Read all about the hottest new restaurant openings of the last six months.
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Feb
Nov
Fenix - M3
Greek
Manchester
A Greek and Mediterranean restaurant from the Tattu group; opened in November 2023.
tashas - SW11
London
The first European branch of an upscale South African all-day cafe and evening cocktail bar group has landed in the new Battersea Power Station restaurant hub. Specials include a pork schnitzel fried in cornflakes, healthy salads and in-house twists on familiar cocktails.
Permit Room - BN1
Brighton
Brighton's first branch of Dishoom is also the first in the group to have its own name, a reference to the first legal drinking dens in 60s and 70s Bombay. All the Dishoom classics are on the menu, along with some new snacks, curries and cocktails, while the menu is veg-heavy with no red meat at all.
Chez Rowley - W10
London
Veteran British chef and writer Rowley Leigh (ex-Kensington Place and Le Café Anglais) is popping-up for a three-month residency at Laylow in Notting HIll's Golborne Road (13 September–22 December). The standout dish on his bistro menu is poulet Antiboise – a whole chicken roasted with anchovies, black olives, garlic, onion, thyme and white wine.
The White Horse - GU28
Graffham
This former village pub in the South Downs National Park is now a restaurant-with-rooms with an 8-course tasting menu plus a la carte dining from former private chef Grant Jones, who trained at Le Gavroche. Game from the surrounding countryside and fresh fish landed at Chichester harbour are staples of the kitchen.
Oct
Daroco Soho - W1D
Italian
London
With siblings in the 2nd and 16th arrondissements of Paris, this September 2023 newcomer aims to import its brand of ‘offbeat Parisian chic and sunny Italian generosity’ to Soho (on an intriguing cut-through between Greek Street and the Charing Cross Road). It’s a large spot – with 100 covers and a 50-seater terrace – where the focus is on pasta and pizza.
Akara - SE1
West African
London
The team behind the upscale West African restaurant Akoko launched a new concept in Borough Yards in October 2023. Akara is named after West African black-eye bean fritters.
Kolae - SE1
Thai
London
The Som Saa duo opened this Thai bar and grill in Borough Market, having successfully crowdfunded for a new location pre-pandemic. This spot accommodates 80 guests on three floors of an old coach house, and will focus on grilled dishes including whole fish and marinated half chickens, cooked in the style of southern Thailand.
INÉ - NW3
Japanese
London
A new Japanese restaurant and omakase counter from the team behind Taku Mayfair. Taku's chef-patron Takuya Watanabe has installed his protégé Law Kwok Meng as head chef. INÉ is Japanese for 'rice'.
Brooklands - SW1X
British, Modern
London
The rooftop restaurant at one of the capital's grandest new openings, the Peninsular London by Hyde Park Corner, a branch of the landmark Hong Kong hotel, is under the culinary direction of Claude Bosi, the Lyonais-born chef behind Bibendum in Chelsea. The menu is described as contemporary European; the name comes from the famous racetrack (and now motor museum) in Surrey.
Solis - SW11
London
This Uruguayan-inspired grill specialist brings a new take on chicken and steak cooking to the Arcade foodhall in the old Battersea Power Station. Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng, the chef couple behind the long-running East-meets-West project TATA Eatery, want to create the atmosphere of informal joints in Montevideo's old market place.
Bébé Bob - W1F
London
Opened in September 2023 in Soho's Golden Square, this 'junior' offshoot from glamorous Deco-style Bob Bob Ricard will focus on rotisserie chicken – a style that is having a moment in London. As at its senior sibling, there's plenty of caviar, blinis and Champagne on the menu, too.
La Palombe - W8
London
From the family behind long-running Il Portico, a few doors along Kensington High Street, this bistro celebrates the food of the French Basque Country – subtly different from the Spanish Basque cuisine found across the capital. Expect plenty of game, mushrooms and truffles, with cooking over a wood-fire grill.
Baudry Greene - WC2H
London
This Continental-style café close to the Opera House in Covent Garden is from the team behind 10 Cases wine bar and Parsons fish restaurant in the same street. Breakfast features a Bavarian spread, there are salads and sandwiches for lunch, and in the evening savoury and sweet snacks to accompany wine and cocktails.
Chayote - E1W
London
This Latin-American venue in St Katharine Docks, with views of Tower Bridge, brings together Mexican fusion dishes with Peruvian-Spanish influences, from former Barrafina head chef Tomasz Baranski. It promises a less flamboyant but more authentic and elegant approach to Mexican cuisine than is the norm in Britain.
Cafe Kitty - W1F
London
Inside the new Underbelly Boulevard theatre and cabaret venue in Walker's Court, Soho, the latest venture from the team behind Kitty Fisher in Mayfair and Cora Pearl in Covent Garden. The wing rib of beef is strongly tipped, and there are set pre- and post-show meals for Boulevard ticket-holders.
Saltine - N5
London
This new Highbury spot is the latest from Mat Appleton and Jess Blackstone, who have opened a trio of cafés under the Fink’s name in the area over the past dozen years. There's coffee, pastries and grab-and-go bites by day, with a seasonal dinner menu from chef Phil Wood (ex-St John and Spring) in the evening, along with cocktails and low-intervention wines.
Faber - W6
London
This seafood restaurant in Hammersmith from the team behind the Victorian seafood pub in Mile End is pitched as the first of a small chain across London if all goes well. The aim it to provide top-quality British fish and seafood at good prices, starting with a 'workers' lunch' of a main course and a drink for £20.
Sep
Sexy Fish - M3
Fish & seafood
Manchester
Richard Caring's Caprice Holdings group opened a second Sexy Fish (and neighbour to The Ivy Asia) in Manchester's Spinningfields Square in Autumn 2023.
Bistro Freddie - EC2A
British, Modern
London
This late-summer 2023 opening in Shoreditch from the team behind Crispin in Spitalfields and Bar Crispin in Soho attracted chef Anna Søgaard, previously of Manchester’s ultra-minimalist restaurant Erst, to showcase her skills in London. It took over the site formerly occupied by Selin Kiazin's Turkish-Cypriot venture, Oklava (RIP)
Bocconcino - W1F
Italian
London
The second branch of Mayfair's glitzy, Russian-owned Italian comfort-food operation opened in September 2023 in Great Marlborough Street, Soho. Expect wood-fired pizza, home-made pasta, cicchetti and some pretty extravagant pricing.
Il Gattopardo - W1S
London
Scheduled to open in September 2023 in Albermarle Street, Mayfair, this high-end Italian from the group behind Zuma and Roka takes inspiration from 'la dolce vita" and the glamorous 1960s highlife of the Amalfi coast, Sicily and Italy's southern islands. A key feature is the hidden courtyard terrace with a fully retractable roof.
Honey & Co Daily - WC1E
Sandwiches, cakes, etc
Fitzrovia
The latest in the Honey & Co family opened in September 2023 in Store Street, off Tottenham Court Road, is a deli and takeaway with a dinner room which also hosts supper club dinners on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. Expect more yummy Middle Eastern baked treats.
(If you love this company, pay a visit to Honey & Spice, their grocery store at 52 Warren Street W1T 5NJ)
The Devonshire - W1D
British, Modern
London
Opened in autumn 2023, this 'dream pub' off Piccadilly Circus in Soho combines the talents of ex-Guinea Grill landlord Oisin Rogers and Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll. There's a classic bar downstairs and an ambitious dining room upstairs knocking out cuts of dry-aged Scottish beef on a wood-fired grill.
Mauro Colagreco at The OWO - SW1A
French
London
A major new hotel for London sees the historic Old War Office being taken over by the Hinduja Group, including a Raffles hotel, no less, and with famed French chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur taking three of the nine dining spaces, we'll have plenty of choice about where to eat. This is his flagship, described on the website as an "elevated dining restaurant [that] showcases hyper-local, hyper-seasonal ingredients for a culinary experience of discovery". Opened September 2023 after a six-year, multi-million pound refurbishment.
Chishuru - W1W
West African
London
Opened in mid-September 2023 - Adejoké Bakare has found a new, larger site near Oxford Circus. Good news for her long term fans who have followed her since she won the Brixton Kitchen competition in 2019, and the year after when Adejoké ‘Joké’ Bakare's supperclub Chishuru became a permanent restaurant, featuring West African flavours using British produce.
The Waterman’s Arms - SW13
British, Modern
London
Opened in September 2023, this mid-Victorian pub in Barnes with a balcony overlooking the Thames is now run by Patty & Bun owner Joe Grossman, who grew up nearby and has hired a top-class chef and management team to deliver something special. Look out for some snazzy snack in the bar downstairs and whole fish and steaks cooked over coals in the dining room upstairs.
It's Bagels - NW1
Sandwiches, cakes, etc
London
Self-taught baker Dan Martensen and Caravan head baker Jack Ponting have worked on perfecting a New York bagel recipe; after a stint at Caravan, Martensen opened this bricks-and-mortar place in September 2023.
Meet Bros - W2
Steaks & grills
London
The first European venture from one of Malaysia's leading restaurant groups is a steakhouse in Craven Road, Paddington, that takes its name from the meeting of Eastern and Western food cultures. No alcohol is served and the meat is fully halal, with cuts flavoured by infusion in Asian marinades.
Fazenda, Rodizio Bar & Grill - EC2M
South American
London
The first London venue from this Leeds-based Brazilian rodizio operation has opened in the City of London's new 100 Bishopsgate skyscraper. There's a set price, and waiters bring a succession of grilled meats to the table until they are signalled to stop by a green card being turned over to red.
Thirty One - PL1
Plymouth
Chef Lee Calver makes his debut as patron alongside partner Chloe Lillicrap in the venue formerly occupied by well-known Rock Salt Cafe and Brasserie. The former Navy chef is aiming to provide 'relaxed fine dining'
Lavo - W1U
Italian
London
The first London opening from the US Tao group, which owns Hakkasan, is a branch of its nightclubby high-end Italian brand, Lavo, in Marylebone High Street's new BoTree hotel, opening October 2023. Expect resident DJs and maximalist food, including signature wagyu meatballs and 20-layer chocolate cake.
Now Or Never - LA1
Lancaster
This ambitious restaurant in a listed building in the old town centre takes ingredients from Lancashire and Cumbria and gives them Japanese or Middle Eastern treatment. Chef Jeff Marshall and his wife Nichola are well known locally for their brunch and coffee venue, Journey Social Kitchen.
Sushi by MASA - SW1X
London
Veteran Japanese sushi master Masayoshi Takayama is the star turn in the October 2023 reopening of Harrods Food Hall, where his team recreates dishes from his three New York restaurants, headed by the three Michelin-starred Masa. The ultimate experience is an omakase meal at £350 a head.
Kinoya - SW1X
London
Making her London debut in Harrods Food Hall from October 2023, self-taught chef and ramen obsessive Neha Mishra – a New Delhi-born former video producer – showcases the Japanese-inspired creations that have made her famous in Dubai for the supper club she ran from her home, and more recently her restaurant Kinoya.
Civerino's - G3
Pizza
Glasgow
On the Finnieston site of Le Petit Cochon (RIP) at the southern end of Kelvingrove Park, a branch of the Edinburgh by-the-slice, NYC-style pizzeria opened in 2023.
boca a boca - W1T
London
This new Hispanic arrival on Fitzrovia's foodie Charlotte Street has taken over the site of modern Greek spot Ampéli, and is in fact Ukrainian-owned, as the London branch of a restaurant launched in war-torn Kyiv last year by entrepreneur Andrii Nokonov. You can expect a classic selection of tapas dishes, paellas and Spanish wines, delivered with Ukrainian warmth.
The 411 - EC1V
London
Launching in September 2023 moments from Angel tube station, this bar and kitchen is inspired by Manhattan lofts, with plenty of naked concrete, oversized artworks and floor-to-ceiling windows. From the team behind Lost in Brixton and Pergola Paddington, expect street-food style bites, a bar focused on craft beer and cocktails based on American bourbon and whiskey, and a party vibe with resident DJs to provide an NYC soundtrack.
Aug
Bundobust - B2
Indian
Ladywood
The Manchester-based Gujarati street food and craft beer specialist headed south to Brum in summer 2023, finding a city centre perch in a Grade II listed building in Bennetts Hill, serving 100% vegetarian food and beer from their own brewery, as well as a wide range of guest ales.
Sticky Mango - SE1
Pan-Asian
London
Replacing Cantina del Ponte (RIP), the late Sir Terence Conran's Butlers Wharf venue near Tower Bridge, this new branch of the Waterloo-based Malaysian restaurant features a 70-seat covered terrace with spectacular views of the Thames and the City. Opened August 2023.
The Pearl at Park Hill - S2
Park Hill
Opened in August 2023, this spacious venue from the duo behind Sheffield bar-restaurant Bench is the latest addition in the renewal of the city's famous Park Hill modernist development, Europe's largest listed building. Cocktails, craft beer and natural wines will be on offer alongside pintxos-style snacks showcasing top-class suppliers.
Pendergast’s Steakhouse & Bar - WA1
Warrington
Opening autumn 2023 in the town's Cultural Quarter, this steakhouse, grill and bar aims to shake off the macho image of the genre, with a combination of chic interior design and a selection of plant-based and fish dishes alongside prime steaks. If successful, its founders plan to open branches across the northwest.
Azzurra - SW1X
London
Opening autumn 2023 in Sloane Street, a vibey Italian inspired by the Amalfi coast and Sicily, with resident DJs, from Hong Kong's Aqua group, best known for Hutong in the Shard. Expect prime Scottish and Cornish seafood, served with a glossy flourish.
LUCI - WC2E
London
This Italian 'dining bakery' from Hong Kong's Aqua group, in Covent Garden's Yards development on Long Acre, features an 18-metre counter for all-day bites from the oven, or head upstairs for pizza, pasta and a gelato bar.
The Pheasant at Keyston - PE28
British, Modern
Keyston
New owners Martin and Zoe Russell started here in 2021.
San Carlo Alderley Edge - SK9
Italian
Alderley Edge
The San Carlo group bought Gino D'Acampo's Alderley Edge Luciano's in February 2023, and re-opened it after extensive refurbishment in August 2023.
64 Goodge Street - W1T
French
London
The team behind highly regarded central London trio Portland, Clipstone and the Quality Chop House are to open what promises to be a smart French bistro in Fitzrovia, in August 2023. Chef Stuart Andrews’s knowledge of French cuisine stems from his 18 months working in Paris, and he promises to offer "French cooking from an outsider’s perspective".
Evi's (FKA Souvlaki Street) - SE22
Greek
London
After nine years in various street markets including Pop Brixton - under the Souvlaki Street moniker that this place was originally launched as too - and more recently as a home-delivery service, Greek street-food specialists Evi Peroulaki and Conor Mills moved into permanent premises on North Cross Road in East Dulwich in August 2023, serving Aegean classics using prime British ingredients such as rare-breed Old Spot pork, plus Greek lager and cola.
Fish Game - E14
Fish & seafood
London
Roberto Costa, founder of the flamboyant steak chain Macellaio RC, launched this fish-and-game concept restaurant in Canary Wharf in July 2023; sustainable British produce is the USP.
En Root - SE27
Indian
London
After running very successful pop-ups all over South London, the Indian-inspired, plant-based pub concept became permanent, taking over the kitchen at The Railway Tavern in Tulse Hill from August 2023.
Wilding Kitchen - RH13
British, Modern
Horsham
Knepp Estate’s rewilding project is now producing and cooking wild meat and fresh produce from their market garden; you can eat in the café, in a restored Sussex barn, in the dog-friendly open-air courtyard (breakfast and lunch every day), or the restaurant (open for lunch, Wed to Sun).
Ma-Hé - LS2
Leeds city centre
This unusual Indian restaurant in the Marrion Centre celebrates the cuisines of the subcontinent's southern and coastal states, from Goa round to Andhra Pradesh. Cocktails are also a strength and the bar stocks the biggest selection of mescals in Leeds, thanks to co-founder Manoj Varma's interests in the spirits industry.
Paro - WC2E
London
Hosted by Covent Garden's Lyceum Theatre, long-time home of The Lion King, 23-year-old chef Niaz Caan makes his West End debut with a 120-seat restaurant inspired by the cuisine of Calcutta and West Bengal. He made his name at Brick Lane's City Spice and has put together a menu of small plates and larger dishes for sharing.
Taco Taco - E1
London
Co-owned by Chelsea and Morocco winger Hakim Ziyech, this halal-friendly Mexican opens in Commercial Street, Spitalfields, in summer 2023. Sourdough tortillas are touted as its signature.
Jul
Arcade Food Hall at Battersea Power Station - SW11
International
London
Just a few months after reviving Arcade Food Hall at Centre Point, in July 2023 JKS Restaurants launched a second opening at Battersea Power Station, with up to 13 different (but no doubt exceptional) food offerings, plus seating for 500, two bars, three restaurants, and a private dining room.
Riviera - SW1
French
London
Originally slated for Autumn 2022, and finally in summer 2023, twin brother restaurateurs Alberto and Arian Zandi opened this restaurant – inspired by the cuisine of the South of France – in St James’s. It is the Zandi’s fourth restaurant and their most prominent, occupying the striking Modernist building next to The Economist magazine that was formerly occupied by Sake no Hana (RIP).
Emmanuelle - EC1R
Middle Eastern
London
Flamboyant chef Yuma Hashemi's latest venture is a Seventies-styled wine bar (complete with a peacock rattan chair, famous from 1974's X-rated film Emmanuelle) directly opposite Tehran-berlin (fka The Drunken Butler), his Persian restaurant in Clerkenwell. The wine list is modern, with natural and biodynamic options, and is backed up by French and Iranian snacks and small plates.
Little Pizza Hicce - N1
Pizza
London
Opposite their pub Hicce Hart, opened in late 2022 in Islington's Chapel Market, chef Pip Lacey and business partner Gordy McIntyre have launched their first permanent pizzeria, with lots of stripped wood and a blackboard menu. Both are offshoots from Hicce, their fashionable flagship at Coal Drops Yard behind King's Cross station.
OATIS - W2
Sandwiches, cakes, etc
London
Have we now seen it all? This oat restaurant (yes, oats) opened in summer 2023, serving sweet and savoury oat-based meals using only the best steel-cut oats.
Four Hundred Rabbits - SW11
London
Open in July 2023 on Battersea Rise, the sixth outlet from the southeast London-based sourdough pizza operation whose fermentation process takes three days. Craft beers, natural wines and home-made seasonal gelatos and sorbets complete the deal.
Kima - W1U
Greek
London
Opened in Summer 2023, from the team behind nearby Opso, this contemporary Greek seafood specialist in Marylebone follows a no-waste "fin-to-gill" philosophy, with fish off-cuts, tails and bones either grilled or used to make stock. Expect some meat choices, and plenty of Greek wines.
Sticky Mango Butler's Wharf - SE1
Pan-Asian
London
In July 2023, pan-Asian restaurant Sticky Mango took over the prime Tower Bridge riverside premises of Cantina del Ponte, which closed down in June 2023 after 31 years.
Origin City - EC1A
British, Modern
London
With executive chef Graham Noonan-Chatham (formerly of Langham Hotel and Daylesford Organic) and owners the Landsberg family (who own the 600-acre farm, oyster beds and vineyard where much of the produce comes from), this Smithfield newcomer is aiming high.
Dovetale by Tom Sellers - W1J
British, Modern
London
Another site from Tom Sellers, of Restaurant Story, who also opened Story Cellar in Covent Garden in April 2023. In a prime location on the junction of Piccadilly and Berkeley Street, it is part of the new 1 Hotel Mayfair, the 1 Hotel group's first UK hotel; opened July 2023.
Mountain - W1
Spanish
London
Opened in July 2023 in the heart of Soho, on the former site of a Byron, Brat chef Tomos Parry's "wood grill and wine bar" is inspired by his travels across Spain and supplied by farmers and fisherman in Wales and Cornwall. Whole roast bream will be a feature as will lamb chops, and Anglesey lobster – all will emerge, as at Brat, from an open kitchen and the venue will incorporate a good deal of counter seating.
Napoli on the Road - TW9
London
The second branch of this Chiswick-based pizzeria is in Red Lion Street, specialising in 'high-crust' pizzas with toppings that change every three months, following the seasons. There's a rustic interior and an open kitchen.
Outcrop - WC2R
British, Modern
London
Billed as a template for a new generation of 'green social clubs', this summer-long pop-up opened in July 2023 next door to restaurant Ikoyi in the Strand. AngloThai chef John Chantarasak has prepared a menu of Thai dishes cooked with British ingredients, served alongside natural wines. He is joined in the venture by teams from the Secret Cinema and restaurants Luca and Clove Club.
Polpetta - L8
Italian
Liverpool
Cage fighter ‘Meatball Molly’ McCann opened an Italian-inspired kitchen and deli in her native Liverpool in July 2023. Polpetta – ‘meatball’ in Italian – is in the Baltic Market street-food centre and serves classic Italian comfort food.
Cowley Manor - GL53
British, Modern
Cowley
Opened in summer 2023, this Cotswolds country house hotel near Cheltenham is now part of the Paris-based Experimental Group (owners of the Henrietta Hotel in Covent Garden). Jackson Boxer, chef-patron at high-profile London venues Brunswick House and Orasay, has been hired to take charge of the menu offered in the 50-cover dining room; there is also a 50-seat dining terrace.
Studio Gauthier - W1T
Vegan
London
Vegan Soho chef-patron Alexis Gauthier spun out his meat-free cuisine with the July 2023 opening of two new venues in the BFI Building in Stephen Street, north of Oxford Street. Studio Gauthier is a more relaxed showcase for the upmarket veggie cuisine featured at his flagship, while 123V Bakery offers lighter bites to eat in or take away.
Uli Marylebone - W1H
Pan-Asian
London
The second branch of Michael Lim's Singaporean restaurant has opened in Marylebone's Seymour Village, a full 26 years after the Notting Hill original. Dishes are inspired by Malaysian, Thai and Chinese cuisines, and service levels should be high.
The Bull - OX7
Charlbury
This ivy-clad 16th-century Cotswold pub in north Oxfordshire has been taken over by the duo behind the Pelican in Notting Hill, James Gummer and Phil Winter, who grew up in the village. Smartly refurbed with 10 guest rooms, its kitchen cooks local produce over an open fire.
64 Old Compton Street - W1D
London
This Soho sibling to 40 Dean Street just around the corner is billed as an 'affordable' Italian restaurant, with main courses from £14–£21 and a wine list with no bottle over £50. It opens from 12 noon to 11.30pm seven days a week.
Gourmet Burger Kitchen - SW11
London
Delivery kitchen for the South Londoners who miss the original Northcote Road branch.
Pavyllon, The Four Seasons Hotel - W1J
French
London
Parisian uber-chef Yannick Alléno, who holds a total of six Michelin stars at three separate restaurants under one roof at the Pavillon Ledoyen on the Champs-Elysées, makes his London debut this year at this swish Mayfair hotel, with an anticipated summer launch.
Nairns Bridge of Allan - FK9
Scottish
Bridge of Allan
Opening in July 2023, veteran Scottish TV chef Nick Nairn and his wife Julia's new Stirlingshire restaurant is on the site of Nick's, their previous venue, which was destroyed in a fire two years ago. They plan to showcase the best Scottish produce, including seafood, grass-fed beef and fruit and vegetables from their own plot and polytunnels.
Sushi Kanesaka - W1K
Japanese
London
Bringing his talents to Mayfair from Tokyo’s exclusive Ginza district, sushi master chef Shinji Kanesaka opened an exclusive omakase restaurant at 45 Park Lane, overlooking the park, in July 2023. There's a private room for 4 diners.
Mexican Seoul - E3
Mexican
London
Victoria Park gained a Mexican-Korean fusion taco bar in July 2023 after chef Ashley Chipchase made the leap from street food trader in Brick Lane to permanent restaurant.
Petchi - JE2
British, Modern
St Helier
Jersey-born chef Joe Baker's June 2023 opening in St Helier's historic Liberty Wharf building is a showcase for local produce, especially seafood cooked over a custom-built wood-fired grill. Pêtchi means 'try to catch a fish' in Jersey French, and the menu has plenty of modern Spanish influences. Joe and his wife Charlotte ran Number 10 restaurant in nearby Bond Street for seven years.
The Kirkstyle Inn - CA8
British, Modern
Slaggyford
18th Century inn taken over and refurbished by industry veteran Nick Parkinson in 2023; there's also rooms in The Sportsman's Rest.
Grassfed - NW1
Steaks & grills
London
The first London opening from chef Paul Foster, of Stratford-on-Avon's accomplished restaurant Salt, is a casual steakhouse in a railway arch at Camden Market's Hawley Wharf, showcasing high-quality sustainable British ingredients. In addition to grass-fed beef, there will be day-boat fish and a list featuring domestic organic wines.
Chuo - EC2A
London
Billed as Europe's first monorail service delivery restaurant, this Japanese venue in Shoreditch serves sushi and izakaya-style dishes which are freshly made to order, rather than being loaded onto a conveyor belt for guests to choose as they trundle past (which runs the risk of a dish circulating for several hours).
Bierschenke - WC2H
London
This Bavarian-style Bierkeller has taken over the former Belgo site in Covent Garden, after operating for 10 years at a lower-profile venue near Liverpool Street. Its hearty menu includes five types of German sausage and a range of Bavarian specialities, washed down with beer imported directly from three Bavarian brewers.
Koba-Ko - B14
Kings Heath
After six years of pop-ups and a study tour of Japan, chef and ramen noodle enthusiast Sam Hill is launching his first permanent venue in Kings Heath, south Birmingham, this year. Expect sizzling bowls of ramen and Japanese small plates, accompanied by sakes, beers and cocktails.
Counter 71 - N1
London
Open summer 2023, former Fenn head chef Joe Laker's debut project is a 16-seater chef's table with a focus on less familiar British produce, presented in a minimalist style. The venue has its own separate cocktail bar, Lowcountry, featuring whiskeys from the Georgia to North Carolina coast under Savannah-born mixologist Ryan Sheehan.
Jun
Mýse - YO62
Hovingham
Chef Josh Overington and his wife Victoria are to open this new restaurant with rooms in North Yorkshire this summer, less than a year after closing their highly rated Le Cochon Aveugle in York. Mýse (which rhymes with cheese) opened in late June in the 19th-century pub most recently known as The Hovingham Inn.
Little Kudu - SE15
South African
London
Opened in June 2023 from Peckham's Kudu Collective, Little Kudu replaces the Smokey Kudu cocktail bar in Queen's Road, which has shifted to the RIXO fashion emporium in King's Road, Chelsea. Expect more of the South African flavours, ingredients and wines that have gained a strong following since the original Kudu opened five years ago.
Elodie, Birch Selsdon - CR2
British, Modern
Croydon
Selsdon has gained a sibling to Birch in Cheshunt, set in an 18th-century mansion with foraged fine dining from ex-Typing Room chef Lee Westcott. See also Vervain, the all-day brasserie at the same hotel, which also boasts three bars, a spa, a Lido (opening Summer 2023), a 200-acre kitchen garden and a co-working space.
Lina Stores - SW4
Italian
London
Opened in summer 2023 on The Pavement overlooking Clapham Common, the long-promised fifth branch of the veteran Soho Italian deli-turned-restaurant group will unfurl its distinctive green-and- white-striped awning to welcome diners for fresh pasta other Italian specialities, including dozens of cuts of cold meat.
The Earl of Derby (Gengelly's) - SE14
British, Modern
London
At the bottom of leafy Telegraph Hill, this independent pub re-opened in June 2023 after the Victorian building was restored to its former glory. The kitchen, Gengelly’s, serves up pies, chargrilled meats & fish and Sunday Roasts.
Manzi's - W1D
Fish & seafood
London
Opened in summer 2023 after years of pandemic-induced delay, this Soho seafood specialist (named after a much-loved 20th-century original) over two storeys of the Bateman's Buildings, between Greek and Frith Streets, is the first major opening from the Wolseley Hospitality Group since it was acquired (and renamed) from ace London restaurateurs Corbin & King last year.
The Baffled King - BS5
French
Bristol
On the former site of The Pipal Tree in Easton, a French small plates bistro
The Portrait Restaurant by Richard Corrigan - WC2
British, Modern
London
After being closed for several years for a major refurbishment - the NPG restaurant reopened in June 2023, with Richard Corrigan in charge. There will also be an all-day café on the ground-floor and basement of the gallery (Audrey Green, run by the Australian group Daisy Green) which will transform every evening into a late-night bar with a small-plates menu.
Audrey Green - WC2H
Australian
London
April 2023: After being closed for several years for a major refurbishment - the NPG reopened in June 2023, with a new all-day café on the ground-floor and basement of the gallery, run by the Australian group Daisy Green, which will transform every evening into a late-night bar with a small-plates menu.
Masala Zone - W1J
Indian
London
The latest branch of this enduring chain run by the high quality Chutney Mary group is at last a worthy tenant for this famous and glorious dining room right at the heart of London on Piccadilly Circus, dating from 1873.
Ramen Impossible - SE1
Vegan
London
The Amsterdam-based vegan ramen outfit made its UK debut in June 2023, in a summer-long pop-up at Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant & Castle; we'd expect a permanent location to follow. Ramen is famously made with a meat-based broth, but founder and Japanese chef Atsushi Ishida has developed an alternative using miso, cashew nuts and nutritional yeast.
Wonderland - W1D
London
This Soho outfit from the brothers behind vegan fast-food company Raw Imagination pits plant-based versions of fast-food favourites against carnivore counterparts made from sustainable organic meat. Separate friers, grills and workstations ensure that vegans don't accidentally ingest animal products.
Sexy Mamma Love Spaghetti - NG1
Italian
Nottingham
The popular Hockley pasta specialist is opening a second branch in Tudor Square, near Trent Bridge cricket ground, in summer 2023. Owner Edin Gondzic, who has a penchant for arresting restaurant names, will provide good-value Italian cooking in a friendly atmosphere.
