London is arguably (definitely) the best restaurant city in the world right now, but in between getting locked down and being released, keeping up with the best new restaurants in London is a full time job. Which is why we’re here of course. Make sure you’re always in the know with our guide to the best new restaurants opening in London and you’ll be leading your mates and dates around the coolest new places around town in no time. Our guide is constantly updated with our curated selection of only the best new restaurant openings you need to know about, so you can always be sure that this little lot will be well worth checking out.
Updated: 7th June 2021
1. Hongdae Pocha
London’s not short of a pub or two but the city has never been home to a pocha, aka a Korean pub, until now. Hongdae Pocha, now open in Soho, is decked out in a retro 70s style and is the perfect entryway into Korean drinking culture – soju features heavily on the drinks list alongside Korean beers and rice and plum wines. Hongdae Pocha isn’t just about the bevs though, there’s a full food menu of dishes that are designed to go with the booze like crispy kimchi pancake, bo ssam braised pork, jap chae glass noodles, corn with mozzarella cheese, bulgogi beef with mixed veg hotpot, Korean fried chicken, and Korean BBQ beef. They’re also doing lunchtime-only specials such as kimchi jjigae, pork tonkatsu and bibimbap if you fancy a change from your regular sarnies and salads.
Opened June 2021
26 Romilly Street, London, W1D 5AJ
hongdaepocha.com
2. Le Bab Old Street
Not content with doing the food at new Dalston aparthotel Kingsland Locke, the Le Bab team has also opened a second East London spot. The new Old Street joint is a late-night kebab shop that’s open until 5am – take that curfew! The 20-cover restaurant features hot pink leather stools, a graffitied ceiling and stainless steel counter where you can watch the chefs at work, and there’s be a big focus on sustainabilty with zero plastic, zero waste and 100% compostable packaging used on site. Classic Le Bab dishes like the Lamb Madras Adana kebab, Meat Butter Naan, and Turkish-Korean Fried Chicken are on the menu alongside newbies including the Dirty Vegan kebab, (with Beyond Meat, pickled cucumber, sweet chilli relish, crispy fries, vegan mayo & vegan fondue sauce) and the late-night special Pepperoni Pork Shawarma (with their signature pork shawarma, spicy soppressata, tomato pork jus & mozzarella fondue).
Opened May 2021
231 Old St, London, EC1V 9HE
eatlebab.com
3. Humble Chicken
He already runs Omoide and Yatai (currently closed) and now chef Angelo Sato is adding a third food biz to his collection, opening a yakitori bar named Humble Chicken. Inspired by traditional Japanese izakayas, Humble Chicken showcases ‘comb to tail’ cooking, with every part of the bird cooked on skewers over charcoal – feet included. As well as the yakitori there are dishes like miso foie gras with black sesame & rice crackers, hakata pork belly with braised daikon, soba tempura with hakusai & tile fish, Japanese cheesecake, and soft serve affogato. Drinks are a big part of any izakaya and thus the list at Humble Chicken is long, with beers on tap, Japanese wines, sake cocktails and whisky highballs, plus you’re able to enjoy the lot sat at a counter overlooking the kitchen.
Opened May 2021
54 Frith St, Soho, London W1D 4SL
humblechickenuk.com
4. Andina Spitalfields
Andina had to move out of its home on Redchurch Street last year, with it being revealed back in January that BAO would be moving into the site, but that’s not the end for the Peruvian restaurant as it’s found a new home in Spitalfields. Andina has taken over the spot where Lupita was on Commercial Street, so not only is not that far away from their original site, at 80 covers and two floors, it’s bigger too. The menu features plenty of ceviches, including tuna with rocoto chilli tiger’s milk & pickled pineapple and sea bass with avocado & amarillo chilli tiger’s milk, as well as new plant-based dishes like a vegan burger with sweet potato ketchup & carrot bacon and BBQ pulled jackfruit with chipotle carrot cheese & cassava shards. Andina is also doing a weekend brunch set menu with £5 pisco sours.
Opened May 2021
60-62 Commercial St, London E1 6LN
cevichefamily.com
5. Hot Stone Fitzrovia
We love Hot Stone in Chapel Market in Islington – it’s one of our fave Japanese restaurants in town and it does an epic omakase menu – so we’re very pleased that a second site has arrived. The new Fitzrovia restaurant has space for 50 plus a seven-seater sushi bar and is decked out in the same traditional minimalist style as the original. The namesake hot stones also feature at the new spot, with A5 wagyu and black tiger prawns among the dishes you can sear yourself, as well as sushi and sashimi like yellowtail maki roll with mango salsa, seared butterfish with truffle spicy ponzu, and fatty tuna with red jalapeno also on the menu. And like the Chapel Market site, this Hot Stone also serves certified Kobe beef (only eight restaurants in UK do so) so it’s be a place to come when you want a big blowout meal.
Opened May 2021
3 Windmill St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2HY
hotstonelondon.com
6. La Terrazza di Eataly
Massive Italian food hall Eataly has finally opened in London – it’s stocked with over 5000 products spanning pasta, cheese and cured meats to gelato and olive oil, plus a zero-waste refill station and London’s largest Italian wine cellar. As well as the market and retail areas, Eataly is home to a number of dining counters and the La Terrazza di Eataly al fresco restaurant. It serves up Italian classics like tuna crudo, burrata, cacio e pepe, ricotta & spinach ravioli and Torino-style pizzas alongside spritzes from Aperol.
Opened April 2021
135 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3YD
eataly.co.uk
7. Cinder
Jake Finn (who’s worked at the likes of La Petite Maison, Coya and The Ritz) has finally opened his first restaurant Cinder in Belsize Park, after being delayed by lockdown restrictions. With a Josper grill at the heart of the restaurant Cinder is all about food cooked over fire, so you can expect dishes like seared tuna with black beer ponzu & radish, lamb kebabs marinated in yogurt & maple syrup, grilled mastelo cheese with kalamata glaze, whole sea bream with fennel & radish, and apple tarte fine with vanilla pouring cream, alongside wines from The Modest Merchant.
Opened April 2021
66 Belsize Lane, London, NW3 5BJ
cinderrestaurant.co.uk
