Read all about the hottest new restaurant openings of the last six months.
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Feb
Sep
Ambassadors Clubhouse - W1B
London
From the phenomenal JKS restaurant group, this large (140 cover) summer 2024 launch is located just off Regent Street and will focus on all things Punjabi. The menu highlights classic papads, chaats, kebabs, curries, pilaus, biryanis, tandoor-roasted breads, and desserts, featuring dishes such as Paan Patta Chaat and Karahi Saufiyan Langoustines. The 140-cover restaurant spans two floors with a 40-cover outdoor verandah and three private dining spaces. A central bar with a gold dome and all-day drinks list is a feature as is counter dining, and a lower ground floor space for dining and DJ performances. A dedicated music series will launch from September.
Leydi - EC4M
City of London
In Farringdon's new Hyde hotel, near the Old Bailey, an all-day restaurant inspired by the food of Istanbul from high-profile chef Selin Kiazim. Her Shoreditch spot Oklava ran for seven years and is much missed: Oklava's head chef Halil Simsek is in day-to-day charge of the kitchen, which is baking its own breads and butchering its own meat.
Maroto - W1G
London
Next door to the Brazilian consulate in Vere Street, just north of Oxford Street, this Brazilian restaurant has taken over the premises formerly occupied by Bossa and uses bold sauces to bring South American flavours to British ingredients. Downstairs there's a vibey lounge and late-night bar, featuring live music and Dj sets.
Aug
Trocaderos - G72
Cambuslang
Opening August 2024, a new restaurant from Michel Roux – his first since closing the family’s iconic Le Gavroche in London – at Crossbasket Castle near Glasgow. Named after a 1950s dance hall in nearby Hamilton, the venue will combine high-end dining with live music and entertainment, seven nights a week.
Cornus - SW1W
London
Opening summer 2024 on the top floor of Belgravia's Ice Factory, a follow-up from the team behind highly rated Medlar in Chelsea. Details are scarce, but it's definitely pitched as a 'destination' restaurant of high ambition
Lussmann's - N6
London
Andrei Lussmann has another go at a London opening twenty years after his first with this summer 2024 arrival in Highgate: the sixth in his Hertfordshire-focused chain. Opposite Waterlow Park, with 130 covers dinin, it incorporates a café-style area for coffee, a new bar featuring beers from Hertfordshire’s Mad Squirrel brewery, and a walled garden seating 30. The seasonal menu focuses on high welfare meat, sustainable seafood, and British vegetables. The Lussmanns locals set menu, available from 12pm-6.30pm daily, is £20.95 for two courses and £23.95 for three.
TimeSpirit - AB38
Scottish
Elchies
Opening in August on The Macallan whisky estate on Speyside, a restaurant from Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca, the brothers behind El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, the Catalan restaurant twice named the World’s Best. Opening as part of The Macallan’s bicentenary celebrations, the permanent restaurant is the Rocas’ first outside Spain, and takes its inspiration from the local Scottish larder.
Marceline - E14
London
Opening August 2024 in a floating pavilion at the Wood Wharf development near Canary Wharf, a Manhattan-style French bistro from chef Robert Aikens, the identical twin of Muse’s Tom, back in London after 30 years in the US. Classic French dishes, plus a terrace and bar with a “two-sip martini” costing £6.
Mignonette - TW9
Richmond
Chef John McClements, who ran the local Ma Cuisine group for three decades (and also founded the highly regarded restaurant McClements in Twickenham), has come out of retirement to launch this modern French bistro with a focus on affordability, just five minutes’ walk from Richmond station on the Kew Road. John trained at the Gleaneagles hotel. On the menu – affordable meat options rather than prime cuts (such as steak tartare, stuffed pigs trotter and ox cheek bordelaise), plus daily fish specials and also vegetarian/vegan options.
Mary's - W1
London
This grill-led restaurant that will take over the Mayfair premises of Pollen Street Social – where Jason launched his entrepreneurial career after quitting Gordon Ramsay 15 years ago. Pollen Street Social closed in July 2024. Mary’s will consist of a main restaurant, with the Blind Pig cocktail bar from Soho transferring to take over the former bar at PSS. Meanwhile, the old chef’s counter will serve smash burgers to walk-ins. In an added twist, the whole operation is scheduled to close down completely from January to April 2025 for a major refurb that will see the burger bar moving downstairs into a new ‘speakeasy-style’ basement.
Marquee Moon - N16
London
An old Dalston boozer, the Marquis of Lansdowne, has been revamped with Art Deco-inspired interiors as a restaurant and 'listening bar' with a late licence by the team behind Docklands nightclub The Cause. The menu features British pub classics combined with Southeast Asian influences – think Thai-style sausages and mash.
Lolo - SE1
London
Opening summer 2024 in Bermondsey Street, an all-day restaurant from José
Pizarro – his first to offer breakfast. Marking the Spanish chef’s 25th year in London, it is his third venue in the same street, following tapas bar José and restaurant Pizarro, and his seventh overall in London.
Rusty Rabbit - W2
London
In Notting Hill's Westbourne Grove, the first UK branch of a Sydney brunch specialist which brings Middle Eastern influences to classic Aussie daytime dishes, such as smashed avocado with dukkah. Good coffee, juices and pancakes are also key.
Kolamba East - E1
Sri Lankan
London
A 92-cover spin-off from the original in Soho likewise features a menu inspired by the founders' childhoods in Colombo, including dishes like Mas Paan, Idli with Sambar, and Moor King Prawn String Hopper Biryani.
Dishes by Andy Sheridan - LL19
British, Modern
Prestatyn
From the owner of Liverpool’s 8. The restaurant offers a modern British menu designed for sharing, with a variety of hot, cold, and baked dishes, as well as Sunday roasts. The menu includes items such as Scallop Tikka, Stone Bass Teriyaki, and Duck with Cucumber and Hoisin. The restaurant will initially be open from Wednesday to Sunday.
CATA - EH3
West End
In Stockbridge, a wine and tapas bar from veteran Spanish restaurateur Ignacio Campos, best-know for Iggs, which ran for more than 25 years on Jeffrey Street. You'll find 60 Spanish wines along with a selection of tapas, pintos and postres.
Eat MOMO - SE1
London
In a railway arch next to Borough Market, a neat little Nepalese canteen from sisters Trishna and Dipa Chamling, specialising in steamed dumplings (momo) stuffed with meat or vegetables.
MED - BN1
Withdean
Just back from the seafront close to Palace Pier, an all-day restaurant with a globally inspired menu.
Kitty Hawk - WC2N
London
This rooftop bar-restaurant in the Page 8 Hotel at St Martin's Place (formerly Japanese restaurant Bisushima) has spectacular views ofver Trafalgar Square. It serves a modern British cuisine including a pre-theatre set menu and lighter bites at the bar.
Goldies - W1B
London
In Kingly Court, Soho, a live-fire grill restaurant from the brothers behind French bistro Banchette. There are plenty of Middle Eastern/North African influences in the cuisine, which comes with hand-cut, twice-cooked frites served with a choice of five dips.
Jul
Engel - EC3V
City of London
Opening June 2024 in the City's Royal Exchange, a cocktail bar with cabaret space inspired by 1920s Berlin, from Des Gunewardena, paired with Korean restaurant Jang in the same building. They mark the launch of the former D&D London chief executive's new company, D3 Collective.
Elements - G61
Bearsden
Opening in 2024, the long-planned debut from experienced chef Gary
Townsend, who has worked in heavyweight kitchens including L'Enclume in
the Lake District and Edinburgh's Kitchin. Expect seasonal tasting menus
showcasing prime Scottish ingredients.
Soul Mama - N1
Caribbean
London
Musician YolanDa Brown's Islington Square venue has been bankrolled by a £250,000 crowdfunding drive. It will showcase live jazz, soul, reggae and gospel music, with a menu inspired by recipes handed down through generations of mothers across the Caribbean, Africa and South America.
Flat Iron - M3
Swinton
Opening summer 2024 in the former Blacks camping store in Deansgate, the home-coming branch of Manchester-raised Charlie Carroll's successful bargain-price steakhouse group. With 12 outlets in London plus Leeds and Cambridge, it has managed to maintain high standards through expansion. The free ice cream at the end of every meal is a winner.
Y Marram - LL61
Newborough
Opening summer 2024 in a converted shed on a caravan site, the re-boot of Marram Grass, which ran for 10 years until the pandemic. Brothers Liam and Ellis Barrie have earned a strong reputation for warm hospitality and top-class, ingredient-led cooking, and they also invite a roster of guest chefs.
Goodbye Horses - N1
London
Opening July 2024 in De Beauvoir, on the border between Islington and Hackney, a wine bar and restaurant serving biodynamic and natural wines alongside seasonal and sustainable sharing plates. Also on-site, pour-over specialist coffee shop Day Trip and gelato bar the Dreamery.
Tivoli - GL50
British, Modern
Cheltenham
From Tom Noest and Peter Creed – the owners of Sherborne Arms and the Bell Inn at Langford – this newcomer is situated on Andover Road in the heart of Cheltenham. The space includes a large bar area, two floors for dining, and two private rooms for parties or events. A walled terrace allows for outdoor dining. The menu makes a nod to local produce and nose-to-tail philosophy. Dishes include Devilled Kidneys on Toast, Pigs Head Scrumpet & Salad Lyonnaise, and Iberico Pork Bavette. Local beers, including those from Cheltenham-based Deya Brewery, are available, along with daily lunch specials, pub snacks, and regular chicken and steak nights. The venue also features live music nights.
Zia Lucia Chelsea - SW6
Italian
London
Located on Fulham Road in London, this 46-capacity restaurant also features alfresco seating. Guests can enjoy 48-hour slow fermented pizzas with a choice of traditional white flour, wholemeal, vegetable charcoal, gluten-free bases, and an attention-seeking Aperol-infused dough. Toppings include spicy nduja, truffle sauce, and burrata. The menu also offers authentic Italian starters, salads, homemade desserts, and drinks such as Birra Cabriole? beer and Italian cocktails. It’s part of the chain founded by Gianluca D’Angelo and Claudio Vescovo in 2016.
The Hound - W4
British, Traditional
London
On the site of The Crown (RIP) and previously Carvosso's (even longer RIP), Chiswick's former police station has been through a number of incarnations as a would-be pub with none sticking despite it having a characterful site and a brilliant back-door garden. This latest is from JKS Restaurants so hopes are hight. It features a pub floor, reception room, two private dining rooms, a covered outdoor courtyard, and a south-facing front terrace. The menu is inspired by British pub classics, created by Executive Chef John Sparks and Kitchen Table chef James Knappett. Menu highlights include Black Pudding Scotch Egg, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, and Highland Wagyu Hound Dog. The Hound also provides a selection of craft beers, cocktails, and its own label tap wines.
Holy Carrot Portobello - W11
Vegetarian
London
Irina Linovich's new plant-based venue on Portobello Road features a main ground floor dining area with a cocktail bar, an outside terrace, and a 50-cover capacity. Executive chef Daniel Watkins, co-founder of Dalston’s ACME Fire Cult, leads the kitchen with a plant-first menu focusing on 'fire and ferments’. Dishes will include ‘Sexy Tofu’, Asparagus, citrus & coconut butter and Matcha ‘tiramisu’. The restaurant partners with A Bar With Shapes For A Name for a cocktail list and Ania Smelskaya for an all-natural wine list. The interiors, designed by Linovich and Al-Jawad Pike, is earthy in tone.
Mercato Metropolitano Ilford - IG1
International
Ilford
The next food hall from the Mercato team will open in a car park in Ilford; there will be 30 stalls and space 600 people on the ground floor, and a sustainable farm on the roof which will produce salad for the market using hydroponic technology. Originally scheduled to open in October 2020, we don't have a revised date yet.
Jang - EC3V
London
Opening June 2024 in the City's Royal Exchange, a modern Korean restaurant from former D&D London partner Des Gunewardena. It will be the flagship of his new company D3 Collective, with ex-Seoul Bird chef Dana Choi running the kitchen.
Highroad Social - SE10
London
Opening on 7 July next door to the Greenwich Picturehouse, a British Isles-
focused restaurant and bar with a strong seafood offer and raw bar.
Founder David O’Brien is an ex-development director at Caprice Holdings, with
an Irish head chef in Fionnan Flood, formerly of The Chelsea Pig, and Clark
Crown (ex-Palomar) in charge of the bar.
Albert's Schloss - W1
German
London
On the former West End site of the Rainforest Café (RIP), this boozy Mancunian import – a ‘bier palace’ and ‘cook haus’ providing ‘recreation, indulgence, pleasure, and debauchery” – is to follow up on its spin-offs in Liverpool and Brum with this London debut in early 2024, on the site of Rainforest Café (RIP).
Plates - EC1V
London
Opening on July 3 on Old Street in Shoreditch, a high-end vegan restaurant from Great British Menu 2024 winner Kirk Haworth and his sister Keeley. Bookings may be hard to secure: the first batch sold out within hours of becoming available, three months ahead of launch.
The London & Paris - CT20
Fish & seafood
Central Folkestone
Close the harbour, a Victorian hotel dining room with a modern seafood-based menu and specials board which impressed critic Grace Dent of the Guardian.
Panda’s Kitchen - HA1
London
In the 'Little Chinatown' close to Harrow-on-the-Hill station, a Sichuan specialist combining basic comfort (wipe-down tablecloths, laminated menus) with high-grade cooking which impressed Jay Rayner of The Observer.
Mauby - SE4
London
In Brockley, the first permanent site for a team of Jamaican/Bajan barbecue specialists, best known as Jerk Off BBQ in Deptford. Expect home-style Caribbean cooking, natural wines and both full-strength and alcohol-free cocktails.
Milk Run - SW17
London
Close to Tooting Bec, a bakery spin-off from well-known Balham coffee shop Milk, a southwest London leader in Antipodean-style daytime coffee and grazing.
Little Dumpling King - ST1
Hanley
Chef-owner Rob McIntyre's shrine to the dumpling in Hanley is a noisy and atmospheric spot kitted out in black and red, with a menu inspired by Asian cuisine – they make their own crispy chilli oil. The Observer's Jay Rayner is a big fan following a summer 2024 visit.
Jun
The Village Pub - GL7
International
Barnsley
Opening June 2024, in the Cotswold village of Barnsley, the first pub from the shabby-chic Pig hotel group, which has taken over boutique hotel Barnsley House across the road (also opening summer 2024). The food is a pubby version of the Pig formula, with a hearty menu based around locally sourced ingredients, served in rustic comfort.
Tender - M2
Manchester City Centre
Opening June 2024 in the Stock Exchange Hotel (owned by ex-footballers Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs), a 'British bistro' from chef Niall Keating, of Lunar in Stoke-on-Trent and formerly of Whatley Manor in the Cotswolds. The grand, domed dining room previously hosted Tom Kerridge's Bull & Bear and the short-lived Stock Market Grill.
Nest Farmhouse - PE31
Kings Lynn
Opening in May 2024 in a converted cattle shed on 1,000-acre Docking
Lodge Farm in north Norfolk, from the team behind London high-fliers St
Bart's and Nest, who have operated summer pop-ups in nearby Burnham
Overy for the past two years. Expect Scandi-style treatment of locally
produced or foraged ingredients.
Notes - YO1
York City Centre
Opening May 2024 in the former site of Fish & Forest on Micklegate, a wine bar from F&F founder, chef Stephen Andrews, who is expanding F&F with a move to Grape Lane, where he’s taking over the premises of bar 1331 from his father.
Tollington's - N4
London
Opening June in a former Finsbury Park chippy, a Spanish-inspired seafood spot from Four Legs, the team behind The Plimsoll nearby. Expect casual drinks and standing bites at the front bar and restaurant seating at the back.
SKOF - M4
Manchester
Opening in 2024 in the city centre's NOMA district, great things are expected of this debut restaurant from Tom Barnes, former executive chef at L'Enclume in the Lake District. He retains close ties with Simon Rogan, his old boss, and will get regular deliveries of produce from L'Enclume's own regenerative farm.
The Park - W2
British, Modern
London
Jeremy King is back! (with a vengeance?) at this big, bold newcomer in a landmark new development opposite Kensington Gardens and on the corner of Queensway. Apparently it will be “very much within the ‘Grand Cafés & Brasseries’ mould that [he] love[s] so much but it is however very much of the early 21st Century rather than 20th". Perhaps that means less of the Edwardian (Ivy, Wolseley, Delaunay) or Victorian (Sheekeys) style that has characterised his earlier openings.
Albatross Death Cult - B3
International
Birmingham City Centre
Opening June 2024 in the Jewellery Quarter, a ‘mostly seafood’ chef’s table restaurant from chef Alex Claridge, of nearby The Wilderness. It replaces Atelier, his cocktail bar that closed down last year, which had become ‘an albatross around my neck’ – hence the name.
Permit Room - CB2
Cambridge (West)
Opening June 2024 in Trinity Street, the new brand from Dishoom, offering all-day food from breakfast nan rolls through to snacks and curries, plus a ready supply of cocktails and other drinks in a jolly atmosphere inspired by post-Independence Bombay.
Henri - WC2E
London
Opening in 2024 in Covent Garden's Henrietta Hotel, a bistro from hot chef Jackson Boxer (of Brunswick House and Orasay) in concert with the Paris-based Experimental Group, with whom he opened a restaurant at Cowley Manor in the Cotswolds last year. Here, he's inspired by his jaunts to Paris as a young chef.
Jones & Sons - E18
South Woodford
Opening June 2024 in the former site of Elmo’s Pizza, the first spinoff from Andy Jones’s high-profile industrial-style restaurant and grill in Dalston. Expect a ‘modern British’ menu of locally sourced seasonal produce, delivered from a large open kitchen, with bars upstairs and down.
Cloth - EC1A
London
Opening spring 2024 in Cloth Fair, an ancient row of houses that escaped the Great Fire of 1666, a new restaurant from specialist wine importers Joe Haynes and Ben Butterworth, and Tom Hurst, who was head chef at Lasdun and is a graduate of some of London's best modern kitchens. So we're expecting wine and food of unusual quality.
Bar Kroketa - W1F
Spanish
London
Opening 10 June in St Christopher’s Place, a second branch of the off-brand venture from Hispanic specialist Brindisa, following its December 2022 launch in Beak Street.
The Tartan Fox - TR8
Newquay
Opening 4 June in 16th-century listed Carvynick House, in woodland between Newquay and Truro, a pub and restaurant from Adam Handling, of Frog in London and Ugly Butterfly in St Ives. Expect 'sustainable local luxury', using Cornish ingredients – including produce grown in its own garden.
Ibai - EC1A
Steaks & grills
London
A smart new modern Basque steakhouse near Smithfield Market that debuted in summer 2024. At the stoves is ex Chiltern Fire House chef Richard Foster, who is backed by Nemanja Borjanovic and William Sheard – the duo behind the lauded meat supplier Txuleta. One of Borjanovic’s projects is to bring a Galician Blond herd to the UK, whose meat will be featured in the restaurant (he also co-owns Lurra and Donostia – both Basque-influenced restaurants in Marylebone).
Kioku by Endo, The OWO - SW1A
Japanese
London
Atop The Old War Office (OWO) in London, this summer 2024 arrival is a second rooftop venue in one of London's landmark building under the direction of sushi master Endo Kazutoshi (the other being at the former HQ of the Beeb, see Endo at the Rotunda). Especially for this mega-luxe hotel, the launch pricing is perhaps surprisingly (and sensibly) approachable: it is not a tasting-only format, with an à la carte with mains from £25-£25, a lunchtime three-course menu for £55 per person and the tasting menu here being £130 per person, and not just dedicated to Sushi but with a number of dishes, for example pork ravioli or Turbot with smoked sabayon, that would not look out of place in a Modern European restaurant. So the spin is very different from his W12 HQ. Planning a special meal? The venue includes a private dining room set in one of the OWO’s historic turrets!
May
mrDeanes - BT1
Irish
Belfast
In the city centre’s Howard Street, the latest venture from pioneering Belfast chef Michael Deane, who has had restaurants on this site since 1997 and closed his flagship Eipic in late 2023. He says it combines the best from the former Brasserie, Deli and Love Fish at the same address.
The Counter Soho - W1F
Carnaby
Opening May 2024 in Kingly Street, Soho, the second London venue from Turkish chef Kemal Demirasal, this time with a focus on dishes from the Aegean coast. Head downstairs to ‘listening bar’ Under the Counter for cocktails.
Native at Pensons - WR15
Tenbury Wells
Opening in May 2024 on the Netherwood Estate, replacing Pensons, which closed at Christmas 2023 after five years. It should make a perfect setting for Native, a zero-waste and foraging specialist that has earned accolades for its creative cuisine at venues in London and Essex.
Chartwell - YO61
Aldwark
Opening in May 2024 on the Aldwark Manor Estate luxury hotel near York, a new restaurant said to be inspired by the great Auguste Escoffier. Head chef Chris O'Callaghan has worked in top kitchens including the Fat Duck, Gravetye Manor and L"Ortolan.
Café Petiole - WC2R
London
Opening May 2024 in Somerset House, an all-day 'mostly vegan' cafe from Rishim Sachdeva, of Tendril in Mayfair. You'll find Tendril favourites including its tiramisu, alongside new dishes with an emphasis on baked goods.
Ardfern - EH6
Leith
Opening in May 2024 in the former premises of Mistral, an all-day café, bar, restaurant and bottleshop from chef Roberta Hall-McCarron – next door to her more formal flagship, The Little Chartroom. Named after a village in Argyll and Bute, it allows Roberta and her husband Shaun to offer breakfast and brunch, as they did before the pandemic.
zekki - TA4
Wiveliscombe
In the ‘gateway to Exmoor’, a 30-seat restaurant from self-taught Cypriot chef Tim Zekki, serving West Country ingredients with international flavourings. Telegraph critic William Sitwell hailed it as a “gorgeous and charming flavour bomb of a place”.
Akira Back - W1S
London
In the new Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hanover Square, Mayfair, the long-awaited European debut of Korean celeb chef Akira Back. His self-named main restaurant reinterprets Korean and Japanese dishes, while Dosa is a 14-seat chef’s table offering contemporary Korean dishes prepared using French techniques. He is also behind the hotel’s two bars, ABar Lounge and ABar Rooftop.
The Table - EH3
West End
Under-the-radar New Town establishment where chef Sean Clark cooks a set menu for a maximum of 10 guests seated together at a single stone counter. Food-loving Hollywood director Joe Russo (Avengers, Captain America) is apparently a big fan. You’ll need to book ahead.
La Maison Ani - SW1X
London
In the Carlton Tower Jumeira hotel, Knightsbridge, a French-inspired all-day venue from Dubai-based British-Nigerian chef Izu Ani. The menu is built around French classics, with a burger, pizza and pasta selection to suit the international hotel clientele.
Chez Roux - W1B
London
Following his closure of the iconic Le Gavroche, Michel Roux’s first London foray under the family brand is this May 2024 debut in the hotel where he ran Roux at the Landau for many years. This newcomer isn’t in the old space for the Landau (see Mimosa) but is dinner only in the hotel’s Palm Court, where Michel already consults on lunch and afternoon tea (and he also helps run the adjoining Wigmore gastropub). Despite generally excellent cuisine, his former venture often struggled prior to its Covid-induced closure to garner the recognition it deserved. Perhaps now that its the capital’s sole Roux-branded venue it will rise to a greater prominence? The fact that its under the ‘Chez Roux’ banner (also used by his consultancy at the Greywalls Hotel in Scotland) hints at a level of aspiration that’s ‘haute’ but not at the dizziest of gastronomic heights.
1864 Rooftop Bar & Kitchen - W1C
London
Located on the rooftop of the John Lewis & Partners flagship store on Oxford Street, this in-store venue features a 'rooftop garden' concept with private greenhouses and views of central London. It accommodates up to 200 people standing and 64 seated in an indoor bar, outdoor terrace, and greenhouse-style booths. It seems that small plates and cocktails are everywhere nowadays! The menu includes Lobster Rolls, Seaweed Tempura Monkfish, Ibérico Bellota ham, and Vegan Chocolate Mousse. The cocktail list features negronis and margaritas, alongside unique creations such as the Oaxaca Martini and Gypsy Martini.
Sotto Cucina & Bar - E1
London
In the basement of the Whitechapel Road’s Hyatt Palace City East hotel, a Sicilian restaurant from Catania-born chef Alfio Laudani (ex-Cypriani). The menu features Sicilian specialities including caponata, arancini and pasta alla Norma.
The Pig’s Ear - SW3
French
London
In Old Church Street, Chelsea, the first pub from the three Gladwin brothers, the latest addition to their ‘Local & Wild’ stable of restaurants supplied by the family farm in West Sussex (which includes Rabbit just up the King’s Road). The grand late-Victorian tavern on a corner site was lavishly renovated as recently as 2021.
Julie’s - W11
British, Modern
London
This Holland Park hotspot from the Seventies is making a comeback next year under a new owner – Tara MacBain, a former regular who lives nearby and trained at Le Cordon Bleu. Expect French brasserie-style cooking from an all-day menu featuring seafood towers – and, in a nod to its louche past – a Martini trolley to save on trips to the bar.
The Creel - EH42
Scottish
Dunbar
This old fisherman's inn on the historic harbourside has been taken over by Jack Findlay (from Logan Thorburn, who ran it for 16 years). The cooking, from a sister-and-brother kitchen team, won a rave review in The Times in May 2024.
The Counter - TN1
Royal Tunbridge Wells
In a three-storey Georgian house in Calverley Road, ambitious cooking from locally born chef Robin Read, who trained under the Roux Brothers and was running hotel kitchens for a London-based group until deciding to branch out on his own in his home town, with wife Greta Boccia overseeing the wine list.
Apple Butter Cafe - WC2H
London
All-day international café brand with sites in Langham Place and Seven Dials, majoring in Insta-friendly sweet dishes including triple-stacked pancakes.
Pomus - CT9
Margate
In The Centre shopping precinct, a restaurant, bar and bottle shop from former Jamie Oliver Group boss Ryan Jacovides. Chef Tony Rodd, a former MasterChef finalist whose Copper & Ink in Blackheath attracted rave reviews, is focusing on local Kent produce.
Gerry’s Hot Subs - EC1R
Sandwiches, cakes, etc
London
In Exmouth Market, a tribute to the North American deli sandwich tradition from Ottawa-born and Detroit-raised Andre Blais (ex-Belgo and Bodeans). The Observer’s Jay Rayner gave it a rave review.
Pasture - B3
Birmingham City Centre
In Colmore Row, the third, latest and biggest branch of the Bristol-based steakhouse from former Jamie Oliver group exec chef Sam Elliott, which has earned a glowing reputation for both value and quality.
Labombe Wine Bar - SE1
London
A Monday-nights-only takeover of the bar at Bermondsey star Trivet, a wine bar with small and sharing plates by Trivet chef Jonny Lake that has access to sommelier Isa Bal’s famed 450-strong wine list. A chance to mix with industry professionals on their night off.
The Jetty - PL28
Padstow
In the Harbour Hotel, a fourth coastal restaurant from chef Alex Aitken. Expect high-quality locally sourced seafood accompanied by views over the harbour.
Apr
Restaurant Auction House - LN11
Louth
Opening in April 2024 in the Lincolnshire town's Cornmarket, the first restaurant from ex-Winteringham Fields head chef Gareth Bartram and his wife Lucy. They plan to provide a special experience with great food – and at an attractive price.
Zhima - G1
Merchant City
Taking over the former Prezzo site in St Vincent Place, an ambitious Asian fusion venture bringing together the culinary styles of Canton, Sichuan and Hunan. The style and atmosphere is more Hakkasan than trad Chinese.
UBA - EC2A
London
Opening April 2024 in Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch, a vibey pan Asian spot from the Middle Eastern-based outfit behind Sucre and Clap. Expect a modern take on Japanese favourites including sushi and teppanyak, eaten to the beat of DJ sets.
July - W1T
London
On Charlotte Street in Fitzrovia, an all-day bakery, wine bar and restaurant inspired by Alsace. Ex-40 Maltby Street chef Holly Hayes is at the stoves, while wine consultant Honey Spencer has put together an interesting selection of low-intervention wines.
Cardinal - EH3
West End
Opening in March on the fringe of the New Town in Eyre Place, Canonmills, the first solo venture from chef Tomás Gormley, one of the duo behind Heron and Skua. It's an intimate venue serving ambitious 13-course tasting menus using prime Scottish ingredients.
Amber's - HG1
Harrogate
Scheduled for an April opening in the Cedar Court, Harrogate’s oldest hotel (originally Queen’s Hotel, from 1687), a flagship fine dining restaurant promising a traditional British menu using the best of Yorkshire and UK produce. The £500,000 investment includes the Imaginarium private dining space, and takes its name from a distinguished former resident, the progressive thinker and scientist Lady Amber Fitzwilliam.
ABC Kitchens, The Emory - SW1X
London
Opening April 2024 in a new luxury hotel next door to sister establishment the Berkeley in Knightsbridge, ABC Kitchen from Alsatian-born, New York-base celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. A combination of his three New York ABC restaurants is promised, offering an American take on upscale all-day dining.
Gorse - CF11
Canton
In Kings Road, Pontcanna, this former pop-up is a debut restaurant from Newport-born chef Tom Waters, back in Wales after stints in top kitchens including the Fat Duck, The Square and Bryn Williams’s Odette’s. He promises new twists on prime Welsh ingredients.
Under The Table - EH3
West End
Spin-off bistro from The Table upstairs, serving high-quality modern French and Italian dishes from chef Sean Clark at accessible prices. Hailed by The Times as ‘another marvel’.
Roe - E14
London
Opening in spring in Canary Wharf (next door to the floating Hawksmoor in Wood Wharf), a new ultra-sustainable restaurant from the team behind Fallow in St James's. Expect nose-to-tail eating, including a mixed grill of venison (it is named after a native breed of deer) along with vegetables grown on-site using an 'aeroponic' green wall.
Lannan Bakery - EH3
West End
In Stockbridge, hailed by The Times as 'Scotland's most talked about bakery, from 26-year-old Darcie Maher, a self-taught baker from the Borders. The croissants sell out by 9am, but there's plenty more to tempt you
Los Mochis - EC2M
Fusion
London
Open in autumn 2023, a glossy-looking rooftop venue in British Land's first net Zero development in the city. It is to serve the same Japan-meets-Mexico menu as the original off Notting Hill Gate, but the main emphasis will be on the selection of tequilas and mezcals.
Carmel - W1W
London
Opening in March in Fitzrovia, the second branch of popular Queen's Park
eastern Mediterranean-inspired venture. Founder Josh Katz's first big
hit was Berber & Q. Look out for its signature huge filled flatbreads.
Cibo - M2
Italian
Manchester
On the site that - for 14 years - was Rio Ferdinand's Rosso, RIP. There are Cibo branches in Hale and Wilmslow, plus sister restaurant Sasso in Disley, but this will be the first city centre opening.
Agora - SE1
London
Taking over the former Rabot 1745 site at Borough Market in March, a Greek steetfood specialist with a 2-metre rotisserie cooking whole lamb and pig on the spit. Upstairs, opening in April, is the more laid-back Oma, with a raw bar. The team behind the pair have good pedigrees, including Manteca, Kiln and Sabor.
Yasmin - W1B
London
Rooftop terrace, bar and restaurant just of Piccadilly Circus, serving sharing plates inspired by Istanbul, from chef Tom Cenci, along with 'killer cocktails'. Like restaurant Nessa on the ground floor, it is part of members club 1 Warwick but is now open to the public.
The Bear - SE5
London
A classic neighbourhood boozer in Camberwell, brought back to life after being closed for six years. The tucked-away dining area showcases the talents of chef Joe Sharratt, formerly of Brixton hot spot Naughty Piglets.
Cuubo - B17
Harborne
A tiny 20-seater from ex-Simpsons chef Dan Sweet, who transformed his Covid-era takeaway Qbox on Harborne high street following a crowdfunding campaign. The Observer’s Jay Rayner hailed it as "one of the most exciting new restaurants" of recent times.
Alberta’s at The Windmill - BN1
Brighton
A Regency pub near the city centre has become the permanent perch for this former pop-up from Scottish chef Alistair Munro (ex Wild Flor), who cooks an eclectic menu of sandos and spiffed-up fast food classics. The FT's Tim Hayward loved it.
The Cloudberry - TN17
Cranbrook
A cute and intimate 16-seat venue near Sissinghurst from a husband-and-wife team who quit their London careers to open their 'dream restaurant' – Toby, who cooks, and Bev, who looks after the guests. Daily Telegraph critic William Sitwell is a fan.
The Clifton - BS8
British, Modern
Bristol
A former pub in Clifton serving hearty dishes. William Sitwell of the Daily Telegraph gave it a big thumbs-up.
Twenty Eight - CH1
Chester
Little sister restaurant next door to Chef's Table on Pepper Street, serving 'growing-led British tapas', with much of the produce grown on the team's pesticide-free farm, Field28. Times critic Giles Coren is a big fan of the dishes served by ex-Sticky Walnut head chef Jay Tanner.
Med Salleh Viet - W2
London
In Chepstow Road, Westbourne Park, from the Malaysian team behind Med Saleh Kopitiam, a Vietnamese restaurant specialising in pho and grills.
Ranjits Kitchen - G41
Indian
Glasgow
All-day Punjabi canteen in Strathbungo on Glasgow's Southside, offering authentic home cooking from Ranjit Kaur and her family. Tipped by Times restaurant critic Chitra Ramaswamy as possibly the best Indian vegetarian spot in Scotland – and extremely good value.
Sekkoya - CT1
Canterbury
In the cathedral city's Riverside development, a modern glossy pan-Asian restaurant delivering a range of mostly Chinese dishes alongside cocktails and late-night vibes in a snazzy interior.
Med Salleh Kopitiam - W2
Malaysian
London
Tucked away in the Berjaya Eden Park Hotel in Inverness Terrace, near Bayswater Tube station, which caters mainly for Malaysian tourists, the kopitiam or coffeeshop serves one of London's only Malaysian breakfasts, along with authentic dishes at lunch and dinner. Jay Rayner of the Observer and Giles Coren of The Times are both fans.
Tiger Bites Pig - B2
Ladywood
Moving in autumn 2024 to bigger premises in Church Street (previously home to Urban Coffee), this Taiwanese bao specialist has won in a big reputation in its five years near New Street station. Brummier super-chef Aktar Islam of Opheem is a big fan.
Mar
Freddie's - NW3
London
In the shadow of the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, a New York-style Jewish deli named after the owners' son. Open daily until 4pm for Ashkenazi classics, to eat in or take away. Tipped by the Observer's Jay Rayner as a challenger to London's best in the genre.
The Shed - SA1
In a converted Victorian warehouse near the docks, a restaurant celebrating Welsh produce from locally born chef Jonathan Woolway, who polished his skills at St John in London. The Guardian's Grace Dent is an admirer.
A Braccetto - SW5
London
Close to Earl's Court station, a modern take on the classic Italian neighbourhood trat, with pizza and pasta dominating the menu. So it's familiar comfort food with contemporary touches, including natural wines and a communal central table.
thirty7 - WC2E
London
Opening in late March In Bedford Street, Covent Garden, an all-day brasserie from the team behind The Oystermen and nearby Bedford Street Wines. Inspired by the brasseries of Paris and Manhattan, they're not all about seafood this time round and they're sourcing their meat from the West Country.
Maya - M1
Manchester City Centre
Opening in March 2024 in a renovated historic warehouse which it shares with Leven lifestyle hotel on the corner of Canal and Chorlton Streets, this 3-storey venture offers a glossy ‘dinner plus’ experience, with late-night entertainment and DJs. Chef Gabe Lea has worked at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir and The French at the Midland Hotel.
