Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA

The original Poon's was one of London's classic Chinese restaurants and now Amy Poon has brought it back for a new generation. Set inside Somerset House, the new Poon's celebrates Chinese home cooking and Amy says it's "where you come if you don’t have a nice Chinese friend who will cook for you at home."

344a Essex Rd, London N1 3PD

Stable Wines comes from the same team as Goodbye Horses. It's a wine shop upstairs, but head through the shop and you'll find the most beautiful wine bar downstairs. That's much larger than the shop with an almost gothic look. The same focus on natural wine can be found down here as well as a menu of small plates.

St Pancras, Euston Rd., London NW1 2AR

This Hawksmoor does what the oether do best, great steaks and more, excellent cocktails and a winderful vibe throughout. It also ups the game by being in one of London's most beautiful dining rooms. Plus, there's a separate bar called The Martini Bar which is almost worth the trip alone.

37 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AN

Martino’s is from the team behind The Dover, and it’s an all-day Italian restaurant with lots of nods to 1950s and ’60s trattorias, but within a modern setting. It's an all-day restaurant kicking off at breakfast with dishes in the evening including dishes like beef carpaccio, short rib ragù tagliatelle, meatballs zupetta and a standout lasagna verde alla Bolognese. Very handy for the tube, there's also an excellent bar here.

8 Balderton St, Brown Hart Gardens, London W1K 6TF

Rosi is the main restaurant inside The Beaumont in Mayfair, led by top chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen (who also runs Northcote). The restaurant here is all about British dining, with classics like pork pies and suet pudding on the menu. There's also a big focus on tableside theatre, with a fair bit of flambeeing and the build-your-own sundae is always a big draw.

1 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0LA

Aki London brings its contemporary Japanese dining to a grand Grade II-listed former bank off Cavendish Square. There's a menu that combines Kyoto-inspired, farm-to-table cooking with sushi, sashimi, robata and larger dishes. It's a pretty dramatic, vibey space and there's also an underground bar inside the old bank vault that's well worth a look.

36 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7LJ

The team behind Kolamba are also behind ADOH!, a casual Sri Lankan street food restaurant. Named after a Sri Lankan expression of surprise, it focuses on kothu, chopped roti with vegetables, eggs and curry sauce, which is served with crab, chicken, mutton or jackfruit. Other dishes include chilli prawn toast, fried chicken with curry leaf waffle and seafood fried rice, with salted jaggery soft serve for dessert.

4 Ganton Street, London W1F 7QL

The Shaston Arms is the latest project from Patty & Bun founder Joe Grossmann, following the success of The Watermans Arms in Barnes. This new Soho pub takes over the former Shaston Arms site on Ganton Street, keeping the spirit of a classic boozer while adding a stronger dining focus. Chef Sam Andrews (ex-Ducksoup) from The Watermans Arms leads the kitchen once again, creating a menu that blends comforting pub classics with a few refined touches.

35 Blandford Street, London W1U 7HA

The Hart is the newest opening from Public House Group (The Pelican, The Hero). Sitting on the corner of Chiltern Street and Blandford Street, the pub's name refers to the 1840s Hart family, known for great food, drinks and warm hospitality. The ground floor serves British beers and bar snacks like pork scratchings and chicken liver toast, while upstairs the dining room features nostalgic dishes such as crab cakes, steak & potatoes and banoffee pie. Everything focuses on seasonal produce from the group’s Market Garden at Bruern Farms.

1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF

Motorino is a follow-up to Stevie Parle's Town. This time, ex-Lita chef Luke Ahearne is at the helm, bringing his Michelin-starred pedigree to a “modern London-Italian” restaurant in Fitzrovia. The design echoes Town’s sleek, retro-futurist aesthetic, with a large bar, open kitchen and private dining rooms. The menu blends Italian tradition and London flair — think agnolotti carbonara, Dexter beef with porcini ketchup, and Amalfi lemon meringue pie. There's a separate bar here with great cocktails too.

7 Moxon Street, London W1U 4EP

After eight years shaping Peckham’s dining scene with Kudu, Kudu Grill and Curious Kudu, Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams moved their whole operation to Marylebone. The new Kudu unites all three restaurants under one roof. With the sama approach of mixing in European and South African influences, expect brand-new dishes alongside favourites from Kudu and Kudu Grill, plus a private dining room and bar area.

163 Queensway, London W2 4BD

Amsterdam import Nela brings its live-fire ethos to a huge space in the redeveloped The Whiteley complex. Chefs Hari Shetty and Ori Geller lead a menu reimagined for London, spanning raw, grilled, pizza and vegetable sections. Signature dishes include the Tiramisu of Nela (served in a tin with coffee caviar), while all the dishes served here will have an element of fire, like the slow-cooked short rib. Expect a dramatic open kitchen, 360° bar, private dining room and very handy terrace.

35 Kingly Street, London W1B 5QB

Chef Rob Roy Cameron (ex-41 Degrees, Untitled) returns to London with this Northern Spain-inspired restaurant focused on open-fire cooking. Expect Basque flavours applied to top British produce, like Iberico pork from Brett Graham’s Shropshire farm and Cornish-grown Spanish peppers. Drinks, curated by Dino Koletsas (ex-Harrods), feature fine wines on tap, low-intervention bottles, and artisanal ciders. Spread over two floors, with a private dining room and heated terrace, this is a great, elevated Spanish experience.

73 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3HR

The Pachamama team completed their Mediterranean reinvention with Lagana, a Greek-inspired spot in Shoreditch. Here, you'll find a menu built around freshly baked lagana flatbread with seasonal dips, alongside dishes like courgette tempura, loukoumades stuffed with Graviera and lamb kebab with cumin yoghurt. Expect skewers, dry-aged picanha, and a bouillabaisse riff too. Meanwhile, the interiors pair wabi-sabi walls with vintage chandeliers, while drinks include a frozen pomegranate pisco sour.

17 Bruton Street, London W1J 6QB

Set in the very building where Queen Elizabeth II was born, this seafood restaurant and oyster bar from Ross Shonhan (Bone Daddies, ex-Nobu & Zuma) has a dramatic look, with floral patterns throughout and, alongside the main restaurant, you'll find a heated terrace and cocktail bar. The menu strongly features British produce with luxe dishes including lobster spaghetti, a Fish Triptych (crudo, grilled & soup) or anchovy éclair. Cocktails, meanwhile, lean into martinis paired with light bites.

30 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 6AN

This New York Italian restaurant is one of NYC's most famous restaurants and is still hard to get a table at. The London version follows the same template as the original - classic New York Italian dishes with added flair, a gorgeous-looking lower-ground dining room and a big attention to service. Your meal will be shepherded by your "captain" and if you're looking for a night out where you're properly looked after, while eating dishes like spicy vodka rigatoni, this is the place for you. Plus, there's a very good chance of spotting a celeb here.

138 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1HY

This popular fish and chip shop group originated in Mayfair, hence the name. This is their second venture and is open all day, so it's a useful spot for a breakfast as well as battered cod and cocktails in the evenings. In addition to the classic fish and chips, they also do a nice line in lobster rolls, fish finger butties and fresh oysters.

14-15 Beauchamp Pl, London SW3 1NQ

This fine dining restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Rohit Ghai spans four floors of a Knightsbridge townhouse, topped with a rooftop cocktail bar. At the heart of the offering is sigri cooking, a way of cooking over live fire. The restaurant's look is inspired by the Himalayas but the menu takes inspiration from across India. The signature butter chicken is not to be missed.

343 Fulham Road, London SW10 9TW

Roman pizzas are at the centre of this newish Chelsea pizzeria. That means hand-rolled (chefs use a traditional mattarello rolling pin) and wood-fired pizzas with a range of classic toppings. There's a strong cocktail offering with an Italian accent and plenty of fritti treats for starters too.

86 Wardour St, London W1F 0TQ

From Mad Restaurants (also behind ALTA), MOI brings Japanese cooking over fire to Soho, led by Andy Cook (ex-Gordon Ramsay, Soho Farmhouse). Expect sushi, sashimi and grilled dishes using British produce, like Orkney scallops with juniper kombu, turbot with yuzu kosho butter and crab temaki with apple and kimizu sauce. The raw concrete-and-wood interiors feature two open kitchens, a dramatic staircase, plus a downstairs omakase and Tokyo-style listening bar with cocktails by Dino Koletsas (Artesian).

149A Upper St, London N1 1RA

Taking over the old Skal site, Carmela’s is an Italian/American pizzeria from Phil Chaykin (Ugly Dumpling) and Bite Twice duo Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany. The focus is New York-style pies with crisp yet foldable bases, like their cheese pie, white pie with ricotta and courgette, and The Pep with hot maple drizzle. Add stracciatella or fennel sausage, dip crusts in extra hot maple, and finish with tiramisu. A buzzy slice spot for Upper Street.

28th Floor, Hilton on Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE

Taking over the iconic rooftop space once home to Galvin at Windows, Shanghai Me arrives in London after opening successful restaurants in Dubai and Doha. Expect a glamorous 1930s Shanghai-inspired setting with a luxe Pan-Asian menu—think Cantonese roast duck with foie gras and caviar, spicy bluefin oshizushi, and a “dim sum library”. The adjacent Bund lounge bar (28th floor) features zodiac-themed cocktails and sweeping Hyde Park views.

191 Portobello Road, London W11 2ED

The Electric is the second outpost of Luke Farrell’s fiery Thai hit Speedboat Bar. This West London version features interiors inspired by an engine room, complete with a real Thai speedboat engine. While the look’s a little slicker than the Soho original, the menu sticks to the winning formula: bold Thai curries, noodles, and cocktails that pack a punch.

6 Chepstow Road, London W2 5BH

After making waves in Lima’s elite Nikkei scene, Fan has quietly landed in Notting Hill. Run by Romania Parra, Jorge Sasaki and Santiago Wong, the menu fuses Japanese technique with Peruvian, Chinese and global influences. Expect an 11-course omakase or à la carte options like scallops with squash butter or ceviche with coconut tiger milk.

5 Woodfield Road, London W9 2BA

The team behind Crispin and Bistro Freddie are also behind Canal, an all-day spot on the Grand Union Canal. There's a seasonal British-European menu with standout dishes like Portland crab doughnuts and red mullet bouillabaisse, with the shared "table cheeseburger" a signature dish. Cocktails are from A Bar with Shapes for a Name and wines lean European and low-intervention. With communal tables, a central bar, and two big south-facing terraces on the canal, it’s become something of a scene.

17 Bohemia Pl, London E8 1DU

Inside Hackney Church Brewery, you'll find Elliot Cunningham's Lagom. Part inspired by his Swedish heritage, it's a live-fire cooking affair over wood. Most of the globally-inspired dishes on offer here are worth trying, the smoked beef bun in particular, if it's on. However, the Lagom smashburger is lauded as one of London's very best - so get the burger first, but make sure to roam the rest of the menu too.

Arch 255 Paradise Row, London E2 9LQ

Tasca is from chef Josh Dallaway and sommelier Sinead Murdoch. They're in charge of the kitchen at East London bar Cav, with Tasca. It takes inspiration from their travels through Spain and France, from which they've brought back elements of classic dishes and given them a modern London twist. Expect a parade of excellent small plates and a particularly good European wine list that celebrates female-founded vineyards and female winemakers.

2-4 Farmer St, London W8 7SN

Hidden away at the back of Los Mochis in Notting Hill (which is worth visiting too), you'll find this tiny omakase bar that fits just six diners every sitting. The menu here, which changes daily, takes inspiration from both Japanese and Mexican cuisines, so it's notably different to London's other omakase offerings. A cosy, intimate affair, it's right up there among London's very best omakase restaurants.

186 Portobello Road, London W11 1LA

Permit room is an offshoot of Dishoom, set in a slightly more casual cafe setting, but still featuring some of Dishoom's signature dishes. So you will find their house black dahl and bacon naans here, alongside curries, biryanis and small plates. This Permit Room even has rooms upstairs if you fancy staying over (the breakfasts are certainly worth getting up for).

7 All Saints Road, London W11 1HA

Sino's kitchen is led by chef Eugene Korolev, who has worked at Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe. Here at Sino, his menu is a contemporary take on classic Ukrainian dishes with modern takes on dumplings and chicken Kyiv making an appearance on the menu.