May's big London restaurant openings + Test Driving the new Padella, Taste of London preview, star spotting, news & more...

EDITOR'S LETTER

The sun is shining and the future's looking as bright as the weather, judging by the interesting restaurant openings coming our way next month. Check out our jam packed list of all the May restaurant launches you'll need to know about.

Speaking of good weather, we're keeping our fingers crossed for this year's Taste of London in Regent's Park. And if you're wondering which restaurants will be popping up at this year's festival, we've got the rundown.

Catherine Hanly - Editor, Hot Dinners

MAY OPENINGS

The big new London restaurants opening in May 2026

May is another busy month in the London restaurant calendar with a lot of very promising new openings throughout the month. There's a new restaurant from a Great British Menu Finalist, a two-Michelin-starred chef, the latest from Jackson Boxer and a whole lot more.

See what's coming your way

PARK LIFE

Who's going to be at Taste of London this summer? We've got the scoop...

Find out which restaurants, chefs, food influencers and bars are going to be at this year's Taste of London in Regent's Park. It's a cracking line-up.

This year's Taste guide

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RESTAURANT NEWS

Monica Galetti joins the reworked social enterprise restaurant 130 Primrose in Primrose Hill

TV star Monica Galetti is back on the London restaurant scene as exec chef at this North London spot.

A tiramisu trolley with four different takes is being wheeled over to Barbarella in Canary Wharf

And yes, you can have all four tiramisus in one bowl.

Doghouse Distillery is opening a bar in Clapham with London’s largest Old Fashioned menu

It helps that they'll be supplying all the spirits themselves.

You'll soon be able to get those viral Basque cheesecakes in King's Cross

Basque cheesecake folk La Maritxu have announced that they're opening in Coal Drops Yard.

Covent Garden is Noodle Inn's next stop for their hand-pulled noodles

But this latest branch of the viral Noodle Inn group will probably still have long queues when it opens.

TEST DRIVE

Test Driving Padella Soho, still the best of the pasta bar bunch after a decade

As they reach their 10th birthday, Padella have just opened their third restaurant. We went down to Soho to see how the leaders of London's pasta revolution are faring after a decade.

See what we tried

STAR SPOTTING

Where celebrities are eating in London right now

Ever wondered where the A-listers eat when they're in town? We keep a close eye on the tabloids and celebrity gossip sites so you don't have to.

A-list hangouts

COMPETITION LAST CHANCE

Win dinner cooked at your home by Valentine Warner for you and three friends

Kitchen in the Wild is offering four lucky folk the chance to win dinner cooked for them by founder, chef Valentine Warner, with wines from Sugrue South Downs.

Enter now - closes 1 May

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GET IN TOUCH

Spotted something we should know about?

Noticed a new restaurant about to open in your neighbourhood? Seen a celebrity dining out in London? Heard a piece of hospitality gossip you want to share? Unburden yourself and tell us all about it.

Share the news...

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