At the end of 2023, it's time to take a look back and highlight the very best restaurants that have opened in London this year.
December
Whyte's
Hackney - Unit 3, 143 Mare Street, London E8 3RH
Former chef at renowned spots like Brat and Scully and popular supperclub chef after those, Whyte Rushen has gone permanent in Hackney. Here you can expect a menu that's as eclectic as his pop-up offerings and if his smashed burger is on the menu, that's a must-have.
November
The Devonshire
Soho - 17 Denman Street, London W1D 7HW
We had assumed that this collaboration between Oisin Rogers, Charlie Carroll and Ashley Palmer-Watts would be popular but The Devonshire's success has been bigger than really anyone could have predicted. The excellent reputation of the grill restaurant has well and truly spread and you can't get a table before 2023 at the earliest. Reviews have also been stellar. Giles Coren summed it up as "What. A. Place." Even if you can't get into the restaurant, it's well worth squeezing your way into the pub for a Guinness.
Read our Test Drive of the Devonshire
Akara
Borough Yards - Arch 208,18 Stoney Street, London SE1 9A
Aji Akokomi launched his impressive West African restaurant Akoko in Fitzrovia and now for the Borough Market crowd he's created something of a spin-off. The titular Akaras are deep-fried black-eye bean fritters that are filled with delights like ox cheek or scallop. Great as they are, it's just part of the menu that has a good deal of heat in dishes like the BBQ Lagos chicken. Jimi Famurewa in The Standard was impressed, saying it's "an imperfect but swaggering step forward for contemporary West African dining"
Pearly Queen
Shoreditch - 44 Commercial Street, London E1 6LT
This is the new restaurant from the chef behind Michelin-starred restaurant Cornerstone, Tom Brown. Like that place, the menu here is decidedly seafood, with a strong focus on oysters and shellfish (given its East End location). It's a more casual affair than the original restaurant but there's a huge amount of talent in the kitchen with some excellent dishes being served, not least of them the amazing fired crispy buffalo oyster.
Read our Pearly Queen Test Drive
Donia
Carnaby - 2.5, Top Floor, Kingly Ct, Carnaby St, London W1B 5PW
The team behind Panadera and Mamasons has brought Donia, to Carnaby's Kingly Court. Co-founder Florence Mae Maglanoc promises a menu that blends the warmth of Filipino cuisine with modern British cooking, featuring dishes like prawn and pork dumplings with white crab.
Sune
London Fields - 129A Pritchard’s Road, London E2 9AP
Sune (pronounced "soon-er") comes from hospitality power couple Honey Spencer and Charlie Sims, with ex-Pidgin Head Chef Michael Robins in the kitchen. Set within a sunlit-filled space near Broadway Market, the seasonal all-day menu is big on inventive comfort food while the wine list, curated by Honey Spencer, evolves with the seasons, offering selections from her extensive producer network.
Dalla
Hackney - 120 Morning Ln, London E9 6LH
Dalla took over Peg's former site on Morning Lane and is a collaboration among three Italian friends with diverse backgrounds. Gennaro Leone, focusing on design, joins forces with Mitchell Damota, ex-head chef at P Franco, and chef Gianmarco Leone, formerly at Claridge's. Together, they aim to offer homestyle Italian cuisine, rediscovering old recipes in a contemporary setting.
Mambow
Clapton - 78 Lower Clapton Road, London E5 0RN
After building up a devoted following at Peckham's Market, Abby Lee has moved her Malaysian restaurant to a permanent space in East London. As before, it's all about Modern malaysian food but with a bigger menu. If they're on, the Lor Bak (five-spice pork and prawn bean curd roll) is a must.
October
Kolae
Bought Yards - 6 Park Street, London SE1 9AB
It's been six years since the opening of Som Saa which proved to be an instant hit, but the launch of Kolae from Mark Dobbie and Andy Oliver shows that it's been worth the wait. A small pivot into grilled food focused on the Southern provinces of Thailand has proved to be very popular - and those skewers (particularly the Kolae chicken) are a must-have. It got a rare five-star review from Jimi Famurewa in The Standard who said "Kolae are doing very exciting things."
Saltine
Highbury - 11 Highbury Park, London N5 1QJ
In pre-pandemic times Fink's in Highbury used to have a very popular evening menu too. Now the same team (with an ex-St John chef) have opened a fully-fledged restaurant and it's quickly proven to be a big success with locals and those further afield. A beautiful (and huge) room is home to some excellent cooking and a pretty phenomenal sticky toffee apple cake. It's been a hit with Jimi Famurewa, who said that cake "exemplifies the deft, grown-up indulgence" of the restaurant.
Bébé Bob
Soho - 37 Golden Square, Soho, London W1F 9LB
Bob Bob Ricard has expanded just across the road in Soho for their latest opening, which sees a slightly more cut-down menu in a location that still has a familiar Bob Bob feel. Here, it's all about the rotisserie chicken and thankfully that star dish is extremely well done. With lots of caviar on offer, this is still a slightly more affordable version of Bob Bob and that's definitely helped it become a hit.
Bambi
London Fields - Netil House, 1 Westgate St, London E8 3RL
Now that the opening hours for this new London Fields wine bar have expanded there's a slightly greater chance of actually getting a table here. But don't get your hopes up too high. As Time Out notes; "On a Thursday evening Bambi was full, with hopefuls milling by the door in search of a last minute seat." The good news is that once you do secure a rare booking you'll get to enjoy the small plates and natural wines to the backdrop of a particularly good music offering.
Il Gattopardo
Mayfair - 27 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4HZ
Il Gattopardo comes from the same people behind other Mayfair hits Amazonico and Bar Des Pres. Here, they've gone for something more classically Italian but like their other restaurants, it's all about creating a buzzy vibe. They've achieved that again here, with the warren of rooms attracting plenty of Mayfair diners in the early weeks. The lure of a fantastic veal Milanese and a zuppa Inglese that's high up on the list of our desserts of the year adds to the appeal.
Read our Il Gattopardo Test Drive
Brooklands
Belgravia - The Peninsula, 1 Grosvenor Pl, London SW1X 7HJ
Brooklands is the rooftop restaurant at The Peninsula London run bu multi-Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi. The restaurant boasts a showstopper room with a Concorde replica on the ceiling while the food aims for a journey across the British Isles using sustainably sourced ingredients. There's also a large terrace and an equally impressive cocktail bar with views across London.
Solis
Battersea - Battersea Power Station, Circus Road W, Nine Elms, SW11 8AL
Solis comes from Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng, the duo behind TATA Eatery, launching as a standalone restaurant in Battersea's Arcade Food Hall. Positioned as a unique chicken and steak grill, it draws influences from Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, and Argentina. On top of the food, you'll find sangria, cocktails and a wine list featuring Uruguayan wine.
Supernova
Soho - 25 Peter St, London W1F 0AH
Supernova came out of almost nowhere to become one of London's hottest burgers. Coming from the team behind Creme cookies and NAC in Mayfair, this focuses on a pared back menu of smashed burgers and ice cream sundaes.
September
Chishuru
Fitzrovia - 3 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 8AX
After initial success in Brixton, Adejoké Bakare has taken Chishuru to a bigger space in central London and the restaurant is better than ever. Here, you'll find the same modern West African cuisine that proved such a hit at the original opening with a regularly-changing set menu on offer. It's one of the most impressive new openings of the year. In the Standard, Jimi Famurewa calls Bakare "one of the most blisteringly gifted and original chefs in the city" and we have to agree.
Bistro Freddie
Shoreditch - 74 Luke Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A 4PY
Turns out that there's nothing the hip Shoreditch crowd like more than a lovely old-school bistro, twinkling with candlelight but with a modern touch on the menu. Love for the sibling restaurants in this group, Crispin and Bar Crispin, has already propelled this budding bistro into an insta-hit on the back streets between Shoreditch and Old Street.
Read our Bistro Freddie Test Drive
The OWO
Whitehall - Whitehall, London SW1A 2EU
There are a lot of fancy new hotels arriving in London over the coming months, but The OWO is the pick of the bunch for anyone interested in food. This new version of the old War Office features 11 new bars and restaurants, with the multi-Michelin-starred Mauro Colagreco leading the pack. First impressions of the restaurants are filtering through and Mauro's restaurant didn't quite hit a home run with Jimi Famurewa, but it's all one hell of an endeavour and somewhere you're really going to need to take a proper look at.
Read our Mauro Colagreco Test Drive
Forza Wine
South Bank - National Theatre, Upper Ground London SE1 9PX
Forza Wine has had success with its original opening on a Peckham rooftop, but this second opening in The National Theatre on the South Bank, is a much bigger beast. Thankfully the formula remains more or less the same with excellent small plates and an impressively priced natural wine list, but transplanted into the Brutalist design of the NT and blessed with a huge terrace. It's already proving to be a massive South Bank hit.
Hainan House
Islington - 88 Upper Street, London N1 0NP
Hainan House, previously known for pop-ups and supperclubs, has now settled in Islington. Founded by Sunny Wu, the restaurant showcases Southern Chinese cuisine with influences from Qiong, Canton, Hakka, and Min regions. The menu, crafted with head chef Irene Hua, offers dishes like steamed aubergine and tiger skin quail's eggs, making it a unique addition to Upper Street.
The Watermans Arms
Barnes - 375 Lonsdale Rd, London SW13 9PY
This Waterside pub in Barnes was brought back to life by Joe Grossmann who is the founder of Patty&Bun and grew up locally. He's brought in chef Sam Andrews, previously at the Camberwell Arms, to run the kitchen, taking care of both the pub menu and the main restaurant upstairs.
Ken's
Clerkenwell - 51 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL
The team behind Dalston's Dan's wine bar is also behind Ken's in Exmouth Market, in a much a larger venue than its predecessor. here, there's a seasonal menu with Basque influences, featuring small plates and sharing dishes cooked on a Koro grill. As for drinks, the extensive wine selection focuses on smaller producers, offering both natural and classic wines.
Wild
Notting Hill - 202 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RH
Wild is a Mediterranean restaurant in Notting Hill that's something of a spin-off of the original Wild Tavern in Chelsea, offering a chic dining experience that suits the area very well. The menu features top-quality ingredients, such as red Sicilian prawns and Spanish bluefin tuna tartare. The diverse wine list caters to different budgets, making Wild a great addition to Notting Hill's dining scene.
August
64 Goodge Street
Fitzrovia - 64 Goodge St, London W1T 4NF
Coming from the same people (and chef) that brought us Portland and Clipstone, 64 Goodge Street is a perfectly proportioned French bistro in Fitzrovia. The menu features classic French dishes but with a little local twist, described as an "outsider's" approach. Fitting perfectly onto Goodge Street, the restaurant received a warm welcome with David Ellis in The Standard calling it "one of those restaurants that could be recommended to anyone" while Grace Dent said "I’ll return to 64 Goodge Street repeatedly."
Our 64 Goodge Street Test Drive
Llama Inn
Shoreditch - 1 Willow St, London EC2A 4BH
Llama Inn, on the top of The Hoxton hotel in Shoreditch, originated in Brooklyn from chef Erik Ramirez (a finalist in the prestigious American James Beard Awards for Outstanding Chef). Ramirez' NYC twist on Peruvian cuisine has proven to be just as successful in London as in New York. Jimi Famurewa in The Standard is a convert, saying the food "played an extended oceanic symphony across our palates".
Grassfed
Camden - Arch S12 Water Lane, Hawley Wharf, London NW1 8JY
Chef Paul Foster, of Michelin-starred Salt in Stratford-Upon-Avon, is behind Grassfed in Camden's Hawley Wharf, focusing on grass-fed beef cooked over coals. Menu highlights include a beef hotdog with truffle mayo, a shareable beef rib, and BBQ dayboat fish. Foster aims to promote quality British-sourced meat and raise awareness about regenerative farming.
July
Mountain
Soho - 16-18 Beak St, London W1F 9RD
Unquestionably one of the hottest restaurants to open this year is Tomos Parry's Brat. here the chef is mixing up locally sourced produce (with a specific focus on Wales) with the culinary inspiration of the seaside and mountains of Spain. An instant hit (it's very hard to get a table), it also immediately landed a five-star review from The Standard where Jimi Famurewa said "there is a magnetic, tactile sensuousness to so much of the food." Meanwhile, Grace Dent was also wowed, calling it "buzzy, delicious, destination dining in the middle of Soho."
The Portrait
Trafalgar Square - National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE
After successfully launching Larry's in the basement, the NPG's Portrait restaurant has reopened on the top floor with spectacular views across town. Now the space really has the food to match that view as Richard Corrigan (Bentley's) is in charge. It's an excellent menu that embraces the odd challenging dish (the snail pasta is really wonderful) and it really feels like the fully revamped gallery has finally got the restaurant it deserves. Try to get a table at dusk for some cracking magic hour views. In The FT, Tim Hayward thinks it's a winner too, with "top-quality materials, highest-level craft skills and inspired creativity."
Our Test Drive of The Portrait
Tendril
Mayfair - 5 Princes St, London W1B 2LQ
It's been a long and winding road for Tendril, which has popped up in a few locations (including this one) before finally settling down in this permanent home. Rishim Sachdeva (previously at Chiltern Firehouse) is the man in charge of what he calls an "almost vegan" menu (which essentially means a couple of the dishes feature cheese). It's already found a dedicated following thanks to its pop-up phase and the hugely impressive vegan tiramisu is a hell of an achievement.
Dovetale
Mayfair - 1 Dover Yard at 1 Hotel Mayfair, London W1J 8DJ
This is Tom Sellers' second restaurant opening in 2023 after success with Story Cellar (with a revamped Restaurant Story to follow soon). Here he's gone bigger than ever, with Dovetale at Mayfair's swanky new 1 Hotel. Bigger in scope than before (and boasting a very impressive hidden terrace), the wagyu carpaccio is already a big hit but the real must-have option has to be the roaming Knickerbocker Glory station where you can create the sundae of your dreams. City AM says it "positively slaps you in the chops, again and again, with ingenuity."
Pavyllon
Mayfair - Four Seasons Park Lane, Hamilton Pl, London W1J 7DR
Yannick Alleno is a very big name in French cuisine. His restaurants in France have won multiple Michelin stars and this is his first time opening a restaurant in London. Pavyllon sees the Four Seasons dramatically redesigning its restaurant into one that showcases the huge counter surrounding the chefs hard at work. it's all very much haute cuisine here, with tremendous detail going into the dishes, but that's also resulting in a pretty tremendous bill. Jay Rayner mentioned that cost but also says "it is lick-the-plate delicious."
Origin City
City of London - 12 West Smithfield London EC1A 9JR
Origin City comes from the team behind 56 West Smithfield wine bar, and is a restaurant that emphasizes provenance with meat sourced from the family's organic farm in Scotland and seafood from Loch Fyne Oyster. Here, the menu showcases British classics including dishes like Tamworth pork tonnato and dry-aged Black Angus sirloin. The restaurant promotes a 'no waste, great taste' philosophy.
June
Counter 71
Shoreditch - 208 Stoke Newington High St, London N16 7HU
This all-counter dining spot in Shoreditch is a place of two halves. Downstairs you’ll find Lowcountry, a perfect little cocktail bar. Upstairs it’s a tasting menu-only operation run by former Fenn head chef Joe Laker and ous chef Michael Miles (ex-Manteca). Our dinner here was exemplary, roaming through the British Isles for influence and produce for a meal that was sometimes thrilling and never dull.
Sonora Taqueria
Stoke Newington - 208 Stoke Newington High St, London N16 7HU
After originally starting life as a taco shack in Netil Market, Sonora Taqueria finally has a permanent home in Stoke Newington. Here, you can find some of London's very best tacos. An absolute must-visit if you consider yourself a taco connoisseur.
Claridge's Restaurant
Mayfair - Brook Street, London W1K 4HR
After an 18-month closure, the main Claridge's restaurant returned with a completely new look, reinventing itself as a "classically inspired but contemporary British restaurant". It's currently what they describe as "gently open with limited hours and availability, and fully open from September." You can expect a menu of elevated British and European classics, like a grilled native lobster with sauce Americaine. There's a separate bar here too, if you just fancy some snacks and cocktails.
Our Claridge's Restaurant Test Drive
Little Kudu
Peckham - 133 Queen’s Rd, London SE15 2ND
Little Kudu is the third restaurant from the Kudu group, after Kudu and Kudu Grill, and as the name suggests, it's something of a smaller restaurant than before. Here, the food is more of a tapas-style affair, which still retains that South African influence on dishes like their braaibrodjie.
Manzi's
Soho - 1 Bateman's Buildings, Soho, London W1D 3EN
Manzi's is the first brand-new restaurant from the Wolseley Restaurant Group (it was first conceived by Jeremy King). Easily one of the biggest new restaurants to open in Soho in recent years, it's a big two-floored affair that has the occasional out-there design moments (there are mermaids). There's an almost entirely seafood menu ranging from shellfish to monkfish wellingtons.
Empire Empire
Notting Hill - 16 All Saints Road, London W11 1HH
This Notting Hill restaurant comes from Harneet Baweja, the man behind the very popular Gunpowder restaurants. Here, he's gone for something new - specifically a mix of Indian food and disco music, with a focus on the seventies music scene in India. Expect dishes like lamb shank dum biryani or fish chop rogan josh.
May
Leo's
Clapton - 59 Chatsworth Rd, Lower Clapton, London E5 0LH
Leo's is from the people behind Juliet's Quality Food in Tooting, with ex-Bright chef Giuseppe Belvedere in the kitchen. The menu draws on Giuseppe’s Sardinian heritage, aiming to use "the best possible produce from the British Isles and the continent". It's already a huge hit, even if Jimi Famurewa in The Standard wasn't completely convinced although he conceded it was an early visit and said their tiramisu was a "beautifully constructed, weightlessly fluffy marvel of cream".
Midland Grand Dining Room
King's Cross - St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, London NW1 2AR
This restaurant took on the ex-Gilbert Scott room in King's Cross and immediately turned it into something special (warming up the room's decor did wonders). it got rave reviews too. "Decadence done right," said the Standard's Jimi Famurewa, while the Guardian's Grace Dent wondered if this was "the campest restaurant in the UK". Set in the Grade I listed dining room of the St Pancras Renaissance expect classic French dishes done with modern style.
Our Midland Grand Dining Room Test Drive
Carlotta
Carlotta - 77-78 Marylebone High St, London W1U 5JX
There's intimate and there's 'Big Mamma' intimate which in this case translates to a two-floored restaurant with more nooks and crannies than their others to date. The food is Italian, as ever, and there are some special dishes on the menu here including the de-shelled lobster with caviar sauce. It's fun, glitzy and, as usual, you can't get a table for weeks.
Lasdun
South Bank - National Theatre, Upper Ground, London SE1 9PX
The new in-house restaurant at the National Theatre is run by the folk behind The Marksman plus John Ogier previously of Lyles. It's a big restaurant moment for the South Bank and Grace Dent goes as far as to say it's "by far the best place to eat on the South Bank". Jimi Famurewa is also a fan, calling it "impressive and cherishable".
20 Berkeley
Mayfair - 20 Berkeley St, London W1J 8EE
Opening in the Mayfair triangle that houses the area's most bouji restaurants, this new opening from the folk who brought us Humo and Endo at the Rotunda looks set to offer something a little different to its more glitzy neighbours. The focus is very much on local ingredients used in dishes inspired by the chef's travels. The Standard's Jimi Famurewa called it "a kind of turbo-Daylesford".
April
Noble Rot Mayfair
Mayfair - 5 Trebeck St, Shepherd Market, London W1J 7LT
The third restaurant from the Noble Rot team is an immediate hit. The Sportsman's Stephen Harris has again helped with the menu while ex-Perilla chef Adam Wood heads up the kitchen. It's blessed with two bars as well (very handy for this part of town) and a menu that focuses on "indulgence" with a set lunch menu that's a notably great deal for this part of town. Giles Coren's a fan, calling it "wonderful, individual, perfect".
Our Noble Rot Mayfair Test Drive
Ploussard
Battersea - 97 St. John’s Road Battersea Rise, London SW11 1QY
Ploussard comes from the same team behind Other Side Fried but this is a very different affair from its fried chicken sibling. This is a neighbourhood wine bar and restaurant with a seasonal small plates menu and a focus on natural wines. It proved to be a big hit in an area which was crying out for a restaurant like this. In The FT, Tim Hayward says it features "Old-school skills, superb ingredients, creative ideas, excellent presentation".
March
Story Cellar
Covent Garden - 17 Neal's Yard, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9DP
Story Cellar sees chef Tom Sellers his first of two new restaurants in 2023, something of a spin-off from his Michelin-starred Restaurant Story. It's a smaller-scale affair, billed as "Parisienne-influenced" and has rotisserie chicken as a centrepiece on the menu as well as dishes like a must-have snail bolognaise on toast or brown sugar brulee. It garnered a rare five-star review in The Standard.
Papi
Hackney - 1F Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PN
Run by the team that was once Hot 4 U, Papi sees chef Matthew Scott team up with Charlie Carr from Wingnut Wines. While the place has a big focus on sustainability and zero-waste, it's key to point out that 'fun' is a big part of the vibe of the restaurant. Expect a regularly-changing menu, great wines, and there's also a small bar downstairs. Grace Dent was bowled over by the "precision and earnestness to the cooking that is light years from the hip positioning and hype that surrounds this new venture."
The Parakeet
Kentish Town - 256 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2EN
The Parakeet took what was The Oxford, remaining part pub, part restaurant with the latter run by former Brat chef Ben Allen. He's in charge of a menu that's based around cooking over fire. The place is extremely popular and got raves, including from The Standard's Jimi Famurewa who calls it "thrillingly anachronistic... quintessentially London." Giles Coren was similarly impressed, calling the food "beyond outstanding".
Rambutan
Borough Market - 10 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AD
Rambutan is a Sri Lankan restaurant from chef, restaurateur and author Cynthia Shanmugalingam. The restaurant takes influence from both her family's cooking as well as her travels across Sri Lanka. It impressed Jimi Famurewa in The Standard, who said it has "cool adventurousness and nuanced cultural expression " Marina O'Loughlin's a fan too saying: "Borough just got yet another hot ticket."
London Shell Co
Highgate - Unit 4, Sonny Heights, Swains Lane, London N6 6AG
Previously best known for their canal-based restaurants on boats, this North London opening saw the London Shell Co open their first land-based restaurant and fishmonger and it's an impressive affair. Either pick up some seafood for your own kitchen or simply grab a table and order some of the specials, along with a well-chosen wine list.
Our London Shell Co Test Drive
Nessa
Soho - 86 Brewer Street, London W1F 9UB
This Soho restaurant comes from the people behind Mortimer House in Fitzrovia who brought in chef Tom Cenci to run the kitchen. Billed as a neighbourhood bistro, you'll find European bistro food with a few very specific British influences peppered throughout the menu. So there's a black pudding brioche as well as a jam rolly poly on the menu here. Make sure to try the cocktails and there's a really good non-alcoholic range too.
February
Socca
Mayfair - 41 S Audley St, London W1K 2PS
This restaurant opening teamed up Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi with London's wunderkind restaurateur Samyukta Nair in a fabulous light-filled corner site in Mayfair (try to get a table in the front room). The cuisine is all about cuisine from The French Riviera. Jay Rayner was a fan of most of the dishes, but not so much the Mayfair pricing. Meanwhile, Tim Hayward in the FT said "I think I might love everything about Socca."
Darjeeling Express
Carnaby - Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, London W1B 5PW
Asma Khan's Darjeeling Express goes from strength to strength and this return to Carnaby brought the restaurant closer to its original goal - to champion the kitchen team as much as the food. All the classics return in a beautiful-looking room. It's a star magnet too - Paul Rudd was a fan of the previous restaurant and has already been into this, as well as fellow Marvel stars Kumail Nanjiani, Will Poulter and many others.
Joia
Battersea - 1 Electric Boulevard, Nine Elms, London SW11 8BJ
While a great deal about Joia is all about the view, the good news is that the great view is matched with great food. That's down to the involvement of two-Michelin-starred chef, Henrique Sá Pessoa whose grilled carabineiro with orzo (pictured) is fast becoming the restaurant's Insta-dish. Popular as it is, Jimi Famurewa in The Standard was less impressed saying that despite the "genuine glamour". The rooftop bar is also a very popular summer scene.
January
Humo
Mayfair - 12 St George's Street, London W1S 2FB
When you hear that the chef of a new opening is the protégé of Endo Kazutoshi you’re going to want to sit up and take notice. That expectation was really delivered with Humo, an excellent Mayfair restaurant that's all about cooking with fire in many ways, where you can order courses based on how much contact with the fire they've had. Giles Coren is a fan, while William Sitwell called it "a heady cocktail of complex, sublime cookery."
Akub
Notting Hill - 27 Uxbridge Street, London W8 7TQ
The Standard’s critic Jimi Famurewa was an early convert to the delights of Fadi Kattan’s Palestinian restaurant in Notting Hill who loved “this remarkable little restaurant”. Time Out’s Hester van Hensbergen was similarly enthused calling it near perfect. Another restaurant that cements Notting Hill as a fully-fledged dining destination.
Jacuzzi
Kensington - 94 Kensington High Street, London W8 4SH
The first Big Mamma restaurant of 2023 in a busy year for them. There was never really any doubt that this West London outpost was going to be a runaway hit from the get-go. The three-storey OTT palazzo on Kensington High Street has seen a stream of diners in, equally happy to order the caviar pizza as post photos of themselves in the disco loos. Even Jay Rayner was won over: "I gave myself to it as to, well, a hot, bubbly bath."
Sichuan Fry by Dumpling Shack
Hackney - 2 Westgate St, London E8 3RN
Such was the scrum to try the chicken burgers at Sichuan Fry on opening day, they needed 48 hours to regroup before they could start up again. Serving up crisp chicken paired with classic Sichuan flavours it became a sure-fire hit for London Fields.
See also
Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners
