Counter Dining

• Test Driving Eel Sushi, Dorian's equally hard to get into sushi bar sibling in Notting Hill

  

  Directly opposite Dorian, and from the same owners, you'll find Eel Sushi - a sushi bar that comes with bragging rights for those who get a seat here.

• The Dorian team are opening no-bookings Eel Sushi Bar in Notting Hill

  

  6/5/25 - updated with new opening date and soft launch details

  Not content with having one of the hardest-to-book restaurants in West London in Dorian, or the viral sushi experience Tuna Fight Club, the team responsible for both of those is now gearing up to open a sushi bar in Notting Hill.

  Eel has taken over an old antiques shop on Talbot Road. It'll be a 10-16 seater restaurant that they're describing

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• Test Driving Himi, a neo-izakaya lighting up the Carnaby dining scene

  

  The founders of Roji have switched their attentions to this more casual Japanese affair just off Carnaby Street. We took a seat at the counter to check out what Himi has to offer. 

• Romeo San will be a no bookings luxury Japanese handroll bar in Marylebone

  

  When we heard that the family who own the London and New York branches of Le Relais de Venise l’Entrecôte were opening a new restaurant in London, you can be sure we sat up and took notice. Romeo San sees the Elghanayan family branching out into Japanese food, with a temaki bar in Marylebone.

  "Our handrolls are made with the finest ingredients," says founder Yasmine Elghanayan. "The dining experience is

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• The best London restaurants for counter dining

  

  If your idea of the perfect restaurant visit is being up close and personal with the chefs or if you're looking for the perfect place for a solo lunch or supper, then counter dining is the way to go. Here's our guide to the best restaurants in London for grabbing a stool up at the counter.

• Test Driving Sushi Kyu, a much-needed affordable addition to London's great omakase scene

  

  The arrival of an affordable omakase experience in Soho is to be celebrated. We grabbed a seat at the counter to see what Sushi Kyu is serving up.

• Holborn's the spot for a new yakitori 'beak to tail' restaurant Hotori

  

  Lawyers and other city folk working in and around Holborn are about to have an interesting new place landing on their doorstep. Hotori is a slick-looking yakitori restaurant on New Fetter Lane that's going to be all about the 'beak to tail' experience. Owners Mike Zheng and Kuangyi Wei have loved their trips to yakitori spots in Japan, but couldn't understand why there weren't more options here in London, particularly

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• Test Driving Ukiyo - hand rolls, sushi and sake on tap in Covent Garden

  

  Covent Garden gets a very useful little sushi spot with the opening of Japanese hand roll bar Ukiyo in The Yards.

• Test of Time - we pull up a stool at the counter at Bocca di Lupo for a tour of Italy

  

  Having just celebrated its 15th birthday, Soho restaurant Bocca di Lupo is still knocking it out of the park. We headed for the counter to see why it's now such an integral part of Soho's restaurant scene.

• Test Driving Behind - taking counter dining to the next level

  

  Behind sees chef Andy Beynon creating a counter dining experience like no other in London right now. We sat around the huge counter for a feast in London Fields. 

• Kebab Queen at Maison Bab will be a chef's table with a difference

  Hidden downstairs at Maison Bab in Covent Garden is a chef's table with a difference where the chef will serve food direct on to the counter and guests are expected to eat with their hands.

• Test Driving Coal Office - if Studio 54 opened a restaurant it'd be a bit like this

  

  Restaurateur Assaf Granit has partnered with designer Tom Dixon to open this crazy restaurant in King's Cross. We went along to take a seat at the counter.

• Test Driving Lina Stores - the 75 year-old deli opens a restaurant

  Lina Stores have been in Soho for over 75 years - and only now have they opened a restaurant. We head down to Greek Street to see what the pasta masters are cooking up. 

• Test Driving Evelyn's Table - the lovechild of a chef's table and dive bar

  The team behind Palomar and The Barbary have a new counter dining spot - prepare to fall in love

• Test Driving Sabor - an essential Spanish restaurant in Mayfair

  Barrafina alumni Nieves Barragan and José Etura have just unveiled their Spanish restaurant in Mayfair. It's one of the most anticipated restaurants of the year - we take a look.