London in the 21st century is the restaurant capital of the world. British chefs vie with the most famous names on the international food scene to secure the primest sites for their new ventures. Here you can find almost any cuisine on the planet, often made with seasonal British ingredients, whether organic meats, sustainably caught fish and regeneratively farmed vegetables, but the food is only half the story: chefs collaborate with designers to ensure that the surroundings look every bit as enticing as what’s coming out of the kitchen.
Each month, we visit some of the city’s buzziest openings to discover the most exciting new menu items and locations across the capital.
The Wallpaper* guide to new London restaurants
March 2025 restaurant openings
Calong
Calong
Joo Won has turned his pop-up Calong permanent in the arty enclave of Stoke Newington. The chef received classical French training in Michelin-starred London restaurants before re-discovering his South Korean food roots. At Calong, the Asian technique is combined with European ingredients in a solo venture that feels deeply personal.
Describe the mood: ‘Calong’ is South Korean slang for a hipster from Won’s hometown of Busan, though the vibe here is far more approachable, with brick walls and bentwood chairs looking the part of a natural wine bar-neighbourhood bistro.
What to order: Snack on kimchee fritters and pollock croquettes ahead of clay pot-baked rice with mixed mushrooms.
Why we love it: Won’s east-west fusion is utterly distinctive and unlike any other Korean cooking in London.
Calong is located at 35 Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 0NX, UK; calonglondon.com
The Lavery
The Lavery
This Grade II-listed building was once the home and studio of Victorian portrait painter Sir John Lavery; now the South Kensington townhouse is becoming an Italian restaurant overseen by former River Cafe chef Yohei Furuhashi. The first-floor dining room will be joined by a ground-floor café later in the spring.
Describe the mood: Georgian classicism meets 20th-century design classics, with furniture sourced from the likes of the Hotel Excelsior in Venice and the Groucho Club set in elegantly proportioned rooms with many of the original features intact.
What to order: Scottish seafood given the sun-kissed Italian treatment in the likes of scallops with alubia beans, marjoram and anchovy.
Why we love it: Simple Mediterranean cooking in elegantly curated surroundings will always be a winner.
The Lavery opens on March 25 and is available to book from March 4. It is located at 4 Cromwell Place, London SW7 2JE, UK; thelavery.co.uk
One Club Row
Hot on the heels of The Knave of Clubs pub – already dubbed The Devonshire of the East – comes this upstairs dining room, accessed via its own street entrance. Owner James Dye is also behind The Camberwell Arms and Bambi, though it is his co-owner Benjy Leibowitz who is arguably the guiding spirit here, drawing on four years as the head maître d’ of the New York NoMad Hotel to bring Stateside hospitality to Shoreditch.
Describe the mood: Imagine a Parisian bistro transplanted to Manhattan by way of Victorian London, and you’ll get the idea. Knock back champagne and oysters surrounded by original 19th-century interiors while jazz musicians and a pianist perform by the bar.
What to order: Main-course sharing plates such as whole lobster tagliatelle make an impressive centrepiece for the table.
Why we love it: Louche late-night vibes in London’s answer to the Lower East Side.
One Club Row opens in late March. It is located at 1 Club Row, London E1 6JX, UK; oneclubrow.com
February 2025 restaurant openings
Applebee’s
First a fishmonger then a restaurant, Applebee’s has been a fixture of Borough Market since the turn of the century. Now, Jack Applebee, son of founders Joy and Graham, is marking the restaurant’s 25th anniversary by reopening after re-designing the space and revamping the menu.
Describe the mood: Is this Borough or Brixham? Designers A-nrd (recently behind Santiago Lastra’s Fonda) have given shape to a sourcing process that emphasises seasonality and sustainability. Diners see their seafood displayed on a fresh fish counter before being whisked onto a live-fire grill in an open kitchen.
What to order: Dover sole dry-aged in a Himalayan pink-salt chamber to ensure the perfect crispy skin is the star dish, but the fish and chips (made from whatever fish is freshest that day) are equally as impressive.
Why we love it: A family-run business future-proofed for the next quarter of a century.
Applebee’s is located at 5 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AA, UK; applebeesfish.com
Read our full restaurant review of Applebee’s
La Môme London
La Môme Cannes
A sun-kissed import from the south of France, where a trio of La Mômes is scattered around Cannes and Monte Carlo. This London satellite arrives at The Berkeley hotel on Knightsbridge which, with its rooftop pool and supercar-clogged forecourt, is the UK’s closest equivalent to Monaco.
The mood: The razzle-dazzle of the Cannes Film Festival and Monte Carlo Rally wrapped up in one fabulous dining room and terrace.
What to order: Franco-Italian dishes such as Black Angus tagliata with truffle and rocket.
Why we love it: A restaurant that is as glamorous as the hotel itself.
La Môme is located at Wilton Place, London SW1X 7RL, UK; the-berkeley.co.uk
Read our full restaurant review of La Môme London
Shakara
Former Akoko executive chef Ayo Adeyemi is teaming up with MasterChef: The Professionals’ semi-finalist Victor Okunowo to create the menus at this new Marylebone bar and dining room, which is a stylish addition to London’s ever-impressive high-end West African dining scene.
Describe the mood: Red Deer architects are behind some of London’s most distinctive and Instagrammable restaurant interiors such as Lina Stores. Here they have given a contemporary gloss to a West African aesthetic, with modern art supplied by top Lagos gallery Red Door and DJs spinning Afrobeats.
What to order: Native blue lobster with red pepper bisque and tagliatelle embodies Okunowo’s approach of applying West African technique and spicing to top-notch British produce.
Why we love it: More proof that African fine dining is one of London’s coolest cuisines.
Shakara is located at 66 Baker Street, London W1D 7DJ, UK; shakaraldn.com
Read our full restaurant review of Shakara
January 2025 restaurant openings
Don’t Tell Dad
Don’t Tell Dad
Bakery by day, restaurant by night, Don’t Tell Dad is somewhere for Queen’s Park locals to shout about. Pop in for a hazelnut brown butter croissant after a yoga class on Lonsdale Road, then return in the evening for indulgent recipes from former Noble Rot chef Luke Frankie.
The mood: Curated interiors meet creative cooking.
What to order: Oxtail crumpets with a dripping crumb are the ultimate teatime treat.
Why we love it: A neighbourhood restaurant that deserves London-wide fame.
Don’t Tell Dad is located at 10-14 Lonsdale Road, London NW6 6RD, UK; donttelldad.co.uk
Read our full restaurant review of Don’t Tell Dad
Dove
Former Orasay restaurant
Jackson Boxer announced in December that he was replacing Orasay with Dove. The new restaurant, he says, will serve ‘the things that I want to cook and eat right now.’ There will be less focus on the finest British seafood but the same dedication to sourcing the best native ingredients.
The mood: A Notting Hill restaurant aimed at locals not tourists, Dove practically coos with quiet luxury.
What to order: A mini lasagne of deep-fried Taleggio cheese and Wiltshire truffle is a snack that should be served by the dozen.
Why we love it: Whatever Jackson Boxer wants to eat is what we want to eat.
Dove is located at 1 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2EU, UK; orasay.london
Read our full restaurant review of Dove
Himi
Quality casual Japanese dining arrives in Carnaby courtesy of husband-and-wife chefs Tamas Naszai and Tomoko Hasegawa. The couple met while working at Tokimeite in Mayfair before opening their restaurant Roji, serving formal omakase-style tasting menus. Here at Himi, they have taken inspiration from izakayas, the Japanese equivalent of a food-focused pub found throughout Tokyo and Osaka.
Describe the mood: The chef couple have repurposed the interiors of the Greek restaurant Ino with a subtle Japanese aesthetic, emphasising the site’s natural woods and light while keeping the intimate atmosphere of the chef’s counter and tiny, 13-seat dining room.
What to order: Japanese classics of sushi, sashimi, tempura and robata are given creatively contemporary updates: try the hay-smoked fatty tuna handroll. A set lunch menu for around £30 offers a more affordable entry than the à la carte.
Why we love it: An informal alternative to high-end Roji, with the same excellent food.
Himi is located at 4 Newburgh Street, London W1F 7RF, UK; himi.uk
How we choose the new restaurants to recommend
At Wallpaper*, design is always at the forefront. Our top picks for new restaurants all feature thoughtfully curated interiors that elevate the dining experience. And of course, the food must be exceptional too. We’re drawn to inventive menus that both surprise and delight. Each restaurant we’ve recommended has been personally visited by one of our editors. With the privilege of dining at some of the world’s most renowned spots, you can trust our firsthand experience. When we say something’s worth your time, you can be sure it is.
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