Hot Dinners readers get 50% off food at Fitzrovia’s Da Long Yi Hot Pot
Covent Garden
-
Spotlight is St Martin's Lane Hotel's new residency space, kicking things off with Sertaç Dirik
St Martin's Lane Hotel seems to have been working on something to replace Asia de Cuba properly since it closed all the way back in 2019. Now it looks like the team there is fully embracing the residency route, with Spotlight.
The new space is being put together by a creative studio called Whipped Cream, which immediately raises the question as to whether this will always be a food and drink space. Whipped Cream are apparently best known for "brand experiences" for people like Blank Street (a "crochet club" pop-up), ITV and Spotify (some of their previous collabs are pictured
... -
Mr Fogg's Tavern will be taking over the space that used to be The Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden
A few weeks ago, we told you about the closure of The Crusting Pipe, a mainstay of Covent Garden for over 45 years. It was sad to see it go but, in fairness, the last time we were in the area, it was almost empty.
But now, we already know what's taking its place - it's the latest opening from Mr Fogg's. They're a group that have taken over quite a few difficult sites and made a success of them, so perhaps they're the ones who can bring some life back to this part of
... -
HOKO's new wonton noodle bar in Seven Dials will cure the January blues
There couldn't be a more perfect time of year to open a stall devoted to steaming bowls of wonton soup than January. So hats off to the folks at HOKO who are doing just that. They're one of three new traders launching at Seven Dials Market this month.
Five years after launching, this will be the team's first central London spot. And unlike the milk tea diner in East London this one's going to focus on Hong Kong wonton noodle soup. The launch menu will feature three soups and two tossed noodles with wontons, along with new dishes like a Cantonese braised beef brisket and tendon
... -
Test Driving the seafood and Guinness at Gilroy's Loft, right at the top of London's new Guinness Open Gate Brewery
London's temple to Guinness has finally opened in Covent Garden. We went down to check it out, particularly to see what Pip Lacey's cooking up in the rooftop restaurant, Gilroy's Loft.
-
Covent Garden is getting a New York-inspired cocktail bar called Cato
Covent Garden is getting a New York-inspired cocktail bar that sounds like it could be very useful for brightening up January.
Called Cato, the bar is inspired by Cato Alexander, a New York bartender from the 18th Century, about whom Wikipedia says: "cocktail historians consider him to be 'America's first celebrity bartender.'" We didn't know there was such a thing as cocktail historians, but there you go. It comes from hospitality group Bart & Taylor, along with bartender Angelos Bafas (aka
... -
A high-end Korean matcha cafe, Tokkia, is opening in Covent Garden
If you were one of the many fans of the much-missed Korean tea shop be-oom on Exmouth Market, then we've got some news that should gladden your heart. Founder Sooji Im has another venture in the offing. She's moved into central London, where she'll be opening TOKKIA, a luxury Korean matcha house.
On offer will be finely whisked Korean matcha, paired with saltbreads - a traditional Korean roll that looks
... -
Fancy modern dim sum is on the menu at Dim Sum Library opening in Covent Garden
After so many Italian restaurant openings, it's refreshing to be talking about something different throwing open its doors in London next month. Dim Sum Library is a Hong Kong import by the Aqua Group and is going to be taking over what used to be the group's Luci restaurant in Covent Garden.
They're pitching it as a modern take on classic dim sum, and they've brought in chefs Jian Jia (who
... -
Hyped Parisian gluten-free bakery Copains is opening in London
They've long held a reputation as being one of the best places in Paris to enjoy gluten-free breads and pastries. Now Parisian bakery chain Copains has set its sight on London. To kick off their cross-Channel takeover, they're starting with two bakery openings, in Covent Garden and Islington. Both will be the brand's first bakeries outside of Paris.
In Covent Garden, they've taken over the lease of a shop
... -
Test driving Cô Thành, the hit Vietnamese restaurant makes the trip from Hong Kong to London
Inspired by a street stall run by "The Lunch Lady", who shot to fame thanks to Anthony Bourdain, the London outpost of this Vietnamese restaurant has arrived in Covent Garden. We went down to try it out.
-
London's version of a Guinness Storehouse, Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Covent Garden, is finally opening
Updated 29/10/25 with the opening date, bar and restaurant details
It's been on the cards for a very long time, but the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Covent Garden is finally opening. Following in the footsteps of Dublin and Edinburgh, London is the latest capital city to get its own huge city-centre brewery/distillery. And it's a big project; Guinness has apparently spent £73 million on the
... -
SOOM Korean BBQ, where you cook at your table, has arrived in Covent Garden
They already have a Korean restaurant in Canary Wharf with 3KOBROS, and now the same team are coming to St Martin's Lane with SOOM.
The new restaurant, taking over the space that used to be The Theatre Cafe, will be all about Korean BBQ. So there will be individual stone tables, each with an electric BBQ grill and you'll be cooking your own meats and vegetables.
... -
The Devonshire team's next pub and restaurant looks like being in Covent Garden's The Lady building
They've been helping out with the launch of The Marlborough pub, but now The Devonshire team look to have lined up their own next big opening.
-
St John have switched things up in Covent Garden with a new bakery and bar
20/10/25 - updated with opening details.
It's all change for Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver's teeny bakery in Neal's Yard with the news that they've moved to bigger and better premises. The good thing is that fans of their custard doughnuts and amazing bread won't have to go too far to find the new bakery. They've moved just across the yard to a much bigger
... -
Cô Thành to bring a taste of Southern Vietnam to Covent Garden
9/10/25 - updated with the opening date
If you were wondering what would replace Frenchie in Covent Garden we finally have the answer and it’s great news for fans of Vietnamese food: Cô Thành is coming. Inspired by the international legend that is the Lunch Lady, aka Mrs Nguyễn Thị Thanh (who sadly
... -
Camino are opening Pintxito, a new Basque pintxo bar in Covent Garden's piazza
Updated 26/8/25 with the opening date.
It's a busy old year for Spanish restaurant folk Camino who have just spent the last few months buying up several of London's Iberica restaurants out of administration (the Farringdon and Victoria Iberica are now both Caminos as a result). But they're also working on something brand new - a pintxo bar in Covent Garden.
Pintxito will be a pretty intimate
...
Also see...
