Modern European
This is the follow up to the original Noble Rot, led by Mark Andrew and Daniel Keeling. This Soho outing is a purely restaurant affair, which takes on the building that used to be the Gay Hussar. Expect dishes that explore the heritage of that Hungarian restaurant with some of thoe old favourites - and an excellent wine list.
Andy Beynon's London Fields restaurant is all about opening up the kitchen experience. That starts with a huge counter that you gather around for a truly unique tasting menu experience (with a focus on seafood).
This Stradford restaurant comes from chef Patrick Powell, previously Head Chef at the Chiltern Firehouse. He's taken over a huge space in The Stratford, with a new-style fine-dining menu (as well as a more informal menu for the bar and extensive terrace).
Victor Garvey's second Soho restaurant (in the same spot as the first) looks towards Californian fine-dining restaurants for its inspiration. So there's a West Coast USA vibe to the restaurant, fitted into its Soho location.
Trivet is a joint collaboration between chef Jonny Lake and master sommelier Isa Bal, both alumni of Heston Blumenthal#s Fat Duck. Here you can expect an informal take on fine dining with a truly epic wine list that covers the globe. The attached wine bar has a pared down menu that's also worth trying out.
This is the London restaurant for Daniel Humm, whose Eleven Madison Park restaurant has reached number 1 on the World's 5- Best Restaurants list. This sees him in charge of the main restaurant at Claridges with a main fine dining menu - but also snacks at the bar.
This sees Tom Aikens return to the kitchen in a mich more intimate setting. Counter dining is the order of the day where you can see the chefs properly in action. The menu is based around Aikens' life and expreience and expect a lot of attention to detail in the presentation.
Adam Byatt's Clapham restaurant is a super neighbourhood restaurant that's also well worth crossing town for. They say their food is seasonal and inspirational, countless loyal customers agree.
The main restaurant at the five star Lanesborough hotel on Hyde Park Corner is one of London's more beautiful dining rooms with a conservatory ceiling flooding the place with light. Expect modern European cuisine done with finesse whilst roaming the UK for the best ingredients.
Critic reviews - total score 8.5 out of 10
The people behind Lyle's have opened their second restaurant in Borough called Flor. This time it's part wine bar and part bakery.
Critic reviews - total score 8 out of 10
Notting Hill's food credentials are boosted by a restaurant and bar team that comes via the River Cafe and Soho House to take what was once a pub. They're serving up sharing plates, and food cooked over fire or in a wood-burning oven, all across four floors.
Critic reviews - total score 8.5 out of 10
Upstairs is a private members club, but Mortimer House Kitchen is open to the public and features the ex-head chef of L'anima, Lello Favuzzi, in the kitchen serving up a Middle Eastern-influenced menu.
Critic reviews - total score 7.5 out of 10
A menu with some Irish influence menu is on offer at Robin Gill's next restaurant Darby’s, inspired by his father. It's an all-day restaurant and bakery just opposite the US Embassy and they'll also be serving food at the development’s incredible Sky Pool 10 stories up.
Critic reviews - total score 7 out of 10
A formidable restaurant team have taken on the space at the Grade II listed Holborn Town Hall with their first venture - part bar, part restaurant.
Critic reviews - total score 8 out of 10
Ex Babbo chef Carlo Scotto's first solo venture in Marylebone is a two-tiered affair with a casual ground floor space XR and then a first floor fine dining experience Xier with a set-tasting menu.
Critic reviews - total score 8 out of 10
It's taken millions to transform the old Savoy Cinema into a modern arts space and the restaurant is every bit as ambitious with former St John executive chef Chris Gillard running things. Expect a menu of modern British cuisine.
Critic reviews - total score 7 out of 10
Top Cuvee in Highbury sees an ex Dinner by Heston in Melbourne alumni return to London, backed up by a chef from Naughty Piglets. Expect a neighbourhood wine bar with a regularly changing list of both food and wine, as well as cocktails from the people behind Three Sheets.
Critic reviews - total score 6 out of 10
Jackson Boxer (also of Brunswick House) took inspiration from the Scottish islands and highlands for this West London seafood restaurant.
Critic reviews - total score 8 out of 10
Emily Roux (yes THAT Roux familiy) has joined up with her husband, Diego Ferrari - former Head Chef at Le Gavroche - to run this restaurant that's part French, part Italian in Notting Hill.
Critic reviews - total score 6 out of 10
Moio restaurant on Stoke Newington High Street is a collaboration between a chef and sommelier who previously worked together at Portland restaurant as chef and sommelier. There's a modern European menu with a big focus on matching wines with it.
A totally unique cocktail bar and restaurant, this offers some truly creative and mind-blowing cocktails. A Bloody Mary arrives as a clear drink (they make their own clarified tomato juice), and many others come with a taste-enhancing accompaniment while other drinks are presented with smoke, fizz, or have flashing icecubes. The kitchen has changing residencies, currently Donnelley’s, where you can experience an eclectic range of dishes with influences from all corners of the globe.
This all-day bistro is set in a former Edwardian laundry - stylish and grown up with a New York feel to it. The terrace will be fantastic in the summer as few places offer outside drinking and dining in this area. Food is seasonal, with a chalk board noting daily sharing dishes. With the same owners as The Wine Parlour in Pop Brixton, a lot of time has been spent on the drinks menu, with wine also available to take out.
Critic reviews - total score 6.5 out of 10
Pip Lacey, the former head chef at Murano (and who you may also know from 2017’s Great British Menu) is the brains behind Hicce, a restaurant with wood-fired food that's brimming with British flavours via Norway and Japan. You'll find this all-day restaurant on the top floor of Wolf + Badger at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross with a pretty handy bar too.
Critic reviews - total score 8 out of 10
Two chefs, one from Argentina and the other from Brazil teamed up with Singaporean hotelier Peng Loh for this Latin American and Italian inspired restaurant by way of San Sebastian. It's the kind of international melting pot story that makes London's restaurant scene so great. Michelin clearly agree - they gave it a star in its first year. Tasting menus can be an ordeal, but here there's a great deal of humour, making a trip to Bethnal Green to try Da Terra's inspired dishes a must.
From Shoreditch to Sloane Street, Adam Handling's rise has been meteoric. At their English countryside hotel Le Manoir Belmond picked Raymond Blanc, now they've put all their resources behind Handling at their flagship Knightsbridge hotel. He's in charge of all the food, including bar, restaurant, afternoon tea and even the room service food.
Critic reviews - total score 7.5 out of 10
Caprice Holdings - the people behind The Ivy restaurants, Sexy Fish and lots more - are behind this in-your-face restaurant at Selfridges. And, like Sexy Fish, this has a big old Damen Hirst installation front and centre.
Critic reviews - total score 8.5 out of 10
The second restaurant by Nicholas Balfe of Brixton’s Salon, Levan opened in November 2018 with an emphasis on sustainability and seasonality. The effortlessly cool interior features an open kitchen serving food European-inspired food with the odd nod to East Asia, all matched with natural wines. Their house-cured sardines are a firm favourite, as are the Comte fries.
Critic reviews - total score 6 out of 10
Spiritland's new Festival Hall digs gives as much importance to what's playing and how it sounds as what's being served up. Oh, and it's open very late too.
Critic reviews - total score 8 out of 10
Small plates, sharers and snacks are on the menu here, at this venture from the team who ran Michelin-starred Hackney restaurant Ellory. Now they're Shoreditch-based with a more laid back venture that features their own Vermouth and wines.