This is our monthly round-up of the restaurants causing the biggest stir in town. As we kick off the new year proper, here's our latest rundown of the hottest restaurants in town, featuring a spin-off of The Dover, Le Gavroche reborn, a pizza pub that remains a huge hit and more...
Dover Street Counter
Mayfair - 31 Dover Street, London W1S 4ND
In a nutshell: The Dover's more casual cousin
At the end of 2025, Martin Kuczmarski had a very busy time of it, opening both Martino's and this restaurant in quick succession. And just as quickly, both have become instant hits. Just a few doors down from The Dover, you can see how the Counter shares some of its DNA with the original, particularly with the slick design of the place, but at heart it's quite a different beast. While it also looks towards the USA for inspiration, there's more of a diner feel to the menu, with steaks, buns and burgers all present, albeit served with some Mayfair touches. But it's also very well priced for the area and has become quite the scene. Fans of The Dover will love this, and if you're looking for a slightly more affordable/casual version of that restaurant, this should be at the top of your list.
More about Dover Street Counter
Read the Dover Street Counter Test Drive
Guinness Open Gate Brewery
Covent Garden - 1 Mercer Walk, London WC2H 9FA
In a nutshell: The London home of Guinness
It took a long time coming, but Guinness finally unleashed their brewery on London just before Christmas. It's quite the endeavour too, featuring multiple bars, two restaurants and lots of options for touring around the brewery itself (where they make a special London porter). In charge of the food here is Pip Lacey (previously Hicce), and we've been to the seafood restaurant at the top, Gilroy's Loft, which is well worth checking out. But given that Londoners really like drinking their Guinness outside (see The Devonshire), it's no surprise that the outside bar here has been the most popular part so far (and will be even busier when it's actually warm). It also helps that you can head over to a food van and buy one of Calum Franklin's excellent pies to go with your pint.
More about Guinness Open Gate Brewery
Read the Guinness Brewery Test Drive
Khao Bird
Soho - 24 Brewer Street, London W1F 0SS
In a nutshell: Thai barbecue restaurant goes permanent
There have been a few top new Thai restaurants opening in London recently, with both Luke Farrell (Speedboat Bar) and the Som Saa team helping to lead the pack in this area. However, Khao Bird had been quietly building a great reputation with its previous Borough residency and the team have taken things significantly up a notch with their permanent restaurant in Soho. Run by restaurateur Mike Palmer and chef Luke Larsson, who started with Lucky Khao in Brighton, this has a menu of Thai barbecue dishes and when we visited, everything we had was fantastic. Always busy (we've passed by a few times since), it's also blessed with an excellent drinks list that kicks off with a cocktail that's gone a bit viral - the I Am Broke, which is essentially a Lidl vodka and tonic.
hg Soho
Soho - 21 St Anne's Court, London W1F 0BJ
In a nutshell: Healthy food sensation from Europe
When it dawned on Londoners that HG in Soho was actually the same as Honest Greens in Europe, then the opening of this Soho health food restaurant turned into a fully viral hit. If you hadn't been to one of their branches across Spain or Portugal, then you might not understand the significance of this. But if you have, you'll know that their menu manages to hit that sweet spot between food being both good for you and tasting great too. The peri peri chicken salad is probably their best-known dish, but there are loads on offer for those looking for plant-forward options as well. If you're thinking of kicking off a healthy eating streak in 2026, this would be a good place to start.
Bonheur by Matt Abé
Mayfair - 43 Upper Brook Street, London W1K 7QR
In a nutshell: Le Gavroche reborn
Matt Abé has launched his first solo restaurant in the old Le Gavroche space, with a little help from former boss Gordon Ramsay (Abé was previously Head Chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay). Although you can see some reminders of its previous life in the bones of the room (particularly the alcoves), it's gone through a pretty spectacular transformation, bringing it properly into the 21st century. That's backed up by Abé's cooking, which plays with dishes like quiche Lorraine, but with an incredible amount of detail, all backed up by a light and friendly service. It's already impressed Davis Ellis in The Standard, who said he can see it getting "Two stars, pronto."
More about Bonheur by Matt Abé
Martino's
Chelsea - 37 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AN
In a nutshell: The Dover goes to Chelsea
Even before it had officially been announced, Martino’s was the kind of restaurant we were getting emails about. ‘What’s that restaurant opening up on the corner of Sloane Square?’ readers asked. ‘It looks like a nice place for a drink.’ Well, it turned out that The Dover restaurateur Martin Kuczmarski had been keeping something rather large under his hat - a new Florentine trattoria to be exact. But while new London Italians are ten a penny, Martino’s stands out for its looks (the design is by the same team behind The Dover), its service and its generous dishes. Look out for the old-school XXL pepper grinder being wielded by waiters and don’t miss out on the lasagna. David Ellis in The Standard is a big fan "I sat with champagne and thought: oh, I’ve found my new favourite restaurant".
The Marlborough
Mayfair - 24 N Audley St, London W1K 6WD
In a nutshell: London's best pizza comes to Mayfair
Obviously, Crisp’s new Mayfair home is hot. How could it not be? The much-loved London take on New Haven-style pizzas has been a barnstorming success with its transfer to The Marlborough, with queues of up to five hours being mentioned. Is it worth the wait? That’s a hugely subjective question but as David Ellis in the Standard put it, “There are many excellent places with empty seats. But they are not Crisp.” Even if you don’t manage to get a table in the subterranean pizzeria, it’s probably worth going for a pint of Guinness to soak up the atmosphere.
Read the Test Drive of The Marlborough
Poon's
Temple - Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA
In a nutshell: Classic Chinese restaurant reborn
As the second generation in her family to get the restaurant bug, Amy Poon’s new opening at Somerset House was always going to be of interest. Not only is this a delightful-looking series of dining rooms, but the food also lives up to the promise of great Chinese home cooking. On our visit, the place was packed with one of the broadest customer bases we’ve seen in a while, with students to septuagenarians all enjoying evocatively-monikered dishes like ‘The hill that Amy didn’t die on’.
Hawksmoor St Pancras
King's Cross - St Pancras, Euston Rd., London NW1 2AR
In a nutshell: Hawksmoor goes fancy
It's been four years since Hawksmoor's last London opening (in Canary Wharf), but their latest might be their most impressive yet. They've taken over what, until recently, was known as The Midland Grand. That was already an impressive room, but with a proper Hawksmoor makeover (wooden flooring, completely new paint job), it looks spectacular and easily the most impressive Hawksmoor to date (with a few new dishes to boot). That's all backed up by The Martini Bar in another beautiful room, that's quickly become one of London's hottest bars. They're coming up to their 20th birthday this year and it's clear that Hawksmoor remains as hot as ever.
More about Hawksmoor St Pancras
2210 by NattyCanCook
Herne Hill - 75 Norwood Road, London SE24 9AA
In a nutshell: Modern Caribbean
When announcing his solo restaurant, much was made (including by us) of Nathaniel Mortley's time in HMP Brixton and how he's reformed himself through his cooking and pop-ups. But even with that compelling background, the chef would have to deliver the goods with his first solo restaurant, and he's definitely done that. Here, the food is billed as "reimagining Caribbean classics with refined flair", and the response so far has been hugely positive. Grace Dent was among the first in, saying "there’s an attention to detail in every dish that makes this place more than fit for a special occasion" and "it’s definitely up there in the best-of list".
Stable Wines
Islington - 344a Essex Rd, London N1 3PD
In a nutshell: Goodbye Horses does a wine bar
This new wine bar from the team behind Goodbye Horses and The Dreamery had barely opened its doors when we went in for a preview, but our visit was sufficient to convince us that this was going to be an immediate hit. And so it's proved as it's now one of the hottest new places in Islington. The upstairs wine shop on Islington’s Essex Road gives no clues as to the labyrinthine delights below ground. Expect a fully natural wine list and delicious small plates like truffled vol au vents and oysters. Your best bet on getting in is to gather a group and book one of the larger tables, otherwise it’s a case of trying your luck with a walk-in.
Ria's Soho
Soho - 29 Fouberts Place, London W1F 7QF
In a nutshell: natural wine and deep-dish
The original Ria's proved to be pretty popular in its original Notting Hill location, but their second opening in Soho has been a massive hit and very hard to get a table at without a lot of notice. It's not hard to see why; the combination of a great natural wine list and a menu of deep-dish Detroit-style pizzas to soak up the alcohol is just perfect for Soho. Look out for their exclusive Soho pizza, the Chilli Crisp.
The Hart
Marylebone - 35 Blandford Street, London W1U 7HA
In a nutshell: The Pelican team with another winner
The Public House Group, which originally launched The Pelican, seem to be on fire when it comes to opening cracking pubs. The Hart is their latest addition and it's also their most central London pub yet. Familiar touches are in place, like a real attention to detail in the design (it looks gorgeous) and the mix of a pub downstairs and a more formal restaurant upstairs (with their trademark low/flattering lighting). Opening in an area which currently has no Chiltern Firehouse has meant that the restaurant has quickly become something of a scene. As ever, the food is supported by produce from their farm, with dishes like bubble & squeak on the menu and particularly great snacks in place for the downstairs pub.
Carbone
Mayfair - 30 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 6AN
In a nutshell: Italian American celeb haunt
There’s no use pretending you haven’t heard about Carbone. The arrival of the much-vaunted New York Italian restaurant in London was shrouded in secrecy up until opening, when it was then announced with a veritable onslaught of publicity. So far we know Leo and Kate Moss have dined here, and Posh Spice has also been in. The first reviews have been middling - David Ellis in the Standard said “there’s no denying its glamour” but thought the famous vodka pasta was just fine. Sunday Times critic Charlotte Ivers proclaimed the Caesar salad “impeccable”, the chicken scarpariello less so. We found ourselves hugely impressed with the buzz of the place and it really is a proper scene like no other in London.
Lilibet's
Mayfair - 17 Bruton Street, London W1J 6QB
In a nutshell: High-end seafood restaurant in very fancy digs
We were early to experience the charms of Lillibet's, an extremely fancy-looking seafood restaurant in Mayfair, but even then, the word had already got out that this was a place to go, with the place packed out from the very early days. Restaurateur Ross Shonhan has form - he’s the man behind Bone Daddies and used to be executive chef at Nobu. Here he’s created that rare beast in this part of town, a glamorous spot to eat out that also has real heart. The seafood is fabulous; our tip would be not to miss the coal-roasted oysters. It's impressed David Ellis in The Standard, who gave it a five-star review, saying "Have I ever eaten anything better? I couldn’t swear to it."
Alta
Carnaby - Unit G9, Kingly Court, Kingly St, London W1B 5PW
In a nutshell: Northern Spanish cuisine with a deft touch
This is the second group from Mad Restaurants and they've clearly started very strong. Their first opening, Moi, was one of our favourite meals of the year so far, and this is just as good, albeit a very different type of restaurant. It's the return to London of chef Rob Roy Cameron, previously at Untitled in Dalston but more recently at Albert Adria's 48 Degrees in Barcelona. Here, he's put together a range of dishes inspired by Northern Spain and from our early visit, it's clear that the cooking is exceptionally good. Already popular in its early days, expect this to become a major hit over the next few weeks as word gets out.
Nela
Bayswater - 149 Queensway, London W2 4YN
In a nutshell: Live fire cooking inside what was Whiteleys
Jeremy King proved that the people of Bayswater were looking for a great restaurant when he opened The Park and now, down the other end of Queensway, Nela is doing the same. The live-fire restaurant originates in Amsterdam and is the first to open and the revamped Whiteleys building, now called The Whiteley. The menu has hints of Nobu, but at a more accessible price point, and the vibe takes a similar approach. So it adds a bit of glamour to Bayswater, but still feels at home in the neighbourhood. Absolutely packed on the Friday night when we visited, it's clear that the word has got out already.
Kudu
Marylebone - 7 Moxon Street, London W1U 4EP
In a nutshell: South African-influenced restaurant migrates from Peckham to Marylebone
From Peckham to Marylebone is quite the leap, but that’s precisely what South African-inspired restaurant Kudu has done. Chef Patrick Williams and his wife Amy Corbin (yes she’s the daughter of one half of uber restaurateurs Corbin & King) have consolidated all three of their South East London restaurants into one glamorous spot in the centre of town. There’s no denying that the new place looks fabulous, and they’ve manged to keep the charm that made everyone love them. As Grace Dent said in her review, "Kudu is already a delight". You mustn’t miss the showstopping dessert Kit Kat tart with burnt marshmallow.
Legado
Shoreditch - 1 Montacute Yards, 185-186 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HU
In a nutshell: Sabor sequel
Hot on the heels of the opening of Singburi in Montacute Yards comes another buzzy launch, courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Nieves Barragán. And this one’s big, both in terms of Nieves’ reputation, but also size-wise. There’s a separate bar that’s open all day if you fancy a cerveza and some croquetas, but the massive menu will take more than a few visits to work your way through. Expect to find dishes that roam the length and breadth of Spain, along with some very clever takes on homestyle cooking. On day two of their official opening, the place was heaving and once word percolates through about how good this is, getting a table is going to be even harder. Early reviews have been strong, with Giles Coren saying that it's "set fair to be the big hit of winter 2025."
Singburi
Shoreditch - Unit 7 Montacute Yards, Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HU
In a nutshell: Second coming of a legendary Thai restaurant
Singburi was a crazily popular restaurant in its original Leytonstone location, but this move to Shoreditch has pushed things into the stratosphere. Taking a slightly new approach with chef Sirichai Kularbwong fully taking over the reins from his parents (with a little help from an ex-Kiln/Oma chef) this has been an instant hit with the release of bookings for the restaurant generating huge excitement. Getting a table is challenging, but not impossible (particularly if you avoid weekends), and it's worth it for some of the very best Thai food in the city. Reponses from the critics have been mixed from "stunningly good" food but unimpressed by the space by David Ellis in The Standard to a rave from Jay Rayner in the FT. Neither critic seems well able to navigate Shoreditch though...
Read our Test Drive of Singburi
Osteria Angelina
City/Shoreditch - 1 Nicholl's Clarke Yard, off Blossom Street, London E1 6SH
In a nutshell: Japanese/Italian mash-up follow-up
Fusion restaurants can, by their very nature, be divisive, but the Japanese and Italian influences behind Dalston's Angelina have always proved to be a winning combination. Certainly, they have legions of fans who have followed their progress into the City with this opening on the borders between Shoreditch and Spitalfields. For their second restaurant, they've moved away from their tasting menu concept to more of an a la carte offering. Grace Dent loved it, saying "It will also offend purists everywhere, but being upset has never been so delicious." Look out for their in-house pastaio making pasta in a glass boxed kitchen beside the dining room.
Read the Osteria Angelina Test Drive
One Club Row
Shoreditch - 1 Club Row, London E1 6JX
In a nutshell: A slice of NYC style in London
Not since The Devonshire has there been a launch of a restaurant that’s had quite as much immediate good press as One Club Row. There are some similarities between them too, as it's above a pub, The Knave of Clubs, and this restaurant, complete with its all-over-Insta graffitied front door, is a wholly separate entity from that pub. Chef Patrick Powell’s menu is full of nods to both Paris and New York (the burger is a must-have) and the martinis and general bonhomie just add to the vibe. The critics have lauded it as an instant hit. The Standard’s David Ellis was an early fan calling it “E1’s answer to The Dover” while in The Sunday Times, Charlotte Ivers said it made her "instantly feel there’s nowhere on earth that could possibly be more fun at this precise moment."
Read the One Club Row Test Drive
Warming up...
And there are a few more restaurants creating buzz recently that we think are worth keeping an eye on...
Frites Atelier (Soho) - It's been mobbed since opening, apparently Londoners love some posh chips.
Passione Vino (Exmouth Market) - After more than two decades, Luca Dusi has opened a follow-up to his original wine bar.
Orion by Alex Webb (Wimbledon) - He won MasterChef The Professionals, so his first solo restaurant is worth watching.
Aces Foodcraft (Fitzrovia) - We're hearing good things about Alex Craciun's solo opening
Vincenzo’s (Shoreditch) - Famed Bushey pizzeria comes into Shoreditch with a slice shop.
Perma-hot restaurants
These are the London restaurants that have been open for a while but are still hotter than ever.
One Club Row (Shoreditch) - Still one of Shoreditch's hottest spot and very, very hard to get a table at peak times (unless you manage to see the "walk-in" light on). The pub, The Knave of Clubs is well worth a visit too.
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.
Where's Hot, mapped.
Here's how the Hot Dinners "Where's Hot" restaurants are spread across town.
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