New restaurants and bars opening in London this week

This week, Berenjak unveils its biggest restaurant yet, Alley Cats gets into the slice business, Holy Carrot turns vegetarian and lots more...

Berenjak Mayfair

Mayfair - 80 Duke St, London W1K 6JG

The latest Berenjak is the third in London for a brand that has expanded far beyond its humble Soho origins (it recently opened in LA). This will be their largest restaurant yet, with over 20 new dishes on the menu (as yet unrevealed at the time of writing). Each opening of the Persian-inspired restaurant has been a bigger hit than the last, and this feels like it will be right at home in Mayfair.

Opening date: 20 March 2026

Holy Carrot

Spitalfields - 61-63 Brushfield Street, London E1 6AA

Holy Carrot's first opening in London was at the height of London's surge in vegan restaurants and food scene. Things have settled somewhat since then, and although the original Holy Carrot is still a big hit, there's been an adjustment for the Spitalfields follow-up. This restaurant will be vegetarian, that change particularly obvious in the big new addition to the menu, pizzettas, like a miso-marmite pizzetta finished with grated pecorino. There will still be vegan dishes, of course, as well as a "fermentation vault" and, just like the original, a lot of work has gone into the look of the restaurant.

Opening date: 20 March 2026

Jul's

St James's - 11 Waterloo Place, London SW1Y 4AU

The latest Mediterranean-inspired restaurant to arrive in London actually hails from Ibiza, where the restaurant originally opened back in 2018. It's also the latest London restaurant to open inside an ex-bank. The food here is being described as "Greek-inspired yet unmistakably Mediterranean" with dishes like giouvetsi and flatbread with slow-cooked lamb on the menu. They're also opening a late-night bar downstairs, called No. 11, with a list that's also Mediterranean-influenced.

Opening date: 18 March 2026

Alley Cats Portobello

Notting Hill - 233 Portobello Road, London N1 2PA

Alley Cats Notting Hill actually quietly opened yesterday, but this is their first official day of opening. It's only about a 15-minute walk away from their previous place in this area, but here they're trying something new. It'll be the first Alley Cats that's also operating as a slice shop. So, as well as having a whole pizza inside, you can also grab a slice to go from their very handy slice window.

Opening date: Officially opens 16 March 2026

Fenix

Mayfair - 80 Piccadilly, London W1J 8HX

While the first new Mediterranean-inspired openin in London this week (above) comes from Ibiza, this one actually hails from Manchester, where Fenix has been open for a few years. It comes from the same people behind Tattu and takes over the high-profile space on Piccadilly that used to be Henry's. Food includes Aegean beef and bone marrow alongside langoustine orzo and it looks like there's likely to be a big bar space here.

Opening date: 20 March 2026 (soft launching 16/17 March)

This week's events

16 March (Shoreditch) - Manteca is teaming up with Dumplings Legend for a special set menu that brings dim sum and dumplings to Manteca. Tickets are £45

19 March (Chiswick) - Roberta Hall McCarron (Ardfern, The Little Chartroom and Eleanore in Edinburgh) is teaming up with chef Nathan Cornwell for a nine-course dinner that focuses on seafood and British produce. Tickets are £120.

Here's what opened last week

Simpson's in the Strand (Temple) - Jeremy King revives a true London classic.

Maza (Mayfair) - The Mazi team opens a central London Greek restaurant.

El Siete (Soho) - The bar under El Pastor gets a major overhaul.

Jamie's Italian (Leicester Square) - Jamie Oliver brings back his casual Italian

FlipDog (Old Street) - Fancy having a red-hot poker applied to your cocktails?

Looking for more of the latest openings?