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.

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.

Unit 2, Commodity Quay, St Katharine Docks, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Brook St, London W1K 4HR

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.

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.

36 Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 0RE

This almost unpronounceable burger bar has quickly earned a reputation as among the very best in London. The burgers here are all Asian-inspired, with different burgers inspired by different regions. So there's a kimchi burger, a Thai burger with Som Tam sauce, a yuzu matcha chicken burger and more - as well as a standard cheeseburger, but one that's done incredibly well. If you need to try all of London's best burgers, you need to come here.

5 Pollen St, London W1S 1NE

Chez Rose sees Row on 5 chef Spencer Metzger taking over the space that used to be Little Social. Once again working with Jason Atherton (although Metzger leads the venture), the chef has created a boutique French bistro in the heart of Mayfair, with a menu full of classic dishes, delivered in style. Make sure to save space for the signature (and huge) soufflé.

6 Bedford St, London WC2E 9HZ

Zylia is a team-up between Nick Molyviatis (ex-Kiln head chef and co-owner of Singburi) and Barry Karacostas. Together, they've launched this taverna-style restaurant which takes its influences from both Greece and Cyprus while also focusing on charcoal cooking. Although attached to Arcade, it's a standalone restaurant and the entire menu is well worth working through, particularly the sheftalia and piles of chops.

10 Coulgate St, London SE4 2RW

Cantinera comes from the team of chefs Jake and Celia, who previously ran pop-ups as Codillos. Their permanent restaurant in Brockley combines ultra-seasonal ingredients with dishes inspired by Celia's Spanish and Mexican heritage. The menu changes regularly here, making it reward regular return visits.

374-378 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT

Tavern is inspired by the food of a classic British Tavern, although set within a more modern Shoreditch space. It comes from the same team behind Restaurant St Barts and here there's a British-influenced menu with a modern twist that ranges from wagyu tostadas to Old Spot pork chops.

Ground Floor, St. Clement, 12 Temple Pl, London WC2R 2NF

Ex-Soho House boss Nick Jones (who also launched The Ned) is behind this restaurant on the ground floor of his St Clement hotel. It's predominantly a Modern European-influenced restaurant, launched with an ex-River Cafe chef, so the pasta should be something to concentrate on. It's also a restaurant where you should encounter the odd celeb.

8-10 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QA

Vesper sees chef Jackson Boxer opening on Exmouth Market with a restaurant that's not dissimilar to his Dove in Notting Hill. It's an eclectic menu but one that veers towards comfort food. As with Dove, don't forget to order the "secret" burger if it's available.

7 Burlington Gardens, London W1S 3ES

Rh London is the Mayfair outpost of Restoration Hardware, which is a unique mix of an upmarket furniture store and a gallery alongside restaurants and bars. The food here is brasserie-style and served in two amazing-looking spaces. There's The Perch, an alfresco space on the rooftop as well as the main double-height dining room downstairs, housed in a former banking hall. All that and there's a bar serving great martinis too.

63–69 Canonbury Rd, London N1 2DG

Bistro Sablé took over from Smokehouse (although it's by the same group) and made this little corner of Islington look like a French bistro that has been here for an age. The menu is full of classic French dishes, from cheese soufflés and pâté en croute through to Dover sole meuniere and rich boeuf Bourgignon. The kitchen here is doing sterling work that wouldn't feel out of place in Paris and there's a great all-French wine list that's well priced. In the warmer months, a seat on the terrace is a must.

157 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8HX

After longstanding East Dulwich restaurant Franklin's closed, it was quickly taken over by Jamie Younger (of The Begging Bowl), who has relaunched it as a neighbourhood pub (with the main pub downstairs and the dining room upstairs). The menu here is led by British ingredients while having "a modern French bistro influence". So that means you'll have snacks like duck liver & foie gras parfait and big mains like a whole roast poulet jaune. Martinis are a big thing (alongside beer, of course) while wines focus on France.