This week, what was Le Gavroche is reborn, Amy Poon launches her restaurant in Somerset House, a must-have burger lands in Brixton and lots more...
Bonheur by Matt Abé
Mayfair - 43 Upper Brook Street, London W1K 7QR
This week sees former Restaurant Gordon Ramsay Head Chef Matt Abé opening his own restaurant, which happens to be the site that was once Le Gavroche. Early photos show a room that has been significantly modernised, while the menu is likely to be of the same style Abé has been perfecting at his previous home. It's good to see the Le Gavroche space brought back as a restaurant - let's hope Bonheur's cheese trolley is as impressive.
Opening date: 4 November 2025
Poon's
Temple - Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA
Amy Poon has launched pop-ups and residencies before, most recently in the form of her Wontoneria. But this is the first time she's taken the classic Poon's name and opened a fully fledged restaurant, one which is all about "home-cooked Chinese food". One of the spaces in Somerset House (which now has a pretty impressive slate of restaurants and bars), this has both references to her parents' restaurant as well as the wontons she's been perfecting over the years. Early word from previews is very strong on this one.
Opening date: 5 November 2025
Whole Beast
Brixton - 336 Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8QH
Whole Beast comes from the people who were once behind The Coal Rooms in Peckham. Once that closed, they've been concentrating on this new idea in residencies across town and have built up a big following. As the name suggests, this is all about nose-to-tail cooking, but with a strong comfort food approach. The big draw will be their award-winning aged cheeseburgers, but we've also heard great things about their Sunday lunch.
Opening date: 6 November 2025
Tangra
Soho - 17 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 4RG
There's been a lot of talk about late-night dining and how people are trying to bring it back in London. Well, no one seems to be doing it more than this new vegetarian Indo-Chinese restaurant in Soho. They're going to be open until 11pm most nights and until 1.30am Thursday to Saturday, so they'll be a proper new late-night food option in central London and the menu looks pretty unique too.
Opening date: 3 November 2025
Wonton Charlie's
London Fields - 392-393 Mentmore Terrace, London Fields, E8 3PH
The people who opened Daddy Bao and Mr Bao are opening their first non-Taiwanese restaurant. This takes a Cantonese approach, and as the name gives away, it's primarily about wonton soup. A walk-in-only affair, you can choose from pork or prawn wontons and then have them with your choice of broth and noodles. It sounds like the perfect place to drop into after an autumnal walk around the park.
Opening date: 7 November 2025
Sartoria Launceston Place
Kensington - 1A Launceston Pl, London W8 5RL
Up until now, Sartoria (originally opened by Francesco Mazzei) has just been the Mayfair original. But now the Evolv Group (previously known as D&D) are opening more of them, starting with this restaurant, which replaces what was Launceston Place (a Battersea outpost is following soon). It's billed as a "neighbourhood-focused Milanese restaurant" with a traditional Italian menu that is led by their huge veal Milanese.
Opening date: 4 November 2025
Guzzl Canteen
Brixton - 4th Avenue, Granville Arcade, Brixton Village, London SW9 8PS
The team behind Guzzl deli in Brixton are opening a new canteen nearby that's a gourmet hot dog and rum bar. Forest Hill butcher Henwens is producing the sausages and you'll be able to top them with "unworldly condiments" which include combos like "Graham’s mustard, Torres black truffle crisps, JD’s smoked hot honey and Calabrian pecorino". You can wash the hot dogs down with their rum-based cocktails, with the rum in question coming from Brixton Spirits.
Opening date: 8 November 2025
This week's events
La Mesa at Decimo - Nicos Mexico City comes to London
4 November - King's Cross, The Standard, London
Family-run restaurant Nicos has been one of Mexico City's best restaurants for the past 60 years. Now run by Chef Gerardo Vázquez Lugo, the restaurant is all about preserving and elevating traditional Mexican cuisine.
Nicos is coming to London for one night only, as part of Decimo's La Mesa series, so if you've wanted to try it, here's your chance without a flight to Mexico. The one-night-only menu will feature a mix of Decimo favourites and one-off specials from Nicos, with dishes including Wild Mushroom Tamales, Barbacoa de Borrego, Nicos Ceviche Verde and more. 1800 Tequila will be in charge of the cocktails and the evening will also be celebrating Día de los Muertos. Can't make it on the 4th? Nico's taco will stay on the Decimo lunchtime menu until December.
Promoted event
3–16 November (De Beauvoir) - Alpas is a two-week kitchen residency from chef Budgie Montoya, bringing his Filipino-inspired, fire-driven cooking to Albers. The menu features dishes like cassava hash brown with smoked mackerel, pork chop with pineapple and salted black bean, and burnt cassava cheesecake with poached quince.
3-4 November (Knightsbridge) - TV presenter, podcast host, and author of the 2025 cookbook SAMA SAMA, Julie Lin is popping up at The Aubrey with a modern menu that is influenced by her Malaysian-Scottish heritage. Tickets are £80.
5 November (Notting Hill) - As part of an All-Asian-female takeover series Empire Empire are hosting Florence Mae Maglanoc of Donia and Panadera. She'll be bringing her own take on 'curry' for a one-night-only menu.
7 November (Mayfair) - Plant-based influencer Philip Zecevic (aka Phitzee) teams up with chef Rishim Sachdeva for a one-night-only collaborative dinner at Tendril. The five-course set menu draws on Phitzee’s Balkan heritage, blending flavours from across the region with Tendril’s signature twists. Tickets are £59pp.
8 November (Muswell Hill) - Astrid Bakery is hosting pizza pop-ups with pizza maestro Matteo di Russo and his Roman-style pizza al taglio. They'll be backed up by Astrid's wines by the glass, single-origin filter coffee, croissant tiramisu and brown sugar soft serve ice cream. (12-4pm each day).
Here's what opened last week:
Ria's (Soho) - The second opening from the successful Detroit pizza/natural wine bar mash-up
Ben Murphy at 74 Charlotte Street (Fitzrovia) - The ex Launceston Place chef opens in Fitzrovia
Sandwich Sandwich (Soho) - The viral sandwich shop comes to Soho, opening later than usual
The Thieves (Battersea) - Games, karaoke and Balans food at this pub reinvention.
Looking for more of the latest openings?
Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners
