This is our monthly round-up of the restaurants causing the biggest stir in town. This month's new additions include two West End pubs knocking it out of the park as far as food goes, along with a hot new fast food spot in Covent Garden. (If you're looking for classics, see our all-time London's Best Restaurants guide).
Motorino
Fitzrovia - 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF
In a nutshell: Stevie Parle x Luke Ahearne
It's only been a few months since Stevie Parle launched Town, to a warm reception from the critics. Now he's opened a follow-up, but it's not quite a case of Town Mk II. While the two restaurants clearly share the same designer, with a modern/retro design in place at Motorino, the food has taken a very different turn. Rather than Parle leading, this time it's the turn of Luke Ahearne, who won his last restaurant, Lita, a Michelin star in record time (and you can see versions of a few of his Lita creations at Motorino). The restaurant is billed as a "London Italian", which does allow them to get away with a little inauthenticity where needed, but ultimately it's an excellent new Italian restaurant from an acclaimed chef and has a pretty decent bar attached.
The Hart
Marylebone - 35 Blandford Street, London W1U 7HA
In a nutshell: The Pelican team with another winner
The Public House Group, which originally launched The Pelican, seem to be on fire when it comes to opening cracking pubs. The Hart is their latest addition and it's also their most central London pub yet. Familiar touches are in place, like a real attention to detail in the design (it looks gorgeous) and the mix of a pub downstairs and a more formal restaurant upstairs (with their trademark low/flattering lighting). Opening in an area which currently has no Chiltern Firehouse has meant that the restaurant has quickly become something of a scene. As ever, the food is supported by produce from their farm, with dishes like bubble & squeak on the menu and particularly great snacks in place for the downstairs pub.
ADOH!
Covent Garden - 36 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7LJ
In a nutshell: Sri Lankan street food from Kolamba
The team behind Kolamba have already opened two successful restaurants, but this new one's been a bit of a leap for them. Focused on Sri Lankan street food, it's at a more accessible price point and is mainly set up as a walk-in space (although you can now book too). As a result, it's proven to be extremely popular in Covent Garden, where there isn't anything quite like it in the immediate area. It's also an extremely handy place to go pre-theatre. Mutton rolls and chilli prawn toast are the must-have snacks, while there are curries and fried chicken on a curry leaf waffle for the main event. In The Standard, David Ellis was an early fan, saying it "offers the best fast food in the city".
The Shaston Arms
Soho - 4 Ganton Street, London W1F 7QL
In a nutshell: The Waterman's Arms team comes to Soho
After big success in Barnes with The Waterman's Arms, the same team (one of whom was responsible for founding Patty & Bun) have turned their sights to Soho and have revitalised another pub. The Shaston Arms might have only opened back in 1999, but it had something of a devoted following. Hopefully they're happy with this reinvention. While still very much a drinking pub, the food has had a big overhaul with The Waterman's Arms chef Sam Andrews, who was previously a chef at Ducksoup, back in Soho and in charge of the kitchen here.
Photo by Hannah Norris
Carbone
Mayfair - 30 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 6AN
In a nutshell: Italian American celeb haunt
There’s no use pretending you haven’t heard about Carbone. The arrival of the much-vaunted New York Italian restaurant in London was shrouded in secrecy up until opening, when it was then announced with a veritable onslaught of publicity. So far we know Leo and Kate Moss have dined here, and Posh Spice has also been in. The first reviews have been middling - David Ellis in the Standard said “there’s no denying its glamour” but thought the famous vodka pasta was just fine. Sunday Times critic Charlotte Ivers proclaimed the Caesar salad “impeccable”, the chicken scarpariello less so. We found ourselves hugely impressed with the buzz of the place and it really is a proper scene like no other in London.
Lilibet's
Mayfair - 17 Bruton Street, London W1J 6QB
In a nutshell: High-end seafood restaurant in very fancy digs
We were early to experience the charms of Lillibet's, an extremely fancy-looking seafood restaurant in Mayfair, but even then, the word had already got out that this was a place to go, with the place packed out from the very early days. Restaurateur Ross Shonhan has form - he’s the man behind Bone Daddies and used to be executive chef at Nobu. Here he’s created that rare beast in this part of town, a glamorous spot to eat out that also has real heart. The seafood is fabulous; our tip would be not to miss the coal-roasted oysters. It's impressed David Ellis in The Standard, who gave it a five-star review, saying "Have I ever eaten anything better? I couldn’t swear to it."
Lagana
Shoreditch - 19 Willow St, London EC2A 3HU
In a nutshell: Casual Greek restaurant from the team behind Nina
It was a pretty safe bet to expect that the latest opening from the London Pachamama Group would be a hit. After all the past couple of years have seen enjoying a flawless run of hot new restaurants, starting with Zephyr and Bottarga and ramping it up more recently with Nina and now Lagana. Lagana used to be Pachamama East but it’s had a slick new makeover and joined the rest of the group in embracing a Mediterranean menu, here it’s got a Greek focus. It’s been impossible to miss on social, with East Londoners enjoying finally having the spotlight shone on their neck of the woods.
Alta
Carnaby - Unit G9, Kingly Court, Kingly St, London W1B 5PW
In a nutshell: Northern Spanish cuisine with a deft touch
This is the second group from Mad Restaurants and they've clearly started very strong. Their first opening, Moi, was one of our favourite meals of the year so far, and this is just as good, albeit a very different type of restaurant. It's the return to London of chef Rob Roy Cameron, previously at Untitled in Dalston but more recently at Albert Adria's 48 Degrees in Barcelona. Here, he's put together a range of dishes inspired by Northern Spain and from our early visit, it's clear that the cooking is exceptionally good. Already popular in its early days, expect this to become a major hit over the next few weeks as word gets out.
Nela
Bayswater - 149 Queensway, London W2 4YN
In a nutshell: Live fire cooking inside what was Whiteleys
Jeremy King proved that the people of Bayswater were looking for a great restaurant when he opened The Park and now, down the other end of Queensway, Nela is doing the same. The live-fire restaurant originates in Amsterdam and is the first to open and the revamped Whiteleys building, now called The Whiteley. The menu has hints of Nobu, but at a more accessible price point, and the vibe takes a similar approach. So it adds a bit of glamour to Bayswater, but still feels at home in the neighbourhood. Absolutely packed on the Friday night when we visited, it's clear that the word has got out already.
Kudu
Marylebone - 7 Moxon Street, London W1U 4EP
In a nutshell: South African-influenced restaurant migrates from Peckham to Marylebone
From Peckham to Marylebone is quite the leap, but that’s precisely what South African-inspired restaurant Kudu has done. Chef Patrick Williams and his wife Amy Corbin (yes she’s the daughter of one half of uber restaurateurs Corbin & King) have consolidated all three of their South East London restaurants into one glamorous spot in the centre of town. There’s no denying that the new place looks fabulous, and they’ve manged to keep the charm that made everyone love them. As Grace Dent said in her review, "Kudu is already a delight". You mustn’t miss the showstopping dessert Kit Kat tart with burnt marshmallow.
Legado
Shoreditch - 1 Montacute Yards, 185-186 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HU
In a nutshell: Sabor sequel
Hot on the heels of the opening of Singburi in Montacute Yards comes another buzzy launch, courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Nieves Barragán. And this one’s big, both in terms of Nieves’ reputation, but also size-wise. There’s a separate bar that’s open all day if you fancy a cerveza and some croquetas, but the massive menu will take more than a few visits to work your way through. Expect to find dishes that roam the length and breadth of Spain, along with some very clever takes on homestyle cooking. On day two of their official opening, the place was heaving and once word percolates through about how good this is, getting a table is going to be even harder. Early reviews have been strong, with Giles Coren saying that it's "set fair to be the big hit of winter 2025."
MOI
Soho - 86 Wardour St, London W1F 0TQ
In a nutshell: Japanese restaurant from a Gordon Ramsay alum
This was the first of restaurateur Artem Login's (L’ETO) new ventures with MAD restaurants, as MOI is the first of a pair of new openings by the group in central London. He’s come out of the gates strong with this impressive new Japanese restaurant, which takes over two sprawling floors in Soho with a live fire restaurant upstairs, sushi bar downstairs and a massive late-night listening bar too. But not only does it look the part, it’s serving too; the food we had was some of the best we’ve eaten in London so far this year.
Carmela's
Islington - 149A Upper St, London N1 1RA
In a nutshell: USA-style pizza
What happens when two food influencers and a restaurateur get together to open a pizza restaurant? If you want to know the answer, you’ll have to hotfoot it down to Upper Street, where Phil Chaykin (Ugly Dumpling) and Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany (Bite Twice) have gone into business together with Carmela’s. NYC-inspired pies are at the core of the offer. The tardis-like restaurant is like a hit of New York Italian in the heart of Islington, and it’s been packed out since Day 1.
Fan
Notting Hill - 6 Chepstow Road, London W2 5BH
In a nutshell: Neo-Nikkei omakase from Lima
Three childhood friends from Lima are behind this new opening in Notting Hill where the chef Coco has cooking in his blood (his uncle is chef Toshiro Konishi who, alongside Nobu Matsuhisa, opened Peru’s first Japanese restaurant). Despite having little-to-no marketing budget, early buzz has been big on social for this new spot which offers both omakase and a la carte options for those wanting to try their new take on Nikkei food.
HANBAAGAASUUTEEKI
Victoria - 36 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0RE
In a nutshell: Pan Asian smash burgers
With influencer James Dimitri declaring this to be in his top 10 burgers in London (maybe his top 5) what seemed like a mildly interesting arrival of yet another new smash burger in London suddenly became a hot prospect. In addition to its ‘how the hell do you pronounce that?’ name, the burger chain in question stands out from the crowd with a menu which includes Korean kimchi burgers, miso fries and more.
Singburi
Shoreditch - Unit 7 Montacute Yards, Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HU
In a nutshell: Second coming of a legendary Thai restaurant
Singburi was a crazily popular restaurant in its original Leytonstone location, but this move to Shoreditch has pushed things into the stratosphere. Taking a slightly new approach with chef Sirichai Kularbwong fully taking over the reins from his parents (with a little help from an ex-Kiln/Oma chef) this has been an instant hit with the release of bookings for the restaurant generating huge excitement. Getting a table is challenging, but not impossible (particularly if you avoid weekends), and it's worth it for some of the very best Thai food in the city. Reponses from the critics have been mixed from "stunningly good" food but unimpressed by the space by David Ellis in The Standard to a rave from Jay Rayner in the FT. Neither critic seems well able to navigate Shoreditch though...
Read our Test Drive of Singburi
Lupa
Highbury - 73 Highbury Park, London N5 1UA
In a nutshell: Roman-style cuisine with star power
Highbury has come up in leaps and bounds in recent years with some great new bars and restaurants, but if you really want to get noticed, it helps to have a celeb as one of the partners in the business. White Lotus actor Theo James has teamed up with Carousel co-founder Ed Templeton for this venture and they've brought in ex-Pidgin chef Naz Hassan to lead the kitchen. It's clearly a match made in heaven as they've revitalised this tiny restaurant space with an excellent Roman-style menu. The deeply yellow carbonara is the breakout star from the menu, but overall it's a great little neighbourhood restaurant that will do very well. Plus, there's a decent likelihood of seeing some celebs in here, particularly as the curtain out front gives a little bit of privacy from those walking past. Reviews have been a little mixed. In the Sunday Times, Charlotte Ivers says "such delicious things keep emerging" from the kitchen while David Ellis in The Standard was "not sure if it was good, bad or just indifferent". Regardless, it's almost impossible to get a table in here right now.
Osteria Angelina
City/Shoreditch - 1 Nicholl's Clarke Yard, off Blossom Street, London E1 6SH
In a nutshell: Japanese/Italian mash-up follow-up
Fusion restaurants can, by their very nature, be divisive, but the Japanese and Italian influences behind Dalston's Angelina have always proved to be a winning combination. Certainly, they have legions of fans who have followed their progress into the City with this opening on the borders between Shoreditch and Spitalfields. For their second restaurant, they've moved away from their tasting menu concept to more of an a la carte offering. Grace Dent loved it, saying "It will also offend purists everywhere, but being upset has never been so delicious." Look out for their in-house pastaio making pasta in a glass boxed kitchen beside the dining room.
Read the Osteria Angelina Test Drive
Eel Sushi Bar
Notting Hill - 118 Talbot Road, London W11 1JR
In a nutshell: In demand sushi bar from the Dorian team
Not content with having created Dorian, a restaurant that's so hard to book that you have to work hard to be on the owner's nice rather than naughty list, owner Chris D'Sylva has now opened an equally hard to get into sushi bar across the road. Eel, which is a no-bookings sushi spot, has been busy packing them in since it opened, so succeeding in getting a seat here secures you top-level foodie bragging rights. The good news is that the sushi quality more than matches the difficulty of securing your seat at the counter. It's an a la carte affair making it stand out from all the recent omakase openings.
One Club Row
Shoreditch - 1 Club Row, London E1 6JX
In a nutshell: A slice of NYC style in London
Not since The Devonshire has there been a launch of a restaurant that’s had quite as much immediate good press as One Club Row. There are some similarities between them too, as it's above a pub, The Knave of Clubs, and this restaurant, complete with its all-over-Insta graffitied front door, is a wholly separate entity from that pub. Chef Patrick Powell’s menu is full of nods to both Paris and New York (the burger is a must-have) and the martinis and general bonhomie just add to the vibe. The critics have lauded it as an instant hit. The Standard’s David Ellis was an early fan calling it “E1’s answer to The Dover” while in The Sunday Times, Charlotte Ivers said it made her "instantly feel there’s nowhere on earth that could possibly be more fun at this precise moment."
Read the One Club Row Test Drive
Warming up...
And there are a few more restaurants creating buzz recently that we think are worth keeping an eye on...
Field Notes (London Fields) - Native's Ivan Tisdall-Downes makes a London comeback and we're already hearing good things
Aki London (Marylebone) - This sushi restaurant started in Malta and over here looks hugely impressive, having taken over an old bank.
Rosi (Mayfair) - Lisa Goodwin-Allen has relaunched the restaurant at The Beaumont, and now it's all about great British dining.
2210 by Natty Can Cook (Herne Hill) - Nathaniel Mortley's first restaurant, with new and refined versions of Caribbean staples.
Perma-hot restaurants
These are the London restaurants that have been open for a while but are still hotter than ever.
OMA and Agora (Borough Market) - the Greek-inspired duo from David Carter continues to be one of the biggest draws in the area.
The Devonshire (Soho) - Both the pub downstairs and the grill restaurant remain, one year on, the hottest places in town. It's also still a great place for celeb spotting.
The Dover (Mayfair) - Martin Kuczmarski's restaurant has a real understated Mayfair glamour and is a great place for star spotting. It's also one of the best bars in the area with an excellent cocktail list.
Mountain (Soho) - Tomos Parry's Soho restaurant is still hard to get into, but worth it for that spider crab omelette.
Bouchon Racine (Farringdon) - The return of Henry Harris remains one of London's best restaurants for many. Even if you can't get into the restaurant, the food in the pub downstairs is well worth a look. A recent visit confirmed it's still operating at the highest level.
Arlington (St James) - Jeremy King's revival of the original Le Caprice remains a solid hit. It's one of the best and buzziest restaurants in St James.
Crisp Pizza (Hammersmith) - Alley Cats may get the press, but this pizzeria is still the best for many. There's still a wait for pizzas at the weekend particularly, but it's well worth it.
Where's Hot, mapped.
Here's how the Hot Dinners "Where's Hot" restaurants are spread across town.
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