Sayang, started out selling hawker-style street food in Singapore, so expect authentic Straits cuisine.
The Shoap - EC1V
London
Just south of the Angel, Islington, a combined deli, café and restaurant from ‘Auld Hag’, a Glaswegian former economist’s celebration of Scottish ingredients and cooking. Highly recommended by Evening Standard critic Jimi Famurewa.
Colina - CT9
Margate
Opening in February, the new restaurant in Fort Lane Hotel brings the flavours of southern Europe to Margate with a 'fish-forward' menu from Portuguese chef Luis Freitas. There's also a basement bar decorated with work by artists with local connections, including Tracey Emin.
Hansom Restaurant and Wine Bar - DL8
Bedale
Taking over the former site of Tom & Nellie's, the debut from rising
star chef Ruth Hansom, born in Darlington, trained at the Ritz and head
chef last through 2023 at luxury Swinton Park Hotel, nearby. With just
16 seats, diners are promised an 'epicurean adventure'.
Ashlack Hall - LA17
Kirkby-in-Furness
An old-world, family-owned manor house near Kirkby-in-Furness on the
edge of the Lake District. Ballymaloe-trained Bobby Keegan and his
partner Jenna Freak serve estate-sourced meals family-style, at one big
sharing table in the dining room.
The Bell - OX7
Charlbury
Part of Carole Bamford's Daylesford Organic empire, this 17th-century
Cotswold pub has 12 bedrooms. Meals are served in the pub or the Barn,
designed for weekend 'feasting' with food from the wood-fired grill.
Cinnamon Bazaar Richmond Upon Thames - TW9
London
Taking over the former Carluccio's venue diagonally opposite the station, top chef Vivek Singh's second Bazaar offshoot from his classy Cinnamon Club flagship in Westminster offers Indian street-food dishes, starting early with Anglo-Indian breakfast specials from 9am.
Grasso - W1D
London
Owned and operated by a family with roots in Sicily-via-New York, on an ex-Wagamama site in Dean Street, Soho, this new venture serves classic Stateside Italian dishes such as spaghetti with meatballs from a family recipe, chicken Parm, penne all vodka and Caesar salad.
The Rectory - SN16
Malmesbury
This Georgian-era hotel with 18 rooms near Malmesbury in Wiltshire has a
new kitchen which combines the talents of Jake Simpson (ex-Bocca di
Lupo) and James Erasmus (ex-Ledbury & Harwood Arms). Its sibling pub,
the Potting Shed, is just across the road.
Bellazul - W1U
London
Opening on February 1, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant on Blandford Street, Marylebone, from for Cecconi's chef Simone Serafini. Find flavours of Marocco and Greece as well as Italy, and head upstairs to Bar Azul for cocktails and lighter bites.
Fallachan Kitchen - G3
This 12-seater chef's table, in the hip post-industrial setting of a
railway arch near the Clydeside Expressway, has won a rave review in The
Times for its ultra-seasonal and local tasting menus. Presiding genius
Craig Grozier is a private chef who only opens it to the public on
select evenings each month.
The Lookout - PH41
Knoydart
Seafood and steak bistro at Inver, the only village on the remote Knoydart peninsula in the West Highlands, with spectacular views over Loch Nevis. Serves both breakfast and dinner, but make sure you book in advance: the next restaurant is miles away
Big Night - E9
London
Taking over the former Nest site in Hackney's Morning Lane, this informal venue offers communal dining on skewers of grilled meat and other small plates. It's inspired by Japan's izakaya drinking dens, while using British ingredients.
Brooke - SW4
London
In Clapham's Abbeville Road hotspot, the latest venture from the team behind Fulham favourites The Sands End, Brown Cow and Brook House offers modern British cuisine in both small and large-plate format, at lunch and dinner.
YiQi - WC2H
London
Modern Pan-Asian venture in Chinatown, featuring Malaysian specialities
including rice roasted in bamboo tubes. Chef Lum Wah Cheok is a veteran
of upmarket kitchens including Hakkasan and Yauatcha.
PRAVAAS - SW7
Indian
London
Stylish contemporary Indian cuisine close to South Ken tube station,
with 30 covers plus a 20-seater private dining room in the basement.
This is the first follow-up to highly rated Pure Indian Cooking in
Fulham High Street, from chef-owner Shilpa Dandekar (ex-Quilon and
Raymond Blanc).
Jan
Psycho Sandbar - LS1
Leeds city centre
Radical chef O'Hare is retiring his theatical The Man Behind the Curtain at the end of the year, and relaunching the venue after a short break in 2024 under a new guise, taking inspiration from surf culture. The move is partly in response to the financial crisis, so we can expect less labour intensive – and less costly – dishes, with a focus on seafood.
Josephine - SW10
London
Opening January 2024 in Chelsea's Fulham Road, chef Claude Bosi (of Bibendum) and his wife Lucy's tribute to the 'bouchons' of his native Lyons is named in memory of his grandmother. Expect hearty traditional cuisine with plenty of meat, offal, onions and butter, specialities including quenelles, and wines from Beaujolais and the Rhône.
Rayuela - W5
Spanish
London
In Ealing Broadway's new Dickens Yard development, this Spanish venture with South American influences from its Colombian chef was already a hot ticket locally before a rave review from Giles Coren in The Times brought it to wider attention. The name means "hopscotch" in Spanish.
Rigatoni's - M4
Ancoats
Fka Sugo, then Sud, fresh pasta operation with sites in Altrincham and Ancoats. The name change to Rigatoni's and re-launch in January 2024 could not save two more branches, in Sale and the city centre's Exhibition food hall, which both closed early in the year.
Riverine Rabbit - B30
Stirchley
In Pershore Road, Stirchley, a South African-inspired inspired restaurant serving ambitious cooking at accessible prices – chef Ash Valenzuela-Heeger has worked in a number of high-end kitchens, including The Ledbury, Dinner by Heston and Carter's of Moseley. Mon-Fri evenings only, with a prix fixe 4 courses on Mondays.
The Gosling - GU21
Woking
Set by Horsell Common just outside Woking, this smartly refurbished former pub has high ambitions for its modern European cuisine, with a kitchen under Mark Wadworth, former head chef at Brighton's acclaimed Salt Room. The same management team have enjoyed great success at The Swan in West Malling, Kent.
Sonnet - NE66
Alnwick
This ambitious debut offers a 14-course set menu of ‘food we love to eat ourselves’ from Co Durham-born chef Gary McDermott and his partner, Claudia Mazareanu. The emphasis is on simplicity, the finest Northumberland produce, and a ‘refined take on familiar flavours’.
OITA Wood Green - N22
London
Traditional Japanese cuisine ‘with a Western twist’ is offered at this Wood Green outfit and its offshoot in Chinatown. The signature dish is chicken karaage, which originates in the Kyushu island prefecture of Oita – hence the name.
Shanghai Noir - SW1P
London
In the basement below Yaatra in Old Westminster Fire Station, inspired by the decadent allure of 1930s Shanghai. It’s run by the same team as upstairs, presenting their take on “Indo-Chinese” cuisine, so you’ll find steamed ginger fish next to hot and spicy chicken.
Freak Scene Sushi and Robata - SW12
London
High-profile Aussie ex-Nobu head chef Scott Hallsworth's second permanent Freak Scene, near his home in Balham, follows last year's launch in Parson's Green of what was initially a roving pop-up project, delivering his trademark combination of sushi and revved-up pan-Asian cuisine. Expect a fun atmosphere and culinary fireworks.
Donia - W1B
Filipino
London
On the top floor Kingly Court, in Carnaby, a Filipino restaurant serving re-worked versions of classic dishes. FT critic Tim Hayward gave it a rave review for changing her perception of East Asian food.
The Stag & Huntsman - RG9
Hambleden
Smart pub with nine guest rooms near Henley-on-Thames from Sika Inns,
run by a former Harwood Arms duo. The menu features game from the
estate, from a kitchen headed by ex-Claude Bosi exec chef Dom Robinson.
The Dover - W1S
London
A New York-style Italian in a prime Mayfair address from ex-Soho House head honcho Martin Kuczmarski, serving classic comfort food in vibey surroundings. Expect a real buzz – it was a darling of the critics within weeks of opening.
Tabisca - SW1W
London
Close to Sloane Square in Chelsea, this London offshoot of a restaurant in the Puglia city of Lecce specialises in steaks from around the world, backed up by cold meats, cheeses, and more standard Italian dishes.
Dec
Four - BN1
British, Modern
Brighton
Chef Aaron Dalton is launching a tasting-menu restaurant called Four inside his home in 2023, in the hope that he can make it work on a permanent basis.
A former head chef at London's Smoking Goat who has also worked at Chez Bruce and Simon Rogan's Fera, Aaron was planning before the pandemic to open a restaurant featuring wood-fired cooking with his wife Sally. But their backers pulled out and Sally, a paediatric nurse, died from a rare and aggressive cancer in late 2022.
This purpose-built space in his home means he can be near his children and still cook. In the mean time, he's appearing at pop-ups around the area - follow his socials for more details.
Capilungo - WC2E
Italian
London
Cafe by day, wine bar by night, all "inspired by the cafés found along the winding streets of Puglia’s picturesque city, Lecce".
Ottolenghi - NW3
London
Opening December 2023, the Israeli-born chef and food writer's his sixth deli-cafe in Rosslynn Hill, Hampstead. Expect the same mouthwatering and eye-pleasing combination of salads, pastries and cakes that has been so successful across London for two decades.
Dishoom - SW11
London
Adjacent to the rebooted Battersea Power Station, the first branch in London south of the Thames has the standard Dishoom all-day menus from breakfast until late at night, plus an exclusive chicken dish in black spices. Walk-ins are encouraged, with evening bookings only available for parties of six or more, and dogs are welcome.
Mowgli - BS1
Indian
Bristol
Originally due to open in 2022, now planned for December 2023 in the former PizzaExpress, a Grade 1 listed building.
The Butcher's Tap and Grill - SW3
London
TV chef Tom Kerridge has taken over the former Queen's Head pub in Tryon Street for the Chelsea branch of his Marlow-based concept, whose name is reflected in the meat-heavy menu. It may sound rough and ready, but you can expect a very smooth operation.
Pollini - W10
London
Occupying the Beaux-Arts lobby of an arts and social hub off Ladbroke Grove, set in a grand former motorcar factory, a chic contemporary take on Italian cuisine by well-travelled chef Emanuele Pollini. He was voted Italian chef of the year by Gambero Rosso magazine in 2020.
Mezcalito - SW5
London
This new late-night haunt in South Kensington has taken over the former Eclipse nightclub in Old Brompton Road offering cocktails, tapas-style Mexican plates and Latin house/reggaeton DJ sets until 2am Tues-Sat. From the couple behind Mezcalito Chelsea, who promise more than 500 different tequilas and mezcals behind the bar.
Alley Cats - W1U
London
New York Italian-style pizzeria in Marylebone, on the corner of
Paddington and Chiltern Street. Sicilian-born chef Francesco Macri
knocks out thin and crispy 14-inch pizzas topped with imported Italian
ingredients.
Whyte's - E8
London
Opening in December 2023 at an undisclosed address in Hackney, the first permanent venue from the 'underground guerrilla pop-up' chef who calls himself Whyte Rushen. Inspect a neat melange of upmarket and mass-market flavours, along with top-class cheffy techniques.
Gaia - W1J
Greek
London
This 'refined Greek taverna' on the corner of Dover Street and Piccadilly is the London outpost of a Dubai-based brand which also has outlets in Doha and Monte Carlo. Expect a mouthwatering display of fish and seafood accompanied by lashings of international glamour.
Nov
The Wolseley City - EC4N
British, Modern
London
The new City outpost of The Wolseley in King William Street opened in autumn 2023. It's much larger than the Piccadilly original, with two private dining rooms and three bars serving the familiar menu featuring power breakfasts, schnitzels and crustacea. This is a vital opening for new owners Minor International, more than a year after taking control from The Wolseley's widely respected founders, Chris Corbin & Jeremy King.
Fenix - M3
Greek
Manchester
A Greek and Mediterranean restaurant from the Tattu group; opened in November 2023.
Jamie Oliver Catherine Street - WC2B
British, Modern
London
Opened in November 2023 inside the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, the once 'Naked Chef' made his return to the national restaurant scene with a menu devoted to British classics. He promises there will be "something for everyone".
Mambow - E5
Malaysian
London
Singapore-born Abby Lee makes her bricks-and-mortar debut in Clapton, having established a glowing reputation for her Chinese-Malaysian cooking at pop-ups and a stint in Peckham Market. Expect fiery flavours and a choice of Malasian soft drinks, cocktails and low-intervention wines.
Sune - E2
British, Modern
London
In Hackney's Broadway Market, a Scandinavian-influenced venture from a couple (Holly Spencer & Charlie Sims) who have both worked in Copenhagen. There's a focus on natural and low-intervention wines, while the dairy cow tartare/croque monsieur combo is an early hit dish.
Linden Stores - WA16
Knutsford
Now landed in Knutsford town centre, this wine-bar restaurant originated in North London before relocating to the village of Audlem, further south in Cheshire, in 2020. Chef Chris cooks with sustainable and sometimes foraged ingredients while his partner, Laura, serves wines from small independent producers.
Ixchel - SW3
Mexican
London
Named after the ancient Mayan moon goddess, this King's Road Chelsea restaurant is inspired by the cuisine of Mexico's Yucatan peninsular, with plenty of fish and seafood on the menu. It also boasts a 'hidden' tequila bar with one of the biggest tequila and mezcal collections in Europe.
tashas - SW11
London
The first European branch of an upscale South African all-day cafe and evening cocktail bar group has landed in the new Battersea Power Station restaurant hub. Specials include a pork schnitzel fried in cornflakes, healthy salads and in-house twists on familiar cocktails.
Pearly Queen - E1
London
This Shoreditch oyster bar and restaurant is the latest offering from chef Tom Brown, whose Cornerstone in Hackney is the highest-rated seafood restaurant in the 2024 Harden's London guide. The crustacea and 'sea-cuterie' are washed down with coastal-inspired cocktails from Max Venning of Dalston bar Three Sheets.
Dalla - E9
London
On the former site of wine bar Peg in Hackney's Morning Lane, a neighbourhood restaurant with a focus on home-style Italian cooking presented with modern pizzazz. Co-founder Gennaro Leone also runs a design gallery nearby, so the tiny interior is very classily decked out.
Isabel - W1S
Mediterranean
London
A late-night haunt in Mayfair’s Albermarle Street, inspired by Bertolucci’s film The Last Emperor and ocean liners of the 20s and 30s. Celebs and civilians dine under 300 brass lamps on sharing plates of Latin American and Mediterranean-derived cuisine, before heading down to the after-hours bar with dancefloor in the basement.
Permit Room - BN1
Brighton
Brighton's first branch of Dishoom is also the first in the group to have its own name, a reference to the first legal drinking dens in 60s and 70s Bombay. All the Dishoom classics are on the menu, along with some new snacks, curries and cocktails, while the menu is veg-heavy with no red meat at all.
Chez Rowley - W10
London
Veteran British chef and writer Rowley Leigh (ex-Kensington Place and Le Café Anglais) is popping-up for a three-month residency at Laylow in Notting HIll's Golborne Road (13 September–22 December). The standout dish on his bistro menu is poulet Antiboise – a whole chicken roasted with anchovies, black olives, garlic, onion, thyme and white wine.
The White Horse - GU28
Graffham
This former village pub in the South Downs National Park is now a restaurant-with-rooms with an 8-course tasting menu plus a la carte dining from former private chef Grant Jones, who trained at Le Gavroche. Game from the surrounding countryside and fresh fish landed at Chichester harbour are staples of the kitchen.
The Table - SW11
London
This all-day brunch specialist on Battersea Rise is the first spin-off from a well-established fixture in Southwark. It has an extended cocktail menu and opens in the evenings Thurs-Sat, with a selection of small and larger plates.
Oct
London Stock - W1S
London
Opening October 2023 in Sackville Street, Mayfair, the second branch of an original in Wandsworth Town launched by a young team with ambitions to 'redefine traditional fine dining'. The eight-course tasting menu is served from an open, zero-waste kitchen.
Daroco Soho - W1D
Italian
London
With siblings in the 2nd and 16th arrondissements of Paris, this September 2023 newcomer aims to import its brand of ‘offbeat Parisian chic and sunny Italian generosity’ to Soho (on an intriguing cut-through between Greek Street and the Charing Cross Road). It’s a large spot – with 100 covers and a 50-seater terrace – where the focus is on pasta and pizza.
Akara - SE1
West African
London
The team behind the upscale West African restaurant Akoko launched a new concept in Borough Yards in October 2023. Akara is named after West African black-eye bean fritters.
Kolae - SE1
Thai
London
The Som Saa duo opened this Thai bar and grill in Borough Market, having successfully crowdfunded for a new location pre-pandemic. This spot accommodates 80 guests on three floors of an old coach house, and will focus on grilled dishes including whole fish and marinated half chickens, cooked in the style of southern Thailand.
Lyla - EH7
Fish & seafood
Leith
Chef Stuart Ralston of highly rated Aizle opens his new seafood restaurant in October 2023 in the stylish Royal Terrace premises of the late Paul Kitching’s 21212. The 10-course set menu, for just 28 guests per sitting, is billed as 'an ode to produce from the Scottish Isles'.
Montrose House - EH8
Scottish
Edinburgh
This distinctive late-Victorian pub in Abbeyhill opened in autumn 2023 as a wine bar with upstairs dining room from the Radford family, who are behind Timberyard in Fountainbridge. European-inspired small plates are promised alongside a list of natural and biodynamic wines.
The Cocochine - W1J
British, Modern
London
Tim Jefferies, who runs the photography gallery Hamiltons, and his business partner, Sri Lankan born Larry Jayasekara - head chef at Pétrus until 2018 - are opening this high-end, four-floor spot in Mayfair in October 2023.
INÉ - NW3
Japanese
London
A new Japanese restaurant and omakase counter from the team behind Taku Mayfair. Taku's chef-patron Takuya Watanabe has installed his protégé Law Kwok Meng as head chef. INÉ is Japanese for 'rice'.
