GAIA, a ‘refined Greek taverna’ based in Dubai, opens its first London branch next Friday (8 December) on a prominent Mayfair corner site where Dover Street meets Piccadilly. Founded in 2018 by British-Nigerian chef Izu Ani, who grew up in Tottenham, and Russian-born entrepreneur Evgeny Kuzin, the concept already has branches in Monte Carlo and […]
A new ‘wine pub’ and restaurant with ten wines on tap (and just a couple of beers) opens in Spitalfields Market next week. Alfi’s ‘draught’ options range from an organic biodynamic Riesling and an orange wine to several fizzies including a pet nat. The operation is being launched by Ben Hodges and Alex Lewis in […]
A new Italian neighbourhood restaurant has opened on the former site of hip natural wine bar Peg, in Hackney’s Morning Lane. Dalla has been created by Naples-born brothers Gennaro and Gianmarco (ex-Claridge’s) Leone, along with Mitchell Damota, former head chef at P Franco. Gennaro, who runs the design gallery Spazio Leone in Lower Clapton, has […]
Dishoom opens its first London branch south of the Thames – and its 11th in total – next week in the redeveloped Battersea Power Station complex. The new venue pays tribute to its location adjacent to the power station with a ‘retro-futuristic’ take on 1950s Bombay. The familiar Dishoom menu beginning with breakfast will be joined by […]
A new Mexican restaurant opening in Chelsea next week will focus on the flavours of Tulum on the Yucatan peninsular – with no hint of ‘Tex Mex’ cooking. Ixchel, named after the Mayan moon goddess, will offer an all-day tapas-style menu of dishes created by Mexican-born chef Ximena Gayosso Gonzalez (pictured), who has worked at […]
Sune, a Nordic-inspired neighbourhood restaurant with an emphasis on wine and hospitality, is the latest addition to Broadway Market in Hackney, opening on Wednesday 29 November. The couple behind it, Honey Spencer and Charlie Sims, have both worked in Copenhagen, where Charlie did a stint at Noma while Honey was mentored by legendary wine importer […]
Singapore-born chef Abby Lee opens the first bricks-and-mortar version of her modern Malaysian venture Mambow in Clapton next week. Abby made her debut with Mambow as a pop-up in Commercial Street in 2020, and under lockdown she distributed Nyonya-style meal kits celebrating her Peranakan or Chinese-Malaysian heritage. Moving on to Peckham Market, Mambow won rave […]
The team behind highly rated Islington desi pub The Tamil Prince has opened a follow-up nearby. The Tamil Crown has taken over the former Charles Lamb pub on Elia Street, near Angel station. The Tamil Prince is hailed as “truly brilliant” in the newly published Harden’s 2024 London restaurant guide, and was one of the […]
Pearly Queen, a new oyster bar and restaurant, opens tomorrow (11 November) in Shoreditch from Tom Brown, the chef behind Cornerstone in Hackney and a familiar face from television. The 60-cover venue will have an upstairs bar with counter seating, while downstairs offers a more secluded setting with banquettes. Tom has teamed up with Max […]
Former Fat Duck and Dinner by Heston exec chef Ashley Palmer-Watts has emerged as the mystery third man behind new Soho pub The Devonshire, which opens today. The long-planned venture close to Piccadilly Circus is on a prominent corner of Denham Street, originally a pub from 1793 and more recently a Jamie’s Italian. It is […]
