As we enter autumn, there are a lot of London restaurant openings on the horizon - we go from a quiet August into a MADLY busy September. From new places by Richard Corrigan and Jason Atherton through to chicken and waffles from Nas and lots more besides - there's much to get excited about in September. Here are our picks.
Allegra
Olympic Park, 20-22 International Way, London E20 1GQ
We've been expecting Allegra for some time (you may have seen it in earlier "opening in" features) but we're pretty sure it's opening this month. Regardless, everything we've seen so far - from the menu to reports of preview dinners and this creme caramel - suggests that Patrick Powell's restaurant is going to be pretty special. All that and a great view too.
Arabica KX
7 Lewis Cubitt Walk, London, N1C 4DT
It's been over five years since Arabica opened their first restaurant in Borough Market, and we still love the "dirty hummus" there (although the KX version sounds good too, with "diced sweet peppers, red chilli, crushed garlic, parsley and roasted spiced chickpeas"). Here there will be another great Levantine menu, wines chosen by Zeren Wilson, and plenty of counter dining as well.
Adam Byatt at Brown's
Brown's Hotel, Albemarle St, Mayfair, London W1S 4BP
Until recently, Adam Byatt has been busying himself south of the river, creating a big reputation for himself in Clapham with Trinity, Upstairs and Bistro Union. This sees him taking over the Heinz Beck restaurant at Brown's hotel. At the time of writing, all we know is that it will be "contemporary British cooking complemented by European influences".but his reputation definitely makes this one to watch.
More about Adam Byatt at Brown's
The Betterment
39-44 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London W1K 2HP
The last few months have seen some consolidation for Jason Atherton's London enterprises, but this latest opening may well be his biggest operation here yet (although he has taken on big hotel operations overseas). He's taking over all the food and drink at the Biltmore hotel, with the Betterment being the main restaurant. Oh, and it just so happens to be opening opposite his old haunt Maze, where Gordon Ramsay has opened Lucky Cat. All eyes will be on this face-off with his old boss.
Daffodil Mulligan
70-74 City Rd, Old Street, London EC1Y 2BJ
Already big in London with Corrigan's and Bentley's, this will be Richard Corrigan's first new London opening in over a decade. He's taking over the space that used to house the short-lived Nuala in Old Street - and in the process, the restaurant site will retain its Irish influences. Here's hoping the excellent downstairs bar will retain some of its Irish pub characteristics.
Julie's
135 Portland Rd, Holland Park, London W11 4LW
Julie's is a London restaurant with plenty of history. It opened in 1969 and since then has hosted stars ranging from Princess Diana to Mick Jagger. It's been closed for some time, but a major refurb is about to be finished and it'll also have Shay Cooper in the kitchen (who won a Michelin star for The Goring). We'll soon find out if it still has its star pulling power.
Loyal Tavern
171-173 Bermondsey Street, Bermondsey, London SE1 3UW
Loyal Tavern is taking over from Village East in Bermondsey, and in charge of the food is Tom Cenci, of ex Duck and Waffle fame. Expect a seasonal menu using British produce and - something we really like the sound of - late-night cheese toasties as snacks in the weekend.
Norma
8 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2LS
Ben Tish has been working with The Stafford London for a while - and this new restaurant continues their relationship. It's the first time that the hotel has opened a restaurant away from its site (Fitzrovia as opposed to St James) and sees their culinary director Ben Tish launching a Sicilian/Moorish restaurant on Charlotte Street.
Seabird
14th Floor, 40 Blackfriars Rd, South Bank, London SE1 8PB
This is the high-rise restaurant at the new Hoxton Hotel in Southwark and they've managed to bring in NYC heavy-hitters Maison Premiere to look after things on the food side. This means a heavy focus on seafood and it looks like some huge seafood towers are on offer.
Seven Dials Market
Thomas Neal's Warehouse, London WC2H 9QW
It really does seem like high-end food courts are a big thing in London right now. Following on from the successes of Market Halls and Arcade Food Theatre, this sees street food legends Kerb head indoors in Covent Garden. With everything from cheese on a conveyor belt to crab rolls and Reuben sandwiches on offer - plus some very familiar faces in there - this looks like being an instant winner. Now, let us at that conveyor belt...
Sons + Daughters
The Pavilion, Lower Stable Street, Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross, London N1C 4DQ
This King's Cross restaurant is a big shift for the team behind Hackney's Pidgin and its ever-changing set menu, Here, it's all centred around sandwiches, with some impressive creations on offer. And in the evening they're even putting on finger sandwiches. The best bit of an afternoon tea paired with cocktails? Yes, we think that's a very good idea indeed.
More openings to look for in September...
- Bank House - out in Chislehurst, Stuart Gillies (Gordon Ramsay's ex CEO) is launching his own restaurant. Will this be the first of a roll-out?
- L'Antica Soho - The Naples pizzeria (revered by many as one of the best in the world) comes to Soho
- Mo Diner - right next door to Momo, the same team are opening a US-style diner, but with a Mediterranean-influenced menu
- Sweet Chick - The first London outpost for this American brand, led by its chicken and waffles and a certain rapper, Nas, who happens to be its backer.
- Vardo - the people behind Caravan are trying something new in Chelsea.
And even more...
For all the London restaurants opening in September - and beyond - we've got you covered. Just head over to our Upcoming London Restaurants feature for all the very latest info.
And as for what's already opened? You'll need our New London Restaurants feature for that.
Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners
