This is our monthly round-up of the restaurants causing the biggest stir in town - the hottest at this very moment from a burger shack in East London to a luxe gastropub in Belgravia. (If you're looking for classics, see our all-time London's Best Restaurants guide).
New: The Prince Arthur
Belgravia - 11 Pimlico Rd, London SW1W 8NA
In a nutshell: Pub with upscale Basque menu
London has had a run of impressive gastropubs recently and The Prince Arthur is continuing that trend, albeit by going at things a little differently. While it looks like a more traditional pub when you first go in the door, it's one with a beautiful design (that amazing ceiling particularly) and a Basque menu that dips into luxe territory (it is in Belgravia, after all). There's plenty of caviar (their own brand) and the Basque cheesecake is up there with London's best. It's already picked up a big following and we can see this only getting better when the upstairs restaurant opens.
Read our Test Drive of The Prince Arthur
New: Don't Tell Dad
Queen's Park - 10-14 Lonsdale Road, London NW6 6RD
In a nutshell: Bakery meets restaurant
Londoners love a good bakery and that's just what Don't Tell Dad kicked off with when it first launched at the very end of 2024. This was followed by their restaurant which they've billed as being a neighbourhood-focused affair. But despite their more modest goals, the restaurant has organically blown up on social media, particularly on TikTok and it's increasingly hard to get a table. David Ellis in The Standard didn't buy into the hype, but notwithstanding that it's a popular vibey place. The huge pork cassoulet is the dish to get (but also order the madeleines, made to order).
New: Dove
Notting Hill - 31 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2EU
In a nutshell: Orasay reborn
Reacting to increasing costs that have particularly hit the seafood market, Jackson Boxer has closed what was Orasay in Notting Hill and brought it back to life as Dove. Instead of the seafood focus, it's now a restaurant that concentrates on "elevated comfort food" with new dishes on the menu including the fantastic deep-fried truffle lasagne. It's a gamble that's paid off. While the look of the restaurant itself hasn't changed, the new approach has brought more life and, more importantly, renewed interest into what has always been a great Notting Hill place. With the ever-changing hospitality scene, Boxer has shown how a smart reinvention can be the way to keep in the game.
New: Jupiter Burger
London Fields - Netil Market, 13-23 Westgate St, London E8 3RL
In a nutshell: Dom's Subs do burgers
If ever there was an 'in a nutshell' that told you almost everything you needed to know about a new opening in London it's this. The Dom's Subs crew have been absolute legends in transforming London's sandwich scene, now they're aiming to do the same with its burgers. To that end, they've opened in the old Lucky Chip shack in Netil Market, where they're concentrating on a super tight menu of smash burgers. It certainly doesn't hurt that the patties are made from meat supplied by the amazing Hill & Szrok butcher nearby. US website Infatuation was an early convert calling this London's answer to In-N-Out.
Read our Test Drive of Jupiter Burger
New: Daquise
South Kensington - 20 Thurloe St, South Kensington, London SW7 2LT
In a nutshell: Retro Polish
For almost eighty years this Polish restaurant has gone about its business of looking after ex-pats and locals with their legendary borscht and dumplings. But it took the threat of closure for modern Londoners to take notice on a wider level of the delights of this old-school gem. And when Vittles commissioned an essay into its myriad pleasures then you know that a restaurant has really hit the big time in foodie circles. Most recently it's been reviewed by Charlotte Ivers in The Sunday Times and David Ellis in The Standard, both of whom succumbed to its charms.
The Brave
Islington - 340-342 Essex Road, London N1 3PB
In a nutshell: James Cochran's pub
When the news broke that James Cochran was closing his 1251 restaurant, it was a real loss to the area. But the chef is back in Islington once more, teaming up with the Seven-Eighths Group pub team. The menu here splits between pub snacks and the main event and it's impressive throughout (the hash browns with curry sauce being particularly great). It's already picked up a following and judging by the response to our reel, will only get busier from here.
Read our Test Drive of The Brave
Pinna
Mayfair - 43 Curzon Street, London W1J 7UF
In a nutshell: Vibey Italian from the Wild team
They've already had recent hits with Lita and Fantomas, both bringing together great food and vibes and George Bukhov-Weinstein and Ilya Demichev are doing the same with Pinna. This new opening sees former Wild head chef Achille Pinna leading a Sardinian restaurant (albeit a notably high-end one). The food is great (with some excellent pasta dishes and a top veal Milanese) and once again they've immediately attracted crowds, creating a buzzy new Mayfair space from day one.
The Dreamery
Islington - 20a Halliford St, London N1 3HD
In a nutshell: Ice cream + wine + fancy ceiling
Goodbye Horses has already been a huge hit for Islington and now the same team are doing similarly well with an opening just across the street that's very different in nature. It's both an ice cream and wine bar, where you'll be able to pair their own in-house ice cream with some of their selected wine pairings. The space is made even more glamorous by the use of an extraordinary backlit ceiling and mirrors that give it the look of stretching into infinity. You'll be seeing videos of this on a lot of Instagram feeds (including ours here).
Read our Test Drive of The Dreamery
Cafe Mondo
Camberwell - 42 Peckham Rd, London SE5 8PX
In a nutshell: Sandwich shop and more besides
For the past few years, Mondo Sando have been doing pretty solid business in residencies, but this sees them graduating to their own space. Still very much sandwich-forward, it's a sandwich shop during the day that becomes more of a place to linger in the evening. They also serve up chicken schnitzel, a great patty melt and more. It's been an immediate hit and also got praise from The Standard's David Ellis who called the food "astonishingly delicious" and noted "the complete and utter excellence of the place."
Bottarga
Chelsea - 383 King's Road, London SW10 0LP
In a nutshell: Chicama reborn in the Med
Late 2024, the people behind Chicama (and also Pachamama) decided to close that restaurant and replace it with a completely new offering, Bottarga. Now Mediterranean in focus (closer in theme to the group's Zephyr), it's serving up dishes like saganaki tapioca bites and bluefin otoro toast. This change turned out to be a very good decision indeed as the new restaurant has been such an immediate hit that it's getting very hard to book a table.
AngloThai
Marylebone - 22-24 Seymour Place, London W1H 7NL
In a nutshell: Thai dishes, British produce
Sometimes great things come to those who wait and that's certainly the case with AngloThai. The restaurant by John and Desiree Chantarasak has been in the planning stages for four years, but that long waiting period has ended up delivering a fantastic restaurant. Known for blending Thai cuisine with British ingredients, this sees them working at the top of their game, with an early review by David Ellis in The Standard agreeing - "This is thoughtful, elegant food". Meanwhile, Grace Dent says "There is an understated elegance to just about everything that AngloThai does."
Read our Test Drive of AngloThai
The Georgian
Knightsbridge - Fourth Floor, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, London SW1X 7XL
In a nutshell: Pie king returns
There is absolutely nothing understated about The Georgian - a 130 year old restaurant at Harrods which has just had the mother of all makeovers. It competes with Sucre for the most chandeliers in one London dining room. Best of all they've brought in Pie King Calum Franklin to oversee the evening menu which, as you might imagine, has a distinct pie focus. Grace Dent approved of the cosseting nature of the operation, saying it's "a reassuringly posh restaurant".
Read our Test Drive of The Georgian
Fantomas
Chelsea - 235 King’s Road, London SW3
In a nutshell: Chris Denney returns
The King's Road hasn't really seen anything like Fantomas for quite some time, as evidenced by the crowds that have thronged there since day one. Chef Chris Denney (ex-Fiend) is in charge of a menu that's loosely European with the odd Japanese influence. "He’s never boring and his menu is delicious but borderline chaotic on a global level," said Grace Dent in the Guardian.
Read our Test Drive of Fantomas
Canteen
Notting Hill - 301 Portobello Road, London W10 5TD
In a nutshell: The Pelican do an Italian café
If you want to show that you're serious about your latest Italian restaurant opening in London, it always helps to have a couple of ex-River Cafe folk running the kitchen. Here at Canteen (from the same team that brought us The Pelican and The Hero) chefs Jessica Filbey and Harry Hills are in charge of a daily changing menu that features both pizza and pasta alongside a few larger sharing plates in a very casual space. It got five stars from David Ellis in The Standard who said "I’d cross town for lunch here". Giles Coren also loved it, while his dining companion Nick Jones says "It’s basically a smaller, cheaper River Cafe", something which Tom Parker Bowles agrees with.
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." Meanwhile, Giles Coren heaped on the praise saying "The execution was incredible, the skill levels insane, the space awesome, the vibes delightful" while Jay Rayner called it "conversation-stopping stuff. We mutter simple sentences that demand no reply like, “This is good” and “Oh my”."
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. Giles Coren took along Jamie Oliver who was wowed, saying "this is the generation of chefs we have to be hopeful for, right?"
Read our Test Drive of Wildflowers
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 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 it is "less a casual cafe than a new London landmark."
Read our Test Drive of Cafe Francois
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. Grace Dent enjoyed it noted: "Noodle Inn is utterly delicious, yes, but there are equally wonderful noodles available just streets away, where you can book a table."
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."
Warming up...
And there are a few more restaurants creating buzz recently that we think are worth keeping an eye on...
Krokodilos (Kensington) - From the team behind Wild and Fantomas, this is a high-end Greek restaurant.
Bar Valette (Shoreditch) - The new opening from the team behind The Clove Club
The Great Indian (Archway) - There's a lot of interest in this new Indian gastropub
Voyage with Adam Simmonds (King's Cross) - The top chef launches a Scandinavian-inspired restaurant.
Perma-hot restaurants
These are the London restaurants that have been open for a while but are still hotter than ever.
OMA and Agora (Borough Market) - the Greek-inspired duo from David Carter continues to be one of the biggest draws in the area.
The Devonshire (Soho) - Both the pub downstairs and the grill restaurant remain, one year on, the hottest places in town. It's also still a great place for celeb spotting.
The Dover (Mayfair) - 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 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. A recent visit confirmed it's still operating at the highest level.
Arlington (St James) - 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.
Where's Hot, mapped.
Here's how the Hot Dinners "Where's Hot" restaurants are spread across town.
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