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May
All Roads - SW9
  London
Opening 06 May 2026
From supper club to permanent home – chef Malika Green and Paschelle Brown's May 2026 opening is a follow up to an established project serving food inspired by the Caribbean as well as stints at Lai Rai, Patty & Bun, Daddy Bao and Soho House. Dishes (small plates) include fried wings marinated in sweet black tea and herbs; and clams in a rich soy and tomato sauce finished with parmesan. Mains focus on low-and-slow cooking (e.g. oxtail and turkey or lamb neck, or pork chops served with pimento peppercorn sauce). It's small – 35-covers, with an additional terrace – and is DJ sets are planned for weekends.
Bread Street Kitchen - EC2N
  London
Opening 06 May 2026
A 59th-floor vantagepoint is key to the profile of this Gordon Ramsay opening – the seventh in London under the Bread Street brand. It will be an all-day operation and a nearby bar in the complex has a 24-hour licence all begging comparisons with the Heron Tower and Duck & Waffle.
Ornella - E8
  London
Opening 08 May 2026
A sibling to Highbury’s Lupa is coming to Hackney in Spring 2026. The chef – Naz Hassan – grew up in Milano and the aim is a local Italian but with the repertoire of slightly more formal Northern Italian cucina. Co-owner Ed Templeton is co-founder of Fitzrovia hit Carousel and it’s the second project in partnership with actor Theo James.
Kinz - W11
  London
Opening 11 May 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.
Rossella - N10
  London
Opening 12 May 2026
After 14 years trading in Gospel Oak, Luca Meola is expanding his family’s restaurant business with this second branch in Muswell Hill (the first ‘Rossella’ having been run by Luca’s father, Luigi, in Benevento in 1960). The spin-off will be bigger than the original, combining a restaurant, bar and deli: the restaurant will serve larger dishes (such as Veal Milanese) alongside small plates, pastas and pizzas. Wine includes bottles shipped from the family’s own Benevento property.
Kawan by Uncle Roger - W1D
  London
Opening 15 May 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".
Zylia - WC2E
  London
Opening 22 May 2026
By Arcade's new Food Hall in Covent Garden, this new standalone Greek-Cypriot taverna, is run by Nick Molyviatis and Barry Karacostas, with a menu channeling the duo's shared Greek and Cypriot heritage. Rustic charm balanced with contemporary elements is all going to lead to a warm welcome according to the press release. Sample menu items suggest it's one for those who like to eat heartily, including items such as: Sheftalia (grilled pork parcels); souvlaki; kleftiko; lamb chops served Greek style; karidopita, a traditional Greek walnut cake; and galaktompoureko, baked semolina custard in filo pastry.
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 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.
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.
Buvette - WC2H
  London
Opening 31 May 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.
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.
Temaki - W1S
Japanese
  London
Opening 31 May 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.
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.
The Sea, The Sea - SW1X
Fish & seafood
  London
Opening 31 May 2026
Named for an Iris Murdoch novel, this luxurious fish deli is upping sticks after 7 yeras 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.
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...
Lady of the Grapes, Menier Chocolate Factory - SE1
British, Modern
  London
Opening 31 May 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.
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
Bulbul - EC4Y
  City of 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.
Celentano’s, Arthouse Glasgow - G2
Italian
  Glasgow
Opening 30 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).
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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...
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 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.
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?
White Tiger - L3
  Liverpool
Merseyside doctors and long-time friends Meenal Abhyankar and Dhanya Kalathil, are the driving force behind this new Indian venture on the docks in Liverpool, in collaboration with chefs, Shipra Khanna and Anahita Dhondy. Going for a cuzza after a stressful day on the wards, they “always felt there was something missing when it came to Indian food” in The Pool, and this is their “authentic, exciting and different” answer to filling the gap.
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.
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.
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.
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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