Test Drives

Test Driving Nakimushi, a restaurant of two floors, two chefs and one menu from the Dorian team

Information: 15 September 2026

Nakimushi is the latest opening from the Dorian team; and it's a mix of ramen bar and Japanese restaurant. We went down to Notting Hill to see how the concepts are working together.

Test Driving Lury, a seaside gem giving British produce a Sri Lankan edge

Information: 10 September 2026

Tucked away off a Hastings side street, chef Jack Lury is running a tight ship as the only chef in the kitchen serving an amazing Sri Lankan-accented menu. We popped along for a lovely long lunch at Lury.

Test Driving Miokuru, a handroll bar channelling Tokyo energy with amazing British produce

Information: 08 September 2026

Miokuru is part of the great London handroll boom of 2026. We went down to see what it was doing differently to its competitors.

Trying out Fortnum's Cellar Sessions for the launch of the store's new wine range

Information: 03 September 2026

A new series of tutored wine tastings has just begun at Fortnum & Mason's Piccadilly store. We signed up to one of their Cellar Sessions to see what it was all about.

Test driving MOR, where Tom Sellers is championing Cornish seafood at the seaside

Information: 01 September 2026

Tom Sellers, together with Tom Anglesea, has taken over the main restaurant at Carbis Bay in Cornwall. It's a room blessed with an amazing view, so we went down to see just what the two chefs have created to match it.

Test Driving Wagyu Yakiniku USHIO, an omakase experience devoted to wagyu

Information: 25 August 2026

A new omakase restaurant has arrived in Fitzrovia, but this one is highlighting cuts of Wagyu instead of sushi. We went in to try out Wagyu Yakiniku USHIO.

Travel notes - we check into The White Hart Inn on Mersea Island

Information: 20 August 2026

With Mersea Island a little over an hour and a half from London, this tidal island is absolutely perfect for a quick seaside getaway. And the recently opened White Hart Inn proved to be a great place to both eat and stay. We drove to Essex to check in for a night.

Test Driving Mardy's, a modern twist on a British sandwich shop in Mayfair

Information: 18 August 2026

A new entry to London's competitive sandwich space is Mardy's which is bringing top quality sarnies to Mayfair. We popped along one lunchtime to give it a go.

Test Driving Bar Blondie, this vibey Queen's Park pivot pulls in the crowd with an excellent wine list

Information: 13 August 2026

What was once Milk Beach is now Bar Blondie. Milk Beach's Elliot Milne has brought in top sommelier Alexandra Price to team up on this European-influenced wine bar and restaurant - we went down for a look.

Bar Crawl - Sane is Islington's new sake and wine bar, from a hugely talented sommelier

Information: 11 August 2026

London's boom of interesting sommelier-led wine bars continues with the opening of SANE in Islington. We went down to experience Maxime's vision for the place.

Trying out the Indulgent Churrasco Experience at Fogo de Chão Bishopsgate

Information: 06 August 2026

It's all change (as far as the name goes) for Fogo de Chão, which used to be Fazenda. What hasn't changed is the fantastic parade of Brazilian grilled meats and seafood dishes.

Test Driving Kismet, where upstairs at The Globe Tavern is transformed into a must-visit Turkish/Cypriot meyhane

Information: 02 August 2026

The latest residency at The Globe Tavern in Borough Market, Kismet has really made the place its own. This London version of a Greek-Cypriot meyhane has quickly become a hot ticket. We went along to see how a Turkish-style mehhane feels so at home above a London pub.

Test Driving Hon's BBQ, where Texas and East Asia meet for a restaurant like no other

Information: 30 July 2026

Hon's BBQ brings a mix of authentic Texas BBQ mixed in with West Asian influences to Hackney Wick. We went in to see how that shapes up in person.

Bar Crawl - Ebi is a serious new wine bar from a stellar sommelier

Information: 30 July 2026

A former Fat Duck sommelier has opened his own wine bar in London. We went down to Clerkenwell to check out Raku Oda's Ebi.

Trying out Silva, we make a return visit to this Mayfair restaurant with a hot new chef in charge

Information: 28 July 2026

Ex-Lita chef Charlie Dilworth has taken over the kitchen at Mayfair restaurant Silva making this Bruton Place gem well worth a visit.

Test Driving Kinz in Notting Hill, a Lebanese restaurant in a real stunner of a building

Information: 23 July 2026

Kinz is a Lebanese restaurant in Notting Hill that's opened as part of a stunning reinvention of an old bank. We went down to take it all in.

Test Driving Tavern, a modern Shoreditch spot with foot-long pork scratchings and perfect dessert bites

Information: 21 July 2026

The team behind Michelin-starred Restaurant St Barts have turned their old Shoredith restaurant Nest into British bistro Tavern. We went to see how the makeover had changed things.

Test Driving Johnny Boy's, where LA diner food makes a big impression in Stoke Newington

Information: 16 July 2026

Johnny Boy's sees the chef behind Facing Heaven in Hackney opening an LA-inspired diner in Stoke Newington. We went in to try a taste of SoCal food in London.

Bar crawl - Brutes is like an indie take on Duke's, in Mayfair

Information: 14 July 2026

Mayfair is firmly getting its mojo back and the arrival of cool new cocktail bar Brutes is a great example of that.

Test Driving Rosina, Adam Byatt's neighbourhood Italian brings Trullo vibes to Wandsworth

Information: 09 July 2026

Adam Byatt is trying something new in Wandsworth, opening an Italian restaurant for the first time. We went into Rosina to see just how that's going. Spoiler - it's going very well...

Test Drives

Also see...