What makes a restaurant hot? Apart from the now-obligatory live fire in the kitchen? Well, it’s a mercurial combination of buzz, newness, quality, and a hint of exclusivity.
They’re the spots that punters flock to in their droves. They might be long-anticipated openings from big name chefs; follow-ups from teams who have already proved their mettle; or under-the-radar independent spots that nevertheless hold their own against the big dogs. But they’re all good, and all worth spending your hard-earned pennies on…
Tasca at Câv | Bethnal Green
Câv is a brand new listening bar and food concept from hospitality dream team Chris Tanner and Edwin Frost. It’s located in an archway along Paradise Row and the space is a vision in brown, with wood-panelled walls and a large central bar. The kitchen hosts chef residences and kicking things off is Josh Dallaway, whose culinary concept Tasca, is inspired by Portugal and Spain. The dishes are interesting – think six-year-aged miso as a richly-umami garnish on baby squid with burnt almond and properly peppery Massa De Piemntao – properly delicious and will certainly keep you coming back to this pocket of Bethnal Green.
Details: Arch 255 Paradise Row, London E2 9LQ | Book a table at Câv
One Club Row | Shoreditch
There’s been quite a lot of chat around the opening of One Club Row. It’s a sort of “if you know, you know” level of chat. And for good reason. It’s the highly-anticipated restaurant from the triple-threat team that have just opened The Knave of Clubs. They are The Camberwell Arms and Bambi co-owner James Dye, former JKS Restaurants director of strategic projects Benjy Leibowitz and chef Patrick Powell.
The vibe is relaxed-yet-refined; it’s a love letter to the martini-slinging, glamour-without-glitz energy you might find in New York but in Shoreditch. There’s an upright piano in the corner, classic steak tartare and Champagne cocktails on the menu; it’s a marriage of French-leaning classics and Big-Apple confidence.
Details: One Club Row | 1 Club Row, London E1 6JX | Book a table at One Club Row
The Lavery | South Kensington
When we first heard about The Lavery, we thought “here’s a place that has potential”.
It’s in South Kensington, home to mostly elderly people walking small dogs and a part of town we wouldn’t rush to for a new restaurant opening. But we’re happy to report that any fleeting hesitations we dared to even enter our heads about The Lavery have been left in the dust. This is a restaurant that goes above and beyond. And Nudge members will be too as they’re getting an exclusive secret soft launch, with 50% off food from 25th March – 15th April.
Details: The Lavery | 4 Cromwell Place, London, SW7 2JE | Book a table at The Lavery
Luna | Tower Bridge
The Legare team has something new to moon over: Luna. It’s an intimately cosy, wood-panelled wine bar and restaurant on the shores of the Thames, complete with a tiny little terrace. On the menu: fresh oysters, French fries and a cellar full of biodynamic wines…
Details: Los Mochis London City | 100 Liverpool Street, EC2M 2AT | Book a table at Luna
The Fat Badger | Notting Hill
The Fat Badger is a rare thing: a secret you’ll want to keep, but probably won’t.
Not as under-the-radar as it was when it first opened, however this restaurant and bar in Notting Hill still has very little signage. Nor even so much as a velvet rope or surly doorman with a clipboard. There’s just a small picture of a badger (who, it should be noted, isn’t even conspicuously overweight) and an anonymous staircase.
And the most surprising thing? Is that its greatness is completely unsurprising, because the team behind it are the same ones responsible for the achingly cool Canteen, as well as the rejuvenated Pelican, and the maddeningly good grill at The Hero. At this point, they just seem to have hospitality sorcery hardcoded into their collective DNA…
Details: Above Canteen, 310 Portobello Road, W10 5TA | Book a table at The Fat Badger
The Knave of Clubs | Shoreditch
Shoreditch must be playing its cards right. Because among the slew of new openings is The Knave of Clubs, a historic East End boozer that’s been returned to its former glory by a crack team including the founder of Bambi and The Camberwell Arms. And upstairs? There’s going to be a proper restaurant headed up by the critically acclaimed chef Patrick Powell…
Details: 25 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6JX | Book a table at The Knave of Clubs
Cálong | Stoke Newington
After 17 years of working in Michelin-starred European kitchens, chef Joo Won returned to his native Korea and saw his homeland’s cuisine through fresh eyes. He thus decided to open his own pop up (called Cálong) which served French & European cooking with Korean flavours to a pretty rapturous reception – and now, he’s opened his own permanent restaurant, which we think could be the best new opening of 2025 so far.
Details: 35 Stoke Newington Church St, London N16 0NX | Book a table at Cálong
Ling Ling’s x The Bluecoats | Tottenham
If you’ve not caught any of Ling Ling’s pop ups to date, just know that she serves fantastic Chinese food (mostly plucked from family recipes, like her dad’s aromatic duck salad). And now she’s settling into a long-term residency at this Tottenham pub, with a match day menu of snacky bits (like the McLing filet o fish with nori tartare) and her legendary Sunday roasts packing out the menu…
Details: 614 High Rd, London N17 9TA | Book Ling Lings at The Bluecoats
HIMI | Carnaby
Tamas Naszai and Tomoko Hasegawa have spent the last two years calling the shots at their unbelievably good omakase restaurant, Roji. And now they’re temporarily closing that to hand the power back to their diners with the opening of Himi, a contemporary izakaya where – rather radically – you’ll get to choose what you eat…
Details: 4 Newburgh St, Carnaby, London W1F 7RF | Book a table at HIMI
APPLEBEE’s | Borough
Despite being Borough Market‘s latest big restaurant opening, APPLEBEE’s has actually been around for over a quarter of a century, making it one of the oldest restaurants in the market. The family-run operation started out as a fishmongers way back in ’99 before deciding to start cooking those swimmers too, and now they’ve decided to have a top-to-bottom refurb, bussing in a new head chef with impeccable credentials, and whipping up a whole new menu to go with it all.
Details: 5 Stoney Street, Borough Market, SE1 9AA | Book a table at APPLEBEE’s
Don’t Tell Dad | Queen’s Park
Don’t Tell Dad is a new two-in-one spot on the growing gastronomic avenue that is Lonsdale Road, with ambitions to be both a bakery and restaurant… and somehow nailing them both. By day, you can drop in for beautifully flaky brown butter croissants courtesy of ex-Layla baker Keren Sternberg; by night, the place transforms into a candlelit bistro serving crowd-pleasing classics like buttered skate cheeks and oxtail crumpet. It’s a neighbourhood gem well worth travelling for – but you’ll have to fight the locals for a table.
Details: 10-14 Lonsdale Road, NW6 6RD | Book a table at Don’t Tell Dad
Dove | Notting Hill
Alexander Baxter
As chefs go, Jackson Boxer is one of London’s heavyweights. And not just because of the name – but because he keeps knocking it out the park with places like Henri, Brunswick House, and Below Stone Nest. And now, he’s closed down his (highly popular) seafood spot Orasay to re-invent the place as Dove, serving things that he “wants to cook and eat right now”. Spoiler: you’ll want to eat them, too.
Details: 31 Kensington Park Road, W11 2EU | Book a table at Dove
Want to know what’s coming up? Well, luckily there’s a guide to London restaurants opening soon, too.
