News & reviews

Parliament's bar closing time exemption is overturned - updated

Information: 28 September 2020

Updated 11.50am - well that was quick. Sky is now reporting that the huge backlash to this story has led to Parliament u-turning and closing down its bars at 10pm from today like the rest of the...

Sonora Taqueria is the new Netil Market place from the Pollo Feliz folk

Information: 28 September 2020

Over lockdown, Netil Market's Pollo Feliz did a roaring trade in deliveries with East Londoners becoming more than slightly obsessed by their tortillas. So much so, that they've been able to expand with...

Brat does brunch - Tomos Parry kicks off the weekend with lardo on flatbread

Information: 28 September 2020

They came back from the lockdown all guns blazing with a hugely popular Hackney pop-up in addition to the original Shoreditch restaurant and now Tomos Parry's Brat is about to try something new...

Andrew Wong's Bloomberg Arcade restaurant, Kym's, is closing for good

Information: 28 September 2020

It's almost two years to the day that we first gave Hot Dinners readers a first look inside Andrew Wong's new City restaurant Kym's. Now, the sad news is that the Bloomberg Arcade restaurant is not...

163 Upper Street will be a new wine bar and kitchen from Highgate's Wine Cellar team

Information: 25 September 2020

The team behind The Wine Cellar on Highgate's Swain's Lane are opening this new wine bar and kitchen, serving up a wide selection of wines and food designed to go with them.

Japan Centre is launching ramen restaurant Heddon Yokocho

Information: 25 September 2020

Next up from Japan centre is a new ramen restaurant, inspired by the Yokocho alleys of Japan and based in Heddon Street. They'll have a range of ramen from across Japan, in a restaurant with a 70s...

Arenella is the new Italian restaurant at Islington's Chapel Bar

Information: 25 September 2020

Islington's Chapel Bar, most recently a private-hire space, is about to open a new restaurant for autumn. Called Arenella, it's being described as an autumnal terrace that will be open every...

Test Driving The Windmill in Mayfair - so much more than (excellent) pies

Information: 24 September 2020

This Mayfair pub, best known for its pies, has been taken over by the team behind the Guinea Grill. We went down to see what changes they'd made.

Casey's cafe & deli has reopened in its new Clapton digs

Information: 23 September 2020

Casey's in Clapton used to describe itself as "a microcafe & deli". But now that they've moved into grander premises, maybe that 'micro' tag isn't needed anymore. As owner Caitlin Dempsey said of their...

Hawksmoor face the new restaurant restrictions by launching The Fillet Box

Information: 23 September 2020

Excellent news for carnivores this morning as Hawksmoor have just announced the launch of their second Hawksmoor at Home box. The last one came out in July (you can read our Test Drive here) but, as...

Fink's Gillespie reopens with a new toastie menu and other treats

Information: 23 September 2020

The duo behind neighbourhood favourite Fink's Salt & Sweet are expanding - but they're not going far. Their second place will be a coffee shop on nearby Gillespie Road.

Now you must wear a mask in a pub and restaurant - except while sitting down at your table

Information: 22 September 2020

We've already heard that pubs and restaurants have to close at 10pm every night from Thursday, and that table service was becoming mandatory. But there's another rule that's coming in too which was...

Jolene's next is Big Jo, a new bakery in Hornsey

Information: 22 September 2020

Updated 22/9/20 with a first look We'd known for a while that the folk behind Jolene (and Primeur and Westerns Laundry) were planning to open a bakery - and now it's finally here. Big Jolene Bakery...

Test Driving Noble Rot Soho - honouring the past whilst building a glorious future

Information: 22 September 2020

Noble Rot have unveiled their new restaurant in Soho, taking over what used to be The Gay Hussar. Will it live up to the louche charm of the original? We went along for a preview dinner.

Bisushima on St Martin's Place will be a rooftop Japanese restaurant with views (and terraces) overlooking Trafalgar Square

Information: 22 September 2020

With views over Trafalgar Square and two massive roof terraces, expect this new Japanese restaurant to be quite a draw.

Big Mamma are launching Napoli Gang - a delivery-only restaurant

Information: 22 September 2020

A Hot Dinners exclusive Pretty much perfectly timed for a week in which we're all waiting for the hammer of lockdown to drop, comes news from Big Mamma. The team who opened the big-hitting OTT...

All pubs, bars and restaurants in England have a 10pm closing time from Thursday

Information: 21 September 2020

The government have announced that, from this Thursday (24 September), all pubs and restaurants in England will have a 10pm curfew. That means a restaurant or pub has to be shut by 10pm - not just...

London's pizza joints and cocktail bars win big on the world stage

Information: 21 September 2020

The news is bleak. We know that. So, frankly, we're going to take the wins where we can find them and over the past week or so London has done rather well on that front. We may be an international...

GAIL's go big on toast and add Monty's Deli pastrami too

Information: 18 September 2020

Sometimes there is little better in life than toast a premise GAIL's have embraced as they launch two brand new toast offerings. First up there's the "on toast" menu which, is pretty much exactly as...

Otto's is getting ready to reopen but you can try their duck press next week

Information: 18 September 2020

Although it's been more than two months since lockdown ended for restaurants, there are still quite a few that have yet to reopen their doors fully. One such establishment is Otto's on Gray's Inn...

News & reviews

Also see...