We can’t get enough of New York City-style restaurants
We wrote about the city’s Italian-American obsession early last year and, thanks to headline openings like The Dover and One Club Row, and pizza spots like Alley Cats, Lauretta’s and Paulie’s, New York-style dining has remained a dominant trend in the city. And the NYC-inspired openings just keep on coming; The Dover’s Martin Kuczmarski has opened a spin-off, and Kith founder Ronnie Fieg has added an NY-style bistro to his new London store. Even iconic New York restaurants are making the trip across the pond, with Carbone taking up residence in Mayfair this year and Major’s Grill on the way for 2026. Not got plans to jet over to NYC any time soon? Here’s where to get your fix without leaving London.
One Club Row
Open above Shoreditch pub The Knave of Clubs, One Club Row is a tribute to New York, drawing on co-founder Benjy Leibowitz’s time spent working in the city’s restaurants. From the IG famous NYC-style awning to the stripped walls and piano, the space is a real looker, and the food is even better. Lobster & ham croquettes, cheeseburger au poivre, steak tartare, pork schnitzel with gorgonzola and sauce moutarde, and NY-style cheesecake, plus a martini heavy cocktail list give this place big NYC energy mixed with east London cool.
The Dover
Want glamour and old-school hospitality but also want a burger and spaghetti meatballs? The Dover is the restaurant for you. With velvet curtains, wood panelling and soft lighting, it’s one of the sexiest spots in town, and the menu of Italian-American classics (there’s also prawn cocktail, chopped salad, lobster bisque ravioli and baked cheesecake brûlée) let’s you live out all your Mad Men fantasies.
Carbone
Major Food Group’s Carbone, an upscale take on classic red-sauce Italian-American restaurants, has become one of the most famous NYC restaurants. Now London has its own branch in Mayfair (where else?), complete with maximalist interiors, tuxedoed table captains, tableside service and dishes like caesar alla ZZ, spicy rigatoni vodka, and veal parmesan.
Dover Street Counter
Dover Street Counter is The Dover’s younger, naughtier little sis. It still looks sexy and there’s still a definite Americana influence, though this time it comes via luxe diner-style dishes like wedge salad, disco fries, French dip, tuna melt and apple & rhubarb pie. The margarita selection and invite-only basement club make it even more fun.
Ronnie’s
As part of his Kith UK flagship store on Regent Street, founder Ronnie Fieg has opened his first restaurant Ronnie’s. The Mediterranean-inspired New York bistro does dishes like crispy mozzarella with caviar, za’atar latkes, Don Ron burger, butterflied branzino, pastrami on house-made challah, and New York cheesecake, in a space decked out with dark wood floors, banquette seating, oxblood leather and brass trim.
Alley Cats
As well as Big Apple-inspired interiors – exposed brick, red and white gingham tablecloths, Sopranos episodes being projected on the walls – Alley Cats references NYC with its thin crust pizzas. They come with toppings such as smoked pepperoni, aged mozzarella, tomato sauce, habanero and honey; fennel sausage, tomato sauce, aged mozzarella, pancetta, red onion and pecorino flakes; and creamy vodka tomato sauce, aged mozzarella and buffalo mozzarella. After the first restaurant went viral, Alley Cats has been on the expansion train with site number four opening in early 2026.
Twenty8 NoMad
The restaurant at the NoMad had a refurb this year, taking it in more New York-style direction. As well as giving the space a glow-up, courtesy of Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, the menu also had a refresh, adding deconstructed prawn cocktail, steak tartare with lavash bread, chicken Milanese for two, steak frites with peppercorn sauce, lobster pasta, the legendary NoMad chicken stuffed with truffles and foie gras, giant pretzel ice cream and plenty of martinis.
Paulie’s
Paulie’s is bringing some of that Lower East Side energy to east London. The shop specialises in thin and crispy NYC-style slices, with toppings like pepperoni, burrata, and tomato, alongside vodka pancetta and cacio e pepe square pies and soft serve and cookies for pud.
The Park
The Park, Jeremy King’s Queensway restaurant, self-describes as “a new world grand cafe” but with its blend of mid-century design, diner touches and modern American menu, it’s definitely giving big NYC vibes. There are BEC and lox & everything bagels, buttermilk pancakes, and latkes with eggs on at breakfast; and steak tartare, lobster rolls, Cobb salad, chicken pot pie, grilled cheese, and Brooklyn blackout cake on the all-day menu.
cato
Opening in January, cocktail bar cato is promising a blend of NYC energy and British produce. Hospo group Bart & Taylor and bartender Angelos Bafas have taken inspo from Cato Alexander, widely regarded as the world’s first celebrity bartender, for the Seven Dials bar, which’ll be serving fried oysters and burgers alongside julep cocktails (made with herbs and mint grown on-site) and synesthesia-inspired drinks like the GREEN (Jalapeño + Shiso), made with pod pea vodka, Norfolk shiso, South Devon jalapeño liqueur, dry vermouth and gooseberry brine.
