Read all about the capital's most anticipated hot new restaurant openings.
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May
The Victory - SE22
London
Opening 26 May 2026
Replacing Franklin's in East Dulwich, a popular local bistro for 26 years, this old pub is reverting to its original name under a group of regulars headed by Jamie Younger. He owns the Begging Bowl in Peckham and used to run the nearby Palmerston, so knows the area and its tastes inside out. The menu is to be notably Gallic with starters (from £9) like Bayonne Ham with celeriac remoulade; Steak Tartare with dripping toast; and Crab Vinaigrette. Mains (from £19) are dishes like Poached Sea Trout with dill beurre blanc; Sauté Veal Sweetbreads Grenobloise; and the Roast Poulet Jaune for two to share. A whole charcoal grilled fish and Galloway Beef Steaks are also available for sharing for 3-5 people. Desserts (from £8) include Fig Leaf Custard; a Chocolate and Hazelnut Choux Bun and Baba au Rhum, is available to share.
White Horse Easton - IP13
Easton
Opening 27 May 2026
Hots on the heels of their success with The Suffolk in Aldeburgh, George Pell and his team open this May 2026 newcomer: a grade II-listed pub within the Easton Park Estate. It’s a pub but it’s to be “elevated” like so many things nowadays: so fish ’n’ chips comes with ‘chip-shop’ curry sauce and house pickles; there’s a “Bloody Mary” prawn cocktail and even a twice-baked soufflé.
The Set - BN1
British, Modern
Brighton
Opening 27 May 2026
Having been for years at 50 Preston Road, Set 2.0 as they are calling it on their Insta is open down the road at no 9 as of May 2026. The new incarnation will have just 12 seats.
The Sea, The Sea - SW1X
Fish & seafood
London
Opening 29 May 2026
Named for an Iris Murdoch novel, this luxurious fish deli is upping sticks after 7 years in May 2026 but is moving only a little further down the road. It will take over the space that was Wulf & Lamb and come complete with a fishmongers, fish bistro and outside terrace.
Arbequina - OX1
Oxford
Opening 31 May 2026
Rufus Thurston launched Oli’s Thai with his wife Ladd in 2013, and followed up with tapas bar Arbequina, which he opened with Ben Whyles and Ben Bateman three years later. Now they unveil a second branch of Arbequina in Oxford Covered Market which will be a seven-day affair. Initially it will be lunch service only but meals in the evening are planned when the first floor opens later in the year.
Avi Bistro, Lowndes Hotel - SW1X
London
Opening 31 May 2026
At The Lowndes Hotel in Belgravia, a 45-cover May 2026 newcomer with luxury twists on classic American and French dishes (if like Franglais, there's something called "Framerican" – there’s lots on the menu with NYC Fried Chicken & Caviar, Caviar Fish and Chips, Lobster Brioche Roll, Le Big Mac avec Truffle…). Also an all-day dining menu with breakfast, catering to both hotel guests and the public.
Bar blondie - NW6
London
Opening 31 May 2026
In Queen’s Park, a new wine bar and restaurant from sommelier Alexandra Price and Elliot Milne, inspired by southern Europe, with a 160-bin wine list paired with Italian and southern French cuisine. The space, located in a converted stable mews, will also feature live music, poetry, and wine tastings.
Karam’s - WC1N
London
Opening 31 May 2026
Named after Jikoni creator Ravinder Bhogal's (the owner) grandfather, Sardar Karam Singh Bhogal – this new vegetarian Indian opens in spring 2026 within the brutal environs of the Brunswick Centre. It will offer traditional vegetarian South Asian cuisine rooted in Indian dining featuring dosas, thalis, and veg curries, with a focus on sustainability and seasonal ingredients. It sounds fancier as described by Vogue to be honest: “A JOYOUS VEGETARIAN… SET TO LIGHT UP LONDON" with “heritage grains, beans, legumes, pulses and “beautiful vegetarian dishes that make you feel not just nourished, but joyful”.
Kiez Kebab - W10
London
Opening 31 May 2026
On North Portobello's hip Golborne Road, on a site that was formerly The Counter, this slick-looking spring 2026 newcomer is a "design led take on the classic kebab shop" that's Berlin-inspired. A 30-cover space with stainless steel countertops, it is focused on a curt menu of three core options (with veal, chicken and a vegan option) served in pide, with classic sides alongside Germanic beers and drinks.
Major’s Grill, Cambridge House Auberge - W1J
London
Opening 31 May 2026
Known for decades as the ‘In & Out Club’ – officially the Naval & Military – on Piccadilly near The Ritz, this commanding landmark (official title, Cambridge House) is finally relaunched after more than 20 years of waiting to be redeveloped. The Major's Grill is set to max out as a traditional grill restaurant – whether or not it will inhabit the old restaurant space (which was a supreme period piece of dowdy period style) remains to be seen.
Miokuru - W1B
London
Opening 31 May 2026
Freshly made hand-rolls and Japanese pressed-fish dishes are the new staples at this 20-seater Soho debut, whose interior is arranged around a central counter and open kitchen. Seafood will be sourced from Britain and the drinks list will include London brewed sake, natural wines, and various Japanese-inspired beverages. Miokuru means “to send someone off on a journey”.
Nammos London - W1J
London
Opening 31 May 2026
High-end Mediterranean seafood and beef top the menu at this chichi outfit from a group founded in Mykonos in 2003, with offshoots in Cannes and Dubai. Originally they had planned to open near Harrods, but the actual debut is on a two-floor site near The Ritz with a Mediterranean menu zhooshed up with the odd Japanese inflection: lots of fish and seafood, a raw bar, and wood-fired preparations. Signature dishes include Aubergine Mille-Feuille with feta mousse and Spicy Crab Tartare finished with yuzu truffle and Black Angus. (Nowadays it's part of ADMO Lifestyle Holding – a JV between Alpha Dhabi Holding PJSC and Monterock International Limited, who also own Em Sherif and Cé La Vi).
Plaza Khao Gaeng - WC2E
London
Opening 31 May 2026
Luke Farrell and JKS Restaurants are moving fast with this Thai chain with the opening of this third branch hot on the heels of its second. It opens in late spring 2026 in Covent Garden – a 75-cover site next to the new Arcade Food Hall.
The Jack O’ Newbury - RG42
Winkfield Row
Opening 31 May 2026
A revamped pub from a group with a growing track-record in the Thames valley. Chef Dom Chapman and restaurateur Nigel Sutcliffe worked together at the Fat Duck (where the latter was a director) and Chapman has been head chef at its nearby gastropub sibling, The Hinds Head as well as at the (unconnected) Royal Oak Paley. Here, with business partner James McLean they will revivify this old boozer set in two acres as ‘The Jack’ with 80-cover dining room and terrace, bedrooms and kitchen garden. Other pubs connected with members of the team in the area include The Crown in Bray, The Mutton in Hazeley Heath, The Oarsman in Marlow, Buckinghamshire and The Three Tuns pub in Henley-on-Thames.
Vesper - EC1R
London
Opening 31 May 2026
The name of chef-patron Jackson Boxer will help inspire interest in this May 2026 newcomer in Exmouth Market given his well-known stable of successes (Brunswick House in Vauxhall founded with his brother Frank, and Dove in Notting Hill, as well as various other side-hustles). Designer Jermaine Gallacher has converted a double-fronted corner site as a 70-cover space with bar and candlelit dining room beyond (plus a terrace). Picking three dishes at random from the menu: croquette 'arnold bennett', tarragon mayonnaise; glazed lamb shoulder, merguez, devilled kidney, burnt aubergine; peach, pistachio, cardamom.
Cloth Cornhill, Simpson’s Tavern - EC3
British, Traditional
London
Opening 31 May 2026
At last, someone has rescued the site of Simpsons Tavern, a City institution in a Dickensian back-alley, which originally dates from 1757. The team from Cloth (Joe Haynes and Ben Butterworth, plus chef Tom Hurst who has worked at Lasdun, Levan, and Brawn) relaunch it as a new sibling. Restoration work is planned but the team plan to keep the spirit of “debaucherous wine-fuelled lunches” alive. Someone in the City has to...
The Old Point House - SA71
Pembroke
Opening 31 May 2026
Bayside pub on the far tip of Pembrokeshire reputedly frequented by smugglers and pirates in centuries past, the new home for Paternoster Farm, a farm-to-fork venue set up by chef Michelle Evans on a smallholding six miles away during the Covid pandemic. She serves a daily set menu that relies mainly on home-grown produce.
Jun
Kinz - W11
London
Opening 01 Jun 2026
Named for ‘Treasure’ in Arabic, this Notting Hill debut is the work of Jad Lahoud, Karim Lahoud, and Rasha Khouri Bruzzo and it's stated aim is “an authentic yet contemporary take on Lebanese cooking, rooted in tradition and shaped for modern, all-day dining”. With space for 130 diners, it occupies a 1930s banking hall with triple?height ceilings, mezzanine seating and a converted bank vault used as a wine room. It will open all-day from breakfast (from £12) before moving onto mezze and grills in later services.
Temaki - W1S
Japanese
London
Opening 01 Jun 2026
All change! – the restaurant (names for its speciality dish, the hand roll) closed after 5 years in Brixton Market in 2025 and in February 2026 has headed for the bright lights of Mayfair, to open on Maddox Street in partnership with the Crown Estate who are "excited to welcome Temaki to the West End. It is a great example of a rapidly growing independent operator which is ready to establish itself in the heart of London". The ground floor houses an open kitchen – downstairs will be a 28-cover bar.
Appalachia - N1
London
Opening 03 Jun 2026
Taking over from tasting menu specialist Counter 71, a restaurant inspired by the regional cuisine developed by Hillbillies in the US Appalachian mountain range. Ali Borer, a former head chef at Smoking Goat, is running the kitchen. Co-owner Ryan Sheehan's US-inspired bar Lowcountry carries on in the basement.
Buvette - WC2H
London
Opening 04 Jun 2026
Spring 2026 newcomer from US chef Jody Williams opening what the press release describes as her cult NYC offering to the heart of Covent Garden. Taking over the former St. John bakery site, Buvette will be an 80-cover all-day “Gastrotheque” and a yard-side terrace. This is the brand's second crack at London having tried three years ago in Notting Hill.
Domo - LS1
Leeds city centre
Opening 05 Jun 2026
Sibling to the Sardinian restaurant in Sheffield of the same name – this spring 2026 newcomer be open all-day in a canal?side space seating 95 (and with 25 outdoor seats). The Tower Works development is part of Leeds’s South Bank regeneration.
Chez Rose - W1S
London
Opening 09 Jun 2026
Taking over from Little Social on Pollen Street in Mayfair, a French bistro from Spencer Metzger of highly rated Row on 5. Named after his grandmother, it will use seasonal British ingredients in a menu inspired by the French classics he cooked at The Ritz. The site remains part of Jason Atherton's empire.
Canopy, Olympia - W14
London
Opening 15 Jun 2026
Incipio Group return to Olympia (they used to run a Pergola here), with this new rooftop venue which – suiting the upmarket aims of the new £1.3bn Olympia development – aims to be a flagship for their ‘elevated’ food hall approach. Underneath a retractable glass canopy, you can sample various combinations of booze and bites: Bar Arriba (Mexican-inspired), Wolves of Tokyo (no prizes for guessing...), Lillie’s (small plates and English wines) or Arbour (a food hall with fried chicken, dine fare, smash burgers and coffee (‘artisinal’, of course) at Café Modo.
Dante - W1K
London
Opening 15 Jun 2026
Here we go again!! After a brief spell as plain vanilla Claridge’s Restaurant this restless super-luxe five-star is yet-again rebranding and re-launching its main restaurant in an exhaustive (exhausting?) quest for the perfect formula for this Art Deco space that's been launched and relaunched ceaselessly in recent years. What started as a residency for NYC operators Linden Pride and Nathalie Hudson has now blossomed into a permanent gig (due to “popular demand and critical acclaim” according to the press release). Thomas Kochs, the well-known MD at Claridge’s, proclaims: “We have loved seeing the energy the team at Dante has brought to Claridge’s, and bringing the magic of Manhattan to Mayfair has truly resonated with Londoners. The goal is to make this restaurant the living room of Mayfair, a relaxed spot with great food, wonderful people and, of course, a buzzing atmosphere thanks to Dante’s signature Martini hour, and soulful live music.”
Lady of the Grapes, Menier Chocolate Factory - SE1
British, Modern
London
Opening 15 Jun 2026
The Menier Chocolate Factory has long been known as an interesting venue integrating a standalone Theatre operation with dine-and-a-show possibilities. Now they have spun-off the restaurant (a 60-cover space with 20-seat terrace) to become the second branch of Lady Of The Grapes whose own debut was on Maiden Lane in 2018. Carole Bryon is the owner and it will provide a bistro menu back up by a 400-bin wine list.
Mour - W1H
London
Opening 17 Jun 2026
A new Mediterranean-inspired opening comes to Marylebone in June 2026 care of the neighbouring Leonard Hotel and in consultation with Emerald Hospitality Group. In style, it’s a reimagined Georgian townhouse adjacent to the hotel in Seymour Street, with its own entrance. There will be seating for 60, plus a 20-seat courtyard boasting a retractable roof.
SOLA - W1D
American
London
Opening 17 Jun 2026
Victor Garvey’s Sola is moving! – from mid June it will operate at a new Bayswater address listed next door to his recent opening Materia. Until then Sola is still to be found at 64 Dean Street, London W1 (Soho).
FIR By Matt Sampson - HR3
Hay-on-Wye
Opening 19 Jun 2026
Formerly at The Vine Tree pub in Llangattock, Matt Sampson is upping sticks in June 2026 to take over the former Michelin Green Star Chapters (RIP) in Hay on Wye. The chef – who includes Ynyshir, Casamia and L'Enclume on his CV – will offer a multi-course tasting menu.
Celentano’s, Arthouse Glasgow - G2
Italian
Glasgow
Opening 26 Jun 2026
Having operated since August 2021 in Glasgow's Cathedral House building, the operation shifts in 2026 to new digs in Arthouse Glasgow. Still run by Anna and Dean Parker, the new venue will offer a refreshed Italian-influenced menu with an ingredient-led, minimal-waste approach; and a focus on fermentation methods and produce cooked over embers. The drinks menu, curated by Anna, will echo the kitchen's ethos, featuring seasonal cocktails made from kitchen 'waste'. The new space, designed by A-nrd Studio, will seat over 60 guests. (A May update says the opening has now been pushed back to June or later).
Rosina - SW17
London
Opening 29 Jun 2026
Taking over the former site of Brinkley's Kitchen overlooking Wandsworth Common, the first Italian restaurant from chef Adam Byatt of local superstar Trinity, up the road in Clapham. He's named it after his daughter Rosie, which must mean it will be pretty special to him.
Bulbul - EC4Y
London
Opening 30 Jun 2026
Early summer 2026 arrival – a contemporary Indian from chef Rohan D’Souza and Twinkle Keswani, named Young Restaurateur of the Year by The Economic Times in 2023. The launch PR promises vibrant small plates, creative cocktails, and immersive design with sample dishes including Forest Pepper Crab Dosa, Goan Shrimp Balcha?o, Jim Corbett Hunter’s Murgh Mussallam, and Nilgiri Beef Short Rib Korma.
Coreus by Clare Smyth, Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch - SW1A
London
Opening 30 Jun 2026
Lesser-known seafood varieties will, apparently, be a talking point of the menu at this famous British chef's new outpost: part of a posh landmark hotel which gazes down the Mall at Buck House and which is set to open some time in the first half of 2026.
Haldiram's UK - WC2H
London
Opening 30 Jun 2026
The West End is increasingly a haven for homesick ex-pats of various nationalities as huge international food businesses target the units hereabouts to showcase their brand in the UK. This new 3,000 square foot site off Leicester Square seats 120 and will cater in part to Indians missing the authentic taste of home as delivered by India’s largest sweets and snacks brand (est 1937) which operates in 80 countries and has 200+ restaurants across north India. Here, as well as their signature treats, you can enjoy Indian breakfasts, an extensive chaat selection, chickpea and vegetable curries and ‘infusion’-led desserts.
Keller - CT5
Whitstable
Opening 30 Jun 2026
Dan Smith, the chef behind the Fordwich Arms, is partnering with Elliott Ashton-Konig to launch this new wine bar in Whitstable. Elliott will curate a diverse wine list, including selections from Old and New World producers as well as local Kent wines. Cooked by Ollie Clifford-Cox, the menu will include dishes such as Rarebit croquettes; Beef tartare with shoestring fries and gherkin ketchup, Rump of lamb with merguez, tomato and goat’s curd; and Brown sugar custard tart with crème fraîche ice cream.
Latine Mayfair - W1S
London
Opening 30 Jun 2026
Off Bond Street in the courtyard enclave of Lancashire Court, this new operation debuts in a cute pocket of London that’s seen places thrive for years but also come and go. Styling its menu as Latin American-French, the ground floor has a fashionable ‘Crudo Bar’ plus a champagne terrace, while the first floor – ‘La Candela’ – is for dining.
Jul
Brasserie Olivia - SW1W
French
London
Opening 09 Jul 2026
Charles Perez and Victor Dubillot's French restaurant group, is set to open Brasserie Olivia in Sloane Square, in 2026, marking their first international outpost. The brasserie aims to offer a homespun style of Gallic cuisine with classic dishes using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
Café Boulud, Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch - SW1A
London
Opening 31 Jul 2026
Due to open in Q2 2026, the new hotel in Admiralty Arch will have unparalleled views from two restaurants, including one on the rooftop. These will include Café Boulud, which marks the return to London ten years after the closure of über-NYC-chef Daniel Boulud’s operation at the Hyde Park Mandarin Oriental.
Mor, Carbis Bay Estate - TR26
Saint Ives
Opening 31 Jul 2026
Chef Tom Sellers is the name behing this Cornish 2026 opening at the Carbis Bay Estate in St Ives, which echoes his 2019 pop-up, Story by the Sea, nearby. The focus for the menu will be a raw bar and charcoal grill, with a locally sourced offering including hand-dived scallops, day boat fish, ex-dairy beef and produce grown in an on-site kitchen garden. Sample dishes include Cornish crab with steamed milk buns; and Nori-wrapped mackerel escabeche with English wasabi and young ginger.
The Piglet - BR6
London
Opening 31 Jul 2026
Summer opening on a site that was formerly Ye Olde Whyte Lyon – it's from the same group as The Pig's Head in Clapham and the Princess of Shoreditch.
The Tallyman - E14
London
Opening 31 Jul 2026
A “proper east London destination for the docklands” is the promise of this new pub amidst the shiny towers of the financial district (and part of Anthony Pender’s Yummy Collection of ventures which includes Hammersmith’s Faber, The Somers Town Coffee House in Euston and The Victoria in Mile End). Pies, steak and shellfish will help channel what aims to be an authentic East End pub vibe inspired by the surrounding docks.
Uncle Hon’s BBQ - E9
London
Opening 31 Jul 2026
First standalone restaurant from pitmaster and former DJ and vinyl dealer Man Hon Luk (“Hon”), whose Texan-Chinese barbecue pop-ups have developed an East London following. It takes over the grungily groovy 80-cover site in a canal-side warehouse above Crate that was formerly Silo (RIP). Texas-style BBQ is fused with Cantonese and broader Asian flavours, with smoked brisket, pork belly and beef cheeks served alongside rice, duck pancakes all with Chinese-inspired seasoning.
Talli Queen - W12
London
Opening 31 Jul 2026
In the former Queen Adelaide pub near Shepherd's Bush, an Indian dining pub from chef Avi Shashidhara, who has worked in top kitchens including Pahli Hill Bandra Bai in Fitzrovia, Claude Bosi's Hibiscus and the River Cafe. Expect plenty of dishes from the charcoal grill and tandoor.
Aug
ATLAS James & Maria Close, Rockliffe Hall - DL2
French
Darlington
Opening 31 Aug 2026
Led by culinary director James Close and his wife Maria, this summer 2026 opening has been long-heralded as evidenced by entries in our 2025 and 2026 guides. The new-build pavilion in the grounds of the estate will boast three kitchen islands, plus a 6-seat chef's table. More details as they emerge...
Gordon Ramsay at The Mere - WA16
Knutsford
Opening 31 Aug 2026
Footie hunks, tanned lovelies and influencers-a-go-go will be out in force for the Summer 2026 opening of this northerly outpost of the Ramsay empire, within a plush Golf development on the fringes of Cheshire's Golden Triangle.
Sep
Notto Baker Street - W1U
London
Opening 01 Sep 2026
In the new Loxton Walk development between Baker Street and Gloucester Place, the fourth of Julian Dyer and Phil Howard's fast-casual pasta spots, with takeaway and 'click & collect' options for ever greater speed.
Nov
Ottolenghi - Edinburgh - EH2
New Town
Opening 30 Nov 2026
Ottolenghi hits Scotland for the first time with this Autumn 2026 launch in the New Town.
Dec
Tattu - E14
London
Opening 31 Dec 2026
A second London location for this Manchester-based national modern Asian group, set to launch in the Canary Wharf Estate in winter 2026. (It follows a recent debut in Dubai). The design, inspired by China’s historic floating restaurants, features a lantern-lit exterior and interior based, apparently, on mythical maritime realms. Foodwise, it’s the group's signature mashup of Japanese and Chinese cuisines.
Jul
Opening Date to be Confirmed
Dila - W1T
London
Planning has been approved for this new site on Fitzrovia's restaurant row – the conversion of a corner-premises that formerly housed a bank. It's set to become an all-day Levante restaurant and lounge, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The backers also run the nearby 81-room, boutique hotel, The Newman (London Hotel of the Year 2026 for The Times).
Dishoom - SE1
London
If all goes to plan, the dozenth Dishoom will be near Borough Market in a newly rebuit part of the victorian Hop Exchange. It’s a wonderful space that for many years has failed to live up to its enormously picturesque potential due to the limitations of the constraints of the Victorian-built site and its former conception as a trading hall. What was needed was someone with the vision to see how it could be reconfigured for a new purpose and a new era… hopefully that’s where the Dishoom team will come in.
Dishoom - LS1
Leeds city centre
A summer 2026 opening – or thereabouts – is expected of this city centre branch of the expanding Indian chain, set to bring its trademark black dhal and the vibrant style of Iran’s parsi cafés to the former Flannels site – a 8,000 sq. ft two-floor space between Victoria Gate and Victoria Quarter shopping centres.
Fayre, The Shepherd - W1J
London
On the site of the now defunct Park Lane Mews Hotel, this new boutique offering will again include a ground-floor restaurant/lounge as part of the hotel amenities. It’s to be an all-day affair offering seasonal British dishes.
Flat Iron - SW4 - SW4
London
A newly redeveloped building just beside the common will become the latest link in the Flat Iron chain late in 2026. Taking over a previously derelict site, the new venue will span two floors with more than 130 covers including an outdoor terrace surrounded by planting.
Humble Grape - EC1A
London
In the space that was Club Gascon's "Le Bar" – a new link in this wine-loving chain.
Kauri - W1U
London
Opening spring 2025 in Marylebone Village, a restaurant and wine bar from Hamish Brown, for 15 years executive head chef of the Roka group. Expect Japanese-inspired dishes using prime British produce cooked over wood fire, with a few Kiwi touches from the NZ-born founder.
Konjiki - SW11
London
Part of a small family-owned group (with Japanese restaurants in Portsmouth and Southampton), this second Konjiki is a sibling to the Kensington original which opened in spring 2025 and occupies a new unit in the Battersea Power Station development.
Langosteria, The OWO - SW1A
London
Update - 2 years after it was announced, this restaurant is finally due to open in 2026. With branches in Paris, near Portofino, St Moritz and – now here at this mega new five star on Whitehall – Enrico Buonocore’s Italian newcomer originates (like Paper Moon) from Milan. Seafood is the big deal here, and if it follows the template of the original no meat or veggie options will be served.
Mr Fogg’s Tavern - WC2
London
Phileas Fogg is the theme of this summer 2026 launch which steps into the shoes of the dear old Crusting Pipe (RIP), the cosy if battered wine bar that stood at the foot of the Covent Garden piazza for four decades. This newcomer is part of a series of Fogg-inspired outlets in the West End.
Nobu Woolfox - PE9
Tixover
With views of St Katherine's Docks from Commodity Quay, this large (160 cover) Chinese debut opened in May 2026 after a month's soft opening. It's aimed around banquet dining, so unlike its siblings – Good Fortune Club in the burbs – it doesn't just offer dim sum but also Peking Duck and much more substantial seafood dishes in a glossy contemporary setting pitched at business dinners, family meals and celebrations.
Noodle Inn - SW11
London
Scheduled for 2026 – the fourth branch of the expanding noodle chain as another option within the power station at Battersea.
Oudh 1722 - SE1
London
Aktar Islam – a name world famous in Birmingham and quite famous in London – hits the capital with this spring 2026 opening, on the South Bank site of Lupins RIP. In Brum he’s achieved two Michelin stars – can he do the same here or will he face the same challenge as other chefs who have won major kudos outside the capital but sometimes found it hard to recreate the excitement in the face of so much nearby competition. Awadhi cuisine – Persian-influenced and rooted in the old royal courts of north India (notably Lucknow) – will be the focus, with slow-cooking a hallmark of dishes.
St Clement’s Hotel - WC2R
London
Ex Soho House impressario, Nick Jones, is behind this new hotel slated to open in 2026 in the redeveloping 180 Quarter by the Strand. He’s a man who has launched many-a-rooftop-restaurant in his time, so it will be interesting to see what the one here looks like...
Sticks’n’Sushi - LS1
Leeds
A regeneration scheme in central Leeds is the second north-UK stop for this Copenhagen-based chain that mixes Scandi style and sushi. Open in 2027, It will inhabit a 9000 square foot grade-II listed three-floor site with a big (220-cover) dining room, and 30-cover terrace.
The Little Neon Door - EC2A
London
It may have a Little Door, but this is the biggest site yet for ‘Little Door & Co’: the five-strong group founded in 2014 that aims for a house-party vibe and is finally hitting east London in Shoreditch. A two-level site it will have five ‘experiential’ rooms – another site is planned in 2026 including its first site outside the capital.
The Prince Edward - W2
London
One of those Notting Hill boozers that during the eternal gentrification of the area never quite achieved the escape velocity to become a gastropub rather than a died-in-the-wool boozer... until now that is that it’s been taken over by the gang behind Julie’s in Holland Park. Likely as it emerges, it will become a new gastropub option off the main heart of Portobello Market – with the odd honourable exception, not something the area is particularly blessed with.
Zadie's - M11
Manchester
They like a bit glam up Manchester way and ee-by-gum this late 2026 launch looks like it will have it a-go-go. In Medlock Square – the £300m entertainment centrepiece of the new Etihad Campus – it’s being masterminded by Laura Montana (co-creator of Sexy Fish) and will be in a similar vein: a huge space with a super-splashy vibe and Pan-Asian cuisine.
Birchwood, The Conduit - WC2H
London
In Covent Garden – on the ground floor of a socially conscious members club that also opens its rooftop (currently branded as Rucola) to the public – this new project is a partnership with Will Devlin, of Kent’s excellent The Small Holding. Sustainability is the order of the day, in what promises to be “a unique café and wine bar concept launched in summer 2026, followed by the autumn debut of a reimagined rooftop restaurant offering an à la carte dining experience”. It’s all dead eco, “bringing the values of independent, ethical farming and season-led cooking into central London”. Meat will come from their own butchery, Block, “allowing full transparency and whole animal use; fish is sourced with the same integrity as meat, only responsibly caught British seafood is used”; much of the veg is grown close to home in Kent and Sussex “with a focus on soil health, flavour and resilience” (and “imperfect, seasonal vegetables are embraced, allowing the ingredient to dictate how it is cooked rather than forcing uniformity”).
Dining on the Clouds - EC4A
Japanese
London
(With no opening announced as of December 2025, the presumption is that this will debut some time in 2026, tba). Spanning the eighth and ninth floors of what was once the Daily Telegraph’s Fleet Street HQ, this new pan-Asian fusion concept will major in Japanese cuisine – with a dedicated sushi counter and open robata grill – but also with Thai and Chinese dishes. The ninth-floor rooftop terrace will become a bar and lounge complete with a panorama of the nearby cityscape.
Everything on Fire - EC4A
Steaks & grills
London
On the seventh floor of what was once the Daily Telegraph’s Fleet Street HQ, the aim is a theatrical dining concept centred around the open-flame headlined by the name. We are promised an extensive selections of premium meats, prepared on a central clay grill in a dramatic open kitchen.
Freyja, Close House - NE15
Heddon-on-the-Wall
According to the Westmoreland Gazette, this opening - originally talked of for late 2025 - is likely to materialise in late 2026 (https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/lifestyle/food-and-drink/northumberlands-restaurant-hjem-launch-chefs-box-and-freyja-garden-in-new-restaurant-preparations-5289054)
Scheduled for a late 2025 opening, a modern Scandi-style restaurant to
be built in the walled garden of Close House in the Tyne Valley, now
part of a golf course. It's from the high-achieving owners of Hjem in
Wall – Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and his Northumberland-born partner
Ally Thompson – who will work their magic on produce from the garden and
meat, game and fish from within a 30-mile radius.
Kiji - W1J
London
Occupying part of 60 Curzon – a new swish development in Mayfair – the UK debut of Kiji, a Korean barbecue experience, occupies the site once home to the famous Mirabelle. The new restaurant will showcase Korean cuisine and culture to an international audience. The eight-storey property, crafted by PLP Architecture, features 32 private residences and will house Kiji across 8,000 square feet. The new restaurant is masterminded by culinary duo Ellia and Junghyun Park.
Le Caprice - W1
British, Modern
London
(February 2026 - after all had gone quiet regarding the once-much-touted resurrection of this famous name, the rumble is starting to come down the track of a not-too-distant opening. But not one with a date as yet). Opening in 2026 in the Rosewood Chancery hotel, which occupies the former US Embassy in Mayfair’s Grosvenor Square: the revival of Le Caprice, the one-time celeb-magnet in St James’s that closed down during the pandemic. Owner Richard Caring promises a “chic, comfortable and classic” mix of old and new. Now that former owner, Jeremy King, runs Arlington on the site of the original Le Caprice, comparisons will be inevitable.
RH London - W1S
British, Modern
London
Opening in 2025/6 in Mayfair, where it has taken over the former Anercrombie & Fitch store off Savile Row, a lavish interiors showroom from the luxury US giant fka Restoration Hardware, with a restaurant, coffee shop, three bars and a roof terrace. This follows RH's palatial European debut at Aynho Park, a 17th-century stately home in north Oxfordshire.
Sael - B18
Birmingham
Set to open at The Goodsyard in the Jewellery Quarter, this anticipated restaurant from chef Jonny Mills and his partner Hannah, was originally scheduled for October 2025 (and as of December 2025 that's still wha the website says). At the heart of the formula, will be a tasting menu using hyper-seasonal produce and top local suppliers.
Studio Frantzén - SW1X
Scandinavian
London
(December 2025 update -> No new dates have yet been posted on the restaurant's Insta.) Opening in summer 2025, Studio Frantzen from Swedish superstar chef Bjorn Frantzen, offering his individual take on French and Japanese cuisine with Nordic influences. It occupied a prime slot at Harrods for two years before closing in the New Year, and is to reopen at an address yet to be announced.
The Duke of Connaught - SW1W
London
Eccleston Street's former post office is to receive the Cubitt House treatment to emerge as part of their portfolio of posh pubs. Assuming they get planning, it will comprise a bar and first floor restaurant with 10 bedrooms. The name is a nod to the building's erstwhile use in Edwardian times as The Duke of Connaught’s Soldiers & Sailors Home.
