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Our round-up of what the nation’s restaurant critics were writing about in the week up to 9th August 2026. Financial Times Keller, Whitstable Jay Rayner had been tracking this new venture from chef Dan Smith and sommelier Elliott Ashton-Konig, the crew behind the Fordwich Arms near Canterbury, since before it opened – and found his anticipation […]
Dining with a view in central London receives a boost next week with the launch of Arcus at the revamped Imperial Hotel in Russell Square – pitched as the first rooftop restaurant and bar in Bloomsbury. Set on the tenth floor, Arcus has almost 360-degree views over some of London’s most famous sights, including St Paul’s, […]
A spacious new Persian restaurant opens in Marylebone next week from the Pachamama group, promising a menu redolent of “smoke and saffron”. Soraya, in the new Loxton Walk development off Baker Street, is group’s second venue of the same name, following an original which opened in Abu Dhabi two years ago. The restaurant will accommodate […]
A new Aussie-inspired quick-service sushi restaurant called Saltwater opens in Berwick Street, Soho, next week from the team behind Milk Beach, offering freshly made handrolls to take away, as well as accommodating up to 50 sit-down guests. Elliot Milne, its Sydney-born founder, said: “London needs better takeaway sushi and Saltwater is here to deliver it. […]
Midlands chef Jonny Mills and his wife Hannah Barr are opening a tiny, eight-seater restaurant called Sael in Birmingham next week – almost a year after the original launch date, following delays with the fitout of the venue in the Goodsyard next to Jewellery Quarter station. Dinner will be served to guests around the kitchen counter […]
Our round-up of what the nation’s restaurant critics were writing about in the week up to 2nd August 2026 Financial Times Oudh 1722, Southwark Jay Rayner hailed the London debut of Birmingham-based chef Aktar Islam as “some of the best Indian food” in the capital, with dishes inspired by the royal court cuisine of Lucknow […]
A restaurant from Fukuoka has opened a branch in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, specialising in Japanese wagyu beef cooked at the counter. Wagyu Yakiniku Ushio only uses A5 akani wagyu, a leaner style with less marbling, which apparently delivers a beefier flavour than other wagyus. It is served as a 7-course omakase experience at £95 a […]
Chef Gabriel Waterhouse and his wife, designer Patricia Waikamba, are opening a new restaurant next week near Columbia Flower Market in Bethnal Green – less than two months after closing its predecessor nearby. The new incarnation, called simply Waterhouse, is described as “a modern Northumbrian restaurant in London”, reflecting Gabriel’s upbringing in the north of England, […]
Gary Usher is closing his bistro Hispi in Didsbury next month, when it will be taken over by fellow northwest chef Andrew Sheridan’s Open Restaurant Group and relaunched as a live-fire restaurant called Arcadian. The new owners have pledged to retain all Hispi staff, so there will be no job losses. For Gary, whose Chester-based […]
Our round-up of what the nation’s restaurant critics were writing about in the week up to 26th July 2026 The Guardian Lennox, Manchester Grace Dent tested the new concept from Nico Simeone, the “indefatigable” Scottish-Italian chef behind the Six by Nico chain. This would be very different, he promised – à la carte, focused on dry-aged […]
