London has seen flourishing hospitality growth since the pandemic, with dozens of new hotels, restaurants and bars opening their doors to welcome locals and visitors alike. The restaurant scene, in particular, has expanded dramatically over the past few years, with many popular spots opening second (or third) locations. The next few months will bring several more exciting new openings to London from both established and lesser-known chefs, with a focus on global cuisine that emphasizes the city’s international influence. Food lovers can expect everything from Mexican to Sri Lankan to Mediterranean, as well as the requisite British offerings (which are significantly better than the assumptions about British food make them out to be). Whether you’re looking for traditional Punjabi fare or a classic French bistro dish, London has a new restaurant for all your food cravings.
In the coming months, The Barbary will debut its third outpost, Jason Atherton will expand his culinary empire, Santiago Lastra will open up his innovative Mexican creations to a new audience and Belgravia will get a few major additions to its food scene. From Fonda to Wildflowers to Goodbye Horses, here are 10 of the most exciting new restaurants joining London, from now through the fall.
In early August, Medlar’s David O’Connor and Joe Mercer Nairne debuted a new restaurant, Cornus, in the heart of Fitzrovia. Located on an upper floor of Eccleston Yards, the airy, light-filled spot showcases an impressive à la carte menu inspired by French techniques. The dishes, from chef Gary Foulkes, are precise and complex, highlighting British ingredients like crab, lamb and cod. A highlight is hand-rolled spaghetti with native lobster, Amalfi lemon and N25 Oscietra caviar, although guests will be impressed with the entire fine dining experience. Sommelier Melania Battiston offers a discerning selection of wine, but the bar also emphasizes non-alcoholic options and tea infusions. The restaurant, which has 70 covers and will open a rooftop terrace later this year, is the perfect spot for a weekend evening out or a special occasion.
Santiago Lastra is best known as the chef of Kol, an innovative, Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant that has become one of London’s hottest tables. Now Lastra is opening Fonda, a contemporary Mexican eatery that takes a more informal approach to dining. The two-level restaurant, set to debut in September, will offer an à la carte menu showcasing regional cuisines from across Mexico, with a focus on the preparation of masa. It’s an exciting new addition to London, which is not exactly known for great Mexican food, and it means diners will get to try Lastra’s cuisine without battling for a booking at Kol. “The idea is to bring a little bit more of the regional Mexican and my interpretation of Mexican cooking,” Lastra told Observer of the new restaurant earlier this year. “I think it’s important to be able to reach more people. The good thing is that the more that we do it, the more that other people are going to do it, and the demand will grow and then the love for Mexico will grow.”
Kolamba East is the second iteration of Eroshan and Aushi Meewella’s modern take on Sri Lankan cuisine. It follows the original Kolamba, which opened in Soho in 2019, and brings the dishes, based on family recipes, to Shoreditch. The restaurant features a new menu, including large feasting plates and a selection of vegetable-forward options, and a central bar that showcases Sri Lankan spirits and ingredients. It embraces the sort of casual upscale vibe you want for an after-work meetup or Sunday evening out, and the location near Liverpool Street Station means easy access for many diners. Kolamba East officially opened in early August, perfect for your next trip to east London.
Since closing Pollen Street Social in July, chef Jason Atherton has been busy preparing several new restaurants, including Hotdogs by Three Darlings, a chic hot dog eatery in Harrods, and the soon-to-come Three Darlings in Chelsea. Sael is Atherton’s new British eatery, which will open in the former site of Aquavit in September, with 85 covers. It will feature only ingredients sourced from the British Isles, with a focus on hyper-seasonality. Menu highlights include Orkney scallops, Cumbrian lamb, Carlingford oysters and Highland wagyu, all of which will be cooked on the restaurant’s wood-fire grill. Upstairs, guests can enjoy drinks and snacks at Apples & Pears, a late-night bar with an evolving cocktail list and DJ booth.
Ambassadors Clubhouse, set to open in September, will celebrate the food, drink, music and culture of India’s Punjab region. The expansive two-floor restaurant will seat 140 guests and will include a heated outdoor terrace, as well as three private dining rooms. The menu will include regional classics with traditional techniques, including curries cooked in cast-iron karahis and clay matkas and tandoor-roasted breads, and the cocktail list is also inspired by Punjabi flavors and ingredients. Its Mayfair setting will be on full display with a music series with resident and guest DJs performing on the lower level on certain nights. Ambassadors Clubhouse is helmed by JKS Restaurants, a group that also owns London favorites Gymkhana, Hoppers and Brigadiers.
Modern French brasserie Marceline joined the scene at Canary Wharf in early August, serving a menu inspired by Parisian restaurants. The menu was created by Robert Aikens, previously of New York’s beloved Pastis, and includes classics like steak tartare, French onion soup and tuna niçoise. Guests can expect a vast wine list and innovative cocktails, which are served tableside. The adjacent bar Salon Marceline is a great spot for a glass of wine (there are dozens served by the glass) or a meeting after work. Although tourists may not think of Canary Wharf as a dining destination, the neighborhood’s Wood Wharf has a thriving restaurant scene worth visiting. Be sure to order the two-sip martini, a cheeky way to have a drink without getting drunk.
Pimlico’s Newson’s Yard will soon be home to Wildflowers, an upscale Mediterranean restaurant helmed by chef Aaron Potter. The seasonal menu looks suitably whimsical and creative, with pasta and seafood. The restaurant will sit over two floors, and with a wine bar and in-house deli, Wildflower General Store, as part of the experience, Wildflowers seems primed to become a new neighborhood favorite for locals. Newson’s Yard has transformed into a hip new destination near Belgravia, featuring several design boutiques, and Wildflowers, expected to open in autumn 2024, clearly fits the vibe.
Covent Garden restaurant The Barbary has been one of London’s most consistently interesting dining experiences since it opened its doors in Neal’s Yard in 2016, gathering its guests around a horseshoe-shaped counter to watch the cooking in action. A more casual wine bar, The Barbary Next Door, followed, and now The Barbary will head west to Notting Hill (in the former Maddox art gallery) to showcase its Barbary Coast-inspired dishes in a third setting. The restaurant, opening in the fall, will be notably bigger than the original, with additional seating beyond the counter, as well as a separate cocktail bar. The menu will feature similar dishes, including the oven-fresh breads The Barbary is known for, as well as new dishes featured only in Notting Hill.
Previously a popular pop-up around London, AngloThai is set to become a proper restaurant in Marylebone. The restaurant will feature both a set menu and an à la carte selection, and the dishes are—as the name suggests—a clever combination of Thai and British inspirations. Owner John and Desiree Chantarasak will open AngloThai, which will seat around 50 diners, in October, with the menu yet to be revealed (although those who have tasted the pop-ups know to be excited for this one). A private dining room, dubbed Baan, will follow later in the year.
London has plenty of wine bars, but Goodbye Horses, from Alex Young and George de Vos, promises to be cool, low-key and without pretension. The founders have said they prefer their wine drinking to be fun and sustainable, which is exactly what guests can find at Goodbye Horses, located between Islington and De Beauvoir in north London. The wine list is, of course, vast, and the food menu shifts weekly to include British-inspired favorites like sardines on toast and Dorset clams. A highlight is the restaurant’s vinyl selection, spanning more than 4,000 records. Goodbye Horses and its sister coffee shop Day Trip are now open, with ice cream shop The Dreamery set to follow soon.
