News & reviews

Launceston Place gets a new head chef

Information: 09 February 2012

After losing its head chef Tristan Welch who's moved to spend more time with his family in Sweden, Launceston Place has a new face in the kitchen, Timothy Allen. Allen has spent the past seven years...

Pizza East Portobello launches aperitivo time

Information: 09 February 2012

We're suckers for good bar snacks or any kind of free food in fact, so we welcome the news that Pizza East Portobello is launching an aperitivo period. Following in the Milanese fashion of offering...

Formans of Fish Island open restaurant reservations for Olympics

Information: 09 February 2012

They're just the length of Usain Bolt's warm-up track away from the Olympic Stadium and now Formans restaurant on Fish Island have started taking bookings for the Olympics period. The restaurant...

Russian favourite Mari Vanna to open London restaurant in Knightsbridge

Information: 08 February 2012

Russian restaurant Mari Vanna is almost about to throw open the doors in Knightsbridge. This Russian restaurant already has popular outposts in Moscow, St Petersburg and New York and becomes the...

Chicken lollipops and bun kebabs - Roti Chai in Mayfair

Information: 08 February 2012

What can you tell me about Roti Chai? It's an Indian restaurant nestled in the heart of Mayfair - but with a difference. Roti Chai's main speciality, and one you'll see as you enter the brightly lit...

Benugo founder to open Market Cafe on Broadway Market

Information: 08 February 2012

[Updated 9 February 2012] We're loving the sound of an upcoming opening over in Broadway Market in March. Market Café will apparently "recreate the spirit of the classic Italian “formica” café of...

Angela Hartnett teams up with Prune chef for London's girls night out

Information: 07 February 2012

[Updated 9/3/12 with the menu details] Six of the world's best female chefs are going to be cooking together in London for a series of exclusive dinners this March. The idea sounds great, even if...

Roast at Borough Market lures ex Mark Hix chef to head up kitchens

Information: 06 February 2012

It's a bit of a coup for Iqbal Wahhab’s Roast over in Borough Market as they get their hands on ex-Caprice Holdings chef Marcus Verberne. Marcus has worked alongside Mark Hix for over a decade at...

Superette Sundays team up with Castle Gibson for a roast pop-up

Information: 06 February 2012

Their first venture was a pop-up Sunday Roast supperclub at F Cooke & Sons on Broadway Market and they followed that with a Burger pop-up in the same venue. Now Superette Sundays are branching out...

Get some culture with your food - Opera at Quaglino's and chef interviews at the British Library

Information: 03 February 2012

Want to make your almost unhealthy interest in food look a little more highbrow? We've heard of a couple of events that could work for you. First up, the British Library is taking chef interviews to a...

Trinity's Adam Byatt to open Bistro Union in Clapham

Information: 02 February 2012

Adam Byatt's Trinity restaurant in Clapham is a South London favourite, and he's now expanding to nearby Abbeville Road with Bistro Union. The kitchen will be run by head Chef Karl Goward. He's...

London foodies host Star Wars charity dinner

Information: 01 February 2012

Is the Force strong with you? Then you might be interested in a charity dinner being lovingly themed around a certain sci-fi film series. A group of London food bloggers, including MiMi Aye...

Test driving Dabbous in Fitzrovia

Information: 01 February 2012

What can you tell me about Dabbous? The restaurant is named after its chef, Ollie Dabbous, who was Head Chef at Texture and began his career with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir au Quat Saisons (who has...

Test driving the revamped Tom Aikens in Chelsea

Information: 01 February 2012

Splitting opinion in the food community like a oyster, Tom Aikens' Chelsea restaurant has recently opened with a brand new facelift. Hot Dinners went along to check out whether this particular...

Nine French Place pop-up in Shoreditch

Information: 31 January 2012

With pop-ups literally popping up all over the shop in London, it's sometimes hard to work out which are the ones you really shouldn't miss. One this week in Shoreditch - Nine French Place certainly...

Australian-inspired Tuck Shop opening at Dereham Place Shoreditch

Information: 31 January 2012

Lucky old East Londoners, they're always getting some hip new cafe or restaurant that sounds right up Hot Dinners' street. The latest opening we've heard of is Tuck Shop which will open on Dereham...

Is Heston Blumenthal opening Dinner in New York?

Information: 31 January 2012

The influx of American chefs to London may soon see the tide turn in the other direction if a story in this weekend's Telegraph has any merit. It seems that Heston Blumenthal is now in talks to open...

1 Lombard Street relaunches following refurb

Information: 30 January 2012

City favourite 1 Lombard Street has recently undergone a refurbishment and Hot Dinners popped down last week for a preview of the new interior and menu. Opened in 1998 by former banker Soren Jessen, 1...

Keith McNally confirms he'll open in London this Autumn. But will it be Balthazar?

Information: 30 January 2012

If you weren't paying close attention to Twitter last week you may well have missed the news that Manhattan restaurateur Keith McNally has finally confirmed that he'll be opening a restaurant in...

Masterchef's Gregg Wallace to open Gregg's Table at the Bermondsey Square Hotel

Information: 27 January 2012

Big news today with the announcement that Masterchef's Gregg Wallace is opening a restaurant at the Bermondsey Square Hotel. The 80 seat restaurant (with a further 100 seats outdoors) will be called...

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