As we enter a fresh new year, there are already a lot of upcoming restaurants on the horizon. Here's our pick of the new London restaurants that you'll want on your to-do list for 2023.
Jacuzzi
Kensington - 94 Kensington High Street, London W8 4SH
The Big Mamma restaurant group aren't known for their shy and retiring venues - if you've been to Gloria, Circolo Popolare or Ave Mario you'll know exactly what we mean. For their Kensington opening, the menu's going suitably upmarket with lobster risotto and pizzette topped with caviar. Oh, and there's a disco toilet in the basement. Prepare to see this ALL over TikTok.
Socca
Mayfair - 41 S Audley St, London W1K 2PS
It's been five years since chef Claude Bosi opened his two Michelin-starred Bibendum restaurant, so all eyes will be on his new venture in Mayfair with restaurateur Samyukta Nair (Koyn, Mimi Mei Fair). The menu's being billed as a love letter to the south of France but that's literally all we know right now.
Anglo Thai
Fitzrovia - Eastcastle Street
Anglo Thai have had hit supperclubs, pop-ups and a book too. Now they're getting their own restaurant in Fitzrovia. If you've not made it to one of their previous appearances, then here you can expect a marrying together of the best of British ingredients with Thai recipes from John Chantarasak while his wife Desiree runs a wine list with a focus on natural and low-intervention wines.
Mauro Colagreco at The OWO
Westminster - Whitehall, London SW1A 2EU
With eleven restaurants and bars opening at this plush new hotel from the Raffles group, the ones planned by top chef Mauro Colagrego stand out. Mauro, whose restaurant Mirazur in southern France has topped the World's 50 Best Restaurants list along and has the full three Michelin stars, will be opening not one but three restaurants here in Whitehall - a brasserie, a fine dining restaurant, and an "avant-garde" Chef’s Table. Look out also for Milan's Paper Moon, also coming to the OWO in 2023.
Papi
Hackney - 1F Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PN
The Hot4U duo was a standout success from Covid delivery times. Now the pair are heading into bricks-and-mortar territory with their first standalone restaurant in London Fields. Chef Matthew Scott is in charge of the food while Charlie Carr is in running the drinks list. There's going to be both a basement cocktail bar (with snacks menu) and a main ground-floor restaurant.
Midland Grand Dining Room
King's Cross - St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, London NW1 2AR
There's a great deal of anticipation for this new restaurant at King's Cross with chef Patrick Powell (of the hugely well-reviewed Allegra in Stratford) in charge of the menu and top GM Emma Underwood running the front of house. The space itself (where The Gilbert Scott used to be) has always been a vision to architect Gilbert Scott's vision, now it sounds as though it'll have a restaurant to match.
More about Midland Grand Dining Room
Humo
Mayfair - 12 St George's Street, London W1S 2FB
If you've been wondering what was happening to the old Wild Honey site just south of Hanover Square, then let us enlighten you. It's being turned into a counter-dining wood-fired restaurant. The man in charge is Colombian-born chef Miller Prada who has been top sushi chef Endo Kazutoshi's protege. The food sounds (and looks) exquisite - think scallops cooked over wood that's come from whisky barrels with a whisky sabayon to match - so we're pretty hyped up about this.
Nessa
Soho - 86 Brewer Street, London W1F 9UB
Chef Tom Cenci is hoping that his new British bistro in Soho is going to make you rethink classics like hot pot and trifle. Here the hot pot will be made with ox cheek and served with confit potatoes while the trifle will go down the Black Forest route. We were big fans of Cenci's work at both Duck & Waffle and then at Loyal Tavern, so it'll be well worth checking this out.
Sheesh
Mayfair - 1 Dover St, London W1S 4LD
What have two old bearded blokes got to do with 2023's London restaurant scene? Well, look closely at that picture and you'll realise it's none other than Russell Gladiator Crowe with Sheesh's co-owner Dylan Hunt. The OG Sheesh in Essex with its poshed-up kebabs and wagyu burgers is a complete celebrity magnet, so it's fair to say that you can expect a healthy quota of famous faces gracing the doors of their London restaurant. And with a suitably luxe location on the corner of Dover Street and Piccadilly, this should be a paparazzi's dream stakeout.
Manzi's
Soho - 1 Bateman's Buildings, London W1D 3EN
This Soho seafood restaurant will be the first opening from The Wolseley Hospitality Group since it parted ways with Messrs Corbin & King. it's inspired by the original Manzi's restaurant which closed way back in 2006. If you're in the mood for groaning platters of seafood against a backdrop of mosaic mermaids this will be the place for you.
Dovetale
Mayfair - 1 Berkeley St, London W1J 8NE
As the flagship restaurant at 1 Hotel's new Mayfair opening, Tom Sellers (of two Michelin-starred Restaurant Story) is hoping to lure in Londoners with his eco-luxe offering. That means they'll have the very best produce, served when it's in season and from sustainable sources. If that all sounds a little worthy, they're also promising a Knickerbocker Glory trolley. Sold.
Rambutan
Borough - 10 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AD
Rambutan has been a while coming to Borough - it was due to open in 2023 - but the wait should definitely be worth it. The Sri Lankan restaurant from Cynthia Shanmugalingam (who now has a book out with the same name) has had a soft-serve preview, but the main event will be featuring "village-style Sri Lankan food".
Yannick Alléno at The Four Seasons
Mayfair - Hamilton Pl, London W1J 7DR
Wondering just who French chef Yannick Alléno is? Well, he has restaurants totally a whopping 15 Michelin stars under his belt so there's a great deal of anticipation to see what he's bringing to Mayfair. All we know so far is that it will be "rooted in French gastronomy and techniques" and "take inspiration from London and British produce" but it's definitely one to watch.
Joia
Battersea - 1 Electric Boulevard, Nine Elms, London SW11 8BJ
The last piece of the puzzle - and the crown jewel - to open at the big Battersea Power Station revamp, Joia comes from chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, owner of two-Michelin-starred Alma in Lisbon. Here, he's bringing in the best British, Spanish and Portuguese produce, with a plan to focus on seafood, pork and rice.
Darjeeling Express
Carnaby - Kingly Court, Kingly St, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW
Essentially, this is Darjeeling Express 3.0 (or maybe 4.0 if you include the supperclubs). After a spell in Covent Garden, Asma Khan's hugely popular Indian restaurant, with an all-female kitchen team, returns to Carnaby with something that should be much closer to their original vision. This time there's an open kitchen but expect all your favourite dishes to return, including that biryani.
Also look out for these in 2023...
- Long Chim (Soho) - Best known in London for his restaurant Nahm, David Thompson returns from Bangkok with an outpost of his casual Thai street food group Long Chim
- Tomos Parry's new restaurant (Soho) - Apparently not quite Brat 3 (it's yet to be officially announced), this brings the chef into the heart of Soho.
- Lumette - The latest restaurant from chef Jackson Boxer (Brunswick House, Orasay), still searching for a location as we write.
- Lio London (Chinatown) - This takes over the old Cafe de Paris site, with Chef Adam Rawson bringing in an Ibiza-influenced menu
- The Campaner (Woolwich) - The team behind Barcelona's Martinez and Bar Canete are opening in London.
- Harvest (Kendal Rise) - The latest from Parlour's Jesse Dunford Wood with a British-led menu.
- Guinness Storehouse (Covent Garden) - This huge brewery/distillery will feature a rooftop bar and restaurant with an open-fire kitchen. And plenty of the black stuff.
- Larry Jayasekara restaurant (Mayfair) - The ex-Petrus chef should be unveiling soon what's planned for his restaurant in 2023.
- Sarap (Carnaby) - Moving on from Heddon Street, the Filipino restaurant is currently crowdfunding for a permanent space
- Trejo's Tacos - Hollywood star Danny Trejo has plans to bring his tacos to London.
- Wolseley City (and Notting Hill) - Next up for the Wolseley Hospitality Group, it's the expansion plans for the main restaurant. Expect the City outpost to be particularly popular when it opens.
- Bossa (Marylebone) - Chef Alberto Landgraf, whose Oteque in Rio de Janeiro is on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, is in charge of this new Brazilian restaurant.
- Sonora Taqueria - With their Netil Days and a successful crowdfunder behind them, the first permanent Sonora Taqueria should be a massive hit.
- Chishuru - She's left Brixton, but Adejoké Bakare has plans to reopen her popular restaurant in a brand new location this year.
And even more new openings...
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