This month, a returning restaurateur opens in the Royal Exchange, a plant-based restaurant that's already booked out for the entire year, a big new food hall in Dalston and more...
Engel & Jang
City of London - Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3LL
Recently we've seen the return of a big-name restaurateur under his own banner with Jeremy King's new restaurants. Now, it's the turn of Des Gunewardena, ex D&D who's opening his first dual venture. He's taking over the whole mezzanine level of the Royal Exchange in the City for two venues. Engel is a cocktail bar which will also feature entertainment, and it taking its influence from 1920s Berlin, so expect a Cabaret vibe there. Jang is a is a mix of Japanese and Korean cuisine, with sushi dishes and Korean barbecue both appearing on the menu.
It's the first of a few new openings planned from Gunewardena - he'll be relaunching what was Plateau in Canary Wharf later in the year.
Opening: 8 July 2024
Plates
Shoreditch - 320 Old Street, London EC1V 9DR
If ever there was a sure sign of an immediate hit, it's Plates - a restaurant that's already booked out for the rest of the year (although they will be releasing seats to book on the terrace every day). This plant-based restaurant comes from Kirk Haworth who was a hugely popular winner on last year's Great British menu. He's teaming up with his sister Keeley for this opening which will feature some of the dishes that wowed the chefs (and the public) on the show. We've already been into Plates on an early visit and the hype is clearly deserved. Michelin will be taking a close look at this one, we think.
Opening: 3 July 2024
Lahpet Larder
Bermondsey - 39-45 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF
After success in both Covent Garden and Shoreditch, Burmese restaurant Lahpet are getting ready for something new in Bermondsey. Taking over what used to be The Hide Bar, this new place will have a focus on regional Burmese cooking, with dishes like Dawei Mohinga, a regional version of the classic Burmese fish noodle soup. And if you're wondering about the new name, that's because this restaurant will also have Burmese staples and pickles for sale that you can buy and take home for your own cooking.
Opening: July 2024
Kolamba East
Spitalfields - 12 Blossom Street, Norton Folgate, London E1 E1 6PL
Another expanding restaurant is Kolamba, which is bringing its Sri Lankan food east to Spitalfields (or more accurately on the Spitalfields/City/Shoreditch border. A much larger restaurant than the Soho original, this manages to fit in two private rooms and a bar too. As for the food, there will be a completely new menu, with a new focus on family recipes handed down through the generations. Dishes include Mas Paan, a bun filled with slow-cooked black pork curry and served with pineapple jam while the cocktails will have a Sril Lanka twist.
Opening: July 2024
Goodbye Horses
Islington - 21 Halliford St, London, N1 3HB
This Islington opening is actually a three-in-one affair. Opening earlier in the month is coffee bar Day Trip, while a gelato bar will follow in August. But it's wine bar and restaurant Goodbye Horses that's the most interesting part. For that, they've brought in ex-Papi chef Jack Coggins for a menu of seasonable and sustainable sharing plates that includes dishes like oxtail ragout with broken rice and a Cornish crab blini with brown butter and sorrel. That's all combined with an organic and biodynamic wine list and sounds like one of the most promising new Islington openings for a while.
Opening: 31 July 2024
Holy Carrot
Notting Hill - 156 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London W11 2EB
Holy Carrot is the second big new plant-based restaurant to open this month. They've previously run supperclubs around town but have settled down in Notting Hill for their permanent restaurant. They've brought in an impressive executive chef, with Acme Fire Cult's Daniel Watkins heading up the menu with dishes that include a smoked chilli butter carrot skewer. Not only that, but for the cocktails, they've teamed up with Haggerston's A Bar with Shapes for a Name so those are going to be pretty impressive.
Opening: 16 July 2024
Dalston Yard
Dalston - Hartwell St, London E8 3DU
This latest addition to London's food hall scene is pretty much like Street Feast, but indoors. That's because it's taken over the old Street Feast location and happens to come from one of the people behind it. It's a mix of bars and food, with some permanent restaurants and other residencies. For the former, Acme Fire Cult's Andrew Clarke (of Acme Fire Cult) is launching a chop house called Butcher of Dalston, while residencies come from Gizzi Erskine and Sarap's Budgie Montoya.
Opening: July 2024
Wood St Bear
Walthamstow - 135 Wood Street, London E17 3LX
DJ Simon Bear, a local in the area, has taken over Wood Street Deli for a brand new bar. As he says, Walthamstow "struggles for decent watering holes and needs somewhere community-focused." It'll mainly be focused on wines and craft beer, working with Borough Wines on the former and local brewery Pillars on the latter. As for the food, expect cheese and charcuterie, pork pies and cheese toasties to be on offer.
Opening: 4 July 2024 (delayed from June)
Also look out for...
- Highroad Social (Greenwich, 7 July) - Taking over from Rivington Greenwich, this is a British restaurant and seafood bar with some impressive talent behind the scenes.
- Sandwich Sandwich (City of London) - This Bristol sandwich shop was Uber Eats Restaurant of the Year and now they're opening their first London outpost.
- Humble Crumble (Covent Garden) - Post, bespoke crumbles come to Seven Dials.
- Albert Schloss (Soho, 5 July) - This alpine-themed beer hall has been a big hit in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham and now it's coming to the Trocadero
- Harry’s (Victoria, 5 July) - Richard Caring's Italian restaurant opens its latest place just opposite Victoria station
All of London's newly opened and upcoming restaurants...
Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners
