glossy quenelle of joy makes every other chocolate mousse in the UK taste like Instant Whip London SW7: ‘One of London’s loveliest new places to eat’ – restaurant reviewThis plump serving up gnocchi with fresh peas on the upper floors of a dreamily restored The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Will they eat blood orange and puntarelle salad with taggiasche olives can I have the Isle of Skye scallop with cime de rapa please!” If the answer to either of those questions is no ‘Absolutely delicious’: the Lavery’s monkfish with alubia beans marinda tomato and a ‘pleasingly rough-and-ready’ mojo verde.But the Lavery is very definitely suitable for people who have glanced at the menu and prices at Furuhashi’s former haunt I thought that read £49 for an antipasto of grilled langoustines and £68 for a sea bass and artichoke main Oh …” The fact that Furuhashi is now in South Kensington yet semi-decadent modern European cooking for a fraction of those prices is reason enough to skip over to this side of town with perfectly cooked flesh on white alubia beans with marinda tomatoes and a pleasingly rough-and-ready mojo verde for £36 I had felt a bit lukewarm about the Lavery despite its culinary pedigree and sumptuous location I failed to see how it might be outstanding plating and sourcing that elevates it into one of London’s loveliest new places to eat ‘Elegant’: the Lavery’s grilled Swaledale lamb with jersey royals chilli and mint.The main course choice featured rabbit leg stuffed with Tuscan sausage and Castelluccio lentils and artichoke ratatouille with chickpea farinata but we were both swung by Swaledale lamb with jersey royals An Instagram influencer pest turned up in the middle of our meal began waving her camera about and was firmly told to sit down twice More of this please: sit down and eat your dinner We also managed a slice of loquat and hazelnut tart with chantilly cream buttery frangipane tart that very much hit the spot The Lavery’s Original Bean chocolate mousse with Agen prunes: ‘One of the most delicious things being served on Planet Earth right now.’All in all there’s something rather special happening here it may appear to be rather snoozily boring I doubt the Lavery has anything as casual as a sarnie or a flapjack in its repertoire The Lavery 4-5 Cromwell Place The best new restaurants in London are the most exciting places to eat that have just opened in the capital city Ranging from small affairs with daily changing menus from up-and-coming chefs to Michelin-starred spots with fresh new menus these are London's new restaurants we've got our eye on right now Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has eaten at that restaurant our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination We update this list regularly as new restaurants open in London and we’d put money on it becoming one of central London’s most beloved French restaurants In contrast to the Lyonnaise cuisine served at sister eatery Josephine Bouchon in Chelsea the menu here is full-on classic Parisienne antique walled mirrors smothered with Art Nouveau posters and Impressionist prints; ceiling murals of Cancan dancers and a soundtrack replete with Jeanne Moreau chansons françaises and Serge Gainsbourg’s lascivious vocals like the Camembert soufflé and the knockout French onion soup Mains include bold-flavoured filet de bœuf and poulet aux Morilles while potato junkies will love the pommes de terre menu I paired my gratin Dauphinois with a juicy pork belly main which hit the spot just as hard as the crispy-skinned brill Only cooked seafood was available on opening night but something tells us the menu’s Homard Mayonnaise crevettes roses and freshly shucked oysters at the dedicated oyster kiosk will be worth the wait Another standout feature is the vast and excellent range of wines and vintage champagnes mainly from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux; and in a rare treat there’s even Salon Blanc de Blancs Brut by the glass Desserts took a playful turn with the blast-from-the-past banana split a retro riot of chantilly and glacé cherries beneath a cocktail umbrella Other items include popular staples like the Rhum Baba and the Grand Marnier soufflé (though the latter was actually a parfait but we’ll let that one slide since the rest of the menu rocked) Address: 6-8 Blandford Street, London, W1U 4AUPrice: ££Book now ShoreditchTraditional Ukrainian dishes aren't exactly common in the UK but that hasn't stopped the crowds from gathering at Tatar Bunar which is packed out just one week on from its Shoreditch launch named after the owner's hometown of Tatarbunary in the country's relatively warmer southern region is the first London outpost from Ukrainian restaurateurs Alex Cooper and Anna Andriienko Inside is an ode to the country's traditional craftsmanship with soft terracotta and neutral styling pepped up with art by various Ukrainian artists – watermelons feature heavily in one painting which grow abundantly in the south – and tiles crockery and vases by Svetlana Sholomitska It's an education in regional cuisine with a menu led with Alex's mother's own recipes But that doesn’t make it your average Ukrainian fare – at least not according to my native dining partner are instead stuffed with lamb and beef with a blob of sharp pickled tomatoes on the side a national staple served alongside most meals is smoked (“I just asked my mother and she has never heard of such a thing," says my friend) but portions are generous enough to assuage any naysayers and staff will readily talk through dishes if you're unfamiliar Soft onion bread comes with lardo; a fatty thinly-sliced layer of pork rind to be smeared on top A bowl of tiny pickled tomatoes is a sweet moreish delight with each bite (a surprise favourite among everyone who's tried) A highlight is a bowl of banush; an indulgent chunk of oxtail that falls immediately off the bone atop buttery mash and a swirl of pesto and a flame-grilled rabbit skewer has a char almost as smoky as the sour cream Eating here was a novel experience all round arriving hidden among a jumble of spinach and mushroom elicited the grandest response from my more knowledgeable partner: “For me Address: 152 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3ATPrice: £££Book now South KensingtonI recently took a trip where I met a friendly American family who told me they would soon be visiting London for a couple of days “What should we do with our time?” they asked and you don’t have to rely on the weather” but you might want to go somewhere else to eat the restaurant options in South Kensington aren’t great.” How lovely to soon after find a note about a new restaurant in my inbox promising beautiful ingredients a unique setting and a regularly-changing menu cafe and event space a stone’s throw from South Kensington station Its position amidst the chain restaurants known to populate the area automatically makes it a top choice for diners wanting something more upmarket but its history as the former home and studio of painter Sir John Lavery will entice architecture aficionados The room housing the restaurant offers something totally different than most restaurants; expect high ceilings original wooden flooring and a refreshingly simple lack of decor – the fireplace baroque-style mirrors and intricate cornicing sit as a focal point around the tables allowing the chatter of diners to gently drift across the room and enhance the feeling of being in someone’s living room (albeit a very fancy living room) The menu, led by former River Café chef Yohei Furuhashi, highlights Mediterranean seasonality while incorporating influences from the British Isles. The offering changes daily but, during our visit, we were particularly impressed by the seafood on offer; the Scottish scallop was served with tomato for a unique bite while the monkfish with beans had a fresh kick of olive oil and lemon coming through The pomelo and passionfruit mess is a much-photographed dish but I’d skip its tartness in favour of the loquat and hazelnut tart next time And a special mention to the inventive wine list plus the excellent cocktails served from the chic bar next door: the rhubarb sour is one I’d return for unique dining experience in a part of London that’s been begging for a shake-up a 12-seater version of his Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High a cooking academy and a roof terrace that is set to open on the very top of the building A lift shoots guests high up to the 60th floor at a lightning rate and doors open onto the glitz and glamour of a sweeping bar a slick open kitchen and plush red velvet banquette seating you’ll be hard-pressed to pull yourself out of the experience of looking out of the giant swathes of glass out to the panoramic views of the capital is so high up that most of the city below looks like a toy play set of sorts You find yourself looking down on all the greatest hits: the Tower of London which looks like nothing more than a simple stream from such great heights There is something wonderfully celebratory about the atmosphere at Lucky Cat The Lucky Cat Negroni is a fun way to kick things off a dice being rolled to determine the combo of gin vermouth and bitters used in your cocktail (there are as the restaurant is open until 3am from Thursdays to Saturdays (complete with live music) the bar is set to become a late-night London hotspot in and of itself sashimi and nigiri are spoilt for choice; the chef’s sushi platter is a great option if you want all that and more from the astonishing raw bar The ‘bottomless baos’ are also proving a big hit the Japanese fillet steak – all will delight waved away by the endless golden Maneki-neko cats that adorn the restaurant remember those are not party favours (Ramsay recently bemoaned the many that are being taken home by diners as keepsakes) Address: Floor 60, 22 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AJPrice: £££Book now it hosted multiple festive celebrations and I can see why Perhaps they served a taste of imaginative cocktail recipes courtesy of the mixologists downstairs or wines chosen specifically by the on-site sommelier though the non-alcoholic creations also deserve a special mention and while I wouldn’t describe Silva as a classic ‘sharer plate’ dining destination like so many in London maybe I will try the breakfast offering after all Address: Silva Restaurant, 26-28 Bruton Place, London W1J 6NGPrice: £££Book now dollops of innovation and more than a crumb of unpretentious style it’s only fair that James Cochran’s latest foodie venture is being celebrated across the city The Brave may be marketed as a “bistro-pub” but I’d place it more in the “bistro” category than the traditional sticky-floored London boozer The Brave’s jolly blue exterior is easy to spot – with windows awash in warm candlelight it’s an enticing scene on a freezing evening in February Taking inspiration from both his Scottish and Caribbean heritage (think neep and tattie hash browns or the jerk chicken scotch egg), Cochrane’s new menu showcases the best ingredients from the UK’s wild larder – from Whitstable rock oysters drizzled in a bone marrow vinaigrette to a zippy Scottish razor clam ceviche The menu consists mostly of small plates ideal for sharing and though you might think this would make choosing our selection that bit easier we spent many minutes poring over the options and debating which dishes to shortlist Some highlights included the succulent prawn toast a beef tartare bite that was transcendental and the softest Devonshire crab in a lively curry sauce Suitable for those with a serious sweet tooth we finished with the baked Alaska dessert – pearlescent cascades of marshmallowy goodness (almost) too aesthetically pleasing to tuck into Ever since the closure of his locally revered flagship 12:51 last September there’s certainly been a James Cochran-shaped hole on the Islington dining scene more than capable of taking on the challenge Address: The Brave, 340-342 Essex Road, London N1 3PBPrice: ££Book Now ShoreditchSomething I love about London is the juxtaposition It’s fascinating for so many truths to exist at once – the frenzied energy of Kingsland Road and the sheer comfort and laid-back nature of a restaurant like Bar Valette The deep green exterior and warm light that seeps from the windows are like a siren’s song that beckons us into its cosy depths Colourful cubist artworks sit on taupe walls while minimalist light fixtures dot the space glasses and jars of preserves accentuate the room while guests chat at white paper cloth tables who encourages us to order their house Martini the chef behind London’s beloved Clove Club whipped up an unfussy menu that pays homage to the vibrant dishes of Southern France and the simplicity of Spanish food We sip greedily while looking at the menu noting the nice balance of meat and fish dishes to suit all palates but it’s not incredibly vegetarian-friendly We start with a Swiss chard barbujuan and clapshot croquette The barbujuan is the stand-out of the two dishes – an ever-so-delicate ravioli-shaped fritter filled with subtle flavours from the chard The snails were tasty but not for the faint-hearted – it’s a messy and hands-on affair where you become incredibly aware that you are eating snails something my partner struggled to overcome something that we could agree on is that the meatballs were out of this world Rich with umami and perfectly fatty – a killer dish that must be ordered – no ifs We share the whole sea bream with green olive emulsion as our main Hints of smokiness cut through the delicate flavour of the sea bream and are beautifully balanced by the olive tapenade's briny notes Don’t sleep on the sides either – the duck fat sauté potatoes are so indulgent and incredibly worth it We finish with a sweet wine and gâteau basque This dessert hails from the French side of Basque country and boasts a layer of dried fruit and custard with a crumbly buttery crust was it the cherry on top of an unreal meal Address: Bar Valette, 28 Kingsland Road, London E2 8AAPrice: £££Book Now Kensington LeverneLa Môme, The Berkeley, KnightsbridgeEver since twin brothers Ugo and Antoine Lecorché opened La Môme in Cannes in 2015, serving classic-contemporary Provencal and Italian cuisine, the restaurant quickly became a fixture on the French Riviera expanding along the rue Florian before branching into Monte Carlo So when the siblings announced a London iteration at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge It’s a wholesale transfer in which nothing has been lost in translation: the same peachy-hued interiors by award-winning interior architect Samy Chams (in a space previously occupied by Marcus Wareing’s Michelin-star Marcus); and the same fabulous food presented with performative flair be it the thyme snipped at the table and mixed with olive oil or the whole seabass delivered in flames and filleted tableside It’s what La Môme does best: traditional high-end service executed from the heart in a casual soundtracked by confidently unpretentious pop classics and a live singer-pianist Classic cocktails with a Mediterranean twist (e.g the Winter Sour with Amaretto) were followed by knockout crudo starters The gorgeously fatty tuna tartare and sesame oil was fresh and tangy; the ceviche-style seabass with crunchy corn came with a passion fruit sauce that complimented it quietly The yellowtail carpaccio in a citrusy ponzu dressing was divine A similar intensity of flavour was guaranteed in the mains such as the scallop risotto main scattered with taste-bomb capers Truffles junkies will love the Beef Rossini fillet in a Périgourdine sauce topped with seared foie gras and copious shavings of fresh black truffle topped with tomatoes and pine nuts in a sensational white wine vinegar marinade that rendered the tall pepper dispenser The entire menu was Riviera sunshine on a plate Judging by the crowd – a cross-section of lovers the old and the young – La Môme looks set to become a stalwart of the London food scene Address: La Môme London, Wilton Place, London SW1X 7RLPrice: £££Book online Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High – a 12-seater chef’s table that I enter via the reimagined Lucky Cat where the music is thrumming and the energy is electric – quite the contrast to slip into RGR High the glittering London skyline mapped out before us being the only embellishment this space needs RGR High subverts the normal chef’s table set-up Where diners are usually positioned at the front row of the cooking action they’ve placed the kitchen behind the guests As we sat down it became clear that this was a clever trick of double exposure – the activity in the kitchen behind being reflected onto the view in front This attention to detail is reflected throughout the carte blanche menu too suppliers or the whim of executive chef James Goodyear Some of the more innovative courses on tonight's menu included an oyster ice cream that sat like a perfect pearl a cocoa-encrusted duck and a creamy truffle "cappuccino" I’m reminded that you can tell a good restaurant by its humble bread serving Bountiful round pillows bursting at the seams with sage and onion overtones remind me of home cooking and Sunday roasts elevated by a slathering of airy liver parfait Each course slips down with the help of the carefully considered wine pairing with glasses showcasing the best grapes from Austria to Australia I should have left my niggling doubts on the ground floor Anything attached to super chef Jackson Boxer is guaranteed to draw crowds so getting a table at Dove the week after launch was no easy feat Dove replaces Boxer’s Orasay; the much-loved seafood restaurant that The newer iteration has a more accessible menu simply made up of dishes that Boxer himself wants to cook and eat; a simple concept but it’s clear that leading with passion can only be a positive thing in the current climate The result is a menu that’s casual but innovative: a plate of winter tomatoes served with sour cream and a smoky chilli crisp was memorable and a true representation of this menu: seemingly simple dishes that you’d need to spend hours or even days getting right at home full of flavour and an ideal way to get started The grilled bavette steak with black garlic and bone marrow was perfectly done and the coffee cardamom caramel cream was a beautiful blend of bitter and sweet it was impossible to get through everything on the menu but there were a few dishes I’d love to return to try; the chicken in Cafe de Paris butter and staff recommended a wonderful wine that paired well with our wide variety of dishes who seemed thrilled with the change of pace and initial reception the new menu was getting There’s no doubt that this one will be well-received by regulars and first-timers alike Address: 31 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2EUPrice: ££Book online Queen's ParkForget Old Compton Street or Marylebone High Street: there's a new foodie thoroughfare in London – and it's not even in Zone 1 which cuts through leafy neighbourhood Queen's Park has quietly been making a name for itself with a clutch of bright restaurants keeping locals and drawing curious foodies northwest in the pursuit of a brilliant supper bakery-meets-restaurant Don't Tell Dad has flung open its doors to add more star power to an otherwise unassuming street Helmed by Coco di Mama founder and Queen's Park resident Daniel Land he's installed head chef Luke Frankie (ex-Noble Rot while Keren Sternberg (previously of Layla) oversees the concoctions in the bakery I'd already popped in twice before visiting for dinner one cold January evening just before the team hard-launched – which meant I had tried an embarrassing amount of Sternberg's pastries They're sold in the bakery each morning with customers taking a perch on the plush booths or communal table to share hazelnut brown butter croissants or An enormous open kitchen and copper bar connects the bakery to the dining room with a front-row seat to the open kitchen with its The Bear energy oxtail crumpets arrived – crispy on the outside topped with melty ragu and a moreish dripping crumb; I would happily order six of these on my next visit and the radicchio with clementine and fresh cheese Things were turned back around when the mains arrived: blushing roast lamb with cavolo nero and This buzzy new spot might already be beloved by locals but we'd put money on it becoming a destination table-to-book whatever your neighbourhood Address: Don't Tell Dad, 10-14 Lonsdale Road, London NW6 6RDPrice: ££Book online (walk-ins only) Except Canteen 310 isn’t a pub but a slick and any worries about the success of this latest opening quickly disappear when we spot the queue of people still waiting for a table at 9pm it’s packed; if this is the month for staying home avoiding booze and sticking to a joy-free diet then The design is cool without feeling gimmicky – all steel panelling tuck into salty chunks of focaccia dunked in olive oil and watch as the team glide around the open kitchen with ease carving slices from a giant piece of roasted porchetta and stretching pizza dough Head chef Jessica Filbey, formerly River Cafe, is responsible for the daily-changing menu, which is posted to Instagram and then artfully scrawled onto steel panels above the kitchen. The menu and the drinks list are stripped back – we count three wines and five beers, while just two pizzas (one meat one veggie) and four pastas makes ordering your dinner fuss-free sage and parmesan risotto is exactly what you want to eat on a cold evening – rich peppery and comforting – but the sobrasada and mascarpone pizza is the hero the tang from the dollops of sobrasada perfectly balanced by creamy There’s just enough space for chocolate mousse – spooned onto the plate slicked with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt We’re not even out of the door before we’re planning our return Address: Canteen, 310 Portobello Road, London W10 5TAPrice: ££Website (walk-ins only) Miga, HackneyMiga, HackneyContrary to popular belief, sometimes the best things in life aren’t free; they’re hard-earned — a theory which would explain the success of Miga, more than 22 years in the making. A refined yet wholesome family affair, the contemporary Korean eatery arrived on Mare Street, Hackney Borrowing its name from their family’s first restaurant in New Malden — which Hyun Sang’s ‘wifey’ revived as a takeaway during the Pandemic and continues to run today — its offering draws inspiration from dishes passed down from the brothers’ grandmother who was crowned one of Seoul’s top three chefs in the 1970s A pared-back white space styled with walnut accents and wide-eyed patrons nodding at one another in delight the dining room plays host to a much-loved type of Korean cooking rarely found nor celebrated in London’s restaurant scene — not ‘fast’ cooked and served with the utmost precision and skill here every craving has an antidote: a broth bibimbap or braised meat offered by team members who aren’t just happy to help but to educate Address: Miga, 1 Mare Street, London E8 4RPPrice: ££Book online raw beef seasoned with black pepper on a crunchy hash brown while the coarse country pork leg paté burst into life when slathered with mustard Best of all was the wild Scottish girolle and oyster mushrooms topped with an oozy confit egg yolk If items like the sweetbread (lamb pancreas) with tasty lobster sauce might wrinkle some noses it’s only at a deeply principled level since all dishes were executed flawlessly including the turbot main in parsley butter sauce and – my favourite – the utterly divine parsnip puree and venison which was neither overcooked nor too gamey Equally memorable were the sides: my huge mountain of French fries was so flavoursome I forgot to ask for my mandatory ketchup the cheddar shavings couldn’t possibly offset the bitterness of sprouts While gulping down a mouthwatering brown butter sorbet for dessert I kept one eye on the neighbouring table’s sleek-looking lemon tart Address: 55 Shirland Road, Maida Vale, W9 2JDPrice: £££Book online BoroughIf you walk through Borough Market on any night you’ll see a queue snaking opposite The Globe Tavern packed with people happily sipping cocktails and in surprisingly good spirits the hot restaurant housed underneath foodie favourite Oma skewers and salads are constantly being passed around as diners look on hopefully It’s easy to see why this place has caused such a stir among Londoners; it’s fun the mastermind behind Smokestak and Manteca the Greek-inspired menu offers a selection it’s hard not to feel hungry for: creamy hummus topped with crushed hot crisps an incredible Greek salad second only to the ones I ate on the island of Andros this summer and a spicy pork sausage flatbread with spit roast pineapple and hot honey Combined with a fun cocktail menu that feels like it was designed to sit alongside the food (the acidic Lemongrass Paloma was an ideal accompaniment for the fatty grilled meats on the menu) and a vast wine selection – including their own that’s delicious and at under-£ 6 a glass – it’s worthy of the hype And while there are many things in London I would not queue for Address: Agora, 4 Bedale Street, London SE1 9ALPrice: ££Book online Starters at The Savoy GrillGallery at The Savoy StrandLondon is no stranger to glamorous hotel restaurants But here is a refreshed spot which might surprise longtime foodies on the scene – The Savoy's old Thames Foyer has had a top-to-toe makeover to become Gallery a chic dining spot that can finally play with the big hitters Those familiar with this grand dame hotel on The Strand will remember the old space with its swirling carpets and enormous birdcage dominating the space mainly used for afternoon tea service In its new get-up – and rather fetching get-up it is at that – it's unrecognisable hues of gold and blush give a feminine feel which is only enhanced by the shadowy dancing murals on the panelling (a nod to the fact that The Savoy was the first place to hold dinner dances back in the 1920s) A central bar draws all eyes to the far end of the room while curved banquette seating is plump and begging to be sunk into for Champagne tea or a long supper The all-day menu spotlights dishes that run from American-style classics (cheeseburger with braised short rib Cobb salad) to southeast Asian (Chalk Stream trout with miso glaze the Indian-styled chicken tikka pie – delicate chicken in just-hot-enough sauce under a flaky pastry topping branded with The Savoy logo the kind of supper that will leave you satisfied and happy in one of London's smartest new dining rooms Address: The Savoy, Strand, London WC2R 0EZPrice: ££££Book online Woodland Curry & Wild Mushrooms dish at AngloThaiAngloThai we’ve not seen daylight in what feels like a billion years (and counting) the rain is lashing down to Biblical levels and I’d much rather be burritoed on my sofa watching re-runs of MAFS than heading out for dinner on this dreary evening these negative thoughts are washed away as I cross the threshold of the barely opened AngloThai in Marylebone and am embraced by the literal and figurative warmth of the space A passion project of husband and wife duo John and Desiree Chantarasak it makes sense that everything about AngloThai is welcoming and homely – it is made with love I’d said I wouldn’t drink this evening but the allure of a fig leaf Negroni proved too much for my weak will The wine list is also not to be slept on: an extensive showcase of European wines from classic pairings to trendy skin-contact showstoppers we started with a crab bisque amuse-bouche to whet the whistle The bisque is made up of the remnants of crab from one of the a la carte dishes – bonus points for waste reduction This was followed by the freshest Irish oysters drizzled in a slap-in-the-face kind of hot fermented chilli sauce Our pillowy cuttlefish buns were as light as air but couldn’t hold a candle to the flavourful chalk stream trout crudo that came after we enjoyed pollock fish balls in a sour orange curry sauce and our first foray away from seafood for the evening I’d advise you to leave some room for dessert too; the cacao ganache will be haunting my dreams for some time to come Address: AngloThai, 22-24 Seymour Pl, London W1H 7NLPrice: £££Book online In the corner is a glass unit showcasing the day’s patisserie and an open invitation to consider dessert before you order an aperitif You can’t go wrong with moules marinière or steak frites but creative small plates make sampling the starters appealing and anchovy-topped brioche feels worthy of a menu dedicated to sharing plates it’s almost rude not to try one of the recipes you came for: quiche du jour rôtisserie prime rib and croque monsieur in the form of a flatbread family lunch; this charming outpost suits everything Address: Café François, 14-16 Stoney Street, London, SE1 9ADPrice: ££Book online Sesta, HackneyGiulia SavorelliSesta, HackneyCosy, warm, and candlelit, this new little neighbourhood joint run by Drew Snaith, ex-head chef of Pidgin, is already a hit with the Hackney locals We were lucky enough to nab a reservation on a Saturday evening; the staff informed us that locals had swarmed since weekend bookings opened The menu is designed to share and consists of creative seasonal European small plates focusing on hearty home cooking the vibe is very East London chill and effortlessly cool homemade sauces and fermenting vegetables line the kitchen counter natural wines from different corners of Europe decorate the restaurant shelves Knowledgable staff offer pairing recommendations and tell the story of the wine's origin specifically the rich ragu toastie garnished with pickled shallots and a dollop of prune ketchup and the warm coastal cheddar cider scones (Drew’s grandmother’s recipe); their buttery dough will linger in our memory for a while As we move through the menu onto slightly bigger plates such as experimental dishes of tempura Brambletye mushroom topped with slithers of celeriac drizzled in mushroom Parfit soft Jerusalem artichokes combined with prosciutto and basil including a rare bavette steak garnished with creamed corn and a veggie dish of red squash and barley yoghurt Save room for the super sweet brown butter cake with caramelised apples for dessert which goes down nicely with a light glass of red for good measure or an extra potent mezcal Negroni Address: Sesta, 52 Wilton Way, London E8 1BGPrice: ££Book online ClaphamAsk any London foodie where to find the city’s best curry house and most will point you towards one of the Tamil restaurants When former Roti King chef Prince Durairaj opened The Tamil Prince in 2022 the Islington restaurant quickly rose to fame for its decadent dosas Durairaj followed up with The Tamil Crown a year later serving up many of the same raved-about dishes in a nearby Angel location when the restaurateur announced a third opening – this time south of the river – people got excited is a more laid-back affair than its older siblings guests come here to perch on green wooden chairs amid stripped-back interiors The menu features many of the much-loved dishes from the first two outposts – including the crispiest paneer masala and the famous dosas – alongside some new recipes The Thanjavur chicken curry is a decadent bowl with tender chunks of meat in a thick and the mutton curry dosa is a perfectly fluffy pancake topped with spiced lamb flaky rotis or spoon onto coconut pilau rice – but you might want to go easy when loading up the sauces unless you’re a verified spice lover; these dishes lean into the fiery flavours Cool down burning tongues with the Gunpowder Margarita a twist on a classic with zesty flavours (although a larger quantity of tequila wouldn’t go amiss) spirited spot proving that the Tamil group isn’t slowing down anytime soon Address: Tamila, 39 Northcote Rd, London SW11 1NJPrice: ££Book online artichoke and Amalfi lemonRebecca DicksonWildflowers BelgraviaSomething about a menu that changes regularly immediately piques my interest Aaron Potter works with seasonal ingredients and produce from the Wildflowers in-house deli to create British dishes with a flavoursome twist Olive oil and house-baked focaccia are simple combinations so I'll never know how delicious it tasted here compared to anywhere else in London it set my expectations high - is there a surer sign of a good meal than nice pre-starter bread we ordered garlic-baked mussels presented openly on a plate of glossy black pebbles slow roast duck that tasted like autumn and a chocolate praline dessert laced with nostalgia for my granny’s cooking I’m also a sucker for a good logo and a pretty interior The restaurant is a little hard to find - it’s hidden away in Newson’s Yard a strangely modern part of Belgravia that contradicts the neighbouring townhouses The wall of glass windows flood the space with natural light by day and softly lit with candles add a glow after dark Dried flowers in glass vases are the only table decoration and the open kitchen brings a vibe that says ‘stay awhile’ Address: 57 Pimlico Road, London, SW1W 8NEPrice: £££Book online Desserts are just as memorable; a decadent Venezuelan chocolate tart is paired with milk ice cream – smoked and it's the bread and butter pudding ice cream that really wins us over – pillowy and spiked with whiskey it's the childhood joy of soft serve sultrily reimagined for adults Address: Sael London, 1 St James's Market, London SW1Y 4QQPrice: ££Book online Leydi, HolbornLeydi, FarringdonFrom the homely smell of the open kitchen to the buzz of animated chatter and the cacophony of cutlery scraping every last morsel off of yet another plate, dining in Istanbul is one of life's most thrilling foodie experiences while we vehemently recommend doing so at some point there’s no need to scout out such spots down the winding streets of Turkey’s bicontinental metropolis – Leydi’s arrived This celebration of Istanbul’s convivial dining culture housed in the newly-opened Hyde London City Selin learnt the art of Turkish cuisine from her mother and grandmother before co-founding the now-closed Oklava; one of countless post-pandemic hospitality casualties so the menu showcases his passion for seasonal ingredients and the flavours of his hometown we overindulge when Turks would typically whet their appetites A parade of meze dishes follows the bread basket out of the open kitchen to our plush banquette a deep-red paste of blended sun-dried red peppers and walnuts We expect the chicken shish to be the main event but despite how delectable the succulent chunks of meat are we find ourselves hopping between mezes and sharing dishes While the classic essence of every dish remains unique twists include a börek drizzled in truffle honey adding an extra level of flavour as the sugars soak through crispy layers of filo pasty that house sheep’s milk feta and finely-chopped leeks I push the homemade sucuk (beef and garlic sausage) aside in defeat before nodding to our chatty waiter in agreement – “yes kadayif pastry with pistachio and kayak drizzled in orange blossom syrup down with the dregs of our Turkish rosé and agree to walk a station further than required stomachs transported to our favourite holiday destinations in a breezy autumn night Address: Leydi, 6 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2AEPrice: ££Book online in a city rife with Mexico City-inspired taco joints but before Santiago Lastra opened Kol in 2020 finding half-decent Mexican food in London was tricksy a young gun chef from Cuernavaca who cut his teeth at the likes of Mugaritz and was hand-picked by René Redzepi to lead his Noma Mexico pop-up was up against it despite his impressive CV – it opened its doors in the middle of the pandemic for one; Lastra was committed to cooking Mexican food using only British ingredients But then came the overwhelmingly positive reviews Kol made its first appearance on the World's 50 Best Restaurants before climbing up the ranks to break into the main list at number 23 in 2023 and and Mexican food is no longer overlooked in the capital – openings like Soho hotspot CDMX prove that But Kol still takes the crown for this cuisine so word of a new opening from Lastra and his team caused a buzz among London foodies that we haven't seen in a while and traditional recipes have been tweaked to create Mexican dishes using produce found on our isles – think guacamole-style dips made with pistachio But while Kol is fine-dining in style and price (the tasting menu comes in at a punchy £185) The menu is a la carte and largely created to share Snacks of Scottish sea trout ceviche and totopos (similar to tortilla chips) with pumpkin seed dip are brought over with a trio of salsas which the cheery staff recommend for each dish like a sommelier might suggest wine pairings Our server encourages us to keep dishes from the comal which suits me once I've taken a bite of my melty costra a wheat tortilla with aged rib-eye and grilled cheese served with fresh corn tortillas tucked into a little fabric envelope to keep warm – we ordered the mole The space is as relaxed as the menu; picnic-style tables are inset with coloured tiles an eye-catching (and memorable) pink sloth hangs above the stairs and the terracotta dining room is dominated by the enormous bar That bar is where staff whip up cocktails that lean heavily on agave spotlighting a dedicated Paloma menu (we liked the sparkly Champagne paloma) and Decent Mexican food might be easy to find in London Address: 12 Heddon Street, London, W1B4BZPrice: £££Book online Following up on an award-winning iconic London bar with a restaurant is a big ask. Oriole comes from the group behind Bar Swift and Nightjar, the latter of which is regularly named as one of the best bars in London, meaning there was much hype around this opening. Split over two floors, the ground floor bar is chic and modern, with an outdoor seating area in a growing area of Covent Garden and cocktails are served on-tap – this might make you want to recoil with ingredients like banana juice and guava whey leading the top notes Downstairs is a change of pace; a dimly-lit basement space reminiscent of an original speakeasy there’s a small stage all tables face towards I was sceptical at first; the combination of a live band and set menu can be a recipe for disaster but I was pleased to be proven wrong on this occasion The band was talented and not so loud that we weren’t able to hold a conversation inspired by chef Gustavo Giallionardo’s Argentinian heritage – the beef tartare was moreish the pumpkin with green curry ice cream and peanut sambal flavourful But the star of the show was undoubtedly the cocktail list which introduced me to possibly the most impressive cocktail I’ve ever tasted: The Acadia a smooth and incredibly drinkable blend of Bulleit bourbon maple syrup and peanut butter with some lightly fruity hints coming through Address: 7-9 Slingsby Pl, London WC2E 9ABPrice: ££Book online crowd-pleasing introduction to an almost shockingly unfamiliar cuisine in these parts which reflects Kaneda’s journey from ad man (via a Balinese epiphany involving dolphins) to cooking at the likes of Soho’s Aqua Kyoto and Hackney barbecue joint From The Ashes heavy on Kroeung spice pastes but with nods to barbecue and Japanese influences in yakitori-style pork neck skewers and tender Khmer half chicken with a garlic-punchy Koh Kong sauce Thick panko prawn toast with a fried egg and Drunken Master XO Sauce is already a comfort food hit inspired in part by Kaneda’s mum’s spring roll filling though we equally loved the sour pineapple curry (pineapple is a staple Cambodian ingredient) with roasted sweet potato and pickled mango spring onion and chilli have the comforting unctuousness of Dan Dan noodles and nod to Kaneda’s Scottish partner The jasmine rice comes from ethical brand Ibis which supports reforestation and Cambodian rice farmers the overriding sense of Mamapen is of unpretentious Address: 21 Great Pulteney Street, London W1F 9NGPrice: £Book online The newest addition is housed in a Grade II-listed building sitting proudly on the corner of Westbourne Grove and Chepstow Road beckoning us in as we’re greeted by a bustling atmosphere with textures highlighted by honey-coloured lighting from bamboo pendants that hang above the table seating kitchen counter seating offers diners the opportunity to watch their dishes come to life even though we immediately regret not ordering two Ambassador's ClubhouseAmbassadors Clubhouse, PiccadillyIt’s a drizzly September evening, and temperatures have taken a considerable nosedive. However, rather than mourn balmy evenings of al-fresco dining, we’re headed to JKS Restaurants’ latest jewellery box of an establishment tucked just off Piccadilly on Heddon Street It’s an exciting new launch that is sure to rival its sister which has become the A-list go-to for Indian banqueting admiring interiors inspired by co-founders Jyotin Karam and Sunaina Sethi’s maternal Grandfather’s summer house in Dalhousie (formerly part of Punjab) with meticulously placed light fixtures spotlighting golden fixtures and slather crispy shards of papad in fiery chutneys We soon realise that everything has a kick but it’s pleasant rather than overwhelming The lightest spice is in the dunghar paneer tikka nutty kaju masala sauce – the pools of vivid orange oil are best soaked up with a classic butter naan and give each other vigorous nods of approval before pre-curry stomach rubs We’re encouraged to opt for four courses during our Punjabi feast We pile loha karahi chicken curry on mountains of rice and strips of leftover naan bread adjusting our belts for more room as we mop up the richly spiced tomato sauce We’re unable to tackle dessert – the chocolate and fig kheer will have to wait another day Address: Ambassadors Clubhouse, 25 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BHPrice: ££Book online Interiors are complete with crisp white tablecloths an earthy-toned colour palette and an impressive selection of art (spy the Tracey Emin as you walk past the bar) The stylised room is offset by industrial open ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows opening out onto a red-brick terrace (al fresco dining and cocktail lounges are expected to open in summer 2025) making the space feel more elevated than ostentatious The food is as refined as the interiors – the seasonal menu showcases executive chef Gary Foulkes’ skill (he previously worked at Michelin-starred restaurant Angler and under Phil Howard at two-Michelin-starred The Square) Try the hand-rolled spaghetti in a bisque and lemon sauce topped with lobster and caviar – a show-stopper of a starter – or the Cornish bluefin tuna where a smoked almond pesto works beautifully with sharp blood peach and sweet tomatoes The roast Newlyn cod main dish seems simple but the flavour packed into the fillet is incredible capers and a punchy Romero pepper piperade and wine director Melania Battiston is on hand to pair the perfect glass to your dish but don’t miss the cocktails – the coffee Negroni cocktail was a wonderfully smooth end to the evening Address: 27c Eccleston Place, London SW1W 9NFPrice: £££Book online candle-lit atmosphere accompanied by the soft hum of vinyl dining at Goodbye Horses feels like a warm and comforting hug Address: 21 Halliford Street, London N1 3HBPrice: ££Book online combines traditional French cuisine with seasonally British ingredients for a menu of noteworthy dishes including the delectable beef fillet tartare with fermented beer relish and a spider crab “toast” the in-the-know regulars are already accustomed to The spicy ‘nduja quail egg is considered a “snack” but is more substantial and complex than expected working well as a precursor alongside the crisp East Sussex Cuvée on offer the Sole meunière comes highly recommended the Onglet bordelaise had my attention; that is until the Lobster soufflé arrived – a densely rich dish made with gruyère and leeks and served to the table in a skillet if you’re dining with a party of three or more ordering for the table is a must as each dish will undoubtedly upstage the next you can even enjoy a Martini or two tableside Address: Julie's Restaurant, 135 Portland Road, London W11 4LWPrice: £££Book online Abajo, MayfairAbajo, MayfairMichelin-starred HUMO, with its sizzling four-metre wood-fire grill showcasing the chefs working under glimmering lowlights, has made a splash as one of Mayfair’s hottest addresses to book the team has been working on a new take on the concept Abajo – translating literally as ‘below’ – sits beneath a spiral staircase in a subterranean private dining room for 10 Fridges against the walls showcase the day’s catch ready and waiting to be transformed under the expert hand of executive chef Miller Prada and head chef Moris Moreno we are taken through a tasting experience of five ‘chapters’ Each is centred around a traditional staple ingredient with its own wine pairing lovingly curated by charismatic sommelier Darcy Swindell a selection of bites put sweetcorn at the forefront – crisp charred sweetcorn on a buckwheat cracker creamy lobster claw with trout mousse and a drizzle of silky sweetcorn sauce – followed by odes to bluefin tuna served up pretty as can be with charcoal-blackened pillows of meringue and nectarine jewels with the vast majority of dishes getting the wood-fired treatment; thick slices of grilled brisket came served with sugar cane honey and deep pink seared quail breast with wild garlic and celeriac is finished with a coating of blackened shallot ashes the bones of the quail are used with achiote and ash-aged pecorino to make a cooking liquid for carnaroli rice Nothing goes to waste here and the presentation reflects this – a spherical carimanola of tuna collar comes served delicately balanced atop the fish’s collar bone A briefing prefaces each chapter to explain the connection to each ingredient and Darcy talks through each wine pairing with sheer joyful enthusiasm executive chef Miller Prada came for a chat presenting each of us with a bag of Colombian coffee a final thoughtful touch on an evening where deep knowledge passion and flair are on full display throughout Address: 12 St. George Street, London W1S 2FBPrice: ££££Book online McIlroy is revamping a North London neighbourhood restaurant into an Iberian-inspired spot for seafood suppers The makeover has kept much of the old-school chippy intact restoring the original tiling and turning the utilitarian metal counter into the pass scallops and prawns rather than saveloy sausage Interiors take inspiration from Spanish hole-in-the-wall eateries with stools perched next to thin wooden counters and a distinct lack of frills while a few tables outside are a hot commodity on sunny days (although this being London punters are just as happy to enjoy a bottle of chilled white Rioja and a plate of chips standing on the street) One new detail transports diners straight to sunnier climes: a floor mosaic depicting the view from Ed’s family home in Spain by artist Anja Maye The menu is heavy on fish: think plates of vibrant red prawns cooked a la plancha Salty potatoes served with salsa verde make for an ugly-delicious side dish and the delightfully wobbly flan earns its spot as one of the only puddings on the menu The drinks list is just as stripped back but still looks to Spain This is a fresh local hangout that's drawing hungry Londoners from across the city without turning its back on the past Address: 172 Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, London N4 3AJPrice: ££Book online FarringdonMore than just yet another hyped-up wine bar-restaurant Cloth is a story of friendship as much as it is of food The brainchild of friends and wine importers Joe Haynes and Ben Butterworth together they’ve joined forces with Tom Hurst – whose track record includes the likes of Lasdun The Marksman and Levan – to bring London’s most exciting new neighbourhood dining spot Tucked away down a historic sidestreet in Farringdon the unmarked dark frontage of Cloth makes it easy to walk straight past that embodies what Cloth is about – a hidden gem that knows it doesn’t need to shout to garner attention that It’s all about honest produce that showcases the best of the British natural larder and the finest of the European wine cellar We tucked into the freshest sea bass crudo followed by crab from Dorset in a moist tagliarini that delivered an unexpected kick a sumptuous pork chop stole the show for me Buttery mouthfuls of meat were slick with a sharp and salty sauce that would have me reminiscing for weeks We concluded our British produce tour with honey custard and cherries an ode to the heart-shaped fruit that made me grateful to catch them at the peak of their short but sweet season Sifting through a list of almost biblical proportions we settled on a cool and juicy Austrian red to refresh us on this muggy summer evening The menu has a constantly rotating by-the-glass list and an impressive selection of rare bottles staff will enthusiastically explain to you I think I’ve found my favourite new neighbourhood restaurant in town (even if it’s not my neighbourhood) Address: Cloth, 44 Cloth Fair, London EC1A 7JQPrice: ££Book online The starter menu delivers one winner after another from the Chiang Mai platter’s fiery lemongrass sausage to the hot and sour Tom Yum Khon Nam broth filled with chicken and mushrooms The roti and escargot in green chilli and Thai basil is an intriguing but most outstanding was the crispy squid in all its sweet and tender gorgeousness The pomelo salad's uncomplex sugariness slightly killed the vibe but mains such as the crispy sea bass regained momentum its accompanying ‘special sauce’ living up to its coy name Another standout was the yellow crab curry and cha poo leaves Our evening culminated in mercifully light desserts including mango sticky rice (a creamier version of its quintessential self) and an almost drinkable passionfruit panna cotta Address: 38 Grosvenor Street, London, W1K 4AQPrice: ££Book online Canary WharfThe three guys behind mega-successful spot Fallow have just opened a new joint But the interiors give off an under-the-sea theme with a huge 3D-printed art installation filled with red printed coral sprinkled throughout the restaurant is for all to see; running through the ground floor of the restaurant and upstairs you’ll find rows of green vines sporting padron peppers as well as herbs which are freshly pruned by the chefs – a homage to the restaurant's sustainable ethos The menu is jam-packed with experimental flavours Dishes often change based on seasonal produce and customer feedback We started with snacks of juicy breaded mushrooms and garlic mayonnaise and some Padron peppers sprinkled with salt and pepper Thai-flavoured pork and chicken wing must be ordered Daring customers should try the unusual snail vindaloo with bacon and mint yoghurt on a warm flatbread For mains we loved the Jacobs ladder – a fall-off-the-bone beef shin served with a rich mushroom xo sauce and the huge market fish topped with clamps samphire and drizzled in creamy chicken broth Space is needed for the showstopper pudding which took chefs six months of trial and error to master this impressive sweet treat is a reason to return to Roe Banana skins are peeled and marinated in sugar for a week fried and placed on top of a reconstructed banana flavoured parfit and served with toasted vanilla and sprinkled with peanuts Address: Roe, 5 Park Dr, London E14 9GGPrice: ££Book online Seated in a wide central booth with 360-degree views of the Georgian-esque room esteemed couples surround us as the attentive the menu has been reinvigorated seasonally Each table is served champagne to mark the occasion alongside a sweet yet tart pink beetroot dome to cleanse the palette forged with quintessentially British ingredients Wye Valley asparagus and Jersey rock oysters alongside further flung decadent dishes including Oscietra and Beluga caviar English pea-laced sauce decorated with pea shoots and flower petals alongside the light and earthy stuffed morel With a choice between a fruity wine and a crisp Chardonnay we tested the limits and opted for a seemingly rogue fruity option which paired perfectly with each of these dishes If sea fare feels like the order of the day the Cornish monkfish and pate-like herb emulsion while a deeper flavour palette can be sought through the thickly cut duck breast with a pain perdu tower topped with a piped plum sauce; a hazelnut crusted duck leg accompanies this dish on a side plate With impeccable standards fit for royalty but felt by all Whether you opt for the delightful show of the rum baba tossed and flambeed tableside or something more understated like the violet mousse satisfied and questioning what you’ll try next time Address: The Goring Dining Room, 15 Beeston Place, London SW1W 0JWPrice: ££££Book online The 148-cover restaurant is a sight to behold Tokyo-based studio Curiosity led the design efforts creating a sleek dining space flooded with natural light through the atrium The emerald-green Ming marble spiral staircase is a strong contender for the capital’s most dramatic entrance Fresh sushi and sashimi bites fly out of the open kitchen where stealthy specialists slice through fish with surgical precision The miso black cod dissolves in the mouth like a foam while a stand-out was the gochujang rock shrimp – sweet and spicy with a homely While our visit was a lip-smacking one on the whole These included the eringi pizza – a tortilla-style base topped with sliced mushrooms and umami aioli audible hums and lip-licking nods of approval at other tables made it clear not everyone shared this sentiment A spread of technicolour desserts was the perfect way to end the night including a souffle-like pot of warming sponge with a banana kick and a tart raspberry slice that wouldn’t look out of place in the Tate Address: Akira Back London, 22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JPPrice: £££Book now Chez Roux in the Palm Court at The LanghamRaffaella BichiriChez Roux MaryleboneWhen Michel Roux Jr declared he was closing the doors of his beloved Le Gavroche after 56 years the legendary chef broke the news of a fresh venture – Chez Roux he's looking back to his childhood in Kent The restaurant is set in the Palm Court of The Langham Hotel in Fitzrovia Food served here blends British classics with Roux’s famed French cooking techniques “Many of the recipes that graced tables in the ’60s have faded into obscurity yet the essence of those dishes holds a special place in my heart – with a hint of nostalgia and boundless excitement,” the menu’s front page welcome from the chef reads This nostalgia is reflected in dishes such as Welsh rarebit with French mustard Montgomery cheddar and pickled walnuts; salmon rillettes on a bed of Jersey Royals and leeks and – the star of the tasting menu – a Buccleuch beef fillet with the creamiest Colcannon mash start with a glass of fizz (the Hambledon Classic Cuvée is delightful) or a cocktail aperitif (the Madeira Cobbler is like a fruity starter in itself) and round off with a dessert wine to pair with the Stichelton and Pitchfork cheese course or the creamy vanilla rice pudding served tableside and topped with crystallised pistachios and a red currant coulis If you’re craving classic comfort food cooked with flair and finished with a flourish Address: 1C Portland Place, London W1B 1JAPrice: £££Book now Rianne Shlebak, Jake Missing, Sinéad Cranna & Heidi Lauth Beasley Greater London W8 6NA">.css-56eu0z{width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;line-height:1em;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray100);vertical-align:middle;fill:currentColor;}277 Kensington High St London This High Street Kensington spot has been around since the ‘60s, and it continues to serve top-notch Italian food But is it the calamari that makes it so great The comforting plates of food like nutmeg and walnut gnocchi and veal milanese The heavy curtain at the entrance that keeps the cold air out Greater London SW7 4PP">15 Gloucester Rd London Italian Kensington It’s worth the short walk to avoid the chain-bait restaurants around Gloucester Road station PlayUnmute8.1Sadaf Restaurant (Garden)3-5 Campden Hill Rd London Iranian Happily, there’s no need for a reservation at this airy Persian spot off Kensington High Street which is ideal for impromptu group catch-ups Start by getting some freshly baked naan—that you’ll smell as soon as you walk in—and a mixed mezze starter The chicken biryani at Sadaf is also really great but the koobideh is some of the juiciest around The hefty portions are a happy takeaway late-night snack waiting to happen PlayUnmute8.0The Abingdon Pub When it’s dark outside and you want to hole up for a couple of hours, interrupted only by a waiter relighting your candle, The Abingdon is the place to be. The British menu is straight-up comfort food: deeply satisfying artichoke soup with a slice of fluffy focaccia for dipping It feels like the perfect mix between your friend's living room and your local PlayUnmute8.0Jacuzzi 94 High St Kensington Greater London SW7 3RN">117-119 Old Brompton Rd Queen's Gate Japanese 8.0Al Dente 65 Old Brompton Road London With fresh pasta for under £15 and moody interiors that make an equally perfect backdrop for a casual first date as it would a last-minute catch-up with your favourite people Al Dente in South Kensington is a great all-rounder the Italian menu is filled with classics like cacio e pepe made to an excellent standard and the prices mean you could pop in for a bowl of ravioli for a speedy 8.0Ognisko 55 Exhibition Rd London Polish South Kensington A flute of champagne and a plate of pierogi is a shamelessly decadent way to start a meal Ognisko is an old-school Polish restaurant—the kind that’s full of white tablecloths It’s a classic affair that sings when you play the hits: pork schnitzel and lovingly crimped pierogi crisped to a perfect level of brownness PlayUnmute7.9Kampai Kensington 127A Hammersmith Rd This Japanese spot’s understated dining room is usually filled with locals who popped in after leaving Holland Park, solo diners taking advantage of a free spot at the sushi bar and groups that span the ages from Gen Z to those who still use a landline with enough space between each table that you don’t have to worry about elbowing your neighbour Load up on nigiri—the scallop is top-tier—and get some of the chef’s special rolls to share PlayUnmute7.9Korean Grill Kensington Korean Filled with people who probably own five of the same black turtleneck and live on Park Lane, this high-end Korean spot near Gloucester Road is worthy of your nicest pair of jeans flipping and cooking the quality meat on the tabletop grill and the £180 meat board is big enough to feed three people—our favourite is the marinated king kalbi 7.9Samad Al Iraqi Iraqi Kensington High Street is excellent for people-watching, and a window seat at Samad Al Iraqi is the perfect place to take it all in. You’ll get complimentary lentil soup as soon as you sit down setting the tone that this is somewhere for warm hospitality and great Iraqi food It’s a popular place for those reasons—on weekdays you’ll find families having two types of tashrib in the sprawling wood-filled dining room Lamb-topped humous and minced meat-stuffed kubbah are highlights of the menu PlayUnmute7.9Sichuan Popo 35 Earls Court Road London Chinese The only time we’re not craving dim sum is when we’re eating dim sum. That includes 8pm on a Tuesday. Sichuan Popo is a sleek Chinese restaurant on Earls Court Road that serves dim sum until closing and pillowy prawn and scallop dumplings are inhaled as soon as the steamer hits the table last-minute group dinners that involve passing peanutty smacked cucumbers and swirling chewy biang biang noodles PlayUnmute7.6Belvedere Restaurant Off Abbotsbury Road London This restaurant and ballroom inside Holland Park dates back to the 17th century and the gorgeous space has a faded grandeur that reminds us of the dance hall from Beauty and the Beast with an upstairs dining room that we’ve seen used for wedding receptions There’s a grand fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows where you can see children playing in the park PlayUnmute7.4 Daquise 20 Thurloe St Queen's Gate This Polish spot near South Ken station feels like it hasn’t changed in half a century or so—and that’s a good thing Fading pictures hang on the wood-panelled walls and its homely tiled dining room is full of faces who hug the staff like old friends The menu has everything you would expect: crispy schnitzel and borscht expertly ladled to the peril of every white tablecloth Dishoom Indian PlayUnmutePitanga 220 North End Rd London Nigerian West Kensington Pitanga in West Kensington is filled with nods to the restaurant's Nigerian and West African roots with ornaments and artwork from local artists inspired by the African continent It’s got character and the Nigerian specialities—like abacha na ugba a sneakily spicy but still refreshing Igbo classic based on soft grated starchy yam—are brilliant Rianne has been searching for London's best sweet treats and eating every thin-crust pizza in sight since 2019 Jake has always been in London but still makes a wrong turn in Soho She spends her time eating tacos and Guinness cake and explaining that she is not named after Sinéad O'Connor Heidi has been excessively eating cacio e pepe and writing about it since 2018 and accidentally over-sharing since birth Given the number of private members’ clubs operating in London — about sixty — you could be forgiven for thinking we’ve reached saturation point There are gentlemen’s clubs that opened in the 1600s — including White’s the oldest in the world — and clubs that cater just to women and ones where you’ll be turned away if you’re not wearing the right jacket and shoes there don’t seem to be any that cater properly for families places where members of the younger and older generations can coexist in peaceful harmony Or at least there weren’t until the arrival of NEXUS Club London which is billed as the capital’s first global private members’ club for families NEXUS was established over ten years ago at Albany a 600-acre luxury resort community in the Bahamas with a world-class golf course It was founded by an interesting collection of people that includes Tiger Woods the South African golfer Ernie Els and the international private investment organisation Tavistock Group — whose founder Joe Lewis also owned Tottenham Hotspur Football Club until 2022 In 2020 the group opened NEXUS New York in Lower Manhattan NEXUS is based in South Kensington in an auspicious Georgian propertyJULIAN ABRAMSThe London club is their first property in Europe and when I ask the club’s managing director “Our roots are in our Albany community in the Bahamas and we have a large contingent of members there from the UK London is a natural complement to the NEXUS ecosystem We’re following our members and where they spend their time.” NEXUS London opened at the beginning of January and when I visit with my husband and our four-year-old daughter on a frosty Saturday morning we’re one of the first families to put it through its paces It’s housed in a handsome building in southwest London that some will recognise as the former South Kensington Club which closed in 2023 (others will know it as the Harrington Club the louche party spot founded by Ronnie Wood) The first impression is one of airy lightness as you walk into the triple-height foyer — the interiors have been transformed by Squire & Partners which has blended contemporary décor with the building’s original Georgian features There’s none of the eclectic mismatched wallpapers or maximalist interiors you’ll find at Annabel’s or 5 Hertford Street; instead NEXUS is all about white walls and clean lines with tasteful black and white photographs on the walls It doesn’t immediately scream “bring your kids” There are several great kids’ clubs in London such as Cloud Twelve in Notting Hill and Purple Dragon in Chelsea but while they might have breakaway spaces for parents they are all firmly geared towards children “NEXUS is designed to delight all members of the family,” Alexia says “and designed for the most discerning families in the world.” aimed at younger childrenJULIAN ABRAMSOur tour of the club which is spread across four floors and 13,000 square feet a gorgeously decorated space aimed at younger children It’s decked out in shades of pastel green and features the sort of aesthetically pleasing toys you would find in a Pinterest nursery my daughter is immediately entranced and happy to be left with the staff who are all DBS checked and fully qualified to work with children On the weekends a team of them are on hand to run activities for the kids in the Den and the café space on the ground floor where my daughter is shown how to make edible modelling clay and necklaces strung with Hula Hoops and Cheerios You don’t have to book in advance — it’s all operated on a drop-in basis — and you can leave your kids with them for as long as you like although you need to stay in the club while doing so (it’s worth noting there are no staff in the Den from Monday to Friday so children can’t be left unsupervised in there during the week) For slightly older children and teenagers there’s the Games Room which is equipped with the latest e-gaming stations VR headsets and Formula 1 racing simulators as well as five high-performance computers designed for gaming On weekends there are also qualified e-gaming coaches to help children up-skill and learn how to use the games kids and adults can enjoy the sports simulators room where you can try your hand at up to 14 different sports including golf There’s a dedicated coach on hand to help you perfect your golf swing — my husband was delighted to spend an hour in there — while kids can sign up for one of the junior golf clinics with 14 different sports on offerJULIAN ABRAMSThe gym is equipped with a range of cardio and strength and conditioning equipmentJULIAN ABRAMSWith my child and husband taken care of I’m whisked up to the light-filled gym on the top floor for a personal training session with the in-house personal trainer Dalton Wong The gym is available for members at any time and is equipped with a range of pristine cardio and strength and conditioning equipment treadmills and bikes (the only thing missing is a pool) Just off the gym there’s also a private studio set where members can sign up for one-on-one yoga and reformer Pilates sessions As well as having access to Wong and his team members can book in to be assessed by the in-house doctors Dr Amit Sra and Dr Hina Sra who specialise in aesthetics and gynaecology Members can sign up for a full health MOT with Amit who will run blood tests and assess your overall health and wellbeing These results will then feed in to the training programme Wong creates — if your cholesterol is high those are taken care of by the in-house osteopath During our session I mention to Wong that I’ve been struggling with back pain; he immediately books me in with Amina and after an hour of soft tissue work The treatment room she works out of also offers acupuncture the last of which are all carried out using IHAC products I am treated to one of their Recharge facials — which uses saffron and other natural herbs to rejuvenate the skin — and at the end Amit pops in I’d mentioned that my sinuses were blocked and he wants me to try a special nasal oil he had created that combines cloves It feels like a firecracker has gone off in my nose but within a few hours my sinuses are completely clear an adults-only spaceJULIAN ABRAMSThe Terrace overlooking Harrington RoadJULIAN ABRAMSAfter my session with Wong I track down my daughter and husband and we sit down for lunch at the club’s café It’s one of several dining spots that include the Club Room a sleek lounge where members carry out meetings during the week and watch sport on the weekend an al fresco spot on the second floor overlooking Harrington Road for when the sun shines a glamorous adult-only and phone-free space (there are also monthly evening mixers with live music and DJs) For private meetings members can book the Queensberry Room a dedicated space just off the Club Room that seats 12 (and can also be used as a venue for special dinners or celebrations) During the week the café doubles as a work space where members can tap away on laptops or pop into the designated phone room for calls which also serves as a work space during the weekJULIAN ABRAMSThe café’s menu features classics like Caesar salads as well as more upmarket options like Beluga Imperial caviar The kids’ menu features everything from plain penne pasta and chicken tenders to organic salmon On the table next to us sits a chic Spanish family from Barcelona (NEXUS members are a multicultural bunch) while behind us is a large table of young children you might be subjected to the odd toddler tantrum while you’re eating but that only means you don’t have to feel embarrassed when your own kid inevitably has one Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy London without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. London Thronging with museum-bound tourists and suited diplomats it may be, but bustling South Ken – as well as Belgravia and High Street Kensington – has a very fertile, if inevitably pricey, food scene. From superlative Michelin-starred spots to upmarket chain restaurants timeless Eastern European spots and Italian dolce vita spots for the Barbour brigade there’s something for everyone in this flash part of town. RECOMMENDED: The best brunches in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Lisa Förare WinbladhA home-from-home for expats since 1947 this much-loved grand dame among London’s Polish restaurants strides valiantly onward – although it has a breezier and punters still come for flavourful no-nonsense dishes from the old country (and beyond) All the classics can be relied on here (zurek soup cockle-warming comfort washed down with punchy beers and head-banging vodkas Sale e Pepe is something of a London institution. Tables are closely packed; 'Happy Birthday' rings out every hour; and the limoncello flies freely A friendly but fancy old school Italian restaurant with dedicated regulars who come week in week out for big tasty plates of pasta – such as the massive platter of linguine vongole e bottarga for two – and a lenghty crudo offering 4 out of 5 starsRecommendedHenry BourneThe former lavish home of Irish painter Sir John Lavery, this grand first floor restaurant is like a fancy gallery cafe with super fresh dishes inspired by Italian and Spanish cuisine Try chalk stream trout with wild garlic aioli nettle taglioni or Tamworth pork chop with Amalfi lemon Former Toklas head chef Yohei Furuhashi is in charge of the seasonal menu and this is a classy spot to head to after an epic museum crawl RecommendedIt’s diddy compared to some of its outlets but this offer from Wright Brothers (London’s uncrowned oyster king) scores with its cracking atmosphere basement cocktail bar and exceptional seafood although you can also share the spoils of gargantuan fruits de mer platters and other briny treats – all dictated by the catches from the West Country boats Recommended© Tricia de Courcy LingWe’re very fond of Min Jiang not least for its superlative daytime views of Kensington Gardens Set high up on the tenth floor of the Royal Garden Hotel The kitchen is famed for its superior version of beijing duck (served in three stages) but the menu also offers high-end variations on the regional classics – plus upscale dim sum at lunchtime RecommendedJohn CareyWe all know how excellent Dishoom is but this branch might just be the popular Indian restaurant chain's funnest outpost A tribute to Bombay’s lively 1940s jazz age there's live piano here every Wednesday evening and on Thursdays and Fridays a band plays swing sounds up on the mezzanine Gorgeous art deco style interiors are a big draw too including Dishoom's signature butter-rich black daal juicy masala prawns and the chicken ruby in makhani sauce – a true contender for the best curry in the capital. RecommendedPhotograph: JacuzziHigh Street Kensington’s ornate Italian spot Jacuzzi impressively straddles the line between high camp and high class Like being invited into Sophia Loren’s boudoir sort of silly and kind of overwhelming. Homemade focaccia was warm ideal for dipping into decent dollop of burrata dotted with black truffle and for slathering with a zingy Sicilian gambero rosso di mazara ceviche Paul Winch-FurnessDaphne’s current incarnation will forever be compared to its Princess Di glory days Togged out like a snazzy Italian townhouse (complete with a canopied conservatory) it serves punchy regional food – leavening its muscular pastas grills and seasonal black truffles with more delicate salads honed by years of attending to a gaggle of Bolly-glugging regulars Chef Phil Howard’s sleek but casual rendezvous, serves up meticulously presented high-end food in warm low-lit surrounds with a hefty price tag. Expect a procession of tip-top Euro-accented dishes such as Cornish mackerel fillet with crushed potatoes, glazed lettuce, vichyssoise sauce and rhubarb, backed by a strong list of big-ticket wines. Tendido Cero’s chilled-out vibe is much favoured by South Ken’s tapas-scoffing hordes tortillas and padrón peppers keep it traditional and there is also an epic list of Spanish wines and sherries. Recommended‘Fresh the decor and the merry staff at this cute Levantine diner just off Old Brompton Road A bustling open kitchen turns out the best from a region covering Turkey to Israel (and everything in between) ‘green bits’ and meze morsels followed by intriguing kebabs all liberally strewn or stuffed with jewel-like pomegranate seeds tiktok facebook twitter youtube About us Contact us creating an environment for ultimate relaxation maximalist design; it’s also its effortless connection to some of London’s central neighborhoods Each thoughtfully crafted ‘Club Flat’ reflects the spirit of its surroundings — whether it’s the cultural richness of South Kensington or Covent Garden’s bohemian charm — featuring character it offers a perfect blend of style and comfort residents can immerse themselves in the local scene and become part of the neighborhood’s vibrant rhythm enjoying everything from DJ sets at the Owl & Monkey cocktail bar to Sunday Jazz Brunches at The Other Kitchen or mingling with locals in the exclusive private club Using a stay-as-you-choose philosophy, The Other House redefines city living with its flexible accommodations, all-inclusive bills, and pet-friendly apartments — perfect for those dreaming of their own pied-à-terre in the heart of London. Tailored for frequent visitors or those transitioning to life in the Royal Borough The Other House offers mid- to long-term residency options allowing guests the freedom to stay as long as they need With the convenience to come and go as they please each space is designed to adapt to any resident’s schedule and lifestyle Stay up-to-date with exclusive events and content © 2025 Country & Town House.All rights reserved Chef Yohei Furuhashi has delivered a refined menu for this utterly chic dining room This new opening brings refined Mediterranean flavours and low-key glamour to the former home of late Sir John Lavery A stylish dining spot with a menu to match says Tessa Dunthorne – just be prepared for a tomato stain or two Here’s our full review of The Lavery a new outpost from chef Yohei Furuhashi in South Kensington And it’s a shame – I’m less upset about this and how I now stick out against the tables chocka with fashion editor types than I am about losing a share of this plate My now naked monk fish looks lonely on its plate minus the plump tomato that instead decorates my outfit joined by Alcides Gauto who ran front of house at Toklas and Llewelyn’s with creative direction of the joint from Martin Cohen The look the restaurant strikes is towards the minimal end The real eye-catcher are the windows: big huge frames that invite you to peer down onto clean streets The kind of windows that transition the space from day-to-night elegantly: at lunchtime daylight bounces through the room and off gold little candles flicker and give the whole space a faintly orange glow sleek wooden tables framed by mid-century seats and a certain delicacy to the whole design The effect is something distinctly residential It’s more dinner party in vibe than set-dressed restaurant The menu in a sentence is refined Mediterranean flavours with strong connections to the seasons It includes a lot of meat and fish but still feels veg and bean-focused so lighter and healthier and less intense on those cholesterol numbers It’s not trying to smack you in the face; nothing about the restaurant shouts Orange martinis (complete with peels of the fruit and aromatic in oil) elderflower negronis… Spring-time twists on classics and done well: the rhubarb sour isn’t so tangy; the orange martini is sharp and the quality of the spirits cuts through are so svelte one fears you may break it a la the incredible hulk The wine list is wide and you’ve got edgier bottles to plump for but also this is matched by classics, your standard grapes. For the former, the team works with specialist suppliers like Roland who excel at sourcing from unique, natural winemakers (like Etienne Seignovert who is something of a whizzkid small-plot producer in the Doux valley – his Le Murmure de L’Eau 2023 is exceptionally funky – although this comes in at £77) Food arrives in plates intended for sharing although you’d get away with hogging each course solo if that was your heart’s desire two not to miss are the asparagus and the iberico salt cod The asparagus is topped by fonduta and parmesan although it’s more hollandaise than cheese-overwhelm and the sauce is sharp but you’ll be polishing it off with bread after the green spears are gone The iberico salt cod is piled on creamy polenta and it’s a trip to the seaside in your mouth; it’s paired with the tomato that I take home as a stain the monkfish is exceptional – it’s a masterclass in contradiction The fish is cooked in what can only be assumed to be tons of butter although somehow it still feels fairly light More delicious (but destructive) tomatoes are vinegary yet sweet And the alubia beans cut through an otherwise restrained dish – like I said this is a restaurant that speaks softly – with a dose of in-yer-face smoke you’d be remiss to skip the Lavery mess (it’s dressed up in pomelo and passion fruit There’s a quiet confidence to The Lavery that’s hard to fake It doesn’t need grandstanding; it just does what it does very well and lets the food – and the space – make the noise and the sense you’ve just stumbled into someone’s very chic dinner party Just maybe wear something you don’t mind getting a bit of tomato on thelavery.co.uk Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Subscribe to Country & Town House in print or the app to make sure you get the very best of property Country & Town House is an introducer appointed representative of Wealthify Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Country & Town House acts as an introducer appointed representative for the purpose of promoting Wealthify products and introducing customers to Wealthify The rather grand dining room at The Lavery This is one of those restaurants that would probably garner interest just because it's a new opening in an area that doesn't see much in the way of restaurant action But it becomes a lot more compelling when you consider the people involved First up there's the creative director Martin Cohen His background involves the likes of L'Escargot and Rochelle Canteen The meeter and greeter here is Alcides Gauto who was previously at Toklas along with the head chef Yohei Furuhashi who doesn't see a lot of notable new restaurant openings It's taken over the Cromwell Place events space across a series of Grade II-listed Georgian townhouses one of which belonged to painter Sir John Lavery (hence the name) It's just a few minutes walk to South Ken station but the entrance is very understated so it's easy to walk past The dining room itself is pretty grand - think high ceilings plaster reliefs and beautiful parquet flooring Where should we meet friends for a drink first The Lavery has a separate bar that you could pop into for a cocktail - more of which the bar at nearby Apero does a decent cocktail list too The bar's a good place to enjoy a cocktail before lunch or dinner They describe the offering here as seasonal Mediterranean which echoes a lot of what new restaurants are serving up in London at the moment. The menu moves from snacks and small plates to larger offerings Here's what we tried so you can see what to expect although being so super seasonal means that half of what we tried is no longer on offer Iberiko tomato and polenta (£9) - a very comforting pairing of brandade tomato and cedro (£19) - an absolute beast of a scallop raw artichoke and parmesan (£21) - one of those dishes that tasted great but from a visual perspective could have done with a touch of colour on the plate agretti and wild garlic aioli (£29) - we didn't get to try this but our dining companion pronounced it "truly lovely" Dijon and parsley (£32) - when you've got good produce like this the key is not to mess around with it too much What's on the menu for vegetarians and vegans There are plenty of properly interesting options if you're looking for plant-forward dishes they included a starter of puntarelle alla Romana a main of artichoke ratatouille with chickpea farinata and watercress and this.. hen of the woods and ricotta salata (£19) - revelatory gnocchi We'd been very excited about the prospect of a rhubarb galette which turned out not to be on when we arrived But the dessert options are all rather interesting rather than being an afterthought which they can sometimes be Pomelo and passion fruit "Lavery mess" (£12) - it looks like this might be a signature dessert with the fruit options changing according to the season We always love a good Eton mess so we're a fan of this European-focused wine list with plenty of classic options matched with some funkier Orange blends And it's not often you spot something from Transylvania on a London list Wine by the glass starts at an incredibly reasonable £6.50 with maybe a third of the list in the sub-£50 price range There's also a seasonal selection of cocktails too Elderflower negroni (£14) and Orange martini (£12) - both completely fine but we do fervently wish more people understood the importance of temperature when serving a martini A busy dining room on a Tuesday night suggests that South Kensington folk are delighted by the arrival of a genuinely interesting new restaurant on their doorsteps And the addition soon of an all-day cafe and bar will make the space even more of a lure to anyone visiting Our one gripe was perhaps a lack of personality While no one wants a drawn-out 'concept' explained to them it would be nice to hear them setting out their stall just a little But we went in on their official opening day so we'll give them a little latitude on that How to book? book online here Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @thelavery Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners Please enable the javascript to submit this form By signing up you agree to our privacy policy View on Google maps About us | Contact Us | RSS Feed | Site directory | Privacy policy | Log in/out Join 50,000 other Londoners getting exclusive news and restaurant offers from Hot Dinners. Please enable the javascript to submit this form By signing up you agree to our privacy policy See our previous newsletters here If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Kensington and Bayswater MP Joe Powell said the upgrades are ‘nationally beneficial and not just about London’ as campaigners seek £60m from government News | Politics Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice The overhaul of South Kensington Tube station has taken a major step forward after a minister meeting this week Kensington and Bayswater MP, Joe Powell, met with tourism minister Chris Bryant, as well as representatives from TfL, nearby museums, hospitals and Kensington and Chelsea council in Parliament on Thursday in a bid to finally get the controversial project the funding it needs The terminal is London’s 13th busiest with 30 million journeys every year. It is also the gateway to some of the capital’s most visited sights, including the Natural History Museum and V&A But Transport for London estimates another 500,000 journeys that would go through the station each year do not because it has no step free access It wants to make upgrades that will make South Kensington comparable to the Metro station that serves the Louvre in Paris but needs to raise £60million from government to fund them Mr Powell told the Standard: “This was the first time we have got everyone in one place who can make this [development] happen “It’s a big step forward and we will be campaigning to get the money needed confirmed in the spending review.” TfL won its battle to redevelop the Grade-II listed building in 2023 station after the government overruled Kensington and Chelsea council’s block on the scheme. offices and restaurants and a building dubbed “The Bullnose” because of its distinctive shape However the development cannot go ahead until “vital” upgrades are made to the station including making it step-free and adding a new accessible entrance on historic Thurloe Street A disused platform will also be brought back into use to improve capacity The cost of these improvements is in excess of £110million with the project needing £60million from Government in the upcoming spending review Mr Powell added: “The V&A is having an exhibition of work by disabled artists later this year but many disabled people will not be able to visit easily because they cannot use South Kensington station House of Commons Strangers’ Bar will close from Monday after spiking incident Petition for Gisele Pelicot to win Nobel Peace Prize passes 125,000 signatures Scottish and Welsh voters could soon apply for postal votes online Three luxe hotels for an unforgettable holiday in Italy “We’ll make the case [to the government] that this is a nationally beneficial project and not just about London.” More than 2,000 people were opposed to the initial planning application to build flats and offices accessibility upgrades to the station were widely supported Councillors had blocked the development in 2021 over heritage fears and a lack of step-free access to the Piccadilly Line The decision was overruled by the Planning Inspectorate in December 2023 and the scheme was given the go-ahead said: "We have been managing with Victorian infrastructure for too long at South Kensington station “Tourists arrive from all over the world at one of London’s greatest destinations but their immediate impression is frankly awful: a crowded concourse no step-free access and congested platforms “This council and our residents have been asking for step-free access to all platforms for a long time and our councillors opposed the planning application back in 2021 in part because of the lack of step-free to the Piccadilly Line “I hope this time we have cause to be optimistic about plans for step-free to all the station’s lines it is time for the Mayor and Government to dig deep and prioritise funding This council will be looking at how we can support their investment.” Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason queues can be spotted snaking out of the capital's best bakeshops – tracking down London's hottest treat right now is a competitive sport Some of London's most covetable treats in 2025 come from social media darlings Fortitude Bakehouse (TikTok famous for their cream-filled beignets the size of your head), Forno (great for Italian-inspired treats), and Arôme Bakery (the team's honey milk toast sells out regularly). Then there's the classic bakeries which kickstarted London's bakery boom: think Covent Garden's St John Bakery Some bakeries even spotlight flavours from other bread-obsessed nations – we particularly love the Swedish fika-style treats at Fabrique; the Lebanese flavours at Belgravia’s hottest bakery Common Breads; and Sri Lankan spices at Pavilion in Victoria Park We think fondly of the below as a bakery bucket list – a checklist of spots to visit in all corners of the city If you're looking for a specific bakery to visit right now we have a few pointers on where to go depending on what snacks you're after: The best bakeries in London are the places across the capital which our editors and writers rate for on-the-go pastries and weekend treats All of the bakeries listed below have been tried (many times) by our team and rank highly for their baked goods – from classic patisserie to unusual creations Notting HillTake-home treat: chausson aux pommes This minimalist little bakery fits right into Notting Hill Gate's pretty streets with its creamy façade and picture-ready bench outside the baked goods prove that Kuro is in no way style over substance The team exclusively uses regenerative flour from Wildfarmed in their baking and pile shelves with traditional patisserie such as chausson aux pommes and pain aux raisin as well as limited edition goodies (we especially like the moreish peanut butter danish) Kuro Bakery is just one part of the Kuro family – there's also Kuro Coffee Address: Kuro Bakery, 95 Notting Hill Gate, Notting Hill, London, W11 3JZWebsite: kuro-london.com Tooting BecTake-home treat: mac and cheese toastie Balham brunch spot Milk has been a stalwart on the scene for more than 10 years So our ears pricked in 2024 when we heard the group was opening a little sister bakery here it's all about the team's famous pastries on-the-go – think combos like fennel and cardamom brioche creme brûlée pastries with a perfect crack For those who prefer savoury to sweet treats there's a short toastie menu too – we especially love the mac and cheese creation Address: Milk Run, 16-18 Ritherdon Road, London SW17 8QDWebsite: instagram.com/milkrunldn HackneyTake-home treat: a slice of one of the epic Since founding her eponymous bakery while on the brink of unemployment she's become the A-list set's go-to for everything from birthdays to brand launches to weddings thanks to her signature style: intricately piped is a dinky little spot to get a slice of the action without requiring an invitation to Kylie's birthday party cookies and pastries – bonus points if you visit on a Sunday so you can stroll along Columbia Road Flower Market afterwards But the treat you should really be taking home is a slice of one of those tiered Address: Lily Vanilli, The Courtyard, 18 Ezra Street, London E2 7RHWebsite: lilyvanilli.com Queen's ParkTake-home treat: brown butter hazelnut croissant is the place to be for Northwest Londoners on a Saturday morning the restaurant is packed out with diners eagerly ordering from the open kitchen But the mornings are when the in-house bakery overseen by Keren Sternberg (previously of Coal Office and Hide) change randomly – but might include chunky sausage rolls gruyere puff pastry and tahini chocolate chip cookies you can pitch up at one of the tables inside to enjoy your goodies or take them down the road to leafy Queen's Park the team often sells out by mid-morning on a weekend Address: Don't Tell Dad, 10-14 Lonsdale Road, London NW6 6RDWebsite: donttelldad.co.uk Covent GardenTake-home treat: pain au chocolat It's all about time-honoured French baking techniques at Arôme Bakery's two central London spots judging by the hoards of ravenous foodies that pile in for their fix day in Expect the occasional Asian spin on a classic flaky croissants stuffed with cheese and bacon drizzled in Japanese BBQ sauce The buttery pain au chocolats aren't to be scoffed at – it's their simplicity that makes them so damn tasty Address: Arôme Bakery, 9 Mercer Street, London WC2H 9QJ; Arôme Bakery, 27 Duke Street, London W1U 1LEWebsite: aromebakery.co.uk Russell SquareTake-home treat: cream-filled beignets Address: Fortitude Bakehouse, 35 Colonnade, London WC1N 1JDWebsite: fortitudebakehouse.com Toad seems to be the bakery on everyone’s mind right now focusing on low-mileage ingredients that can bring their recipes to life baskets overflowing with treats and freshly baked sourdough is a welcome oasis from the bustling high street the intoxicating scents making it clear that you are in for a delicious treat so I go home with a plum and marzipan sun bun anise and orange blossom iced finger and a chocolate chip and soy sauce cookie I’m taken with the fun risks they take with classic baked goods – and no doubt it pays off and the icing is thick with sweet notes of liquorice and hints of floral from the orange blossom The cookie is a perfect balance of sweet and salty while the sun bun is both tart and rich with nutty marzipan - a perfect balance of sweet and sour Address: Toad, 44 Peckham Road, London SE5 8PXWebsite: toadbakery.com IslingtonTake-home treat: laminated maple-bacon croissant Address: 19 Prebend Street, Islington, London N1 8PFWebsite: pophamsbakery.comOther locations: London Fields Forno is East London’s hottest bakery, pastificio and deli dreamed up by the founder of the critically acclaimed Italian restaurant On an unassuming alley off the bustling Mare Street Forno is a magical fusion of the most indulgent Italian-inspired eats and that signature East London cool aesthetic Forno stretches deeper than you expect at first glance into the archway with ample seating (much needed due to the inevitable weekend rush) settle in and feast on the creamiest and fluffiest maritozzi or sugar-encrusted pastries oozing with the zingiest lemon curd enjoy fuss-free sandwiches made fresh for the day fresh bread and handmade pasta to take home it wouldn’t be an East London deli without the option to drink in or take home one of the carefully curated bottles of wine Address: Forno, 322 Andrews Road, London E8 4RPWebsite: forno.london Covent GardenTake-home treat: raspberry-jam doughnut Fergus Henderson’s St John Bread and Wine in Spitalfields is a classic London restaurant Regulars visit for the nose-to-tail menu: expect bone marrow terrine and cuts of the highest quality meat The St John Group opened their first stand-alone bakery on Druid Street in Bermondsey in 2010 with a second opening in Covent Garden a few years later The ingredients are sourced from local suppliers with dairy from Neal’s Yard just around the corner Be sure to get your hands on their doughnuts their hot cross buns are some of the best in the city Address: 3 Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9DPWebsite: stjohnrestaurant.comOther locations: Bermondsey Bunhead Bakery has gained quite the following since its humble beginnings, born during the pandemic by self-taught baker Sara. As normal life resumed, Sara called on best friend Georgia to take the concept out of the home kitchen and into a brick-and-mortar site, leaving the corporate world behind to cook up a storm. The menu is entirely vegetarian and halal-friendly The team will happily guide you through the day's treats all chalked up on the board in-store; expect a range of Palestinian-British combos from date and pistachio buns to sour cherry and chocolate cookies Address: Bunhead Bakery, 145 Dulwich Road, London SE24 0NGWebsite: bunheadbakery.com BelgraviaSavour Lebanese flavours at Belgravia’s hottest bakery Co-founders and childhood friends Abbas Fawaz and Kamal El Zein are the brains behind the operation setting up shop to share Beirut’s street food classics with ravenous Londoners from a courgette and halloumi manouche drizzled with hot honey to those adorned in tangy cheese and za’atar Pop in-store or check their Instagram ahead of time to see what new treats the team have devised – we’ve now got our eye on the chocolate tahini brownie it's in the perfect location for stocking up on picnic treats before heading to St James's Park Address: Common Breads, 110 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SAWebsite: commonbreads.com Camden and Stoke NewingtonTake-home treat: A chunky cookie Few bakeries in London have origin stories as heartwarming as Luminary Bakery set on a mission to empower women who have experienced homelessness helping them rebuild their lives through training and valuable employment opportunities You name it; they'll (probably) bake it – just take a peek at their online shop or get in touch about corporate and wedding catering swing by the Chalk Farm or Stoke Newington stores and pick up cakes Address: Luminary Bakery, 47 Chalk Farm Road, Chalk Farm, London NW1 8AJ; Luminary Bakery, 71-73 Allen Road, London N16 8RYWebsite: luminarybakery.com It's also a great spot for foodie gifts with biscuits and homemade jams adorning the shelves Address: 1 Surrey Street, Temple, London WC2R 2NDWebsite: toklaslondon.com Address: Wilton Place, London SW1X 7RLWebsite: the-berkeley.co.uk ShoreditchTake-home treat: levain with Gruyère and Kalamata olives cardamom or saffron – all of which come with gooey warm centres The sourdough and organic rye breads are also excellent The original outpost is tucked away below Hoxton Overground station on a perfectly picturesque cobblestoned street – a great spot to enjoy a cup of Johan & Nyström coffee and a beautifully knotted bun before work Address: Arch 385, Geffrye Street, Shoreditch, London E2 8HZWebsite: fabrique.co.ukOther locations: Fitzrovia Victoria ParkTake-home treat: almond croissant their Newquay location is a pilgrimage for loyal followers Address: Old Ford Road, London E9 7DEWebsite: pavilionbakery.com Newington GreenTake-home treat: fruit danish (changes seasonally) From the team behind restaurants Primeur and Westerns Laundry comes Jolene, a bakery but also an all-day dining spot in leafy Newington Green. The focus here is on the grain, which is chemical-free. With a stone mill onsite, they make their own flour in-house using 100 per cent unaltered grains grown sustainably on farms in Sussex and Norfolk chocolate and Guinness cake and cinnamon buns the fried eggs with jamon and potatoes prove very popular Address: 22 Newington Green, London N16 9PUWebsite: jolenen16.comOther locations: Harringay Two words: the sandwiches. What used to be housed in an old shipping container behind the Arcola Theatre in Dalston is now just across the lot in an airy brick and steel café There is a cult following for lunchtime made-to-order sandwiches so we recommend heading there before 1pm The fillings are inventive and favourites include porchetta braised spring onion and purple sprouting broccoli turnovers and savoury breads are also on the menu Look out for their recently set-up baking school Address: Abbot Street, Dalston, London E8 3DPWebsite: thedustyknuckle.com Notting HillTake-home treat: sausage rolls Address: 332 Portobello Road, London W10 5SAWebsite: laylabakery.com Notting HillTake-home treat: cinnamon buns Having launched from a private kitchen during the first lockdown, Buns From Home is now a buzzing bakery just off Portobello that sees the Notting Hill crowd queuing along the street waiting patiently for their chance to buy the house speciality: cinnamon and cardamom buns and it’s worth visiting in person to see the counter piled with tempting buns in flavours such as tiramisu as well as savoury Croque monsieur focaccia Address: 128 Talbot Road, Notting Hill, London W11 1JAWebsite: bunsfromhome.comOther locations: The crew now have locations across London - check online for the full list of stores Crouch EndTake-home treat: the N8 sourdough Address: 24 Middle Lane, Crouch End, N8 8PLWebsite: sourdoughsophia.co.uk Borough MarketTake-home treat: doughnuts and cinnamon rolls Address: Borough Market, Cathedral Street, London SE1 9DE Website: breadahead.comOther locations: South Kensington Violet has risen to serious fame after head baker and owner Claire Ptak was chosen to bake the lemon and elderflower wedding cake for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding Violet has kept its sweet Dalston charm since its days as a stall in Broadway Market Cakes can be made to order but we suggest heading over to Ptak’s East London shop for her cupcakes and whoopie pies two biscuity cake sides topped and filled with seasonal buttercream (salted caramel fresh fruit purée) – all made with organic and low intervention ingredients Address: 47 Wilton Way, Dalston, London E8 3EDWebsite: violetcakes.com Will Lewis decided lockdown was the time to set up a pie-delivery service A new weekly menu drops every Sunday at midday with limited numbers of pies that sell out in a flash spinach and ricotta; plus sweets such as treacle tarts and apple pies Delivery to North and East London happens by bicycle on Wednesdays and to South and West London on Thursdays If launching a business in lockdown wasn’t enough Lewis now hopes to tackle the football market and revolutionise stadium food for good Address: Willy's Pie, Railway Arch, 352 Westgate Street, London E8 3RLWebsite: willyspies.com The brainchild of two locals (a baker and designer) where Muuto lamps and handmade patterned tiles cover the floor and a small team of bakers take three to four days to bake each of Margot’s signature breads: sourdough staples and takes on classic ryes This is a destination bakery with a focus on ingredients Make your way over to East Finchley to taste the tahini and halva chocolate and cinnamon babkas and the changing sourdough pastries (twice-baked apple croissants) Address: 121 East End Road, East Finchley, London N2 0SZWebsite: margotbakery.co.uk Crowds flock to this Hackney hotspot for the mistake-turned-specialty bread a blend of heritage and modern wheat grains which apparently is chef Michel Roux Jr’s favourite in the city the café/school is completely committed to sustainability and high-quality goods All the bread is made by hand with organic and locally sourced ingredients and packaged in biodegradable products The menu changes daily: from sausage rolls and spanakopita to sourdough pizzas and lemon drizzle cakes Address: E5 Bakehouse, Arch 395, Mentmore Terrace, Hackney, London E8 3PHWebsite: e5bakehouse.com South Kensington does very well for classic restaurants like Ognisko and Daquise but it hasn't been somewhere you'd cross town for to eat for quite some time That makes the arrival of The Lavery there this spring of real interest to us restaurant and cafe is taking over what used to be Cromwell Place The restaurant is the first place to open and the team that's been assembled make it sound like something you're going to want to know about Yohei Furuhashi was senior chef at the River Cafe for nine years and was head chef at Toklas for the past three years You might also know Alcides from his time at Llewelyn's along with the eight years he spent at Rochelle Canteen Furuhashi's menu roams around the Mediterranean (as so many new London openings do) but also has a touchpoint in Scotland most particularly produce from Scotland’s Balcaskie Estate That means dishes ranging from Scottish scallops with alubia beans and radicchio to gnocchi with fresh peas and hen of the woods and rhubarb galette Those dishes will be matched by a wine list that understands that South Ken residents are more likely to want classic options as well as the funkier stuff Later in the spring the restaurant will be joined by an all-day cafe which will be a handy spot to grab a coffee or for visitors to Museum Mile to pop in for lunch Find out more: Visit their website South Ken has been waiting for something like The Lavery for years. Your safest culinary bet in SW7 used to be the Las Vegas-style strip of middle-class bakery chains (Paul Bread Ahead etc) or Profumo roleplay at Daquise but into this relative wasteland now steps this effortless slightly spurious-sounding ‘events space’ named after the Irish painter Sir John Lavery who once called this lavish Grade-II building home We can’t really get a handle on what these events are or where they might happen (is it simply a WeWork for toffs?) but the restaurant itself is a delight polished floors and massive mirrors give it an air of Versailles by way of Fortnum & Mason or a high-end museum cafe seeing as it’s right in the shadow of the Natural History Museum. there’s a hardcore hospitality taskforce behind the launch with former Toklas head chef Yohei Furuhashi cooking up a seasonally shifting menu that’s not a million miles away from that of his artsy alma mater food shunts around the edges of Italian and Spanish cuisine with the likes of chalk stream trout with wild garlic aioli; nettle taglioni and Tamworth pork chop with Amalfi lemon on offer. gothic Iberiko tomato and baked polenta gives us a smidge of San Sebastian before a plate of asparagus slathered with fonduta artery-destroying cheese sauce glooped over saintly steamed veg. the bouncy nibbets of perfectly pink veal tartare layered with raw artichoke and salty slabs of parmesan Think of it as a spritely raw meat salad for anxious vampires who lack the gumption to nibble on actual human necks The nettle taglioni glows bright grassy green and is furiously fresh tasting akin to burying your face in a Hampshire field while the pork chop is just the right amount of sweet If anything lets the side down (and not much does) it’s a portion of skinless and slippery ratte potatoes which come over a touch too much like school dinners. We might not quite understand the overall concept of the space but the restaurant portion of The Lavery makes perfect sense. The vibe High-end art gallery canteen energy produce-led Mediterranean-leaning dishes. The drink There’s a great cocktail menu – try the potent grapefruit daiquiri - as well as a whopper of a wine list. so share one between two and go hard on the starters and smaller plates We've had a few excellent new Greek restaurants open in London of late and it looks like another is coming to South Kensington Myrtos is from ex-Pied a terre chef Asimakis Chaniotis who will be opening the restaurant in South Kensington (taking over from Aubaine). The food here takes its inspiration from across Greece using produce sourced from Greece and the UK the latter seen in the Dorset snails being used in their snail flatbread Desserts include their own pistachio cake and they'll have a cheese trolley showcasing Greek cheeses. It'll also have an impressive cocktail selection as cocktail bar Line from Athens which is no 6 on the World's best Bars list They'll have drinks like their own take on a Bloody Mary made of sun-dried Greek tomatoes Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @myrtoslondon View on Google maps Enter a location to help give the most relevant search result for you Clear A last hurrah for London's oldest Polish restaurant Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment A wave of panic has swept through South Kensington It seems TFL plan to expand the tube station London’s oldest Polish restaurant (established in 1947) This threat to its continued existence has sparked such a resurgence of interest that it now has a new lease of life and pressure on tables has doubled There’s no doubt Daquise is an institution and the Guide is glad to have it back in the listings chandelier-hung dining room (much larger than we remembered – we suspect two rooms have been knocked through) with plenty of white-clad tables and a brigade of thoroughly professional waiting staff The menu deals in reasonably priced Polish classics and we were particularly impressed by the Polish-style stuffed eggs and the ‘ruskies’ (pierogi dumplings made with cheese followed by generous plates of pan-fried calf's liver with apple and onions as well as a spot-on veal schnitzel topped with a fried egg and served with mashed potato there’s a line-up of straight and flavoured vodkas – we loved the orzechówka (hazelnut) version with our sweet cheese-stuffed pancake – as well as a straightforward list of European wines starting at £26 And the good news is that with a six-month break clause in their lease (yet to be invoked) you still have time to try it yourselves before it's gone 20 Thurloe StreetSouth KensingtonSW7 2LTGB View opening times Chester brings a distinctive flair to the dining scene in Cheshire with a growing number of restaurants that balance creativity From bold Mediterranean flavours to plant-led plates and modern British cooking Ahead of the next instalment of our Claridge’s Supper Series we caught up with Elly Wentworth from The Angel The South Hams boasts some of the most beautiful stretches of the English coastline with fertile farmland stretching from sea-sprayed headlands to steep rolling pasture and cool It’s home to a fiercely local food and drink scene and .. Samantha Miller and Jane Baxter’s eccentrically located restaurant brings people together in a shared table format Here’s a light summer recipe to bring to your dining table Have we seen the last gasp of late night London Critic and Good Food Guide columnist Jimi Famurewa doesn't think so Some of the best restaurants in the city will still seat you come 10pm Bangkok Diners Club began life as District a Thai fusion tasting menu restaurant on nearby Oldham Street that attracted plaudits from local and national press before closing in 2022 due to financial difficulties. few things are as uncomfortable as having to hurriedly recalibrate opinions about a formerly wholehearted recommendation I excitedly dragged my wife along for a very late Restaurant Index Our website uses cookies to improve your experience and personalise content. Cookies are small files placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used to improve your experience of a website, gather reporting information and show relevant advertising. You can allow all cookies or manage them for yourself. You can find out more on our cookies page any time These cookies are needed for essential functions such as signing in and making payments These cookies help us optimise our website based on data Using these cookies we will know which web pages customers enjoy reading most and what products are most popular it started for me with Avi Shashidhara at the simply excellent Pahli Hill A career which started with an internship with the Oberoi Hotel Group took him from Bangalore to London where after stints at places like Hibiscus he became Head Chef at the River Café before returning to his culinary roots at Pahli Hill but with a finesse and elegance that has untied the two food cultures I love the place and will write about it shortly where the CV of Shilpa Dandekar shows a similar path to India’s Taj hotel group (the great rival to the Oberoi hotels) before arriving in the UK and working with Chef Sriram Aylur at Michelin-starred Quilon and Raymond Blanc In doing so she has built up a formidable reputation and now at Pravaas has opened up as Chef Patron on a small side street just by South Kensington tube station It’s the kind of street that makes you wonder whether you should have become an investment banker after all and then you recover your senses and head into the restaurant What Shilpa has done here is truly wonderful used the template of how elegant European food looks and feels – and which we instinctively understand – to show off the glorious heritage of South Asian cuisine If the term had not been banned from active use around about 2005 From Pani Puri shots – a great riff with the traditional potato onion and chickpea hollow shells accompanied by a refreshing minty liquid which you pour in and then let explode in your mouth – to scallops pan-fried with crispy rice and pistachio covering then served with little chunks of walnut the brain starts to say: forget where this stuff comes from We tried the set menu which took us from pale wasabi spiced chicken thighs to the flavour explosion of a patra chaat with tamarind chutney exploding in the mouth a red snapper moilee (a moilee is a South Indian coconut-based curry) which was just so beautifully elegant while still capturing the whiff of the Keralan coast After an inspired kokum granita – an acidic fruit from the Western Ghats that crowd Mumbai towards the sea – the final main course was an excellent lamb sukke – or dry slow-cooked lamb – with asparagus and dahl stewed apple and whipped cream was almost too much of a pudding Yet I don’t think I have done justice to how new all of this tasted and felt even though when looked at they are not all new dishes at all It is not the chef or the food that is new We are only now starting to glimpse just what South Asian cuisine can do and Avi and Shipla are leading the charge in showing us the way A bit like with the glimpses we are starting to see in London of what West African food can do perhaps it is only now that chefs with their training and sheer talent have decided we can now be trusted enough to eat the South Asian food they are really capable of making mention and praise must also be made of price – the set menu cost only £69 a head Now I know to an old Yorkie like me that sounds like eh bah gum a lot of money But in the new reality of London restaurant pricing And particularly not for eight courses of this quality in South Kensington with wonderful staff and even an Indian Pale Ale imported from India Pravaas – 3 Glendower Place, South Kensington, London SW7 3DU – 020 3161 7641 – www.pravaas.com Opening times: Mon – Fri 12.00 – 15:00 | 17:30 – 22:30 – Sat & Sun 10:00 – 22:30 Related post: Restaurant review: Starling, Esher Read more We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected] Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected] © The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy © The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy UK: Residents club The Other House South Kensington has appointed Ingrid Moreni as general manager Moreni brings over 15 years of experience in luxury hospitality to her role She’s worked for a number of UK hotel brands including MontcalmEast – An Autograph Hotel In addition to her operational and management roles Moreni has also lecturered at the Pandora Academy ”I am delighted to join The Other House South Kensington and work with such a talented and dedicated team,” said Moreni “I look forward to building on the strong foundation that the team has laid and to continue to create exceptional experiences for our residents.” Naomi Heaton, CEO and founder of The Other House added: “We are thrilled to welcome Ingrid to The Other House Her extensive experience and passion for hospitality make her the ideal leader for the South Kensington team we look forward to seeing her apply her dynamic and people-based approach to our first property and help grow The Other House brand.” The Other House Covent Garden is expected to open in 2025 as the second site in the portfolio Urban Living Festival 2025 The Serviced Apartment Awards 2025 Posted in News, People on 21 August The Other House, London’s innovative new group of ‘Residents Clubs’, is delighted to announce the appointment of Ingrid Moreni as the General Manager of its inaugural property, The Other House South Kensington Combining apartment-style living with hotel service and complimentary access to its exclusive private club and catering for any length of stay the appointment comes at a pivotal time for the group as it looks toward adding The Other House Covent Garden to its portfolio in 2025 With over 15 years of experience in luxury hospitality Moreni brings extensive expertise and a distinguished track record to her role with this young and innovative brand Her career spans operational and management positions at a number of prestigious hotels These include MontcalmEast – An Autograph Hotel Doyle Collection and The Mandrake Hotel in the UK and VALTUR Hotels in Mauritius Moreni’s commitment to creating great guest experiences and seamless delivery makes her ideally suited to advance The Other House South Kensington’s unique Residents Club concept Her vision aligns perfectly with the ethos of the brand focusing on placemaking and creating memorable experiences for residents so that it truly feels like their “other house” Moreni is also committed to nurturing the next generation of hospitality professionals as demonstrated by an extensive tenure as a lecturer at the Pandora Academy who has been instrumental in the success of The Other House South Kensington over the past 18 months commented on the appointment: “We are thrilled to welcome Ingrid to The Other House Ingrid Moreni expressed her excitement about her new role “I am delighted to join The Other House South Kensington and work with such a talented and dedicated team I look forward to building on the strong foundation that the team has laid and to continue to create exceptional experiences for our residents.” South Kensington is the inaugural opening from The Other House a revolutionary hospitality concept combining apartment-style living with hotel services and a private club available to residents as well as local members ranging from cosy studios through to striking apartments The Other House South Kensington opened in 2022 Fast-becoming a key social and cultural hub offering exclusive partnerships with local institutions such as the Royal Albert Hall The Other House South Kensington offers everything a discerning city lover could want Facilities include the all-day brunch destination with two club lounges and The Other Space which offers a range of state-of-the-art wellbeing The Other House is tearing up the rule book and launching a new sector of Residents Clubs It effortlessly combines apartment-style living with hotel services and complimentary access to an exclusive private club it is your other house for as long as you are in town The Other House is a joint venture partnership between LCP Private Office leading real estate investment advisory in Prime Central London and APG the largest pension provider in the Netherlands The Other House opened in South Kensington in 2022 with Covent Garden opening in 2025 and plans for Belgravia in the pipeline Further openings in London and internationally are also in the works Learn more about The Other House here www.otherhouse.com the acclaimed design studio behind iconic interiors such as the Burj Al Arab Read on for Time Out’s selection of the best In among the many marvellous museums of South Kensington and the serious shopping opportunities of High Street Ken there's a hidden collection of good old-fashioned pubs Saunter down the backstreets with Time Out to discover the very best boozers that this well-heeled neighbourhood has to offer. RECOMMENDED: The best pubs in nearby Notting Hill. 4 out of 5 starsRecommendedAnglesea ArmsFavoured at various times by both Charles Dickens and DH Lawrence this splendid pub is packed tight on summer evenings the front terrace and wide main bar area filled with professionals Wheelings and dealings aren't quite so scandalous from night to night 4 out of 5 starsRecommendedThe Windsor is an ancient inn and thankfully a refurb was sympathetic to its many charms with plenty of compartments for groups to occupy the best thing about this Castle is its well-kept and interesting real ale selection Many also choose it for their weekly Sunday roast spot A jazzed-up local, The Duke of Clarence is equidistant from South Kensington and Earl’s Court tube stations and pledges its allegiance to this fancy part of town with its glossy look. Emphasis is on good but expensive food, which the locals seem to lap up. The former Finch’s, once the haunt of thespian hellraisers from the 1960s, is now a high-ceilinged pub. Despite touches of modernisation, the King’s Arms still has the feel of a classic pub. Like rugby? You'll like it here. The HollandClose to Holland Park, the pub FKA The Princess Victoria dates back to 1830. Today The Holland is a chic neat spot with a menu from head chef Max de Nahlik, co-founder of pop-up resto Oxalis and the likes of wild seabass with n'duja butter and confit duck with lentils and salsa verde. RecommendedPhotograph: Andy ParsonsAt this independent pub you can expect one of the strongest craft beer line-ups in the neighbourhood and here'll you feast on hand-stretched pizzas and pub classics RECOMMENDED: London's best wine bars. Jack HardyTucked away inside The Gore Hotel, Bar 190 is part of rock'n'roll folklore. It's here the Rolling Stones held the suitably decadent launch party for their 1968 album Beggars Banquet, so rock star behaviour isn't just expected here, it's encouraged. What to drink: What would the Stones do? Whiskey on the rocks, probably. Steeped in musical history, this multi-faceted venue has played host to some of the world’s greatest artists, from Sammy Davis Jr and Jimi Hendrix to Led Zeppelin jam sessions. The ground-floor café is a charming space with stained glass and wood panelling, where you can indulge in a glass of wine and imagine London’s headier days. What to drink: As an iconic music venue, a simple pint of lager is more than suitable. Milo BrownTop-notch drinks and table service is as good as you’d expect from a quality hotel, with oak-panelled walls and a marble-topped bar adding to the air of opulence. Cocktails are competitively priced and expertly mixed, and for the nightcap crowd, there’s even a menu of dessert drinks. What to drink: Go for a classic, super-strength cocktail – a negroni or an old fashioned, please. Rob GriegGetting into this supernaturally dark bar in Earls Court is, for many, the best part of the experience. Present ‘your case’ to a private detective before they pull back the bookcase and let you step inside for a drink. Cocktails are memorable, with intriguing flavours – from fresh to smokey. What to drink: An Al Capone, with vodka, plum sake, and homemade melon cordial. the Balans chain has been taking over London with its simple but we also enjoy an extremely wine-based evening here. What to drink: Their porn star martini is ‘world famous’ Piano Kensington where you'll be thrilled by live jazz pianists five nights a week and don't forget to request some bangers as well as wine and a pizza for good measure. with reasonably priced glasses of Prosecco. Hosted by Imperial’s Director of Outreach, Andrew Tebbutt, the first part of the visit took place in the Wohl Reach Out Lab a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to delivering hands-on STEM activities and workshops for school children Joe learned about the outreach and community engagement activity Imperial does to inspire primary and secondary school children with a particular focus on underrepresented groups He saw first-hand how Imperial is fuelling the imaginations of the next generation of scientists engineers and mathematicians in Kensington and Bayswater Andrew highlighted how Imperial also provides activities to support children in North Kensington through our social outreach programme, The Invention Rooms Imperial’s President Professor Hugh Brady met with Joe to discuss Imperial’s role in driving forward inclusive economic growth, innovation and entrepreneurship locally and across the UK as part of the WestTech Corridor The Corridor is a key initiative fuelling growth by capitalising on Imperial’s research and innovation clusters across West London This includes Albertopolis in Joe’s constituency home to our South Kensington Campus and many of London’s leading arts President Brady highlighted how recent investments and partnerships will empower the WestTech Corridor even further creating a globally competitive ecosystem that serves as a powerful engine for investment This includes a major £150 million investment in a prime industrial site in Old Oak enabling innovators in areas such as CleanTech BioTech and MedTech to stay and scale in West London Imperial’s new partnership with Bruntwood SciTech will also lead to a £200 million life sciences innovation centre at the White City Deep Tech Campus The centre will deliver world-class labs and workspaces where deep tech startups scaleups and global businesses can co-locate and grow alongside Imperial’s academics Article text (excluding photos or graphics) © Imperial College London Photos and graphics subject to third party copyright used with permission or © Imperial College London One of the UK’s best-known chefs, cookbook authors and restaurateurs, Asma Khan is behind the hugely popular Darjeeling Express The restaurant in Carnaby is as well known for its all female kitchen team as its A-list diners Asma was the first British chef to feature on the hugely influential Netflix show Chef’s Table was one of Time magazine's most influential people for 2024 and is a vocal advocate for social justice and representation in the hospitality industry She very kindly agreed to share with Hot Dinners readers her favourite food and drink places close to home in South Kensington This spot takes me back to my student days at King’s College and the chow mein reminds me of the street-side Hakka carts in Calcutta Their sweetcorn chicken soup is the closest I’ve found to the version I grew up with. especially when paired with their small jars of French jam complete with floor seating and warm hospitality The lamb mandi and traditional breads are outstanding and the entire menu feels like a labour of love I often find myself at the V&A Café when family visits from abroad The coffee isn’t the main draw—it’s the privilege of sipping it surrounded by such rich history There's something profound about enjoying a simple cup in a space that echoes the past Their rotisserie chicken is a standout—steamed first then finished on the spit for that perfect tenderness and flavour though their salads and fresh baguettes are just as tempting For more of these local area guides, visit the My Manor page. Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners Please enable the javascript to submit this form By signing up you agree to our privacy policy Daily news, insight and opinion from the world of restaurants 05-Mar-2025 Last updated on 05-Mar-2025 at 11:14 GMT If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do? Oh, I’d be a model, of course! Or at least, that’s what I like to tell myself. What industry figure do you most admire, and why? Raymond Blanc – he has played a pivotal role in shaping my French culinary skills and influencing my kitchen practices which I now incorporate into almost every dish that we create at Pravaas. My biggest pet peeve in the kitchen is working without proper kitchen linen - like aprons, oven mitts, and gloves. What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you? That the food I cook is not actually Indian because I don’t have traditional vindaloos or jalfrezi dishes in the menu. Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence… Creative, innovative, and totally unique with a nod to India’s diverse regional flavours and time-honoured recipes passed down through generations. There was an online order for butter chicken, where we use dried Fenugreek in the sauce, and the guest said that she could taste fresh basil in the dish – more confusing than critical. What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry? Be focused, set goals, and set deadlines. Don’t do anything half-heartedly. Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without? What would you choose to eat for your last meal? A la carte menu because it has more options to choose from. What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant? What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of? Soufflé. I love experimenting and using different techniques and it’s a very technical dish You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban? Who would your dream dinner party guests be? Sabudana khichdi. It’s Indian fasting food made with sago. What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death? We were in a bad car accident in 2018 on the way to work along with our staff. Thankfully we were all ok, but it gave us quite a fright. Where do you go when you want to let your hair down? On a quiet riverside walk. When you’re working in a fast-paced environment most of the time and also have a busy family life at home, my version of letting my hair down is finding moments of peace and quiet and actually being able to switch off. What’s your favourite food and drink pairing? Sol Kadi (mangosteen and coconut drink) and lamb fry. What do you consider to be your signature dish? Patra chaat. It’s my own version of the Indian street food using colocasia leaves that are rolled with added spices and it’s a customer favourite at Pravaas. Whet your appetite with beers from the European UnionPaid for and content provided by European Union Staffing costs rising — how smart hiring solutions are helping UK restaurantsPaid for and content provided by YoungOnes Lost Revenue from Downtime: How It Cripples Your Delivery App Visibility and SalesPaid for and content provided by Deliverect Townhouse is continuing to expand its salon estate in London opening a new beauty destination crafted to serve the local community on Gloucester Road self-book kiosks and digital colour libraries to offer an "enhanced" experience Just a short walk from Gloucester Road station and around the corner from the V&A and Natural History Museum it hopes to become the "ultimate beauty destination for locals and visitors alike" Whether it’s a group of friends getting ready for a night out or simply locals seeking a moment of self-care the new salon will also act as an exclusive venue for group bookings and private events Founder and Creative Creative Officer at Townhouse said: "We are beyond excited to bring Townhouse to Gloucester Road "This isn’t just another salon for us—it’s a reflection of the community a place where people can feel at home while indulging in the best beauty treatments available "Whether you’re stopping by for a quick pampering session or booking a group event we’re thrilled to offer a space that’s all about luxury and personal care and we’re so proud to be part of this incredible neighbourhood." Townhouse is on a mission to "revolutionise" the nail salon industry Initially launching with a standalone salon in London's Fitzrovia it now boasts a portfolio of 40 locations across London and the UK - 30 of which were added in 2023 the business also opened its first international location in Beverly Hills with further destinations planned for other high-profile locations It's not just Townhouse's salon estate that's expanding but also its retail line The luxury brand recently launched two gift sets - the Nourish & Glow Set and Smooth & Shine Set - for the holiday season By clicking 'Get the Newsletter' below, you agree to receive the newsletter & marketing communications from theindustry.fashion. To find out more about our data sharing policy, please read our terms of use and privacy policy. Please mark membership@theindustry.beauty (and membership@theindustry.fashion ifyou have signed up for both newsletters) a safe sender, so your daily newsletter getsdelivered successfully to your inbox, as some spam filters can be extremely sensitive. Adjust your timepieces accordingly, a new exhibition honouring the exceptional watchmaking from heritage jewellery house, Van Cleef & Arpels, has descended on Cromwell Place, South Kensington Offering a never-before-seen journey into the immense craftsmanship behind the French jewellers horology department ‘Poetry of Time’ promises an immersive experience unlike anything previously concocted by the 19th century-founded Maison but when it comes to watchmaking - another beguiling faction of VCA’s arsenal of elegance - timekeeping has truly never looked so resplendent One of the rooms in the immersive space features special pieces from the Perlée collections The Hollywood star was radiant in the gothic dress, beaming as she joined the Spiderman actor at the Duke of York theatre Highlights from the temporary exhibition, open only until the 9th June, include the Lady Arpels Planétarium watch (a visionary timepiece inspired by the solar system, capturing the eternal inspiration the house takes from astronomy) and the Lady Arpels Papillon Automate (a remarkable diamond, sapphire and pearl enchantment befit with the moving wings of a butterfly). He inherited the title and the family business worth £10 billion. But as the Duke of Westminster announces he is expecting his first child, revisit this investigation, published in the September 2017 issue of Tatler, which revealed that Grosvenor has almost no control over the wealth that defines him A number of Ludo Secret watches which blur the lines between high jewellery and horology so intrinsically are another must-see while - perhaps the piece de resistance - is the Éveil du Cyclamen automaton Like something straight from the pages of a story book this breathtaking ornamental art piece explodes into a real-life animation of dancing emerald flowers and butterflies erupting from a deep green aventurine frame Those looking to delve even further into the master craftsmanship behind Van Cleef & Arpels horology can also look out for the series of events hosted by L’École School of Jewellery Arts commentary from guest speakers and even children’s workshops for little watchmakers-to-be ‘Poetry of Time’ is open to the public from 26th May - 9th June at 4 Reservations can be made at vancleefarpels-event.com Lola's cupcakes are opening up a new store in South Kensington this month and you can celebrate with them by bagging a free cupcake Simply by showing up and making sure you’re there in time Lola’s will be commencing trading at their new South Kensington store on February 7 (that’s this Friday!) and the first 250 customers will be able to nab themselves a free mini cupcake If you find yourself with a spare moment on the first Friday of February (a cause for celebration in itself We all treat ourselves at these sorts of milestones then be sure to get down to South Kensington to answer your sweet tooth’s calling Managing Director of Lola’s said: “As a brand we are all about bringing joy to special celebrations South Kensington is the perfect fit for Lola’s We’re thrilled to open in such an iconic location and we can’t wait to share our delicious cupcakes with locals You can get your hands on a free Lola’s Cupcake at the opening of the brand new store on February 7 at 10 South Kensington Station Arcade SW7 2NA (nearest station is – you guessed it – South Kensington) The free cupcakes are limited to the first 250 An ambitious new restaurant headed by a former River Cafe chef opens in a Grade II listed townhouse opposite the Natural History Museum in South Kensington next week The Lavery – named after a former resident Irish-born artist Sir John Lavery – has taken over the premises of the former Cromwell Place café and will offer a Mediterranean-inspired menu with a focus on Scottish produce from the Balcaskie estate in Fife Chef Yohei Furuhashi has been head chef at Toklas for the past three years The front of house will be run by his Toklas colleague Alcides Gauto formerly of Llewelyn’s and Rochelle Canteen The stylish interior has been designed by creative director Martin Cohen Rochelle Canteen and L’Odeon in New York while an all-day café will open later this spring no doubt aiming to attract visitors to the nearby museums Already Registered? Login NEWSPyramid restaurant drawing crowds to Stockport NEWSLast orders at Lyle's as James Lowe calls time NEWSHARDEN'S INSIDER: the future of 'fair' coffee the cultural enclave of South Kensington brims with grandiose Victorian architecture that houses some of the best hotels in London South Kensington is London’s museum capital – home to the Natural History Museum the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum – not to mention the Royal Albert Hall and world-famous shops such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols Here’s Culture Trip’s guide to the best hotels in South Kensington to suit all budgets Tucked away in the heart of South Kensington, The Adria is just a short stroll from some of London’s most iconic spots This boutique townhouse hotel is a hidden gem offering a peaceful retreat right in the middle of the city’s buzz The Adria now features 22 beautifully designed suites that blend classic Victorian charm with modern elegance butler-led service that makes you feel right at home And if you’re in the mood for a true British experience their afternoon tea is a must—think delicate finger sandwiches freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam The rooms at The Ampersand Hotel take their lead from the area’s local landmarks with a bird-themed room representing the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum being channelled by planet-themed decorations in another While gimmicky can sometimes stray dangerously close to tacky this boutique hotel – built in 1889 – is all luxury There are five themes governing the design of the hotel: botany There’s also a vintage-inspired Mediterranean restaurant and cocktail bar a wine room and a vividly coloured tea room Courtesy of Firmdale Hotels / Hotels.com The rooms at Number Sixteen are filled with bright bold and colourful prints and pleasantly clashing patterns With owner Kit Kemp doubling as an interior designer English-style room has been given the personal touch uniquely decorated with its own colour scheme made all the more inviting by large french windows There’s also a lovely tree-filled patio for guests to enjoy in the summer months Courtesy of Blakes Hotel / Hotels.com This opulent Art Deco-inspired hotel has a dramatic and theatrical air The grand restaurant has a long marble bar making you feel like you’re in a golden age Hollywood movie – head down to plush late-night lounge Blakes Below for a nightcap Rooms range from the understated to the opulent and each signature double is utterly unique Provence is a whimsical retreat in shades of lavender field and the black-and-gold Gypsy room is covered in elaborate designs Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy Courtesy of The Gore / Hotels.com Luxury spills out of every gilded fibre of this Victorian building where rooms – dripping in ornate antiques and fringed red velvet drapes and dramatic carved wooden beds – encapsulate a regal elegance rarely seen outside stately homes The bar achieves a distinct British rock-’n’-roll-meets-royalty charm with tartan pillows silk ottomans and rich mahogany walls that once served as the setting for a Rolling Stones photoshoot Rooms are named after equally iconic guests: the Judy Garland Suite comes complete with the Hollywood starlet’s very own bed frame lined with a pacific-blue peacock-feather blanket and cushions bathrobe and (unfortunately not ruby-red) slippers which you can don after a soak in the ancient Roman-inspired marble bath Courtesy of the Pelham / Hotels.com A luxury townhouse with a fun and flirty style this Kit Kemp-designed hotel is full of expertly clashing prints a cosy wood-panelled drawing room with an honesty bar and a library stuffed with plush sofas and armchairs to sink into before a crackling fire Outside its eclectic doors you will find yourself moments from the blooms of Kensington Gardens import PrebidBidService from "/v1/js/PrebidBidService.js"; import AmazonBidService from "/v1/js/AmazonBidService.js"; window.addEventListener('intersecting',async (e) => { const element = document.querySelector('[data-id="in_article_2"]'); const slot = element.getAttribute('id'); if(e.detail.slotName !== slot) { return; } let promises = []; if(window.canRunPrebid) { const prebidService = new PrebidBidService(); promises.push(prebidService.requestPrebidBids(null [slot])); } if(window.canRunAmazon) { const amazonService = new AmazonBidService(); promises.push(amazonService.fetchBids(null [slot])); } if(promises?.length) { await Promise.all(promises).then(() => { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); }); } else { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); } }); The Resident Kensington Boutique Hotel Courtesy of the Resident Kensington / Hotels.com A four-star boutique hotel without the extortionate price tag (the founder calls it “affordable luxury”), The Resident Kensington is a great option for those wanting to save cash for South Kensington jaunts this hotel has eliminated “unnecessary extras” from its 65 rooms while retaining great facilities such as kitchenettes with a Nespresso machine all complemented with plush furnishings and sleek design pick the brains of the 24-hour front-desk team who can recommend some of the city’s best-kept secrets including unmissable restaurants such as CERU a Middle Eastern gem just a 15-minute walk away Courtesy of Sydney House Chelsea / Hotels.com Housed just off fashionable King’s Road inside two Georgian townhouses Sydney House describes itself as a “bijou Chelsea pied-à-terre” – that’s a small and elegant second home in the city which aims to bring affordable options to the table The rooms at this four-star hotel – many of which have their own balconies – are modern and bright with The Room at the Top enjoying its own private roof garden import PrebidBidService from "/v1/js/PrebidBidService.js"; import AmazonBidService from "/v1/js/AmazonBidService.js"; window.addEventListener('intersecting',async (e) => { const element = document.querySelector('[data-id="in_article_3"]'); const slot = element.getAttribute('id'); if(e.detail.slotName !== slot) { return; } let promises = []; if(window.canRunPrebid) { const prebidService = new PrebidBidService(); promises.push(prebidService.requestPrebidBids(null [slot])); } if(promises?.length) { await Promise.all(promises).then(() => { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); }); } else { googletag.pubads().refresh([window.addSlot[slot]]); } }); The Milestone Hotel Boutique Hotel Courtesy of The Milestone Hotel / Hotels.com An award-winning hotel taking it from 17th-century dwelling to luxury bolthole Deluxe rooms are done up in themes of decorative schemes such as Matisse and Margaret Rose and overlook the meticulously manicured lawns of Kensington Gardens (they also come with a platter of fruit or home-made cookies on arrival and are stocked with toiletries from British perfumer Penhaligon’s) The opulent suites have also been distinctively styled ranging from Ruhlmann-reminiscent black-and-gold glamour to the Harlequin Suite’s golden sunburst headboard and diamond-patterned cabinets red-velvet-clad room inspired by French singer Mistinguett; and all have 24-hour butler service to boot Last but certainly not least comes The Exhibitionist – perhaps the most extravagant and eclectic on this list, as its name suggests. This arty boutique hotel in Kensington doubles up as a gallery (actually and describes itself as “an intervention” – a blazing flash of anarchic colour and curatorial precision; it is the ultimate expression of the new boutique While we’re not sure anything with so hefty a price tag can be called anarchic The Exhibitionist certainly is a sight to behold Spaces in the hotel are opened up for artists to display their work the collection being switched up twice a year while set pieces such as a life-size bull and a Jimmie Martin mannequin lamp decorate the open-plan ground floor Chloe Byrne contributed additional reporting to this article See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn Bars & Cafes The 25 Best Bars In London For Stylish Nights Out See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer Guides & Tips This Is Europe's Ultimate Road Trip Guides & Tips The 8 Most Beautiful Places to Enjoy Spring in London Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December Bars & Cafes The Best Outdoor Venues in London This Summer See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October See & Do The Ultimate Guide to Walthamstow See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd Hope the blue whale in the Museum’s Hintze Hall CREDIT Trustees of the NHM, London Our revitalised Museum will be the heart of a global mission to create 100 million advocates for the planet powered by our scientists’ work to find solutions to the planetary emergency Natural History Museum to fundraise £150 million to transform the museum at South Kensington in time for 150th anniversary in 2031 including the ever-popular Dinosaur gallery and reopening two new galleries - one of which has not been seen by the public since the Second World War Today the Natural History Museum announces its plans to raise £150 million by 2031 when it will celebrate its 150th anniversary “Since 2017 when we unveiled Hope the blue whale diving through the heart of the Museum a symbol of humanity’s power to act for the planet we’ve been working hard to help people understand the importance of looking after the natural world In 2020 we declared a planetary emergency and our mission to create advocates for the planet.” “This step-change from a catalogue of natural history to a catalyst for change will be fully realised as our galleries here in South Kensington are renewed and revitalised powered by our scientists’ work to find solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face.” we will restore and renew four existing galleries including our world-famous Dinosaur gallery and open a brand-new space dedicated to connecting our youngest visitors to the natural world opening in 2025 is Fixing Our Broken Planet a new free gallery addressing environmental challenges and showcasing what visitors can do to protect the planet The Origins gallery will reopen as a public gallery as a result of our collections move CREDIT: Trustees of the NHM Plans are also underway to reopen the Origins gallery and the Old General Herbarium which have been closed to the public since 2004 and 1948 respectively.Currently used to house collections we will restore these spaces to their former glory complete with iconic Victorian architecture and return them to public use so they can engage and inspire once more creating advocates for the planet for generations to come More than a third of our natural history collection is moving to a state of the art research and digitisation centre at Thames Valley Science Park so we can take better care of it and more easily share its data with scientists all over the world who are finding solutions to problems like climate change By moving the collection out of unsuitable unsustainable storage in South Kensington and into a purpose-built research centre we are preserving this powerful scientific tool for next 150 years while increasing access and collaboration with the science community and returning gallery space back to its intended use Images are available in the press pack here Email: press@nhm.ac.uk Web: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/support-us/nhm-150.html The Natural History Museum is a world-leading science centre and one of the most visited attractions in the UK. A global source of curiosity, inspiration and joy. Our vision is to build a future in which both people and the planet thrive. We aim to be a catalyst for change, engaging advocates for the planet in everything that we do. Our 350 scientists are finding solutions to the planetary emergency in all aspects of life. Visit, join and support the Natural History Museum today. Protecting the planet. It's in our nature. Map Map We use cookies to give you the best online experience. We use them to improve our website and content, and to tailor our digital advertising on third-party platforms. You can change your preferences at any time. 01-Aug-2024 Last updated on 01-Aug-2024 at 13:58 GMT Launching on 7 August at 10-12 Exhibition Road, the 1,600sq ft restaurant will mix inspiration from Australia’s Tamarama beach in Sydney with fashion and design from London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. The design will include a series of art commissions by artists including Rose Blake and Collagism, alongside statement prints from Iconic Images. As well as the main restaurant, the space will feature an extensive heated outdoor terrace holding 40 covers, and a downstairs William Morris-inspired ‘green room’. Daisy Green was founded by Prue Freeman and her husband Tom Onions in 2012 and started out life as an open-air coffee hut outside the Gherkin in the City. The group has subsequently grown its estate across the capital and now operates 16 sites. Glamarama Green will be the group’s 17th location. While details of the menu are yet to be confirmed, it’s expected that the new restaurant will feature signature Daisy Green dishes such as chicken parmigiana with panko coated chicken schnitzel, prosciutto, tomatoes, mozzarella, aged parmesan and hand cut chips; and a ‘flaming’ tomahawk steak with Koffman's fries, seasonal greens and house béarnaise sauce. Ziggy Green in Mayfair to relocate25-Aug-2023By Stefan ChomkaDaisy Green Collection is relocating its Ziggy Green restaurant in Mayfair to larger premises. The Daisy Green Collection on target to crowdfund another £2m 08-Nov-2021By Stefan ChomkaAll-day Australian restaurant group The Daisy Green Collection is launching another round of crowdfunding to raise around £2m in equity capital, with more than £1.7m already raised in pre commitments. The aptly titled South Kensington club attracted a regular crowd of royals throw back the Moët and enjoy a discreet boogie."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Famously a staple hangout during “William and Kate: the Dating Years” the elite neighbourhood nightspot was said to reserve a regular table for the royal couple Of the hundreds of thousands of images of the Prince and Princess of Wales circulating on the internet it’s paparazzi shots of the pair out clubbing and piling into taxis outside Boujis that continue to go viral on TikTok some 20 years later here are my tips on 40+ clubbing","id":"c5aaab70-15d2-11ee-8708-86c9fd2a0280","label":"Simon Mills","publicationName":"TIMES","publishedTime":"2023-06-28T23:01:00.000Z","updatedTime":"2023-06-28T18:36:12.000Z","section":"times2","shortIdentifier":"8pccs0s8g","shortHeadline":"William here are my tips on 40+ clubbing","seoDescription":"The Prince of Wales has been spotted dad dancing at Koko Simon Mills has some words of advice","slug":"prince-william-dancing-tips-age-40","categoryPath":"/uk/royal-family/article/prince-william-dancing-tips-age-40-8pccs0s8g","__typename":"Article","summary({\"maxCharCount\":105})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The Prince of Wales is grooving up in the Koko VIP in Camden Town the"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":125})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The Prince of Wales is grooving up in the Koko VIP in Camden Town the former nightclub host"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":145})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The Prince of Wales is grooving up in the Koko VIP in Camden Town the former nightclub host and after-hours"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":160})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The Prince of Wales is grooving up in the Koko VIP in Camden Town the former nightclub host and after-hours ambience"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":175})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The Prince of Wales is grooving up in the Koko VIP in Camden Town the former nightclub host and after-hours ambience co-ordinator who is"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":225})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The Prince of Wales is grooving up in the Koko VIP in Camden Town the former nightclub host and after-hours ambience co-ordinator who is wearing a pair of comedy Dame Edna glasses posh and loaded returns","id":"e33648d0-c342-11ed-8e20-0f5794810aad","label":"lifestyle","publicationName":"TIMES","publishedTime":"2023-03-15T21:40:00.000Z","updatedTime":"2023-03-15T21:37:39.000Z","section":"times2","shortIdentifier":"vm3w86687","shortHeadline":"Young loaded and ready to Boujis — again","seoDescription":"If you remember Boujis you weren’t there Certainly you weren’t knocking back Crack Baby cocktails with Prince Harry on Tuesday nights in the Noughties when Har","slug":"boujis-is-back-the-nightclub-for-the-young-posh-and-loaded-returns","categoryPath":"/uk/article/boujis-is-back-the-nightclub-for-the-young-posh-and-loaded-returns-vm3w86687","__typename":"Article","summary({\"maxCharCount\":105})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"If you remember Boujis you weren’t there Certainly you weren’t knocking back Crack Baby cocktails with"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":125})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"If you remember Boujis you weren’t there Certainly you weren’t knocking back Crack Baby cocktails with Prince Harry on"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":145})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"If you remember Boujis you weren’t there Certainly you weren’t knocking back Crack Baby cocktails with Prince Harry on Tuesday nights in the"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":160})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"If you remember Boujis you weren’t there Certainly you weren’t knocking back Crack Baby cocktails with Prince Harry on Tuesday nights in the Noughties when"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":175})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"If you remember Boujis you weren’t there Certainly you weren’t knocking back Crack Baby cocktails with Prince Harry on Tuesday nights in the Noughties when Harry was fun and"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":225})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"If you remember Boujis you weren’t there houses a tequila bar in the bathroom and a Berlin-inspired DJ booth — but can London’s nightclub royalty repeat their trick?Prince Harry and Kate Middleton both partied at Boujis which closed in 2016Liz ConnorWednesday April 02 2025 The TimesIf you came of age in London in the early 2000s throw back the Moët and enjoy a discreet boogie Famously a staple hangout during “William and Kate: the Dating Years” Prince William and Kate Middleton leave the club in September 2006REXAfter it shut its doors in 2016 the death of Built as a memorial to Queen Victoria’s husband the Royal Albert Hall’s vast rotunda was once described by the monarch as looking like ‘the British constitution’ It has been the venue for the (now BBC) Proms since 1941 despite acoustics that do orchestras few favours The Royal Albert Hall's splendid exterior is matched by the regal red and gold interior which is crowned by a domed stained-glass skylight the Royal Albert Hall has hosted talks from countless iconic figures including key members of the Suffragette movement To see one of the 360-odd events programmed by the Royal Albert Hall each year that range from classical orchestral concerts and contemporary gigs to circus key events in the calendar include an annual residency from circus extravaganza Cirque du Soleil the ‘In Concert’ series and a hugely eclectic season of Christmas concerts. In addition to seasonal tours during the Proms the RAH also runs tours of the venue which gives an insight into its rich history and hidden secrets Expect to hear stories about the time the Hall was flooded with 56,000 litres of water for an opera concert and the séance that once took place there You might even be lucky to catch a sound check as you're guided around the venue. Tours of the world-famous venue run 10am-4.30pm daily. Adult tickets for tour cost £18.50, Concessions £16.50 and Children £10.50. Tickets for the Royal Albert Hall’s other events are available via the website. we’d suggest joining the ‘become a friend’ scheme for £45 per year. The privileges include priority booking 10% off in the shop and free use of the cloakrooms Daisy Green's slow march across London continues with their latest opening They're opening just around the corner from South Kensington tube station, taking over from Brown and Rosie on the lower end of Exhibition Road. We're getting full details about the launch soon but we do know it'll be taking its influence from the nearby Victoria & Albert Museum They're promising "fabulous style and tongue in cheek humour" and they'll also be commissioning art from Rose Blake and Collagism among others Blake will be in charge of the art in the William Morris inspired Green Room downstairs which will feature over 25 portraits of fashion icons by the artist. We'll have more news on the food and drink very soon but expect it to have a similar Australian brunch vibe to the other Daisy Greens. This will all be extremely handy before or after visits to the museums or if you're heading up to the Royal Albert Hall. Find out more: Visit the Daisy Green website or follow them on Instagram @daisygreencollection View on Google maps Welcome to bdonline.co.uk. This site uses cookies. Read our policy By Tom Lowe2024-07-12T11:38:00+01:00 Transport for London and Native Land looking for ways to reduce costs on highly controversial scheme approved at appeal last year The new Bullnose building under RSHP's South Kensington proposals Thurloe Street view of RSHP's South Kensington proposals The new Bullnose building in Cromwell Place New homes at Pelham Place under RSHP's South Kensington proposals Aerial view of RSHP's South Kensington plans Transport for London and Native Land are looking for ways to “value engineer” the design of RSHP’s highly controversial redevelopment at South Kensington tube station The transport body and the developer are assessing options to reduce construction costs on the mixed-use scheme which was approved at appeal in December last year two years after being rejected by councillors amid a storm of local opposition The plans are currently set to provide 50 new homes a range of shops and restaurants and a four-storey office block which will require the demolition of the station’s two-storey “Bullnose” building But TfL’s property company Places for London said it was now working with Native Land to “further establish costs and viability” on the scheme adding it was “revalidating the project’s requirements and scope and seeking opportunities to value engineer the design” It is understood the outline of the scheme will not change but the pair are considering more cost effective ways to deliver a project which has already faced years of funding and planning delays The current Bullnose building in South Kensington RSHP’s plans are the sixth separate set of proposals to be worked up for the site since the 1980s all of which have been hit by strident opposition from heritage campaigners John McAslan & Partners and Buckley Gray Yeoman were responsible for previous schemes Campaign group Save Britain’s Heritage said the latest RSHP-designed vision for the site threatened to overwhelm South Kensington’s famously airy and low-rise station with “anywheresville” office buildings “We have consistently supported the principle of new development but always argued it should reflect the low-scale village character of the conservation area,” the group said in a statement last year. “TfL’s 2014 development brief set out just such a vision for a conservation-led scheme lead member for planning and public realm at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea described last year’s decision by the planning inspector to overturn the council’s rejection as a “disappointing blow” for people who live in the area “South Kensington is a world class destination Destinations need transport links and development “Certainly not at the cost of the area’s recognisably distinctive and much-loved character.” Places for London have said the approved plans would enhance the South Kensington Station buildings and the surrounding streets Native Land chief executive Alasdiar Nicholls has described the redevelopment as a “high-quality scheme that will protect the heritage of the station while bringing a renewed sense of place to South Kensington.” Proposals for 99 Bishopsgate set to be among the largest office towers in the Square Mile a spa and a restaurant for Korean-American chef Akira Back Planning inspector overturns council refusal of all proposals except introduction of shop fronts to grade II-listed subway The centre will contain buildings up to nine storeys in height Plans designed by Gensler for a £1bn cancer research and treatment centre in south London have been submitted for planning by developers Aviva Capital Partners and Socius Retrofit of 150 Aldersgate includes new terraces a reconfigured entrance and a public art installation Howells also scoops two awards for Birmingham office scheme and a cafe at a grade I-listed country house Site powered by Webvision Cloud From Michelin-starred establishments to charming bistros South Kensington offers stunning views and fabulous food From Michelin-starred establishments to charming bistros, South Kensington caters to every palate and occasion Whether you’re seeking authentic Mediterranean flavours South Kensington has something to satisfy your cravings the borough of Kensington is undoubtedly one of the capital’s most fascinating spots Each restaurant on this list has been carefully chosen by a member of our team Our editors and the Secret London team rely on personal experiences and thorough research to bring you the finest dining spots in the city We are constantly on the lookout for new places with delicious food and excellent service This list is regularly updated as we discover new openings and revisit established favourites The restaurant also serves creative cocktails making it a popular spot for both casual dining and special occasions Address: 92 Kensington High Street, W8 4SH, United Kingdom View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dinings SW3 (@dinings_sw3) Address: Walton House, Lennox Gardens Mews, Walton Street, SW3 2JH. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Claude Bosi (@claudebosi1) this fine dining establishment focuses on seasonal ingredients presented in imaginative ways—such as mackerel bolognese with squid ink linguine or lamb rump paired with goat curd and herbs Address: 4 Derry Street, W8 5SE, United Kingdom View this post on Instagram A post shared by Launceston Place Restaurant (@launcestonplace) Address: 1A Launceston Place, W8 5RL, United Kingdom View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bar Margaux (@barmargaux) Address: 152 Old Brompton Road, SW5 0BE, United Kingdom View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cacciari’s Asia (@cacciaris_asia) Address: 21 Bute Street, South Kensington, SW7 3EY, United Kingdom View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pravaas London (@pravaas.london) Address: PRAVAAS, 3 Glendower Place, South Kensington, SW7 3DU, United Kingdom View this post on Instagram A post shared by Suzette London (@suzette.ldn) Address: 16 Bute Street, South Kensington, London SW7 3EX, United Kingdom View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ognisko (@ogniskorestaurant) Address: 55 Exhibition Road, SW7 2PG, United Kingdom View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wright Brothers (@wrightbrosltd) This seafood restaurant is renowned for its fresh oysters and classic seafood dishes served in an elegant yet relaxed environment Upstairs features a Belle Époque-styled dining room while downstairs offers a moody oyster bar perfect for casual drinks or pre-dinner snacks Menu highlights include grilled wild Argentinian prawns and house-cured smoked salmon The menu features traditional Italian dishes made with fresh ingredients sourced from local suppliers Hospitality & Catering News the South Kensington store is designed as a grab-and-go destination catering to commuters The location will also offer a small number of indoor seats for those looking to enjoy their cupcakes alongside freshly brewed coffee or tea This opening marks the first of many new locations planned for Lola’s Cupcakes in 2025 following a record-breaking sales year in 2024 The company’s continued growth highlights its success in bringing hand-crafted high-quality cupcakes to communities across London and beyond Lola’s will hold a giveaway of 250 Tiny cupcakes on Friday giving customers the perfect chance to try Lola’s signature treats said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring Lola’s to South Kensington This location in the South Kensington Station Arcade is a fantastic fit for us hand-crafted cupcakes in such a bustling and iconic part of the city.” The new South Kensington store is expected to become a popular local spot combining Lola’s much-loved bakes with a convenient and welcoming environment Copyright © · Hospitality & Catering News Welcome to building.co.uk. This site uses cookies. Read our policy A festival focused on the future of digital construction By Tom Lowe2024-07-15T10:43:00+01:00 Destinations need transport links and development but not at any cost,” he said Native Land chief executive Alasdiar Nicholls has described the redevelopment as a “high-quality scheme that will protect the heritage of the station while bringing a renewed sense of place to South Kensington” Housebuilder adds it is on track to complete up to 11,500 homes this year Housebuilder expects full-year operating profit of around £444m DESNZ will boost green skills under its Warm Homes Plan through financial awards Former Interserve subsidiary posts turnover of £542m for 2024 150 Aldersgate was fully pre-let to social media giant prior to completion and includes new terraces Set to open at the end of January 2025, the South Kensington store is designed as a grab-and-go destination catering to commuters, museum visitors, and residents. The location will also offer a small number of indoor seats for those looking to enjoy their cupcakes alongside freshly brewed coffee or tea. This opening marks the first of many new locations planned for Lola’s Cupcakes in 2025, following a record-breaking sales year in 2024. The company’s continued growth highlights its success in bringing hand-crafted, high-quality cupcakes to communities across London and beyond. To celebrate the grand opening, Lola’s will hold a giveaway of 250 Tiny cupcakes on Friday, 7th February, available on a first-come, first-served basis, while stocks last. No purchase will be necessary, giving customers the perfect chance to try Lola’s signature treats. Asher Budwig, managing director of Lola’s Cupcakes, said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring Lola’s to South Kensington. This location in the South Kensington Station Arcade is a fantastic fit for us. We can’t wait to welcome commuters, locals, and visitors to experience our delicious, hand-crafted cupcakes in such a bustling and iconic part of the city.” The new South Kensington store is expected to become a popular local spot, combining Lola’s much-loved bakes with a convenient and welcoming environment. This May, Heathrow is relaunching its annual whisky festival with a bold new twist. Introducing... Costa Coffee, the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop*, is thrilled to reveal that its Cardinal Place... Lakeside Shopping Centre, the internationally renowned shopping, dining and leisure space owned by SGS Group,... Klarna, the AI-powered payments and commerce network, crossed 11 million active customers and has doubled... Côte Brasserie is bringing the timeless charm of French hospitality into the home like never... Wickes is proud to announce it has reached its £2 million fundraising target for The... Lola’s has announced the opening of its latest London location in South Kensington situated at 10 South Kensington Station Arcade The new store will bring Lola’s signature hand-crafted cupcakes to one of London’s busiest and most iconic neighbourhoods following a record-breaking sales year in 2024 Lola’s will hold a giveaway of 250 Tiny cupcakes on Friday said:“We’re incredibly excited to bring Lola’s to South Kensington combining Lola’s much-loved bakes with a convenient and welcoming environment.