New opening

• Lombardy restaurant Il Cudega to open in Hackney

  

  Updated 23/9/15 with soft launch and opening details.

  Think Lombardy and think Milan: one of the top foodie destinations in Italy - and now coming to Hackney with a new deli, wine bar and restaurant dedicated entirely to the region opening in London Fields.

• Darts themed bar Flight Club comes to Finsbury Square

  

  Darts has slowly become a very big thing indeed with obsessions growing over various championships. But it's not something that makes much of an appearance in modern bars - and now Flight Club is a whole bar based around the game. It's launching in the same Alphatea building that Modern Pantry just opened in. 

  The bar itself is being designed by Russell Sage Studios - behind The Zetter, Dishoom and more - and the game

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• More healthy eating as Detox Kitchen launch The Detox Kitchen Deli in Fitzrovia

  

  We never thought we'd see the day, but it does seem that healthy eating has become a bit of a trend in London of late. The latest to emerge is the next from Detox Kitchen, who are launching The Detox Kitchen Deli (previously known as Grain and Green) in October.

  This is planned to be the flagship deli for Detox Kitchen, so lots of salads to take away, but they're also adding a new sharing

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• The Bowler brings all-day meatballs to Covent Garden

  

  Meatball street van The Bowler is another roaming vendor that's settling down, this time opening a resataurant in Covent Garden with Polpo's Russell Norman. 

  It'll be an all day affair serving all the meatballs you can handle, starting with breakfast featuring the Brunch Bowler, Smokin’ Bacon Balls and Baked Rosti & Beans (as well as coffee and pastry).

  As for the all-day menu - everything will be served in pitta as a "PitBall" or in a Ball Box with

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• BIRD chicken shops expand to Islington and Camden

  

  A Hot Dinners exclusive

  Super popular East London fried chicken shop BIRD is building on its success with two new openings planned for North London this Autumn. Their first will be in October in Islington on the Holloway Road (where The Bailey used to be) The second will be in Camden in November - we'll bring you more news on that when we get it.

  Expect to see a new menu for BIRD Islington. Hot Dinners got the scoop on at least three new

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• Wazen neighbourhood Japanese to open in King's Cross

  

  The slew of new and interesting restaurants opening up in King's Cross is set to continue with news that an authentic Japanese neighbourhood restaurant Wazen is opening there next month.

  What's really important is who's in the kitchen and at Wazen that's head chef Toshimasa Tanahashi who heads to KX via 30 years spent in the kitchens of Japanese restaurants Matsuri in St James, Kyubi at the Arts Club in Mayfair and Kouzu in Belgravia.

  The minimalist spot says

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• The May Fair Bar re-opens after a big revamp

  

  Reopening today after a major makeover, just in time for London Fashion Week, is The May Fair Bar at the May Fair Hotel. The swanky new look bar will feature its own range of signature martinis, a new menu of small plates and a new brunch menu.

  Hot Dinners got a sneak preview of the menu and bar in advance of today's opening. On the breakfast menu, along with all manner of juices and smoothies you'll find dishes like Omelette

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• Soho House launching Egg Break in Notting Hill

  
  

  Updated 14/9/15 with evening opening details

  Soho House, who are also being Chicken Shop and Dirty Burger, are about to branch out further with another restaurant that seems likely to pop up all over London. It's being launched in partnership with Ennismore the people behind 'The Hoxton' group of hotels and it's not the first time they've teamed up - as seen by Hubbard & Bell and Chicken Shop in the Holborn Hoxton Hotel.

  This

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• Pasta bar Pasta Sereni gets ready to serve real pasta on-the-go in Piccadilly

  

  There's a new pasta bar on Air Street that's getting very close to opening. Just off Piccadilly Circus, Pasta Sereni will be doing fast hand-made pasta to eat there or take away - so if you fancy an escape from the hordes of shoppers, this could be the place. 

  Starting from £5, dishes include (although there will be specials too): 

  • Fusilli Sereni - tuna marinated in extra virgin olive oil, green
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• The Green and Fortune Cafe launches Project Pizza in King's Place

  

  There's a new pizza place coming to King's Cross, and this one's inside the big King's Place building, as part of the Green and Fortune Café (so it's very handy for Guardian workers). They're launching the new Project Pizza. 

  They'll be serving 12" pizzas from £6.50 - £7.50 (or by the slice from £3). Pizzas will include Spicy ground beef, caramelised red onion and rocket, and Roast piquillo pepper, spinach

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• Japanese Italian restaurant Aiko launches in Chancery Lane

  

  Slipping under the radar slightly, a new restaurant which is a fusion of Italian and Japanese cuisine has just opened its doors on Chancery Lane. On the menu at Aiko are bento and fresh curries during the day for around £10 (all available to take away too) and then the evening menu showcases the fusion a little more. For that, current dishes include:

  • Robata of Beef with Scamorza, risotto with Sake and fresh
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• Margaux owners to open Provencal restaurant Bandol in Chelsea

  

  Back in 2013 a rather interesting wine bar, Margaux opened its doors in Fulham, billing itself as a gastro wine bar. Fast forward two years and Margaux is now the hangout for the likes of Pippa Middleton & Co and the owners are planning a second venture in Chelsea.

  Bandol will feature a menu of Nicoise and Provencal sharing dishes. Husband and wife team Sylvia Kontek and Vittorio Monge have brought in Zsolt Ferencz from Scott's.

  Dishes on the menu will

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• som saa kicks off its plans to go permanent with crowdfunding

  

  Update 9/9/15

  And it's reached the crowdfunding goal after only two days - making £700k. Very impressive!

  Original article follows...

  Climpson's Arch has had plenty of its long-term residents go very big when they opened their own places - the

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• Yoshihiro Murata returns to London with Tokimeitē in Mayfair

  

  He may hold seven Michelin stars across his three Japanese restaurants, but top chef Yoshihiro Murata found the London market slightly harder to break into than he may have expected. His first attempt, in 2012, with Chrysan lasted just six months. But the chef has brushed himself off and returned to these shores for a second venture.

  Tokimeitē will open this autumn in Mayfair and is owned by JA Zen-Noh Group which is the business arm of Japan’s largest agricultural

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• Former Hakkasan chef to open Vietfood on Wardour Street

  

  Wardour Street is hotting up and the arrival of Vietfood sounds like just the ticket. It's a new restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Jeff Tan who was the Head Chef at Hakkasan Mayfair for its first three years.

  The two floor restaurant will focus on the streetfood side of Vietnamese cuisine - so there'll be bowls of Pho or Bun - made from sixteen hour simmered bone marrow stock or chicken broth - choose from fillet steak with garlic Hainan style or maybe spicy

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