10 London restaurants to look forward to in 2018

Brat E1

Expected spring 2018

Tomos Parry, formerly of Kitty Fisher’s, is opening his first restaurant in Shoreditch in Spring 2018. His Welsh heritage and Basque cooking styles will influence the food, which will be cooked over an open fire. Brat is a colloquial term for turbot, we are told, and not a reference to his celebrity client Brad Pitt…

 

Brigadiers EC2

Expected spring 2018

JKS Restaurants (AKA the Sethi siblings), the founders of Gymkhana and Hoppers, are behind this Indian BBQ restaurant inspired by traditional Indian Army mess halls. It is slated to open in the City’s Bloomberg Arcade in spring 2018 alongside Ekte Nordic Kitchen and a new project from Andrew Wong. The dining hub already boasts Vinoteca, Koya, Bleecker Burger and more.

 

Bob Bob Cité EC3

Expected January 2018

This sibling to Soho’s Bob Bob Ricard is to open in January 2018, occupying the entire third floor of ‘The Cheesegrater’. More ‘press for champagne’ buttons are promised, alongside grills, bites, wine auctions and a sushi bar. One thing we know already: it won’t be understated. In September this year Eric Chavot (once upon a time of Mayfair’s Brasserie Chavot, RIP) was announced as the new executive chef on the project.

 

The Hero of Maida W9

Expected March 2018

This Maida Vale gastropub is back with a bang as Henry Harris (formerly of Knightbridge’s Racine, RIP) takes over the kitchen. It closed in August last year after a lengthy legal battle over rent increases. It will re-open in March 2018, with the new name Hero of Maida (formerly it was The Truscott Arms).

 

Hicce (address still TBA)

Expected spring 2018

Ramsay protégée and former head chef at Angela Hartnett’s Murano, Pip Lacey will open her first restaurant, in central London, in Spring 2018, with friend and business partner (who will be front-of-house) Gordy McIntyre. They have been talking about running a restaurant together for 17 years! The focus will be on traditional techniques like marinating, curing and pickling, and there will (of course) be an open wood fire for cooking. Hicce is pronounced ee-che, by the way.

 

Kudu SE15

Currently running a 50% off food soft launch but the official opening date is 12 January 2018.

South African influences will feature at this Peckham neighbourhood bistro (named after a species of antelope) opening in early 2018. The couple running it have a promising pedigree with one hand descended from restaurant royalty – Patrick Williams worked at The Manor and Paradise Garage, and Amy Corbin’s father Chris should be able to provide the odd bit of advice on the London dining scene…

 

Ollie Dabbous Mayfair W1

Expected 2018 – date still TBA

After closing his Fitzrovia flagship Dabbous in summer 2017, as well as nearby Barnyard, Ollie Dabbous is back with a new venture in the very salubrious environs of Mayfair’s Piccadilly. The huge, 250-cover restaurant will open in partnership with the chef’s mixologist business partner Oskar Kinberg and Hedonism Wines. Ollie Dabbous Mayfair (working title) will be a fine dining offering, set across three floors with views over Green Park.

 

Roganic W1

Expected January 2018. Reservations are now open via www.roganic.uk/book.

Simon Rogan’s 2011 pop-up returns to Marylebone this winter as a permanent fixture on the former site of L’Autre Pied (RIP). The restaurant previously received high-acclaim and, upon its return, will be bringing elements of L’Enclume to London, using produce from the best suppliers around the country including Simon’s ‘Our Farm’in The Lake District.

 

Sabor W1

Expected January 2018

Nieves Barragán Mohacho and José Etura, who met working at Barrafina, launch this – unsurprisingly Spanish – restaurant, with additional bar and asador (wood-fired oven) in Heddon Street. The ground-floor will feature a fresh seafood counter and an open kitchen producing regional dishes from across Spain, while the upstairs restaurant will focus on the cuisine of Galicia and Castile.

 

Shibui (adress still TBA)

Expected early 2018

Former head chef at Hackney’s “cramped-but-magical” Pidgin, Elizabeth Haigh, is behind this Japanese-influenced restaurant offering refined barbecue dishes with inventive flavour pairings.

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