Looking back on the year that was, here are the stories that really grabbed your interest over the past 12 months.
1. McDonald's gives the UK a taste of their international hits
There's absolutely no shame (OK well maybe just a tiny bit) in admitting you like to check out the regional specials at McDonald's when you're on holiday. And the fast food giant was counting on just that level of enthusiasm when they launched their World Heist Menu this year, featuring everything from Japanese nuggets to Malaysian McFlurries.
2. Crisp Pizza make the move to Mayfair
You don't get much more of a dream team than the city's hottest pizza purveyors (Crisp) joining forces with the city's biggest pub (The Devonshire). So it was absolutely no surprise that getting a table booking at Crisp Mayfair was the foodie equivalent of finding a Wonka golden ticket.
3. Eating with Tod opens a Christmas market
Love him or loathe him, there's literally no way to escape Tod if the algorithm knows that you're interested in food in London. And despite a Daily Mail takedown, the crowds have been flocking to Tod's festive bonanza since Day One. The thing is there are some pretty good traders there...
4. Singburi 2.0 swaps Leyton for Shoreditch
When the reviews of Singburi's new Shoreditch restaurant started coming out, there was one unifying theme - almost none of the reviewers had actually made the trek out to North East London to the original. There's no getting away from the fact that Shoreditch is a lot easier for most people to get to, and the hugely popular Thai spot has been cramming folk in ever since they made the move into town.
5. The new Michelin stars for 2025
Interestingly, the Michelin star reveal didn't make it into last year's Top 10. But while there's continued debate about the guide's relevance at a higher level, on the ground, people seem to really care what it has to say. And it was a good year for London with the city getting Best Chef Mentor (Adam Byatt), Opening of the Year (Oma), along with a slew of new one and two stars.
6. The Guinness brewery finally opens in Covent Garden
The long-awaited unveiling of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery experience in the heart of London finally happened just weeks before Christmas. There was a party featuring entertainment by CMAT along with an official opening involving ceremonial pint pulling by none other than the King himself. Now both Londoners and tourists alike get to try the bar, restaurants and more.
7. Claude Bosi closes his two-Michelin-starred restaurant
There's no getting away from the fact that there have been a shocking amount of big restaurant closures in London over the course of the last 12 months. But it's fair to say that the one that was least expected was the shuttering of Bosi's two Michelin-starred restaurant in South Kensington. Mind you, he has made up for it by turning Josephine into a highly successful micro restaurant chain.
8. Ce La Vi takes to the Paddington rooftops
No London restaurant critic may have made the schlep out to Paddington to try this glitzy new rooftop spot, but news of its arrival in West London still merited this a spot in our top 10 stories. So someone is clearly interested in it. The menu ranges all over the world for inspiration, but the views are pure London.
9. The Hart becomes the new must-visit place on Chiltern Street
With the Chiltern Firehouse still closed for business following a fire, there was a large gap in Marylebone waiting to be filled. The Public House Group, who also run The Pelican and Fat Badger in Notting Hill, The Hero in Maida Vale and the A-lister Cotswolds spot The Bull, were happy to come to the rescue.
10. We interview the people behind Carbone
Despite being one of the biggest openings of the year, it's worth remembering that Carbone kept details of the opening pretty quiet until only a few weeks before the opening. But that late embargo meant that we had the opportunity for a proper in-depth interview with the duo behind it. Expect their next opening to be just as big a deal.
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