This is our monthly round-up of the restaurants causing the biggest stir in town - the hottest at this very moment from a chefs' delight in Belgravia to a controversial lunch venue in King's Cross (If you're looking for classics, see our all-time London's Best Restaurants guide).
New - Fonda
Mayfair - 12 Heddon St, London W1B 4BZ
In a nutshell: Santiago Lastra's follow-up to Kol
If the arrival of a slew of A-listers is anything to go by (and of course it is) then Lastra's new Mayfair Mexican restaurant is white-hot at the moment. Stars from Tom Cruise to Keira Knightley have been spotted checking out the chef's more casual offering on Heddon Street. The Standard's David Ellis was also a fan calling this: "Kol with the tasting menu cuffs undone."
New - Sael
St James - 1 St James's Market, St. James's, London SW1Y 4QQ
In a nutshell: Jason Atherton goes big in St James
If you've been paying attention, you'll know that Jason Atherton is VERY busy at the moment. This is the second of four restaurant openings this Autumn and although Mary's was well received, this has been a hit right out of the gate. Taking over the old Aquavit space, it's a great looking restaurant and the menu, which has ex-Pollern Street Social head chef Dale Bainbridge in charge, has some excellent dishes, not least the incredible marmite custard tarts. In The Standard, David Ellis called it "a restaurant for anyone, at any time, on any occasion."
New - Wildflowers
Belgravia - Unit 2, 57 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8NE
In a nutshell: Beautiful Belgravia restaurant and wine bar
If you look at just how many chefs and folk from the London restaurant scene have made it their business to check out Wildflowers in the first few weeks of its opening then you'll get a good indication of how much they rate chef Aaron Potter's Mediterranean-influenced cooking. The Guardian's Grace Dent was another early visitor declaring it "so charming and tasteful that finding fault is a challenge." it doesn't hurt that there's a fantastic wine bar upstairs too.
Read our Test Drive of Wildflowers
New - The Yellow Bittern
King's Cross - 20 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DU
In a nutshell: New, but old-school affair.
Taking in both the column inches and social media controversy stirred up by this new arrival in King's Cross, The Yellow Bittern is 100% a restaurant you're going to want to have an opinion about. It's only open at lunch, you have to phone to book, there's no wine list and you have to pay by cash. A couple of Instagram posts by chef and co-founder Hugh Corcoran have attracted divided reaction but there's lots of praise for the food. Chefs to have been in so far include Fergus Henderson and Jeremy Lee, while wine writer Nick Lander was one of the first to get his review up calling his meal there, "a fascinating lunch."
Café Francois
Borough Yards - 14-16 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AD
In a nutshell: The second coming from Maison Francois
Photos of the prime rib with snails and pistachio eclairs have been all over our FYP for the past few weeks as Cafe Francois is Borough Market's latest must-visit spot. Founder François O’Neill and his team have transformed the old Paul Smith store into a heavenly French brasserie that's just as perfect for enjoying a martini and plate of gougères as it is for a long, boozy lunch with a ramble through their great wine list. Grace Dent says is is "less a casual cafe than a new London landmark."
Read our Test Drive of Cafe Francois
Sesta
Hackney - 52 Wilton Way, London E8 1BG
In a nutshell: Not Pidgin, but just as good
This Hackney restaurant took over the space from Pidgin with a couple of their alumni in charge. Chef Drew Snaith leads the kitchen while ex-Pidgin GM Hannah Kowalski leads the room and wine list. It's a big change for the space as the weekly changing menus are gone, replaced by a more sedately-changing menu. The food, however, remains excellent and the scotched olives and beef ragu toasties are worth crossing town for. It's a very worthy successor. Charlotte Ivers in The Sunday Times called it "fashionable dining in a way that delivers good food and a peaceful, pleasant experience."
Junk
Soho - 49 Old Compton St, London W1D 6HL
In a nutshell: Latest smash-hit smash burgers
As you may have seen from many think-pieces, it seems that London just can't get enough of smash burgers. Now that the Supernova craze has died down, another one is quickly building for Junk, a burger joint that originates from France. Oddly enough, this one seems like a mash-up of both Supernova and its sister establishment Creme, as Junk also specialises in big chewy cookies. The stars are the burgers, however, and you can build a five-stack behemoth of them. Word around town is that the burgers are excellent, which is the main thing of course, and Junk is only going to get bigger.
Noodle Inn
Soho - 4-6 Old Compton St, London W1D 4TA
In a nutshell: Hyper-popular noodles
Chinese sensation Noodle Inn has seen queues snaking down Old Compton Street ever since it opened. Owned by the same people as Kung Fu Noodle, the big draw here is seeing those hand-pulled noodles being made in front of you and consequently seats by the open kitchen are the current gold ticket in London's foodie circles. You may find it easier to get a seat at Kung Fu Noodle, but this is the seat to brag about.
Marceline
Canary Wharf - Wood Wharf, 10 Water St, London E14 5GX
In a nutshell: Floating French brasserie
Is it a New York-style cafe or a French brasserie? Well, according to the critics Marceline straddles both worlds and that's a good thing. It makes this handy mid-range restaurant in the heart of Canary Wharf as useful a place to go for a business lunch as it is for a boisterous dinner with friends in the evenings. Elite Traveler found themselves in a "butter-induced coma" after enjoying the signature dish of Ravioli Dauphiné. Time Out agreed, calling it a "an oozy, oily, cheesy thing of wonder".
Read our Test Drive of Marceline
Goodbye Horses
Islington - 21 Halliford St, London, N1 3HB
In a nutshell: Vibey neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar
This wine bar and restaurant quickly became the hottest ticket in Islington. Part of it is down to the reworking of an old neighbourhood pub into a beautiful modern, but welcoming space. Another aspect is the natural, biodynamic and organic wine list that really brings something new to the area. And all that's capped off with an excellent menu of small plates by ex-Papi chef Jack Coggins. The menu makes something simple like egg mayonnaise seem special, and there are some inventive takes throughout.
Read our Test Drive of Goodbye Horses
Lolo
Bermondsey - 102 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3UB
In a nutshell: Jose Pizarro's Bermondsey takeover continues
Lolo marks the third restaurant that Jose Pizarro has opened on this stretch near London Bridge and it has become an immediate hit. Sitting in the all-day casual space that sits thematically between tapas bar José and the more formal Pizarro, this genuinely feels like it's adding something new to the street. Being an all-day affair, there's a focus on egg dishes and sandwiches alongside laid-back sharing plates, all backed up by a well-priced wine list. The Tortilla vaga (lazy omelette) is an absolute must. In his last review for The Standard, Jimi Famurewa said while the menu can be a little unwieldy "some languorous drinks, augmented by those great snacks, may be the best approach here."
Ibai
City of London - 92 Bartholomew Cl, London EC1A 7BN
In a nutshell: Basque steak in the City
Having opened somewhat quietly in the City, Ibai has quickly become a big hit. Given that it's run by a Basque meat importing company (the same one behind Lurra in Marylebone) it's easy to see why - the steak is phenomenal here. But that's only part of the story with many of the small plates, particularly the prawn/black pudding Croque Ibai, winning dishes in their own right. Charlotte Ivers in The Sunday Times was a fan of the Croque Ibai saying "There’s something almost unholy about the decadence" while Grace Dent says "The pudding list, if the steaks don’t end you, is worth the trip alone."
Miga
Hackney - 1 Mare St, London E8 4RP
In a nutshell: Modern Korean
Miga is another restaurant that has built up an impressive following, relying on word of mouth and social media buzz to get the word out there. A family business (it's run by two brothers, with their father in the kitchen), its modern approach to Korean cooking brings something unique to the Hackney food scene. The restaurant i s continuing to evolve, with a new-look menu promised in September and they're also trialling omakase-style dinners. That buzz has already translated to a five-star review in The Standard from Jimi Famurewa who says they are giving "their father’s remarkable, soulful cooking the platform it deserves."
The Park
Bayswater - 123 Bayswater Rd, London W2 3JH
In a nutshell: Jeremy King goes west in all senses
Restaurateur Jeremy King’s latest restaurant opening is, he says, his love letter to America. You’ll find it on the edge of Hyde Park taking up the whole ground floor of a multi-million-pound apartment block in Bayswater. And where Jeremy goes, his fans follow in their droves. Business is already booming with the ham hock pie and prawn cocktails being early favourites and it's also picked up a fan in Giles Coren who says "everyone will love everything."
Read our Test Drive of The Park
Tollington's
Finsbury Park - 172 Tollington Park, London N4 3AJ
In a nutshell: Four Legs does seafood
With such a huge fanbase it's not surprising that the Four Legs team's latest has proven to be a massive hit. Spanish-influenced fish bar Tollington’s took over an old fish and chip shop. The fryers have remained and they've put them to great used, creating small plates like deep-fried devilled crab and some truly outstanding chips bravas. Grace Dent is a fan of those chips - "I shall talk of these chips on my deathbed" - while Jimi Famurewa calls it "an electrically vibey, Spanglish instant classic" in his five-star review.
Read our Test Drive of Tollington's
Julie's
Holland Park - 135 Portland Rd, London W11 4LW
In a nutshell: Much-loved restaurant reboot
The second full revamp of Julie's, this has been an unqualified success and the restaurant has found a new lease of life as a celeb magnet. They brought in ex-The Pelican chef Owen Kenworthy to run the kitchen and it really helps that it's now owned by someone who lives in the area. The French brasserie style is a much more fitting approach for the area and crowd and the terrace is the place to be on a sunny day. Giles Coren said "it was all utterly historic" while Jay Rayner agress that "its time has clearly come again." Expect to see many a local celeb in here.
Read our Test Drive of Julie's
The Hero
Maida Vale - 55 Shirland Rd, London W9 2JD
In a nutshell: Classic pub gets a major overhaul
This is the revival of what was once The Hero of Maida by the same people who made The Pelican such a big success. Stripping back the decor has created a beautiful-looking pub, while the food takes a new approach to pub classics. It's already become a massive hit with locals with The Standard's David Ellis noting "This might just be the best-looking pub in the world." Meanwhile, Jay Rayner says "they have made the sweetly familiar blissfully new again" while Giles Coren after visiting early said "it’s going to be good. Very good." The grill restaurant recently opened upstairs so expect the hype to only build from here.
Read our Test Drive of The Hero
Oma and Agora
Borough Market - 2-4 Bedale St, London SE1 9AL
In a nutshell: Lively Greek-inspired duo
Coming from David Carter, the man behind Smokestak and Manteca, it was fair to expect big things from his Greek-inspired restaurants in Borough Market. Both restaurants are still heaving, bringing a taste of Shoreditch vibes to Borough. The walk-in-only Agora channels a busy Greek taverna against live-fire cooking while the upstairs OMA features next-level dishes like their lobster-bisque borek. It's the new party place in the area, for sure. In The Standard, Jimi Famurewa was an early fan, calling it suitably "epic" while Giles Coren calls it a "a standout, hands down, pants off, run around screaming, slam-dunk best-of-the-year-so-far joint."
Read our Oma and Agora Test Drive
The Devonshire
Soho - 17 Denman Street, London W1D 7HW
In a nutshell: Hottest pub and grill in town
A year since opening and The Devonshire is still the very hottest thing in this list of hot restaurants. Its success continues to be bigger than really anyone could have predicted with a parade of stars visiting to see what the fuss is about (Even Bono's popped in for a look). The excellent reputation of the grill restaurant has well and truly spread although it's a little easier to get a booking than before (it's a big restaurant, after all). Reviews have also been stellar and only recently Grace Dent went in, calling it the "epitome of comfort food: hearty, buttery, and with peppercorn sauces and plates mopped with warm bread." 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
Perma-hot restaurants
Here are the London restaurants that have been open for a while but are still hotter than ever.
The Dover (Soho) - Martin Kuczmarski's restaurant has a real understated Mayfair glamour and is a great place for star spotting. It's also one of the best bars in the area with an excellent cocktail list.
Mountain (Soho) - Tomos Parry's Soho restaurant is still extremely hard to get into, but worth it for that spider crab omelette.
Bouchon Racine (Farringdon) - The return of Henry Harris remains one of London's best restaurants for many. Even if you can't get into the restaurant, the food in the pub downstairs is well worth a look.
Arlington (Mayfair) - Jeremy King's revival of the original Le Caprice remains a solid hit. It's one of the best and buzziest restaurants in St James.
Crisp Pizza (Hammersmith) - Alley Cats may get the press, but this pizzeria is still the best for many. There's still a wait for pizzas at the weekend particularly, but it's well worth it.
Warming up...
And there are a few more restaurants creating buzz recently that we think are worth keeping an eye on...
Fantomas (Chelsea) - Chris Denney is back in a team-up with the group behind Wild Tavern
Godet (Islington) - The team behind Binch have opened this wine-focused pub.
Canteen (Notting Hill) - The latest opening from The Pelican team, this time an Italian.
Where's Hot, mapped.
Here's how the Hot Dinners "Where's Hot" restaurants are spread across town.
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