Read all about the capital's most anticipated hot new restaurant openings.
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Mar
Jul’s - SW1Y
  London
Opening 18 Mar 2026
Stuffy old St James’s is getting another shot in the arm, with the spring 2026 opening of a vogueish Greek/Mediterranean-inspired venture, originally founded in Ibiza in 2018, and led by Chef Christos Fotos with partners Jem Akyuz and his son Ilhan. Occupying another of those august classical sites in the area that was previously a bank, it will feature a large wine wall (and there will also be a downstairs bar). The menu will include dishes such as giouvetsi, slow?cooked lamb flatbread, and grilled fish over open fire.
Berenjak Mayfair - W1K
Persian
  London
Opening 20 Mar 2026
Originally slated for 2025, this March 2026 newcomer is nowadays part of an international operation with recent debuts in The Gulf and also in LA. Opening next to the Barley Mow on Duke Street in Mayfair, the third London venue from high-flying Kian Samyani offers dishes inspired by the kebab shops of Tehran. The Soho original and Borough Market follow-up win consistent high ratings in our guide.
Holy Carrot - E1 - E1
British, Modern
  London
Opening 20 Mar 2026
Originally set for a 2025 launch (now March 2026) in Old Spitalfields Market, the second branch of the Notting Hill sustainable dining concept, offering plant-based cooking over fire using seasonal produce, with fermentation to boost flavour. This time the spin will be vegetarian not full-on vegan.
Taverna Ermou - W1
  London
Opening 21 Mar 2026
Just near Selfridges, this new Greek venue is part of a 30-strong Hellenic restaurant group, originally founded in Thessaloniki in 2008 (which already runs deli/cafés in Straford and Mayfair). This operation has an Athens-based namesake that’s a flagship for the business and, apparently “represents the soul of the brand”. Ergon House in Covent Garden is to follow later this year.
Temaki - W1S
Japanese
  London
Opening 23 Mar 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.
Black Horse - BN18
  Amberley
Opening 25 Mar 2026
The brothers Gladwin have made waves in London over the last decade with half a dozen openings of their Local & Wild group, wooing city-dwellers with their down-home, foraged, family-farmed fare. Here, they go back to their roots with the 2026 takeover of a high-street pub 20 minutes' drive from aforementioned family farm where they grew up. Begs the obvious question: will the locals be more or less keen on the locally sourced fare than their city-dwelling cousins. To be fair, given the area, lots of 'em will be the same folks down for the weekend in their country cottages.
Sharma - BN11
  Worthing
Opening 25 Mar 2026
Dayashankar Sharma of the well-regarded Heritage Dulwich opens his second venue with this March 2026 arrival. The aim at this 45-seater is the Indian ‘comfort food’ of its sibling but with a “more relaxed and informal setting”. Sample dishes include tandoori avocado and venison; dahi ke kebab (paneer wrapped in kataifi); and konkani fish tikka (stone bass in coconut and curry leaves). Its name means 'father' in Hindi.
Impala - W1D
  London
Opening 26 Mar 2026
Spring 2026 newcomer from former head chef and co-owner of Kiln – Egyptian Meedu Saad – centred on North African-inspired charcoal grill cooking and grilling over open coals, with dishes such as roasted meats, fish, skewers and other speciality preparations. It’s on a site new to restaurants and will feature a 1960s design aesthetic. Development is in partnership with the Super 8 hospitality group, which also operates Kiln, Brat, Mountain and Smoking Goat.
Bancone - EC2R
  City of London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
The fifth branch of this expanding budget-pasta brand hits the City of London, not far from the Bank of England in Spring 2026.
Buvette - WC2H
  London
Opening 31 Mar 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.
Clio - W1U
  London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
Part of the current vogue for all things modern Greek – this new dining concept in Marylebone occupies a site vacated by Wulf & Lamb (where Paddington and Chiltern Streets cross) and is led by Executive Chef Glen Ballis. He draws inspiration from the wider Med, mirrored by the proposed interiors, where we are promised a sculptural stone bar and warm earthy tones.
Fenix - W1
  London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
Glam-looking 2026 newcomer from the Manchester-based group behind Tattu, replacing Henry's: a venerable bar on Piccadilly.
Idalia - W14
British, Modern
  London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
Part of the transformation of Olympia – Des Gunewardena's D3 Collective will be launching three new hospitality concepts within the Pillar Hall in Spring 2026 of which this 130 cover space on the ground floor of the former exhibition hall answers best to the description restaurant (there's a 70-cover bar and a 500+ cover event space). Led by an all-female culinary team, the venue will offer modern British cuisine with a focus on pastries and desserts.
Karam’s - WC1N
  London
Opening 31 Mar 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”.
Lennox - M2
  Manchester
Opening 31 Mar 2026
The Spring Gardens site of the now 17-strong Six by Nico brand closed in early 2026 to be reformatted by owner Nico Simeone as this new venture, which – apparently – is not going to be a scaleable format? The new guide will have 50 seats across the restaurant and bar – including 18 bar seats and a six-seat Chef's Table – to create an experience that's “deliberately intimate and controlled”. Inspired, apparently, by NYC, it wiill aim for a “raw and open creative spirit where the kitchen sits at the heart of the room and the energy feels closer to a working studio than a traditional dining environment”. (There is still a Six by Nico in Manchester, on Deansgate).
MA/NA (MANA) - W1K
Japanese
  London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
From the Thesleff group – who already run top Japanese venues like Juno and Luna – this new new luxury Japanese restaurant and bar occupies the Mayfair site just off Park Lane vacated by Raya (RIP) and will offer an upscale version of the Japanese dining and cocktails the group also provides at its two Los Mochis operations. Executive Chef Leo Tanyag showcases Japan’s culinary traditions, while the bar, led by Pietro Collina, provides a late-night experience. With 156 covers and a Private Dining Room for up to 20 guests, MA/NA is said to embody the philosophy of 'mana' which apparently has many translations from Japanese depending on the context, including ‘true food’.
Maza - W1J
  London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
A new stablemate for Greek siblings Mazi and Suzi Tros in Notting Hill (from owners Christina Mouratoglou and Adrien Carré) – the third member sees the couple head to swanky Mayfair and a site in cute Bruton Place designed by the same folks who worked on Chiltern Firehouse and The Peninsula. The name means “everyday bread” and the newcomer will, apparently, “channel the spirit of a 1980s Athenian taverna" for the benefit or 90 guests. The upstairs bar will even feature 1970s and 1980s Greek vinyl on the soundtrack. Sample dishes include pasta with sea urchin, chicken jus and truffle, and disco fries with shredded veal kokkinisto. It also promises what claims to be the world’s largest exclusively Greek wine list, featuring more than 150 wines. Next stop… Abu Dhabi!
Sael - B18
  Birmingham
Opening 31 Mar 2026
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.
Teal - E8
  London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
Having quit The Pem and The Bull in Charlbury in short order – star chef Sally Abé is going it alone for the first time, having been the head chef at numerous high-profile restaurants. This “little British bistro” opening in Hackney on the former site of Sesta (RIP) aims to champion the native British cuisine that Sally produced so formidably well at the Harwood Arms.
Flock, Hotel Indigo London K West - W14
British, Modern
  London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
Repelled by the Westfield Shepherd’s Bush crowds? – in a backstreet 3 minutes away this 231-bedroom hotel somewhat basks in its storied history as a studio for the Beeb in decades gone by (not that you'd know now). After a major refurb, it reopens in 2026 and its open-kitchen food operation serves "a series of social spaces". Pizza is the summit of the culinary aspiration, making it promising for an informal but calming and upscale all-day retreat from the retail mothership nearby.
Padella - W1 - W1B
  London
Opening 31 Mar 2026
In the food hub of Kingly Street (just off Carnaby) in Soho, the third branch of Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda’s hand-made pasta operation that has been has been a big hit at Borough Market (and later in Shoreditch) since opening 10 years ago. Set over two storeys, including a private dining room, with some new dishes promised, it will cover 2300 square feet with 80 covers.
Apr
Kawan by Uncle Roger - W1D
  London
Opening 04 Apr 2026
Online influences and comedian, Nigel Ng (“Uncle Roger") – known for his rice videos – teams up with Keng Yew (YiQi, The Eight, etc) to open this 60-cover Chinatown venture (on a site that was Monga, which has relocated to Soho). Given Ng’s persona we’re guessing some fried rice on a menu which promises Pan?Asian dishes with British influences. Kawan is Malay for “friend” or “companion".
Monga Fried Chicken - W1D
Chicken
  London
Opening 04 Apr 2026
Online influences and comedian, Nigel Ng (“Uncle Roger") – known for his rice videos – teams up with Keng Yew (YiQi, The Eight, etc) to open this 60-cover Chinatown venture (on a site that was Monga, which has relocated to Soho). Given Ng’s persona we’re guessing some fried rice on a menu which promises Pan?Asian dishes with British influences. Kawan is Malay for “friend” or “companion".
Mondo Sando - SE8
  London
Opening 10 Apr 2026
A second branch for erstwhile Covid popup run by Jack Macrae and Viggo Blegvad, Mondo Sando initially held residencies at the Grove House Tavern in Camberwell and The White Horse in Peckham. There's a 50-cover outdoor space in summer – when the weather is less clemment it’s more a case of grab-and-go. Deptford-only menu items are promised alongside fave-raves.
Honey & Co Great Portland - W1W
  London
Opening 13 Apr 2026
Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich reformat their former Honey & Smoke (RIP) in Spring 2026 to concentrate on their Honey & Co brand which now has three outlets and an event space around central London. The re-jigged 40-cover venue will focus on wine, with a focus on the Eastern Med (including Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine). By day it will operates as a deli; by night as a dining room and wine bar with a menu suited to sharing( sample dishes include tuna crudo with grated tomato and tahini; crispy pork with oregano and candied lemon; and fried artichoke with garlic, parsley and lemon).
Kinz - W11
  London
Opening 15 Apr 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.
Sova - W11
  London
Opening 18 Apr 2026
After a brief stint as Zima (RIP here), the owners are switching up the formula. Formely a spin-off from their Soho original providing caviar and dumplings – now the offering will be led by wine, with the main regions featured drawn from Eastern and Central Europe. There are also shelves of vinyl which provides the soundtrack.
The Latimer - W10
  London
Opening 21 Apr 2026
Even many savvy Londoners may be hard-pressed to navigate to this interestingly located Spring 2026 opening, which occupies a very attractive but hitherto mostly obscure pub with terrace in a residential restaurant wasteland about 20 minutes walk from the north reaches of the Portobello Road. It will not lack opening interest as it’s the project of restaurant royalty – Jon Spiteri was an original partner in The French House, St. John and Sessions Arts Club, and partner Melanie Arnold, co-founded of Rochelle Canteen. Here they are partnered with their sons, Lorcan and Fin (who are behind Caravel) and daughter Molly (in restaurant biz dev). It certainly wont suffer immediate local competition, but the pull of these in-crowd restaurateurs to the Notting Hillbilly crowd may mean they succeed here where others have failed.
Willett's, The Cadogan Hotel - SW1X
  London
Opening 24 Apr 2026
A British bistro led by executive chef Michael Turner, who joined the hotel in 2025 and whose CV includes being executive head chef at The Savoy Grill and The River Restaurant. It is the latest venture to try and realise the potential of what should be a slam-dunk – a charming dining room within a marvellously and poshly located hotel (which has seen numerous formats come and go over the years). It will seat 44 diners plus 8 at the chef’s counter. The aim is conservative with a small "c": "a true neighbourhood bistro… centred around British cooking and produce… [and] focus[ed] on well-loved classics and seasonal ingredients".
Blacklock Birmingham - B3
Steaks & grills
  Birmingham
Opening 26 Apr 2026
(February 2026 update - an opening date has finally been set... for April 2026). The second out-of-London outpost of Gordon Ker's all-conquering group was originally set to open in Autumn 2025 in Birmingham city centre, offering a modern take on the Great British chophouse. Situated in St Philip's House, the restaurant features a 100-seat dining area and bar overlooking Cathedral Square. Known for their quality meat sourced from award-winning Cornish family farmers, Blacklock prides itself on using the whole animal to create a diverse menu; with a focus on sustainability and exceptional value.
Celentano’s, Arthouse Glasgow - G2
Italian
  Glasgow
Opening 30 Apr 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.
Clarets, The R&A World Golf Museum - KY16
  Saint Andrews
Opening 30 Apr 2026
The R&A World Golf Museum could not occupy a finer location, right by the beach and this is the latest incarnation of its café/restaurant space, has – of Spring 2026 – been taken over by The Rocca Group. An all-day operation (formerly called The Niblick, RIP), the first-floor space seats 50 and keeps on most of the pre-existing team. The same group operates The Seafood Ristorante just steps away (as well as The Broughton gastropub and Café Calton in Edinburgh).
Hell’s Kitchen, The Cumberland Hotel - W1H
  London
Opening 30 Apr 2026
You've seen the TV Series, now live the thrills, spills and drama first hand while you sip on your soup. That's the promise at Big Sweary's first TV-spin-off restaurant, open by Marble Arch in Spring 2026. It’s set to be the first of many apparently, so you can't be guaranteed the presence of the toussle-haired-one’s own presence… except for the much PR’s launch of course.
Kiez Kebab - W10
  London
Opening 30 Apr 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.
Kumori - W1D
  London
Opening 30 Apr 2026
In Soho, the first permanent venue for an outfit that has operated pop-ups for three years, specialising in sushi hand-rolls made to order in front of the guest. Options include spicy tuna with jalapeno miso and torched scallop, as well as vegetarian choices. Head chef John Randy De Guzman was previously head chef at Tobi Masa and spent nearly a decade at Nobu.
Miko Mei Fair - W1J
  London
Opening 30 Apr 2026
On the ground floor of MiMi Mei Fair’s Georgian townhouse in Mayfair (see what they did there, with their name), this 50-seater evolves Samyukta Nair and family’s offering to fuse MiMi Mei Fair’s “adventurous imagination with the culinary legacy of Koyn Thai” (a former Nair venture). Press announcements promise "a natural evolution, bringing together warm, intimate dining with the focus and discipline of fire led cooking… [with] energy and generosity, expressed through layered interiors, vibrant ingredient led dishes and heartfelt hospitality… in a setting that feels both alive and deeply personal.”
Tavern - EC1V
  London
Opening 30 Apr 2026
Nest – closed at the end of March 2026 – reopens just one month later under the same team but with a different, tavern-ish format. Luke Wasserman, Toby Neill and Johnnie Crowe will now offer a take on the traditional British pub with chef Kirsty Easterbrook (formerly sous chef at St Barts) producing dishes such as puffed pig skin with smoked cod’s roe; lamb scrumpets with mint; turbot with English sparkling wine sauce, and lamb or hogget with anchovy and gem lettuce.
May
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.
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
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.
Jul
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.
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.
Jul
Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons - OX44
French
  Great Milton
Opening 31 Jul 2027

Opening Date to be Confirmed
Bar Etna - N16
  London
Ed McIlroy's track record includes The Plimsoll and involvement with the Four Legs team, which helps spark interest in this Newington Green pizzeria, for which he's partnered with Philadelphian Joe Beddia (known stateside for Pizzeria Beddia), to import a US-style pizza concept to ‘the Smoke’.
Brasserie Olivia - SW1W
French
  London
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.
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.
Domo - LS1
  Leeds city centre
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.
Fatto A Mano - W1D
  London
This 2026 newcomer will be the fifth branch of this Brighton-based pizza chain in the Capital, open on 60-seat site in the centre of Soho and with a 40-seat outdoor terrace.
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.
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.
Kush Bristol - BS8
  Bristol
Not content with just trying to storm London, Aktar Islam of Birmingham fame (with Opheem) is set to open in Brizzle on the former site of The Mint Room site in Clifton (which shuttered in 2024). At the time of writing, further details are thin on the ground.
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.
Mitsu - EC2A
  London
Nobu Shoreditch never quite found its mojo – perhaps due to the timing of the pandemic – and both the hotel (which had been Nobu branded) and restaurant are replaced by this spring 2026 opening. The property will now operate as the Aethos London Shoreditch and the large basement space will transition away from its luxury focus to become a more casual, lively izakaya. (This actually already happened on the site in the past, when post-pandemic it sometimes traded under other guises). The new look will include an open robata grill kitchen and the food focus will be shared small plates robata dishes, kushikatsu (skewers) and kamameshi (rice pot dishes).
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.
Noodle Inn - WC2E
  London
Open in 2026 – the third link in Alex Xu's fast-expanding and descriptively named chain.
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.
Permit Rooms - L2
  Liverpool city centre
The fifth addition to this more bar-led version of Dishoom opens in March 2026 in the former Royal Bank of Scotland building.
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...
Trèsind - W1S
  London
Breezing in from Dubai in early 2026, this nouvelle Indian-focused brand boasts two acclaimed operations in Dubai with Trèsind Studio on the Palm Jumeirah having secured three Michelin stars in the last 12 months. It will occupy a new development in Mayfair. London is used to its chefs trying to cash in on the rise of Dubai. The launch of this ‘ Modernist Indian Dining Experience’ here will provoke some interesting comparisons. Does it work both ways? Does a track record on the Palm Jumeriah make it easy to make waves in London with Indian cuisine? Are the tyre man’s stars in Dubai as hard to win as those in London?
Casa Como - EC4A
Italian
  London
(December 2025 update – with no announcement as yet, it looks like this opening is slipping into 2026). On the ground floor of what was once the Daily Telegraph’s Fleet Street HQ, a sister concept to Emerald Hospitality Group’s Como Garden. This late 2025 opening will house a salumeria (Italian deli), restaurant, bar, and 60-seat terrace.
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.
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.
Rockfish - EX10 - EX10
  Sidmouth
The long-delayed Sidmouth branch of the successful fish and seafood chain from Mitch Tonks (the 11th in the chain) was finally set to open on the Esplanade in autumn 2025... but is now slated for 2026. It will occupy the town’s Drill Hall at Port Royal, with 88 covers plus an outside terrace with sea views.

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