As we head into autumn, London's restaurant scene is really heating up with the most new openings in a month so far this year...
The OWO
Whitehall - Whitehall, London SW1A 2EU
What was the Old War Office in Whitehall has been transformed into a new Raffles hotel with a host of very impressive new restaurants. Leading the charge is Mirazur chef Mauro Colagreco who will be launching both a signature restaurant and the more intimate Mauro's Table. That's backed up by London outposts of Paper Moon, Café Lapérouse, and much more besides. Later in the year, they'll be joined by a Japanese-inspired restaurant & sake bar by Endo Kazutoshi. It's an operation that's taken years in the making - definitely one (or several) to watch.
Opening date: 29 September
Bébé Bob
Soho - 37 Golden Square, Soho, London W1F 9LB
Bob Bob Ricard is getting a new sibling restaurant in Soho with Bébé Bob. Trying something a little different to the original restaurant, Bébé will focus on two types of rotisserie chicken, alongside caviar (of course) with blinis made tableside. There'll be no "Press for Champagne" buttons, alas, but look out for their tourteau fromagé dessert taking over Instagram.
Chishuru
Fitzrovia - 3 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 8AX
After closing the original restaurant in Brixton, Adejoké Bakare is getting ready to open version 2.0 in a central London location. It's a little bigger than her previous place, and will have an open kitchen where they'll continue to cook West African dishes using modern techniques. Dishes to look forward to include a quail stuffed with forcemeat with taro root, ehuru & uziza sauce.
Opening date: 18 September
Honey & Co Daily
Bloomsbury - 19-21 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7DB
This will be Honey & Co's second Bloomsbury restaurant and, like all of their openings to date, will be a little different from the rest. Here, although it's an all-day-dining affair, the focus will be on baked goods with Middle Eastern bakes pastries, cakes and breads all on the menu. They'll also have evening supperclubs during the weekend, kicking off with a Rosh Hashanah celebration.
Forza Wine
South Bank - National Theatre, Upper Ground London SE1 9PX
The second Forza Wine is very different to the first, which became a big hit on a Peckham rooftop. Here, they're in a bigger space on the South Bank and part of the changes at The National Theatre, which brought us Lasdun earlier this year. Here the menu will continue to be "sort of Italian" and the wine list should have a natural focus. They do have a roof terrace here too and this one just happens to have a really great view of the Thames.
Opening date: 7 September
Little Cellars
Camberwell - 75 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8TU
Something that's been in the works for a while (we first reported this just over a year ago) is this second opening from the people behind Peckham Cellars (which won a Michelin Bib Gourmand). Here, they'll have an ex-Terroirs chef in the kitchen, and a mix of new and old wines on the list. Their Saturday Special sandwiches also sound tempting with options like an aubergine schnitz to look forward to.
Opening date: 7 September
L'Atelier Robuchon
Mayfair - 6 Clarges St, London W1J 8AE
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon was the late chef's signature restaurant in London. This sees the Robuchon group reviving the name as part of an overhaul of what used to be Le Comptoir Robuchon. There's a slightly bigger bar space and a brand new menu that, thankfully, is bringing back the chef's unmissably buttery pommes puree (the best mashed potato we've ever had).
Opening date: 15 September
Lavo
Marylebone - The BoTree, 30 Marylebone Ln, London W1U 2DR
Lavo comes from the TAO group who also happen to be the people behind Yauatcha and Hakkasan. Lavo is a restaurant that they've opened previously in LA, San Diego and Mexico City. It's an Italian trattoria but very much one that's out-there on the design front (expect a tree in the middle of the restaurant much like Big Mamma's Carlotta). As for the food, their big wagyu meatball (pictured) has been a hit, as has their tagliatelle with caviar - so we're very much on the high-end side of Italian dining here.
Opening date: 15 September
Wild
Notting Hill - 202 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RH
Wild is the next restaurant from the people behind Wild Tavern in Chelsea. This is something of a spin-off of the original, and more are planned elsewhere in London. There should be a similar menu to Chelsea restaurant, for which they'll be "using the best fish and meat we can get our hands on" but it won't be quite as punchy on the price front. Unlike the original, they'll be serving breakfast here.
The Watermans Arms
Barnes - 375 Lonsdale Rd, London SW13 9PY
This sees the reopening of a waterside pub in Barnes with a very impressive new team behind it. The former head chef of The Camberwell Tavern is in the kitchen and the man behind the whole thing also happens to be the chap who founded Patty & Bun. It'll be worth popping in for the pub menu alone, featuring lamb ribs as a snack, but the main restaurant will be the one to watch and we rather like the sound of a spit roast chicken with chicken fat polenta.
Opening date: 28 September
Also look out for...
Ken's (Exmouth Market) - The people behind Dan's in Dalston have a second wine bar (with a bigger food offering).
Eve (Kensington) - Mediterranean-inspired food as part of the new Ember Locke.
Geode (Knightsbridge) - Ex-Novikov folk take over a Georgian townhouse in Knightsbridge for what they're calling "vibe-dining"
Finch (Brixton) - From the people behind Grays & Feather, a new wine bar for Brixton.
Bocconcino (Soho) - The high-end Italian restaurant gets a sibling in Soho.
Ixchel (Chelsea) - A new Mexican restaurant for the King's Road, from an ex-Brat, Ella Canta chef
Bistro Freddie (Shoreditch) - The latest from the people behind Crispin, a bistro using "British Isles produce".
All London's newly opened and upcoming restaurants...
Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners
