It's hard to believe it, but we're already past the halfway point of 2026. And in Hot Dinners tradition, that means that it's time to look back at the best openings of the year, so far...
June
Dante Mayfair
Mayfair - Address
Having originally opened as a summer residency at Claridge's restaurant, the popularity of this NYC pop-up was such that the hotel decided to put a ring on it and make the relationship a permanent one. The menu is a New York Italian affair with some Mayfair flourishes. So you'll find signature dishes like the chicken alla diavola alongside lobster linguine. If you're making a long lunch, or late dinner of it, be sure to swing by their bar here for some excellently-made martinis.
RH London
Mayfair - 7 Burlington Gardens, London W1S 3ES
This is the London opening from RH (the company formerly known as Restoration Hardware) and is a mix of shop, gallery and two huge restaurants. It’s obviously taken years and an absolutely massive budget to get this undertaking over the line, but we’re here to say it was worth the wait. From day one, the place was mobbed with Londoners wandering around slack-jawed at the glamour of the place. The second-floor terrace restaurant is the place to be when the weather behaves, while the main restaurant, The Treasury and its Insta-worthy gigantic chandeliers, are more of a late-night vibe.
Vesper
Clerkenwell - 8-10 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QA
Think of this as an East London mirror image to Jackson Boxer's Dove restaurant in West London. Critics praised Boxer’s food while some have picked this as a particularly good date spot. The menu at both lunch and dinner is a hit list of what Londoners are loving right now with fougasse, tostadas and gnudi alla vodka all jostling for position. “We ate everything, it was flawless, just unyieldingly delicious and moreish and exquisite,” said Amol Rajan on Instagram, while Time Out called it an “instant Clerkenwell classic”.
Chez Rose
Mayfair - 5 Pollen St, London W1S 1NE
Spencer Metzger, who already has two Michelin stars for Rown on 5, has opened this gorgeous French bistro where Little Social once was. The menu is full of hits, with the most-ordered being the XXL chocolate soufflé, and you’re already looking at weeks before an end-of-week dinner table becomes free. "I could honestly drink it by the pint" was Eating with Tod’s view on the Café de Paris butter sauce that comes with the scallops. We’re not sure we would go quite that far, but we absolutely loved the chicken with morels.
Cafe Clement
Strand - Ground Floor, St. Clement, 12 Temple Pl, London WC2R 2NF
If you’re a Soho House or 180 House club member, you were probably part of the early cohort discovering the delights of the first restaurant to open at Nick Jones St Clement hotel. Giles Coren gave it a big thumbs-up in The Times saying; "This restaurant will, I think, define the summer of 2026", (although he is mates with Jones). The food here is Italian, which already makes it very on-trend for London this year and the chef, Danny Bohan, is ex-River Cafe so he ought to know what he’s doing. It's been great at attracting celebs, even to this area that's a little outside the normal circuit.
Zylia
Covent Garden - 6 Bedford St, London WC2E 9HZ
Here, the heft of the Arcade brand has been reinforced by the arrival of Singburi’s Nick Molyviatis and Cypriot restaurateur Barry Karacostas, who opened their Greek/Cypriot diner as a standalone restaurant beside Arcade Covent Garden. Grace Dent loved the look and feel of the place, saying "It has about it the feel of a family taverna that’s been here for about 62 years." While Josh Barrie, writing for the Standard, declared it "a fabulous taverna, one trumpeting the joy of Hellenic lands with passion and élan."
Rosina
Wandsworth - 35 Bellevue Road, London SW17 7EF
This Italian restaurant comes from Adam Byatt, the chef behind another south London great, Trinity. Here, he's opened a neighbourhood Italian that almost feels like it's bringing a bit of the flavour of Trullo to South London. The traditional Italian menu is delivered with aplomb by an ex-Lita chef, and some of the dishes on here offer great value too. There's a bar in here too, if you fancy popping in for a post-work negroni.
Lady of the Grapes
London Bridge - Menier Chocolate Factory, 53 Southwark St, London SE1 1RU
Her OG wine bar in Covent Garden proved such a hit that owner and sommelier Carole Bryon was persuaded to expand with a second venture, this time in London Bridge. This is a two-pronged affair. Downstairs is Forbidden Fruit, a speakeasy-style affair serving wines by the glass and toasties. Upstairs is a proper French bistro with ex-Frenchie chef Matyáš Plzák serving an array of French-accented dishes. In both, the focus on wine is the same, with a list that exclusively showcases female wine producers.
Read the Lady of the Grapes Test Drive
Kinz
Notting Hill - 50 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JD
Notting Hill has embraced this new Lebanese brasserie, which has been creating serious buzz for its contemporary take on classic Middle Eastern dishes. The folks behind it are Rasha Khouri Bruzzo, co-owner of Akub, and brothers Jad and Karim Lahoud. Together, they've given this former pre-war bank building a glamorous new lease of life. There's speve given over here for a deli, restaurant and bar and, if you head downstairs to the old bank vault, that's now a wine room. Come with a group as the menu's built for sharing.
Appalachia
Shoreditch - 71 Nile St, London N1 7RD
We've seen a lot of restaurants pivot from their original offering to find creative new grounds and Appalachia is one of them. The former Counter 71 space is now a fire-led American restaurant. It's still an all-counter experience, but the menu now draws inspiration from Appalachia and is executed by an ex-Smoking Goat chef. In practice, that means rock oysters come with scotch bonnet and the grilled poussin is accompanied by southern-style grits.
May
Ornella
Hackney - 51 Wilton Way, London E8 1BG
After having a huge hit in a petite space with Lupa in Highbury, the same team of restaurateur Ed Templeton, chef Naz Hassan and actor Theo James launched their follow-up in Hackney. Once again led by chef Naz, this much larger restaurant focuses on Milanese cuisine this time around. It also proves that Lupa was no fluke, with the chef turning out some exceptionally accomplished dishes like an excellent Milanese risotto. They also serve a martini that rates very highly on our chill scale, which is a very important thing. Camilla Long in the Sunday Times was won over too, saying about the food: "It’s great: the best I’ve eaten this week."
Bar Etna
Newington Green - 47 Newington Green, London N16 9PX
Etna’s co-founder Ed McIlroy must be used to generating hype, having been responsible for Four Legs, The Plimsoll and Tollington’s. Now he’s partnering up with American pizza giant Joe Beddia, who’s had similar hyperbolic praise for his pies back in the States. The net result is a Newington Green pizzeria that has all the hallmarks of a massive hit. There are four pizza bases to choose from, with a range of toppings for diners to build their perfect pizza. It’s also a beautiful space, with a massive bar that’s only going to make this even more popular.
The Victory
East Dulwich - 157 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8HX
This saw a much-loved neighbourhood restaurant get a new lease of life, as The Begging Bowl’s Jamie Younger took over what used to be Franklin’s in East Dulwich. Word on the street is good, with ex-Noble Rot chef Seán Breen’s menu going down well, particularly his Cornish crab vinaigrette and we're also hearing good things about their Nick and Nora's martini list. Time Out gave it five stars, calling it "A neighbourhood gastropub that wears its excellence lightly. "
Oudh 1722
London Bridge - 66 Union St, London SE1 1TD
Aktar Islam's Opheem in Birmingham was the UK's first two-Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, and now the chef has opened in London, with this restaurant concentrating on Awadhi cuisine, with a particular focus on the Lucknow region. Set within a three-storey Victorian building in London Bridge (which used to be Lupins), Oudh 1722 is in a warren of rooms with a great bar right at the top. The menu delivers plenty of delights, from the melt-in-the-mouth Herdwick lamb gilawat kebabs to a very good (and huge) oxtail dum biryani. The chef has more than lived up to high expectations with his London debut.
MA/NA
Mayfair - 30 Upper Grosvenor Street, London W1K 7PH
Having visited this new Japanese spot in Mayfair just days after opening, it was already doing storming business. From the Los Mochis team, this sees them focusing on sushi and robata grill dishes, and it’s clearly just what this part of town wanted/needed. The fact that it’s also got a very sceney bar too doesn’t hurt any, and we’re already hearing that this has quite a clubby vibe come the weekends, thanks to the DJ booth. If you do manage to secure a Friday night table, don’t forget to order the grilled avocado, which is delivered to your table on fire.
Kawan
Chinatown - 12 Macclesfield Street, London W1D 5BP
When news came that Uncle Roger (the alter ego of comedian Nigel Ng) was opening a London restaurant, a little hesitancy would be fair. But it turned out that this particular celebrity restaurant was done with a certain degree of aplomb, something that was certainly helped by having chef Daren Liew (Duddell's and Hakkasan) to help on the menu and launch. As a man known for his fried rice takedowns, Uncle Roger's version is actually good, while the chicken Wellington, a version of "Uncle Gordon's" signature dish, works surprisingly well. Will the restaurant have the longevity it needs when the man himself isn't there? We'll have to see, but it's a strong start at least.
Cantinera
Brockley - 10 Coulgate St, London SE4 
2RW
We’ve heard nothing but good things about this Mexican/Spanish cantina in South London and what chefs Jake and Celia are trying to do here. The regularly changing menu is chalked up on a blackboard and, from what we can see, is absolutely rammed with things we want to try, like the seabass aquachile tostadas and tortilla with chilli de arbol onion salsa. Right now, it’s walk-ins only and BYOB, but there is a wine shop opposite so that solves that problem. All we can say is how lucky Brockley residents are, having this at the end of their road.
MAAI
Clapham - 33–35 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9LA
Having won both Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals, there was only one last challenge for chef Nikita Pathakji and that was to open her own restaurant. She's teamed up with her mother and sister for this restaurant in Clapham, after years of running successful supper clubs. And while the produce here is focused on British seasonality, the inspiration behind it speaks of her Indian heritage but also all the travelling she's done. In case you're wondering, GBM-winning dishes are on the menu, including the Halibut with Malaysian Fish Head Curry that won her the Champion of Champions title.
Banquet 88
St Katharine Docks - Unit 2, Commodity Quay, London E1W 1AZ
With two neighbourhood restaurants already under their belt, the team behind Good Fortune Club decided to head into the City for their newest opening. The setting here is gorgeous, with views out over the marina at St Katharine Docks. But you're here for the food and the dim sum menu is extensive. From xiao long bao to cheung fun, everything is highly impressive and there's an energy here from the front of house staff that makes this an easy recommendation. Our best tip, come with friends and give the dumpling section a really good go.
Read the Banquet 88 Test Drive
Trèsind
Mayfair - 13 Hanover St, London W1S 1NE
Making a dent in London's Indian fine dining scene takes skill, but luckily the team behind this Dubai-origin restaurant have a secret weapon in chef Himanshu Saini. His dishes are super creative, so you might find a gorgonzola tortellini on a smoked chicken makhana sauce or an amuse bouche of artichoke shawarma. Whatever you do, make sure your table gets a visit from the chaat trolley. There's also a standalone bar downstairs doing very creative cocktails inspired by India’s regional drinking traditions.
April
The Latimer
274 Latimer Rd, London W10 6QW
When we first heard that the entire Spiteri family was uniting to launch a west London pub, we knew it was going to be great. A lot of that is down to the main players, Fin and Lorcan Spiteri, who were also behind the excellent restaurant on a boat, Caravel. At The Latimer, they've created the best of both worlds. Half of it is a proper pub, albeit one with an excellent bar snacks list led by their masala haddock bites, paired with very good cocktails and wine for a fiver. The other half is a dining room with an inventive, seasonally changing menu that already has a standout signature dish with the pork belly skewers. It's a class act throughout. In the Sunday Times, Camilla Long professed not to like pubs, but called this, ahem, "almost erotic."
The Golden Tooth
Newington Green - 79 Green Lanes, London N16 9BU
Their previous venture, Papi, burned bright but briefly, not quite making it to its third birthday in London Fields. But chef Matthew Scott and wine merchant Charlie Carr have pivoted quickly, taking over this pub just north of Newington Green for their new place. Here they’ve opened a grown-up gastropub, one where you can sit up at the bar with a pint and platter of oysters, or move to the dining room for a more leisurely stroll through a menu with highlights currently including a savoury cheese tart and amazing pie. Grace Dent was a big fan saying: " There is a precision and earnestness to the cooking that is light years from the hip positioning and hype that surrounds this new venture."
Read The Golden Tooth Test Drive
Tavern
Shoreditch - 374-378 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT
There’s been a run of London restaurants being given a new identity by the same team, and over in Shoreditch, Tavern you'll find the latest iteration of what used to be Nest, from the team behind St Barts. As the name suggests, it’s inspired by the great British tavern, viewed through the lens of a 21st-century London foodie. From the reviews so far, everyone loves the smoked cod’s roe with crisp pig skin and the black koji custard tart has been a similar hit. “If you want to feel fantastic, go to Tavern,” says Sophia Evans in The Observer. Giles Coren agreed, saying “the food simply rocked from start to finish.”
Weezie's
Belgravia - 14-15 Eccleston Yards, 21 Eccleston Pl, London SW1W 9AZ
If you thought that London’s appetite for hot new pizza places had been sated, then you couldn’t be more wrong. Weezie’s may not have the culinary credentials of the likes of Bar Etna or Crisp Pizza, but what it lacks there it more than makes up for in being a genuinely fun place to eat out in an area not all that blessed with them. You’ll find it packing them in, in Eccleston Yards, with folks as happy to secure seats in the sheltered courtyard as inside the restaurant itself. The fact that the owners also produce their own wines, makes this combo of pizza and wine even more compelling.
Kumori
Soho - 26 Denman Street, London W1D 7HX
Handrolls are the hot new trend in central London, with Kumori one of three to open in the space of a few weeks. But if Instaworthy raves are a sign of hotness (and let's face it, they really are), then Kumori is doing pretty damned well. Owner Marc Flekei has done well to employ the design team who also did the award-winning Soma bar further down the road. Here, they’ve created a beautiful space, while Flekei has worked on a vinyl playlist to match. As for the rolls and their much-touted extra-crispy nori, the good news is they live up to the hype, which is unsurprising given that the chefs here have Tobi Masa, Nobu and Dinings on their CVs.
Igni
Mayfair - 12 St. George Street, London W1S 2FB
What was once Humo has been reinvented as Igni, another fire-led restaurant this time with executive chef Theo Clench (ex-Cycene) running the show. Up at the counter is the place to be (if you can stand the heat) for a front-row seat watching the dishes come together. It’s a tasting-menu-only affair offering plenty of culinary fireworks (literally and figuratively), and we expect that Michelin is probably keeping an eye on this.
MIKO Mei Fair
Mayfair - 55 Curzon St, London W1J 8PG
After the closure of Koyn, restaurateur Samyukta Nair was looking for somewhere to bring back one element of that, Koyn Thai. She found it in one of her other restaurants by taking over the ground floor of MiMi Mei Fair. It's a fire-led, Thai menu with chef Soonthorn Apaipat serving up dishes that you might remember from Koyn Thai along with new creations inspired by the restaurant's new digs like the Panang duck curry.
Cue Point at Garden Bar Gill & Smokehouse
White City - 41 Bramley Rd, London W10 6SZ
As a 10th anniversary birthday present to themselves, Mursal Saiq and Joshua Moroney, the duo behind Cue Point, moved from pop-ups and residencies to becoming permanent restaurateurs. If you haven't tried their Texas/Afghan BBQ food, then their arrival in Notting Hill is your 'cue (sorry) to get down here. They've taken over an old pub and put a huge American drum smoker in the back garden to help them serve up a winning menu of dishes that use great British produce in genuinely interesting ways. Don't miss their Afghan Sunday roast; it's a banger.
Mitsu
Shoreditch - 10-50 Willow St, London EC2A 4BH
Having taken over the old Nobu Shoreditch spot, this Japanese restaurant serves up the kind of happy mix of dishes (sushi, yaki, sandos) that Londoners love. It's a vibey spot where you're as likely to come for a high-energy brunch as a date night. Executive Chef Aaj Fernando knows how to serve up the izakaya hits and the drinks programme is just as enticing, including collaborations with Kanpai Sake Brewery and Suntory Whiskey.
Fitzgerald's
City of London - 1 Broadgate, London EC2M 2QS
The restaurant side of The Horsemen pub in Liverpool Street, this comes from the same team who brought Sunday in Brooklyn over to London. Here in the City they've taken a mix of Irish and American influences to come up with this nicely done steakhouse. It's a tablecloth affair that's perfect for business meetings but would also make a fun place to come in the evenings or at weekends. The Irish influence is felt in dishes like beef tartare with Tayto crisps and the Wexford steaks are better than any midtown grill in NYC.
Read the Fitzgerald's Test Drive
March
Impala
Soho - 13- 14 Dean St, London W1D 3RS
Every once in a while, a restaurant opens with such a weight of expectation surrounding it that you wonder how the team don’t buckle under the pressure. Happily for the Super8 Restaurants group and their star chef Meedu Saad, their latest opening, Impala, has thrived under such conditions. From day one, getting a table here to try Meedu’s eclectic menu has been nigh on impossible. If you do succeed, then we urge you to get the sweetbreads and that amazing roasted duck dish. Reviews have been ecstatic too, with David Ellis in The Standard saying, "This is a one-off" while Grace Dent in The Guardian said "Impala is shamelessly, brilliantly too much."
Simpson's in The Strand
Strand - 100 Strand, London WC2R 0EW
It’s been a long time coming, but Jeremy King’s much-anticipated reopening of classic restaurant Simpson’s has gone off incredibly smoothly. An early review in from The Standard awarded it a top mark of five stars, dubbing it The Restaurant Where it’s Impossible to Get a Hangover, while Grace Dent called it a place where you can be "fed, nurtured and taken care of". Go and be sure to get a visit from a shiny roast beef trolley, but don’t forget to give one of the two excellent bars here a visit too.
Burro
Covent Garden - 2 Floral Court, Floral Street, London WC2E 9FB
Trullo's chef, Conor Gadd, has tried something both similar and different for his second restaurant. Similar in that it continues his Italian cooking speciality and different in that it's a much more plush approach than the neighbourhood setting of Trullo. It's turned out to be a great move, where the excellent cooking is backed up by a laid-back and extremely welcoming approach to the service and room. Grace Dent was an early fan, calling the restaurant "elegant and defiantly serene" while Giles Coren fell in love with the restaurant, calling the fried artichokes a "dish of the year".
Teal by Sally Abé
Hackney - 52 Wilton Way, London E8 1BS
Having taken over the space previously occupied by Pidgin and Sesta, Sally Abé has managed through clever design to turn it into what we’d call a more sophisticated space. As for the menu, think of this as a celebration of British food, brought to the table in a more contemporary way. David Ellis in the Standard gave it top marks, dubbing Sally “one of London’s greatest chefs”. While Jancis Robinson says that "a reservation at Teal is well worth hunting down."
Berenjak
Mayfair - 80 Duke St, London W1K 6JG
For their third opening, in Mayfair, Berenjak really went big on both the design and additions to the menu. If you haven’t been before, then Iranian kebabs are the mainstay of the menu. But the Mayfair menu enhances that with new sharing dishes and a couple of signature snacks that you mustn’t miss. It helps that this is a gorgeous space. The upstairs dining room is beautiful, but the real surprise is downstairs, where a hidden second restaurant and private dining space is where the fun is really at.
Sale e Pepe Mare
Marylebone - The Langham Hotel, 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London W1B 1JA
Good things come to those who wait, and the longtime diners at Chelsea’s Sale E Pepe only had fifty years to wait before they opened a second restaurant. Here in The Langham London, just off Oxford Circus, they’ve given their classic Italian offering a seafood twist. Best of all, they’ve completely redesigned the hotel’s dining room to create a beautiful space to dine in. There’s a lot of trolley action, staff are super friendly and we saw a lot to like here.
Read the Sale e Pepe Mare Test Drive
TAQ
Notting Hill - 141 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RS
When a Notting Hill restaurant is looking to relaunch with a whole new approach, who do they look to but Jackson Boxer, who has already had huge success relaunching Orasay as Dove. He's teamed up with the team behind Notting Hill's Taqueria, which has been here for 20 years, and brought it back to basics with an authentic approach to Mexican food, primarily due to having Side Hustle/CDMX Tacos Eduardo Yishima behind the menu. The tacos and tostadas here are excellent, particularly the homage to Dove's cheeseburger, and the restaurant is excellent value in an area that is notable for more pricier affairs.
Med Salleh Restaurant
Kentish Town - 320 Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2TH
The arrival of Malaysian street food spot Med Salleh in Kentish Town was met with near-universal delight, not least from the critic of The Times, Giles Coren. Coren’s not only already been in multiple times since its opening, he’s already done a video for the publication, calling it “Probably the best Malaysian restaurant in England” and declaring it somewhere "I'd spend my own money.” He’s not alone in loving the claypot rice and roti; the group’s legion fans are already packing it out.
Maza
Mayfair - 21-25 Bruton Place, London W1J 6NQ
One of a clutch of new openings in Bruton Place this year, Maza is the latest venture from husband-and-wife restaurant duo Christina Mouratoglou and Adrien Carré who also own Mazi and Susi Tros in Notting Hill. Here in Mayfair they've gone for what they describe as a retro-inspired Greek taverna. It's a fun place to dine with a listening bar for pre or post-meal drinks. Whatever you do, make sure you have the tarama, as the version here is one of London's best.
Holy Carrot Bistro
Spitalfields - 61-63 Brushfield Street, London E1 6AA
After success in Notting Hill with their vegan restaurant, Holy Carrot changed things a little for their second opening, changing the approach to vegetarian. That means the menu, once again created by ex-Acme Fire Cult's Daniel Watkins, adds the odd bit of cheese and cream to the menu. Otherwise, the similar inventive approach to plant-based cooking remains, all set within a vibey space just off Spitalfields market.
Read the Holy Carrot Test Drive
Orrery by Pierre Minotti
Marylebone - 55 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5RB
The name of this Marylebone restaurant might be the same, but pretty much everything else, including the decor, has changed. Chef Pierre Minotti is running the kitchen and he's gunning for Michelin stars with his culinary fireworks. Start with a glass of fizz in the Champagne room before deciding on a series of tasting menus. There's even a bit of theatre thrown in mid-meal with a trip to the bar for their Trou Normand course.
February
Osteria Vibrato
Soho - 6 Greek St, London W1D 4DE
Here in Soho, ex-The Laughing Heart's Charlie Mellor has surrounded himself with a bunch of talented folk, including business partner and sommelier Cameron Dewar, along with Gaia Enria (ex Burro e Salvia) who's behind the menu and chef Louis Lingwood (ex-Quo Vadis and Toklas) running the kitchen. There aren’t many places in London where waiters moonlight as pianists, and the restaurant’s order-ahead Amaretti biscuits are already a must-have dessert. In the Guardian, Grace Dent sees big things ahead: "Vibrato may only just be getting going, but it’s already worth singing loudly about."
Read the Osteria Vibrato Test Drive
Wild Izakaya
City of London - 33 Old Jewry, London EC2V 8EY
The restaurant group behind this (also behind Goodman, Pinna and Wild) may have been characteristically secretive in the run-up to the opening of Wild Izakaya, but the lack of publicity certainly doesn’t appear to have done them any harm. It helps that they’ve got an excellent team in place, helmed by former Koyn/Nobu chef Satoru Hashimoto. But they’re also offering something that the City is lacking - a vibey sushi spot that’s not as buttoned up as traditional omakase spaces and has a fantastic wine and sake list to boot. It’s doing very well.
Read the Wild Izakaya Test Drive
Sushi Amamoto
Mayfair - 36 Albemarle St, London W1S 4JE
This saw what was Taku restaurant being taken over by Taipei sushi master Shogo Amamoto. In Taipei, Amamoto’s menus cost upwards of $2000 and there’s a legendarily long waiting list for bookings. So the master’s arrival in London is great news for clout-seeking sushi fans. We went in for an early preview dinner and thought his innovative take on Edomae-style sushi really brought something new to the London scene. Service is also hugely Instagrammable, which will only help.
Read the Sushi Amamoto Test Drive
Hoppers Shoreditch
Shoreditch - Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ
For their fourth opening, Hoppers' Karan Gokani decided it was time to try something different. While all the Sri Lankan favourites stayed on the menu, there was a new added focus on South Indian cuisine. That's paid off handsomely, with the menu seeming fresher than ever and with some outstanding new dishes on the menu - the lamb benne dosa and sizzling salmon mappas being unmissable. It also helps that they've completely reinvented the space that was once Lyle's, making it one of the best-looking new restaurants in the area. In The Standard, David Ellis sums it up well as "a place that’s dependably brilliant"
Read the Hoppers Shoreditch Test Drive
The Good Front Room
Dalston - 1 Thomas Tower, Dalston Square, Greater London, E8 3GU
After a successful pop-up at The Langham, chef Dom Taylor took his Caribbean restaurant to Dalston as a permanent restaurant. Here, he's showcasing modern interpretations of Caribbean cuisine, also inspired by the memories of his childhood. That means dishes like a plantain and aubergine fritter or a crispy banana blossom coconut curry. And as for the drinks, his rum punch is a must.
Cometa
Fitzrovia - 19-23 Charlotte Street, London W1T 1RW
Having long been the wine bar element of Carousel on Charlotte Street, the founders' longstanding love affair with all things Mexican made them decide to turn it into this seafood restaurant. The seafood in question comes from all around the British Isles, but here it's translated into crudos, flautas and other Mexican-accented dishes. You might be wanting a cocktail with those, and the drinks list features plenty of agave-centred options to try.
Bara
Peckham - 44-46 Choumert Road, London SE15 4SE
There aren't too many Welsh food places in London, making the arrival of Bara in Peckham a fresh addition to the scene there. Much of the produce at this cafe and sandwich shop is sourced from Wales, where it might turn up as a focaccia filling or an element of a bara brith or rarebit. They also do their best to shine a spotlight on Welsh wines, so look out for wine tastings too.
January
Tiella
Hackney - 109 Columbia Road, London E2 7RL
One of the easiest ways to see if a restaurant is ‘hot’ is the simplest - how easy/hard is it to get a booking? Well, we can tell you it’s no easy feat at Tiella. Chef Dara Klein had already built up a loyal fanbase at her residency in Islington before the move to permanent digs on Columbia Road. So far, the standouts on the Italian menu are the polpette with the chicken Milanese a close second. Ry Jessop, co-founder of The Plimsoll, is running front of house and with much of the wine coming courtesy of Dara’s wine importer dad, the drink side of things is as important as the food.
Cafe Kowloon
London Fields - 392-393 Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PH
Hackney’s Mentmore Terrace is usually an interesting place to hit up for restaurants, and the arrival of Cafe Kowloon only served to strengthen this. You’ll find this very modern, very London take on Hong Kong food tucked away at the back of Wonton Charlie’s, making this feel like a real hidden gem. The Standard’s David Ellis was a fan of the overall effect and the prawn toast in particular urging readers “Do not share, order a portion each.” If you’re looking for a vibey, fun spot in this part of town, it’s a no-brainer.
DakaDaka
Mayfair - 10 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BX
DakaDaka comes from a pair of restaurateurs who previously had big successes with openings like Eggbreak and Seabird with Ennismore. Now going it alone, they've taken over the space at 10 Heddon Street, which has been a proving ground for big restaurants like Fallow and Manteca before. Because they're now the permanent restaurant there, they've reinvented the space, most importantly opening a downstairs bar. As for the food, that's all Georgian, with dishes including Khinkali, a Georgian soup-dumpling and Khachapuri, cheese-filled bread. The wine continues that Georgian focus, with top sommelier Honey Spencer in charge of the list.
Logma
Hackney - 81 Goldsmith’s Row, London E2 8QR
Logma originally started life as supperclubs run by Iraqi/Iranian couple Ziad Halub and Farsin Rabiee before finding this permanent space in Hackney. It's primarily a cafe during the day, but once a week they bring back their popular supperclub in the guise of Logma Lates. It quickly became one of the hottest new openings in Hackney, at least in part driven by a kofte and aubergine sandwich that has become a viral hit. The sandwich may well be worth crossing town for, but we are also hearing great things about the weekly dinners, with a parade of dishes that celebrate regional Iraqi and Iranian cooking.
Ruth's
Putney - 94 Lower Richmond Road, London SW15 1LL
Even locals would probably agree that Putney's not blessed with great restaurants, so the arrival of this new neighbourhood spot has been met with delight. Ed and Callum, the folk behind it, have a seriously impressive joint CV which includes Forza Wine, Pitt Cue and The Hero. It's a handy place to dive into for small plates and wine (oysters and chipolatas are a great combo), but also rewards checking out the larger dishes on offer, which usually include some seafood and steak-based specials.
