Our regular weekly guide to what to expect from the week ahead in London, with the restaurants, bars and more opening their doors across town. This week, the last main week of openings this year, it's mainly about Italian restaurants, from seafood-specific places to a celeb chef opening in a Mayfair crypt.
Babbo
St John's Wood - 29-31 St John's Wood High St, London NW8 7NH
Babbo originally opened in Mayfair, but a few years after closing there it has reappeared in St John's Wood (in the space that used to be Harry Morgan's). It's an all-day Italian restaurant, kicking off with pastries in the morning and with evening dishes including their signature Babbo Parmigiana. They also have a separate bar, so it should be a handy place for a drink in the area.
Opening date: 9 December 2024
Osteria del Mare
Covent Garden - 366 Strand, London WC2R 0JF
This Italian restaurant comes from the people behind Bocconcino. This is a departure from their usual fare, though, with a specific focus on seafood dishes, particularly those from Italian seaside towns. You'll be able to select the fish you want to have for dinner from a fresh seafood counter and, as it's in a space that used to be a bank, the private dining room is in a vault.
Opening date: 9 December 2024
Undercroft
Mayfair - St George's Church, 2A Mill St, London W1S 1FX
After originally being touted as chef Brad Carter's first London restaurant, this restaurant inside a Mayfair crypt underwent a pretty last-minute revamp. Now, celeb chef Aldo Zilli is in charge, the first time he's been in the kitchen for decades. That means that yes, it's the third Italian restaurant opening this week, albeit in a pretty special environment.
Opening date: 10 December 2024
Flat Iron
Victoria - 22 Terminus Place, London SW1V 1JR
The latest from the Flat Iron team was bound to be a hit, but opening just opposite the entrance to Victoria station gives it a pretty impressive location. Taking over a large space in Terminus Place, this will have the usual affordable steak on offer, alongside burgers, special cuts and more.
Opening date: 9 December 2024
Pick Your Own
City of London - 73 Mark Lane, London EC3M 3JY
This new City opening will be very useful for any working cityfolk - and even more so post-Christmas when there's more of a shift towards healthy food. Here, it's all about creating your own salads, with some pretty impressive options available.
Opening date: 10 December 2024
Also see
Jupiter Burger (London Fields) - The new burger spot from Dom's Subs feels imminent, so watch out for a possible opening this week.
Opened last week
As a quick reminder - here's what opened in the capital last week:
Pinna (Mayfair) - An ex-Wild chef launches a Sardinian restaurant
Krokodilos (Kensington) - Another opening from the Lita/Wild team, this time about Greek food
Toum (Mayfair) - Lebanese rotisserie restaurant with an added listening bar
Fat Phill’s (Battersea) - New York burger import
Berberè (St Giles) - Award-winning sourdough pizzas
The Brave (Islington) - James Cochran of 1251 returns to Islington
Pretty Decent Tap Room (Victoria Park) - A new taproom with guest streetfood in the run-up to Christmas
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