This is our monthly round-up of the restaurants causing the biggest stir in town - the hottest at this very moment from high-end dining in a fancy King's Cross restaurant to all-you-can-eat lasagna in Shoreditch. (If you're looking for classics, see our all-time London's Best Restaurants guide).
Victor Garvey at the Midland Grand
King's Cross - St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd., London NW1 2AR
In a nutshell: SOLA chef takes on a grand dining room
The latest big-name chef to take on the glorious restaurant space at The Midland Grand is SOLA chef Victor Garvey. His arrival, bringing with him a new concept and menu, has made this restaurant a must-visit, even if you’ve been before. This is grand French dining that feels less like a homage to the Ritz, but a younger rival, maybe? Tim Hayward made it his swansong review in his capacity as restaurant critic for the FT saying, "Its dining room is a Wonder of the Hospitality World…It feels good to have been there, at the start of something spectacular."
More about Victor Garvey at the Midland Grand
Read the Midland Grand Test Drive
Senza Fondo
Shoreditch - 1 Rufus St, London N1 6PE
In a nutshell: All-you-can-eat lasagna
Italian restaurant Senza Fondo has one key selling point - its bottomless lasagna. That comes in traditional or artichoke varieties (and even in a sandwich) and it's a simple premise that has meant the restaurant is booked out for months ahead - people do love a good deal. There is more to the restaurant than layered pasta, though. Assuming you don't overdo it on the lasagna, you'll also find pizzette, pasta and snacks like deep-fried mozzarella sticks. The Standard's David Ellis was convinced: "It is better than Big Mamma, just about, and not nearly so pleased with itself."
Bône
Shoreditch - 72 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3AY
In a nutshell: Stealthily hot restaurant
We like to think we might have had something to do with the hype behind new weekend supperclub restaurant Bone in Shoreditch (as we’re the only people to have written about it). Such is the buzz about the intimate 25-seater that it’s now booked up until September. The menu changes monthly and if you do manage to get a booking, you can expect a set menu that includes delights such as chicken nuggets with caviar and Chick-fil-A sauce or a show-cooked short rib with Cafe de Paris sauce.
Tasca at Cav
Betnal Green - 255 Paradise Row, London E2 9LE
In a nutshell: Wine bar with a Spanish residency
We’re always keeping an eye out for whatever chef Josh Dalloway is up to as he’s been involved in a load of interesting popups all over London. Right now, he’s cooking as part of Tasca, the food residency at new Shoreditch bar Cav, where the menu mixes up Spanish and Portuguese influences. Standard critic David Ellis is an early fan, praising “the beautiful food and fair prices”. Their pork and prawn cachorrinho sandwich certainly deserves to be tried.
Crunch
Soho - 60 Dean Street, London W1D 6AW
In a nutshell: Big brioche sandwiches
Londoners do love a single-dish restaurant. In a time where we have so much choice, it’s a lot easier when the menu has been tightened right down. At Crunch, it’s all about their hype brioche sandwiches which are made to order for you. This has been all over our FYP in recent weeks. Eating with Tod may not have graced it with his presence at the time of writing (he loved their stall in Spitalfields), but it’s only a matter of time. If you're heading down, it looks as though the patty melts are the current hot ticket item here.
Nina
Marylebone - 18 Thayer St, London W1U 3JY
In a nutshell: Marylebone Mediterranean
Having seen its last new opening, Bottarga, immediately become one of those hard-to-book restaurants, the same team were presumably hoping for similar success from their next place, Nina. They’ll be buoyed then by the immediate buzz that this subterranean, Mediterranean-focused Marylebone opening (which was once the original Pachamama) has managed to get on social. We popped in for dinner the other week to find the place heaving (in the best possible way). Go for crudo and ‘tini cocktails; this is a place to dress up for.
The Knave of Clubs
Shoreditch - 25 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6JX
In a nutshell: Superteam makes a pub
The Knave of Clubs has been set up by an pretty impressive team - James Dye (The Camberwell Arms) Benjy Leibowitz (JKS and The NoMad in NYC) and Patrick Powell (Allegra). Their aim to create a proper pub with great food in the heart of Shoreditch has been a quick, roaring success with the pub packed out only days after opening. It's helped by having Powell in charge of a menu that, while being led by (very good) rotisserie chicken, features a range of excellent pub snacks, not to mention a must-have prawn scotch egg. Things will get bolstered even further this month as their upstairs restaurant One Club Row is unveiled.
Read our Knave of Clubs Test Drive
Bar Valette
Shoreditch - 28 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8AA
In a nutshell: Clove Club sibling
Taking over the space that once held Two Lights, Bar Valette sees Isaac McHale and team opening something that's related to The Clove Club, but an altogether more casual experience than that two-Michelin-starred affair. Taking Europe as its focus, particularly France and Spain, the menu features a great collection of snacks (the fried barbajuans are fantastic) and more rustic fare (albeit through a Shoreditch lens) like the Fabada bean stew. An early review by The Standard was a little dismissive, and the high pricing has come in for a bit of criticism but it's already finding fans elsewhere.
Read our Test Drive of Bar Valette
Gordon Ramsay at 22 Bishopsgate
City of London - 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AJ
In a nutshell: Gordon towers above all
If anyone knows something about opening a new restaurant with a bit of a bang, it'll be Gordon. He's managed to get everyone talking about his new restaurants, the highest in London apparently, and has even been touting them on talk shows thanks to a few purloined cats. A starry opening party was next and although it looks like Lucky Cat is the big, and slightly more affordable, draw, it's the (pictured) second coming of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay as "High" which is the really hot table to try and get a booking for (if you have a spare £250).
More about Ramsay at 22 Bishopsgate
Krokodilos
Kensington - Lancer Square, 28A Kensington Church Street, London W8 4EP
In a nutshell: High-end Greek
Coming from the same team behind Fantomas and Wild, this was in some ways their most under-the-radar opening. However, that didn't stop it slowly finding itself an audience, mainly because the food here is really very good and the space is so warm and welcoming. Expect an elevated approach to Greek food with generous portions and some fantastic dips. Grace Dent was an early fan, calling it "a very amenable place to spend a couple of hours, imagining you’re feeling the sun on your face when in reality you won’t see it for another six months."
Read our Test Drive of Krokodilos
Breadstall
Soho - 92-93 Berwick St, London W1F 0QB
In a nutshell: Massive pizzas by the slice
Breadstall has built itself a great reputation in Battersea over the years, but really stepped up a gear or two with this much bigger Soho operation. New York has many pizzas-by-the-slice options so it was about time that London had one too and Breadstall delivers on that front. The toppings change regularly, but if the vodka sauce one is on, make that a priority. Dips are good too.
Read our Test Drive of Breadstall
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. Grace Dent was an early fan, saying "above all, the cooking is wonderful, especially if seafood is your thing."
Read our Test Drive of The Prince Arthur
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, Jay Rayner was more of a fan, calling "a class act" and Giles Coren definitely enjoyed it. The huge pork cassoulet is the dish to get (but also make sure to have the madeleines, which are made to order).
Read our Don't Tell Dad Test Drive
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. Although William Sitwell wasn't quite convinced, it seems to be 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.
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."
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
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.
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
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...
27 Old Compton Street (Soho) - The man behind 40 Dean Street has opened up a new fresh pasta bar in Soho.
The Lavery (South Kensington) - An ex-Toklas/River Cafe chef in charge of a Med-focused menu
Cálong (Stoke Newington) - A neighbourhood Korean restaurant to watch from an ex-Galvin at Windows chef
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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