Read all about the capital's most anticipated hot new restaurant openings.
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Apr
Hell’s Kitchen, The Cumberland Hotel - W1H
London
Opening 02 Apr 2026
You've seen the TV Series, now live the thrills, spills and drama first hand while you sip on your soup. That's the promise at Big Sweary's first TV-spin-off restaurant, open by Marble Arch in Spring 2026. It’s set to be the first of many apparently, so you can't be guaranteed the presence of the toussle-haired-one’s own presence… except for the much PR’s launch of course.
Acme Taco, 40FT Brewery Blackhorse - E17
London
Opening 03 Apr 2026
With 40FT brewery having opened a second venue, so there is the arrival of a new Mexican-inspired cousin to the acclaimed Acme Fire Cult – here in the brewery’s Walthamstow spin-off, and this time specialising in tacos made from soft tortillas (e.g. Suadero Taco with confit ox cheek, beef sausage, heart & tongue, finished with smoky bone marrow & salsa roja).
Kawan by Uncle Roger - W1D
London
Opening 04 Apr 2026
Online influences and comedian, Nigel Ng (“Uncle Roger") – known for his rice videos – teams up with Keng Yew (YiQi, The Eight, etc) to open this 60-cover Chinatown venture (on a site that was Monga, which has relocated to Soho). Given Ng’s persona we’re guessing some fried rice on a menu which promises Pan?Asian dishes with British influences. Kawan is Malay for “friend” or “companion".
Monga Fried Chicken - W1D
Chicken
London
Opening 04 Apr 2026
Online influences and comedian, Nigel Ng (“Uncle Roger") – known for his rice videos – teams up with Keng Yew (YiQi, The Eight, etc) to open this 60-cover Chinatown venture (on a site that was Monga, which has relocated to Soho). Given Ng’s persona we’re guessing some fried rice on a menu which promises Pan?Asian dishes with British influences. Kawan is Malay for “friend” or “companion".
Bone Daddies - W1D
London
Opening 06 Apr 2026
Shackfuyu was supposed to be a pop-up but lasted the best part of eight years on its handy Soho site. Owners Bone Daddies are now further boosting their Soho presence taking it back into the main brand. The new branch will have 80 covers on the ground floor. Shackfuyu will not die completely though, with the addition of its kinako dessert dish to all Bone Daddies ramen bars.
Mitsu - EC2A
London
Opening 09 Apr 2026
A revamped pub from a group with a growing track-record in the Thames valley. Chef Dom Chapman and restaurateur Nigel Sutcliffe worked together at the Fat Duck (where the latter was a director) and Chapman has been head chef at its nearby gastropub sibling, The Hinds Head as well as at the (unconnected) Royal Oak Paley. Here, with business partner James McLean they will revivify this old boozer set in two acres as ‘The Jack’ with 80-cover dining room and terrace, bedrooms and kitchen garden. Other pubs connected with members of the team in the area include The Crown in Bray, The Mutton in Hazeley Heath, The Oarsman in Marlow, Buckinghamshire and The Three Tuns pub in Henley-on-Thames.
East West - E2
London
Opening 10 Apr 2026
Pizza on Brick Lane – CTM, Chicken Tikka Masala flavour of course! This is the second spin-off of a fusion-pizza brand that started in Tufnell park five years ago.
Mondo Sando - SE8
London
Opening 10 Apr 2026
A second branch for erstwhile Covid popup run by Jack Macrae and Viggo Blegvad, Mondo Sando initially held residencies at the Grove House Tavern in Camberwell and The White Horse in Peckham. There's a 50-cover outdoor space in summer – when the weather is less clemment it’s more a case of grab-and-go. Deptford-only menu items are promised alongside fave-raves.
Honey & Co Great Portland - W1W
London
Opening 13 Apr 2026
Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich reformat their former Honey & Smoke (RIP) in Spring 2026 to concentrate on their Honey & Co brand which now has three outlets and an event space around central London. The re-jigged 40-cover venue will focus on wine, with a focus on the Eastern Med (including Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine). By day it will operates as a deli; by night as a dining room and wine bar with a menu suited to sharing( sample dishes include tuna crudo with grated tomato and tahini; crispy pork with oregano and candied lemon; and fried artichoke with garlic, parsley and lemon).
Horseman & Fitzgerald's - EC2M
London
Opening 13 Apr 2026
In a shiny new development next to Liverpool Street from the group also behind Sunday in Brooklyn (13th Street Hospitality) – an Irish/American themed haunt describing itself as an “Irish-American free house and club dining” with a heavy horse and jockey theme. There are two spaces combining Irish Bar (Horseman) and American Restaurant (Fitzgerald's) – the latter featuring dishes such as Kentucky fried chicken, Lamb shank pie, Irish beef steaks and Derby pie desserts (the latter are a speciality of Kentucky – a tart with a filling of chocolate chips and nuts inside a flaky crust, and often with a dash of bourbon).
Buvette - WC2H
London
Opening 15 Apr 2026
Spring 2026 newcomer from US chef Jody Williams opening what the press release describes as her cult NYC offering to the heart of Covent Garden. Taking over the former St. John bakery site, Buvette will be an 80-cover all-day “Gastrotheque” and a yard-side terrace. This is the brand's second crack at London having tried three years ago in Notting Hill.
Clio - W1U
London
Opening 15 Apr 2026
Part of the current vogue for all things modern Greek – this new dining concept in Marylebone occupies a site vacated by Wulf & Lamb (where Paddington and Chiltern Streets cross) and is led by Executive Chef Glen Ballis. He draws inspiration from the wider Med, mirrored by the proposed interiors, where we are promised a sculptural stone bar and warm earthy tones.
Karam’s - WC1N
London
Opening 15 Apr 2026
Named after Jikoni creator Ravinder Bhogal's (the owner) grandfather, Sardar Karam Singh Bhogal – this new vegetarian Indian opens in spring 2026 within the brutal environs of the Brunswick Centre. It will offer traditional vegetarian South Asian cuisine rooted in Indian dining featuring dosas, thalis, and veg curries, with a focus on sustainability and seasonal ingredients. It sounds fancier as described by Vogue to be honest: “A JOYOUS VEGETARIAN… SET TO LIGHT UP LONDON" with “heritage grains, beans, legumes, pulses and “beautiful vegetarian dishes that make you feel not just nourished, but joyful”.
Padella - W1 - W1B
London
Opening 16 Apr 2026
In the food hub of Kingly Street (just off Carnaby) in Soho, the third branch of Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda’s hand-made pasta operation that has been has been a big hit at Borough Market (and later in Shoreditch) since opening 10 years ago. Set over two storeys, including a private dining room, with some new dishes promised, it will cover 2300 square feet with 80 covers.
Sova - W11
London
Opening 18 Apr 2026
After a brief stint as Zima (RIP here), the owners are switching up the formula. Formely a spin-off from their Soho original providing caviar and dumplings – now the offering will be led by wine, with the main regions featured drawn from Eastern and Central Europe. There are also shelves of vinyl which provides the soundtrack.
MA/NA (MANA) - W1K
Japanese
London
Opening 20 Apr 2026
From the Thesleff group – who already run top Japanese venues like Juno and Luna – this new new luxury Japanese restaurant and bar occupies the Mayfair site just off Park Lane vacated by Raya (RIP) and will offer an upscale version of the Japanese dining and cocktails the group also provides at its two Los Mochis operations. Executive Chef Leo Tanyag showcases Japan’s culinary traditions, while the bar, led by Pietro Collina, provides a late-night experience. With 156 covers and a Private Dining Room for up to 20 guests, MA/NA is said to embody the philosophy of 'mana' which apparently has many translations from Japanese depending on the context, including ‘true food’.
The Latimer - W10
London
Opening 21 Apr 2026
Even many savvy Londoners may be hard-pressed to navigate to this interestingly located Spring 2026 opening, which occupies a very attractive but hitherto mostly obscure pub with terrace in a residential restaurant wasteland about 20 minutes walk from the north reaches of the Portobello Road. It will not lack opening interest as it’s the project of restaurant royalty – Jon Spiteri was an original partner in The French House, St. John and Sessions Arts Club, and partner Melanie Arnold, co-founded of Rochelle Canteen. Here they are partnered with their sons, Lorcan and Fin (who are behind Caravel) and daughter Molly (in restaurant biz dev). It certainly wont suffer immediate local competition, but the pull of these in-crowd restaurateurs to the Notting Hillbilly crowd may mean they succeed here where others have failed.
Bancone - EC2R
City of London
Opening 22 Apr 2026
The fifth branch of this expanding budget-pasta brand hits the City of London, not far from the Bank of England in Spring 2026.
Cue Point, The Garden Bar - W10
London
Opening 22 Apr 2026
Near the foot of Grenfell (well, what's left of it as it’s disappearing, being demolished) and right by Latymer Road tube – this large Victorian pub benefits from an unusually big, attractive garden next to the elevated tracks of the Hammersmith & City line. Now it’s also the home of a pop-up gone permanent from Mursal Saiq and Joshua Moroney (ex head chef of Smokestak). It’s billed as mixing Afghan flavours with Texan BBQ techniques – the result is dishes like oak-smoked wagyu brisket with naan & saffron butter or sticky toffee pudding with kulfi and corn bread.
Miko Mei Fair - W1J
London
Opening 23 Apr 2026
On the ground floor of MiMi Mei Fair’s Georgian townhouse in Mayfair (see what they did there, with their name), this 50-seater evolves Samyukta Nair and family’s offering to fuse MiMi Mei Fair’s “adventurous imagination with the culinary legacy of Koyn Thai” (a former Nair venture). Press announcements promise "a natural evolution, bringing together warm, intimate dining with the focus and discipline of fire led cooking… [with] energy and generosity, expressed through layered interiors, vibrant ingredient led dishes and heartfelt hospitality… in a setting that feels both alive and deeply personal.”
Willett's, The Cadogan Hotel - SW1X
London
Opening 24 Apr 2026
A British bistro led by executive chef Michael Turner, who joined the hotel in 2025 and whose CV includes being executive head chef at The Savoy Grill and The River Restaurant. It is the latest venture to try and realise the potential of what should be a slam-dunk – a charming dining room within a marvellously and poshly located hotel (which has seen numerous formats come and go over the years). It will seat 44 diners plus 8 at the chef’s counter. The aim is conservative with a small "c": "a true neighbourhood bistro… centred around British cooking and produce… [and] focus[ed] on well-loved classics and seasonal ingredients".
Blacklock Birmingham - B3
Steaks & grills
Birmingham
Opening 26 Apr 2026
(February 2026 update - an opening date has finally been set... for April 2026). The second out-of-London outpost of Gordon Ker's all-conquering group was originally set to open in Autumn 2025 in Birmingham city centre, offering a modern take on the Great British chophouse. Situated in St Philip's House, the restaurant features a 100-seat dining area and bar overlooking Cathedral Square. Known for their quality meat sourced from award-winning Cornish family farmers, Blacklock prides itself on using the whole animal to create a diverse menu; with a focus on sustainability and exceptional value.
Kinz - W11
London
Opening 27 Apr 2026
Named for ‘Treasure’ in Arabic, this Notting Hill debut is the work of Jad Lahoud, Karim Lahoud, and Rasha Khouri Bruzzo and it's stated aim is “an authentic yet contemporary take on Lebanese cooking, rooted in tradition and shaped for modern, all-day dining”. With space for 130 diners, it occupies a 1930s banking hall with triple?height ceilings, mezzanine seating and a converted bank vault used as a wine room. It will open all-day from breakfast (from £12) before moving onto mezze and grills in later services.
Celentano’s, Arthouse Glasgow - G2
Italian
Glasgow
Opening 30 Apr 2026
Having operated since August 2021 in Glasgow's Cathedral House building, the operation shifts in 2026 to new digs in Arthouse Glasgow. Still run by Anna and Dean Parker, the new venue will offer a refreshed Italian-influenced menu with an ingredient-led, minimal-waste approach; and a focus on fermentation methods and produce cooked over embers. The drinks menu, curated by Anna, will echo the kitchen's ethos, featuring seasonal cocktails made from kitchen 'waste'. The new space, designed by A-nrd Studio, will seat over 60 guests.
Kiez Kebab - W10
London
Opening 30 Apr 2026
On North Portobello's hip Golborne Road, on a site that was formerly The Counter, this slick-looking spring 2026 newcomer is a "design led take on the classic kebab shop" that's Berlin-inspired. A 30-cover space with stainless steel countertops, it is focused on a curt menu of three core options (with veal, chicken and a vegan option) served in pide, with classic sides alongside Germanic beers and drinks.
Kumori - W1D
London
Opening 30 Apr 2026
In Soho, the first permanent venue for an outfit that has operated pop-ups for three years, specialising in sushi hand-rolls made to order in front of the guest. Options include spicy tuna with jalapeno miso and torched scallop, as well as vegetarian choices. Head chef John Randy De Guzman was previously head chef at Tobi Masa and spent nearly a decade at Nobu.
Ornella - E8
London
Opening 30 Apr 2026
A sibling to Highbury’s Lupa is coming to Hackney in Spring 2026. The chef – Naz Hassan – grew up in Milano and the aim is a local Italian but with the repertoire of slightly more formal Northern Italian cucina. Co-owner Ed Templeton is co-founder of Fitzrovia hit Carousel and it’s the second project in partnership with actor Theo James.
Tavern - EC1V
London
Opening 30 Apr 2026
Nest – closed at the end of March 2026 – reopens just one month later under the same team but with a different, tavern-ish format. Luke Wasserman, Toby Neill and Johnnie Crowe will now offer a take on the traditional British pub with chef Kirsty Easterbrook (formerly sous chef at St Barts) producing dishes such as puffed pig skin with smoked cod’s roe; lamb scrumpets with mint; turbot with English sparkling wine sauce, and lamb or hogget with anchovy and gem lettuce.
May
Bread Street Kitchen - EC2N
London
Opening 06 May 2026
A 59th-floor vantagepoint is key to the profile of this Gordon Ramsay opening – the seventh in London under the Bread Street brand. It will be an all-day operation and a nearby bar in the complex has a 24-hour licence all begging comparisons with the Heron Tower and Duck & Waffle.
Arbequina - OX1
Oxford
Opening 31 May 2026
Rufus Thurston launched Oli’s Thai with his wife Ladd in 2013, and followed up with tapas bar Arbequina, which he opened with Ben Whyles and Ben Bateman three years later. Now they unveil a second branch of Arbequina in Oxford Covered Market which will be a seven-day affair. Initially it will be lunch service only but meals in the evening are planned when the first floor opens later in the year.
Major’s Grill, Cambridge House Auberge - W1J
London
Opening 31 May 2026
Known for decades as the ‘In & Out Club’ – officially the Naval & Military – on Piccadilly near The Ritz, this commanding landmark (official title, Cambridge House) is finally relaunched after more than 20 years of waiting to be redeveloped. The Major's Grill is set to max out as a traditional grill restaurant – whether or not it will inhabit the old restaurant space (which was a supreme period piece of dowdy period style) remains to be seen.
Rossella - N10
London
Opening 31 May 2026
After 14 years trading in Gospel Oak, Luca Meola is expanding his family’s restaurant business with this second branch in Muswell Hill (the first ‘Rossella’ having been run by Luca’s father, Luigi, in Benevento in 1960). The spin-off will be bigger than the original, combining a restaurant, bar and deli: the restaurant will serve larger dishes (such as Veal Milanese) alongside small plates, pastas and pizzas. Wine includes bottles shipped from the family’s own Benevento property.
The Jack O’ Newbury - RG42
Winkfield Row
Opening 31 May 2026
A revamped pub from a group with a growing track-record in the Thames valley. Chef Dom Chapman and restaurateur Nigel Sutcliffe worked together at the Fat Duck (where the latter was a director) and Chapman has been head chef at its nearby gastropub sibling, The Hinds Head as well as at the (unconnected) Royal Oak Paley. Here, with business partner James McLean they will revivify this old boozer set in two acres as ‘The Jack’ with 80-cover dining room and terrace, bedrooms and kitchen garden. Other pubs connected with members of the team in the area include The Crown in Bray, The Mutton in Hazeley Heath, The Oarsman in Marlow, Buckinghamshire and The Three Tuns pub in Henley-on-Thames.
Cloth Cornhill, Simpson’s Tavern - EC3
British, Traditional
London
Opening 31 May 2026
At last, someone has rescued the site of Simpsons Tavern, a City institution in a Dickensian back-alley, which originally dates from 1757. The team from Cloth (Joe Haynes and Ben Butterworth, plus chef Tom Hurst who has worked at Lasdun, Levan, and Brawn) relaunch it as a new sibling. Restoration work is planned but the team plan to keep the spirit of “debaucherous wine-fuelled lunches” alive. Someone in the City has to...
Lady of the Grapes, Menier Chocolate Factory - SE1
British, Modern
London
Opening 31 May 2026
The Menier Chocolate Factory has long been known as an interesting venue integrating a standalone Theatre operation with dine-and-a-show possibilities. Now they have spun-off the restaurant (a 60-cover space with 20-seat terrace) to become the second branch of Lady Of The Grapes whose own debut was on Maiden Lane in 2018. Carole Bryon is the owner and it will provide a bistro menu back up by a 400-bin wine list.
The Old Point House - SA71
Pembroke
Opening 31 May 2026
Bayside pub on the far tip of Pembrokeshire reputedly frequented by smugglers and pirates in centuries past, the new home for Paternoster Farm, a farm-to-fork venue set up by chef Michelle Evans on a smallholding six miles away during the Covid pandemic. She serves a daily set menu that relies mainly on home-grown produce.
Jun
Coreus by Clare Smyth, Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch - SW1A
London
Opening 30 Jun 2026
Lesser-known seafood varieties will, apparently, be a talking point of the menu at this famous British chef's new outpost: part of a posh landmark hotel which gazes down the Mall at Buck House and which is set to open some time in the first half of 2026.
Jul
Café Boulud, Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch - SW1A
London
Opening 31 Jul 2026
Due to open in Q2 2026, the new hotel in Admiralty Arch will have unparalleled views from two restaurants, including one on the rooftop. These will include Café Boulud, which marks the return to London ten years after the closure of über-NYC-chef Daniel Boulud’s operation at the Hyde Park Mandarin Oriental.
Mor, Carbis Bay Estate - TR26
Saint Ives
Opening 31 Jul 2026
Chef Tom Sellers is the name behing this Cornish 2026 opening at the Carbis Bay Estate in St Ives, which echoes his 2019 pop-up, Story by the Sea, nearby. The focus for the menu will be a raw bar and charcoal grill, with a locally sourced offering including hand-dived scallops, day boat fish, ex-dairy beef and produce grown in an on-site kitchen garden. Sample dishes include Cornish crab with steamed milk buns; and Nori-wrapped mackerel escabeche with English wasabi and young ginger.
Aug
ATLAS James & Maria Close, Rockliffe Hall - DL2
French
Darlington
Opening 31 Aug 2026
Led by culinary director James Close and his wife Maria, this summer 2026 opening has been long-heralded as evidenced by entries in our 2025 and 2026 guides. The new-build pavilion in the grounds of the estate will boast three kitchen islands, plus a 6-seat chef's table. More details as they emerge...
Gordon Ramsay at The Mere - WA16
Knutsford
Opening 31 Aug 2026
Footie hunks, tanned lovelies and influencers-a-go-go will be out in force for the Summer 2026 opening of this northerly outpost of the Ramsay empire, within a plush Golf development on the fringes of Cheshire's Golden Triangle.
Sep
Notto Baker Street - W1U
London
Opening 01 Sep 2026
In the new Loxton Walk development between Baker Street and Gloucester Place, the fourth of Julian Dyer and Phil Howard's fast-casual pasta spots, with takeaway and 'click & collect' options for ever greater speed.
Jul
Opening Date to be Confirmed
Bar Etna - N16
London
Ed McIlroy's track record includes The Plimsoll and involvement with the Four Legs team, which helps spark interest in this Newington Green pizzeria, for which he's partnered with Philadelphian Joe Beddia (known stateside for Pizzeria Beddia), to import a US-style pizza concept to ‘the Smoke’.
Brasserie Olivia - SW1W
French
London
Charles Perez and Victor Dubillot's French restaurant group, is set to open Brasserie Olivia in Sloane Square, in 2026, marking their first international outpost. The brasserie aims to offer a homespun style of Gallic cuisine with classic dishes using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
Dishoom - SE1
London
If all goes to plan, the dozenth Dishoom will be near Borough Market in a newly rebuit part of the victorian Hop Exchange. It’s a wonderful space that for many years has failed to live up to its enormously picturesque potential due to the limitations of the constraints of the Victorian-built site and its former conception as a trading hall. What was needed was someone with the vision to see how it could be reconfigured for a new purpose and a new era… hopefully that’s where the Dishoom team will come in.
Dishoom - LS1
Leeds city centre
A summer 2026 opening – or thereabouts – is expected of this city centre branch of the expanding Indian chain, set to bring its trademark black dhal and the vibrant style of Iran’s parsi cafés to the former Flannels site – a 8,000 sq. ft two-floor space between Victoria Gate and Victoria Quarter shopping centres.
Domo - LS1
Leeds city centre
Sibling to the Sardinian restaurant in Sheffield of the same name – this spring 2026 newcomer be open all-day in a canal?side space seating 95 (and with 25 outdoor seats). The Tower Works development is part of Leeds’s South Bank regeneration.
Fatto A Mano - W1D
London
This 2026 newcomer will be the fifth branch of this Brighton-based pizza chain in the Capital, open on 60-seat site in the centre of Soho and with a 40-seat outdoor terrace.
Fayre, The Shepherd - W1J
London
On the site of the now defunct Park Lane Mews Hotel, this new boutique offering will again include a ground-floor restaurant/lounge as part of the hotel amenities. It’s to be an all-day affair offering seasonal British dishes.
Kauri - W1U
London
Opening spring 2025 in Marylebone Village, a restaurant and wine bar from Hamish Brown, for 15 years executive head chef of the Roka group. Expect Japanese-inspired dishes using prime British produce cooked over wood fire, with a few Kiwi touches from the NZ-born founder.
Kush Bristol - BS8
Bristol
Not content with just trying to storm London, Aktar Islam of Birmingham fame (with Opheem) is set to open in Brizzle on the former site of The Mint Room site in Clifton (which shuttered in 2024). At the time of writing, further details are thin on the ground.
Langosteria, The OWO - SW1A
London
Update - 2 years after it was announced, this restaurant is finally due to open in 2026. With branches in Paris, near Portofino, St Moritz and – now here at this mega new five star on Whitehall – Enrico Buonocore’s Italian newcomer originates (like Paper Moon) from Milan. Seafood is the big deal here, and if it follows the template of the original no meat or veggie options will be served.
Mr Fogg’s Tavern - WC2
London
Phileas Fogg is the theme of this summer 2026 launch which steps into the shoes of the dear old Crusting Pipe (RIP), the cosy if battered wine bar that stood at the foot of the Covent Garden piazza for four decades. This newcomer is part of a series of Fogg-inspired outlets in the West End.
Noodle Inn - WC2E
London
Open in 2026 – the third link in Alex Xu's fast-expanding and descriptively named chain.
Noodle Inn - SW11
London
Scheduled for 2026 – the fourth branch of the expanding noodle chain as another option within the power station at Battersea.
Oudh 1722 - SE1
London
Aktar Islam – a name world famous in Birmingham and quite famous in London – hits the capital with this spring 2026 opening, on the South Bank site of Lupins RIP. In Brum he’s achieved two Michelin stars – can he do the same here or will he face the same challenge as other chefs who have won major kudos outside the capital but sometimes found it hard to recreate the excitement in the face of so much nearby competition. Awadhi cuisine – Persian-influenced and rooted in the old royal courts of north India (notably Lucknow) – will be the focus, with slow-cooking a hallmark of dishes.
Permit Rooms - L2
Liverpool city centre
The fifth addition to this more bar-led version of Dishoom opens in March 2026 in the former Royal Bank of Scotland building.
St Clement’s Hotel - WC2R
London
Ex Soho House impressario, Nick Jones, is behind this new hotel slated to open in 2026 in the redeveloping 180 Quarter by the Strand. He’s a man who has launched many-a-rooftop-restaurant in his time, so it will be interesting to see what the one here looks like...
Sticks’n’Sushi - LS1
Leeds
A regeneration scheme in central Leeds is the second north-UK stop for this Copenhagen-based chain that mixes Scandi style and sushi. Open in 2027, It will inhabit a 9000 square foot grade-II listed three-floor site with a big (220-cover) dining room, and 30-cover terrace.
The Prince Edward - W2
London
One of those Notting Hill boozers that during the eternal gentrification of the area never quite achieved the escape velocity to become a gastropub rather than a died-in-the-wool boozer... until now that is that it’s been taken over by the gang behind Julie’s in Holland Park. Likely as it emerges, it will become a new gastropub option off the main heart of Portobello Market – with the odd honourable exception, not something the area is particularly blessed with.
Trèsind - W1S
London
Breezing in from Dubai in early 2026, this nouvelle Indian-focused brand boasts two acclaimed operations in Dubai with Trèsind Studio on the Palm Jumeirah having secured three Michelin stars in the last 12 months. It will occupy a new development in Mayfair. London is used to its chefs trying to cash in on the rise of Dubai. The launch of this ‘ Modernist Indian Dining Experience’ here will provoke some interesting comparisons. Does it work both ways? Does a track record on the Palm Jumeriah make it easy to make waves in London with Indian cuisine? Are the tyre man’s stars in Dubai as hard to win as those in London?
Casa Como - EC4A
Italian
London
(December 2025 update – with no announcement as yet, it looks like this opening is slipping into 2026). On the ground floor of what was once the Daily Telegraph’s Fleet Street HQ, a sister concept to Emerald Hospitality Group’s Como Garden. This late 2025 opening will house a salumeria (Italian deli), restaurant, bar, and 60-seat terrace.
Dining on the Clouds - EC4A
Japanese
London
(With no opening announced as of December 2025, the presumption is that this will debut some time in 2026, tba). Spanning the eighth and ninth floors of what was once the Daily Telegraph’s Fleet Street HQ, this new pan-Asian fusion concept will major in Japanese cuisine – with a dedicated sushi counter and open robata grill – but also with Thai and Chinese dishes. The ninth-floor rooftop terrace will become a bar and lounge complete with a panorama of the nearby cityscape.
Everything on Fire - EC4A
Steaks & grills
London
On the seventh floor of what was once the Daily Telegraph’s Fleet Street HQ, the aim is a theatrical dining concept centred around the open-flame headlined by the name. We are promised an extensive selections of premium meats, prepared on a central clay grill in a dramatic open kitchen.
Freyja, Close House - NE15
Heddon-on-the-Wall
According to the Westmoreland Gazette, this opening - originally talked of for late 2025 - is likely to materialise in late 2026 (https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/lifestyle/food-and-drink/northumberlands-restaurant-hjem-launch-chefs-box-and-freyja-garden-in-new-restaurant-preparations-5289054)
Scheduled for a late 2025 opening, a modern Scandi-style restaurant to
be built in the walled garden of Close House in the Tyne Valley, now
part of a golf course. It's from the high-achieving owners of Hjem in
Wall – Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and his Northumberland-born partner
Ally Thompson – who will work their magic on produce from the garden and
meat, game and fish from within a 30-mile radius.
Kiji - W1J
London
Occupying part of 60 Curzon – a new swish development in Mayfair – the UK debut of Kiji, a Korean barbecue experience, occupies the site once home to the famous Mirabelle. The new restaurant will showcase Korean cuisine and culture to an international audience. The eight-storey property, crafted by PLP Architecture, features 32 private residences and will house Kiji across 8,000 square feet. The new restaurant is masterminded by culinary duo Ellia and Junghyun Park.
Le Caprice - W1
British, Modern
London
(February 2026 - after all had gone quiet regarding the once-much-touted resurrection of this famous name, the rumble is starting to come down the track of a not-too-distant opening. But not one with a date as yet). Opening in 2026 in the Rosewood Chancery hotel, which occupies the former US Embassy in Mayfair’s Grosvenor Square: the revival of Le Caprice, the one-time celeb-magnet in St James’s that closed down during the pandemic. Owner Richard Caring promises a “chic, comfortable and classic” mix of old and new. Now that former owner, Jeremy King, runs Arlington on the site of the original Le Caprice, comparisons will be inevitable.
RH London - W1S
British, Modern
London
Opening in 2025/6 in Mayfair, where it has taken over the former Anercrombie & Fitch store off Savile Row, a lavish interiors showroom from the luxury US giant fka Restoration Hardware, with a restaurant, coffee shop, three bars and a roof terrace. This follows RH's palatial European debut at Aynho Park, a 17th-century stately home in north Oxfordshire.
Sael - B18
Birmingham
Set to open at The Goodsyard in the Jewellery Quarter, this anticipated restaurant from chef Jonny Mills and his partner Hannah, was originally scheduled for October 2025 (and as of December 2025 that's still wha the website says). At the heart of the formula, will be a tasting menu using hyper-seasonal produce and top local suppliers.
Studio Frantzén - SW1X
Scandinavian
London
(December 2025 update -> No new dates have yet been posted on the restaurant's Insta.) Opening in summer 2025, Studio Frantzen from Swedish superstar chef Bjorn Frantzen, offering his individual take on French and Japanese cuisine with Nordic influences. It occupied a prime slot at Harrods for two years before closing in the New Year, and is to reopen at an address yet to be announced.
Rockfish - EX10 - EX10
Sidmouth
The long-delayed Sidmouth branch of the successful fish and seafood chain from Mitch Tonks (the 11th in the chain) was finally set to open on the Esplanade in autumn 2025... but is now slated for 2026. It will occupy the town’s Drill Hall at Port Royal, with 88 covers plus an outside terrace with sea views.
