If you’ve ever wondered how the Harden’s Guide came about, our co-founder Peter Harden reveals all in an interview with the veteran restaurant consultant, writer and Financial Times contributor Nick Lander. Peter naturally declines naming his favourite restaurant, but he does mention some memorable meals, and offers a fascinating account of his aims in publishing […]
A Slavic-inspired wine and listening bar serving East European-style sharing plates has opened this week in Notting Hill. Called Sova – ‘owl’ in several Slavic languages – it is from the team behind Russian restaurant Zima in Soho, and replaces their year-old Notting Hill offshoot. A wine list from consultant sommelier Christian Vega focuses on […]
Gareth Ward’s Gwen in Machynlleth – the best restaurant in Wales for the past two years, according to our annual Harden’s survey – is to close next month after three years in which it has earned the highest accolades. Named after Gareth’s mother, the tiny venue – just three metres wide and with eight seats – is six […]
A vibey Japanese restaurant called Mitsu opens in Shoreditch this week, in the cavernous space formerly occupied by a branch of Nobu. Billed as ‘a new Japanese izakaya shaped by the energy of Tokyo nights and East London’s rhythm’, Mitsu serves a menu of classic Japanese dishes such as nigiri, sashimi and tempura, plus porterhouse […]
Handmade pasta specialist Padella will next week open its first West End branch – and third overall – in Soho, almost exactly 10 years after founders Jordan Frieda and Tim Siadatan (pictured) unveiled the original venue in Borough Market. The pair say, “We have always felt the energy of Soho was a perfect fit for Padella, and […]
Our round-up of what the nation’s restaurant critics were writing about in the week up to 5th April 2026 London Standard Teal, Hackney David Ellis marvelled at the “astonishingly, masterfully good” debut restaurant from high-profile chef Sally Abé, finally free to do her own thing as boss after head chef stints at the Harwood Arms, […]
Malaysian-Chinese comedian Nigel Ng – better known as Uncle Roger – is to launch his first London restaurant over the Easter weekend: Kawan by Uncle Roger, in Chinatown. He has joined forces with restaurateur Keng Yew (of YiQi and The Eight) and former Hakkasan chef Daren Liew for Kawan (meaning ‘mate’ or ‘friend’ in Malay), which opens […]
The dust had barely settled following the closure of well regarded Papi in London Fields when a new restaurant called Auguste opened in the premises this week – and the Papi team revealed their plan to launch a ‘public house dining room’ called The Golden Tooth near Newington Green later this month. Auguste takes its name […]
Gordon Ramsay launches his TV-tie-in restaurant brand Hell’s Kitchen in London this week, closely followed by a high-rise City branch of Bread Street Kitchen which will be the 100th restaurant in his global empire. Originally a tough area of New York, Hell’s Kitchen lent its name to the chef’s reality TV cooking show first aired […]
Scottish-Italian chef Nico Simeone has relaunched one of his Six by Nico venues in Manchester as Lennox, which he describes as his “most personal restaurant project to date“. The prolific Glasgow-based chef/restaurateur has established himself on the national stage with 15 Six by Nico restaurants opening in the past decade, offering ‘affordable fine dining’ in […]
