Old Street

• Arnaud Stevens brings laid-back PLATE to Shoreditch's M by Montcalm

  Inside Shoreditch's giant M by Montcalm hotel (the one with the optical illusion windows - you know what we mean), there's a new restaurant by the name of PLATE from very well-connected chef Arnaud Stevens. Inside, they'll forgo tablecloths and sommeliers in the name of casual dining, and include a downstairs bakery that'll serve a bread flight with matching butters.

• Passo is a new Old Street Italian from the team behind Foleys

  The team behind Foleys and the Rum Bar are heading to Old Street where they’re opening a pretty sizeable new restaurant, which will be serving Italian-via-LA cuisine from 7am to midnight all week long.

• Bento box pop-up Mission Sato comes to Old Street and Bermondsey from ex-Story chef

  

  Bento boxes are always a reliable go-to when we’re in a Japanese restaurant, with their comforting array of rectangular portions that guarantee you a little bit of everything. About time they took a turn in a spotlight, which is why we’re delighted to hear about a new Bento box pop-up called Mission Sato, which opened earlier this month. And not only that, but the man behind it is Angelo Sato, who previously worked

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• Dona Rita Brazilian snack shop pops up at Old Street

  

  Kicking off today at Old Street station for two months is a Brazilian snack pop-up. You may already have tried Dona Rita's Pão de Queijo (or cheese bread) down at her stall at Druid Street Market. Made from cassava flour and cheese (so gluten-free too), each of these little cheesy puffs are made by hand by Dona.

  The snacks are apparently particularly good for breakfast, served with a short black coffee São Paulo style, or you can also smother them in jam if you're

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• The Gibson celebrates their first year with new cocktail and locally sourced bar menu

  

  The Gibson, one of the hottest bars of 2016, is celebrating its first year in operation with the launch of a new cocktail and food menu.Going well beyond the standard crisp and nuts route, The Gibson’s new locally sourced menu features inventive flavours and exotic ingredients specially chosen to be enjoyed alongside their extensive list of award-winning cocktails.

  Led by Marian Beke

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• ‘Healthy chocolate’ is now a thing thanks to Doisy & Dam

  

  Quinoa, sprouted buckwheat, spirulina and hemp seeds used to be mainly confined to the shelves of health food shops. But nowadays with a bit of effort, you can find them all over London - even in its chocolate bars. Now Doisy & Dam, purveyors of sweet superfood snacks, will be placing the spotlight on their healthy, organic chocolate bars from Monday when they launch their three-week

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• Old Street's Magic Roundabout re-opens for winter 2016

  

  Hot on the heels of the spate of 'all-under-one-roof' openings comes the freshly re-opened Magic Roundabout, a dine, drink and dance destination with a winter theme in Old Street.

  If you're after some festive revelry, but you're a bit too old for Winter Wonderland then get merry in the middle of one of London's biggest roundabouts. Hot Dinners ventured in to investigate.

  While it's definitely strange to realise you're

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• Blondies Kitchen milk and cookie pop-up is coming to Old St Station

  

  Possibly the most perfect winter pop-up is heading to Old Street station from October. Blondies Kitchen Milk and Cookie Pop-Up Bar will combine the gooiest cookies with a range of special milk for the ultimate comfort food. Cookies on offer are:

  • Classic - milk choc chip 
  • Double Chocolate Tahini 
  • Gluten Who? – peanut butter oats 
  • Oreo Stuffed Nutella 
  • Cookie Dough
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• Sardine kicks off Gallic dinners with a bouillabaisse night

  

  It's already been lavished with glowing reviews - now there's even more reason to visit Alex Jackson's lovely Hoxton restaurant Sardine: on the last Monday of every month they'll be laying on a proper Gallic feast.

  Each event will feature a particular French recipe or special occasion, starting on Monday 26th September with a classic Bouillabaisse night. Alex and team have adapted a recipe from the doyenne of

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• Test Driving Sardine - Mediterranean comfort food by Old Street

  Backed by Stevie Parle this new neighbourhood spot mixes Med charm with smoke and fire

• Test Driving Bone Daddies new ramen bar at The Bower in Old Street

  The daddies of hipster ramen have a new gaff - we went to check it out.

• Maki launch their second London store at The Bower in Old Street

  

  If you're a sushi fan you may be interested to learn that a new company is setting itself up to challenge the likes of Itsu and Wasabi. Maki started out as a streetfood stall before launching with a store near Spitalfields and they've just opened up their second store in Shoreditch.

  The company was founded by two Scottish brothers Antony and Daniel Woodcock and say they're the only sushi chain to have trained sushi chefs in every store hand-rolling all sushi. And their

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• Test Driving Santo Remedio - London gets a long awaited authentic Mexican restaurant

  We take a visit to Santo Remedio, a new Mexican restaurant in Shoreditch finally bringing some authentic Mexican cuisine to London.

• Enoteca Da Luca modern Italian opens in The Bower development on Old Street

  

  Old Street continues to attract new and interesting restaurants this year. Following on from Hill & Szrok and news of Sardine opening in May, comes Enoteca Da Luca. This is the latest launch from the Enoteca restaurant group which

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• Former Rotorino chef is opening Sardine at Old Street's Parasol gallery

  

  A protégé of Stevie Parle is promising to bring a taste of the Mediterranean to Old Street this summer. Sardine - a name which had originally been linked to Parle's last restaurant - is opening in an annexe next to the Parasol art gallery.

  Here's what we know about it:

  It'll be open all day - from breakfast through to supper

  The meat and fish will be from the

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