Best new London openings
From pop-ups and residencies to brand spanking new kitchens, there are always exciting places to eat across London.
As someone who is a capital F for Fan of eating out and never washing up, I follow new openings in the city as if my social life and weekly “What shall I eat today?” conundrum depended on it.
Having done the research for you, I can confirm these are the best new London restaurant openings, plus a sprinkling of those due to open their doors this spring.
Câv
Chris Tanner and Edwin Frost of Dram and Oranj, respectively, have recently opened East London Câv. The spot is part bar, part restaurant residency.
Popping up in the kitchen currently is Tasca London, with head chef Josh Dallaway bringing diners a fresh take on the flavours of Spain and Portugal.
You can expect thoughtful dishes like a refined jambon beurre gilda and a reimagined cachorrinho sandwich. In their words, ‘Each bite is designed to highlight quality, simplicity, and authentic regional taste.’
To complement the cuisine, sommelier Sinead Murdoch has curated a wine list that showcases sustainable practices and female winemakers, with 80% of the selections coming from women-led ventures. Go on, the girlies.
Bethnal Green, E2 | cav255.london
Dough Hands at The Old Nun’s Head
Hannah Drye does pizza pies like no other. Ignoring the slander of putting tuna on a pizza, a Dough Hands special is the Tunduja. Spicy and immune to your judgements, it’s a must-order at the new residency at The Old Nun’s Head.
This is the second pub home for Dough Hands after success at Hackney’s Spurstowe Arms, meaning you can now get your fix in East and South.
Exceptional mentions also include the cheese and onion (topped with actual crisps), the Jode, and the tequila pie. Be sure to grab all of these when they grace the menu because the more, the merrier.
And remember to smother whatever pizza you choose in Dough Hands’ very own ‘Hackney Hotty’ hot sauce. Drench it, drown it, and enjoy it.
Nunhead, SE15, and Hackney, E8 | Dough Hands’ Instagram
Sandwich Sandwich
Extra large and overly stuffed, of course it’s Sandwich Sandwich, and it’s just opened a second site less than a year after its first central London location.
The sandwich shop originally from Bristol has pleased tourists and City workers alike with huge sandwiches that don’t compromise on flavour.
Fillings include the classic coronation chicken with mild curried mayo, raisins, cucumber, and iceberg with mango chutney and mint yoghurt, and the Sandwich Sandwich spin on a chicken Kyiv but between two slices of white or granary.
You’ll also find hot sandos, which are filled with posh fish and chips or an elevated onion bhaji, as well as soft-boiled Scotch eggs, flatbreads, and sweet treats to combat your mid-afternoon sleepiness.
St Paul’s, EC2V, and Fenchurch Street, EC3R | sandwichsandwich.co.uk
The Pocket
There’s not much better than a trip to the pub, especially one with the promise to be this good. Recently opened, The Pocket is the little sister of Kentish Town’s The Southampton Arms.
They are replicating the same dedication to sourcing independent beers and ciders to serve on tap, and it introduces a menu of pies and pasties to snack on and a selection of British cheeses. Basically, the dream pub menu.
A small piano sits inside, where you can enjoy live music throughout the week. With no Wi-Fi and a fire burning, The Pocket is a tiny, old-timey escape.
Islington, N1 | The Pocket’s Instagram
Noodle & Beer
Spitalfields has been home to Noodle & Beer since 2020, and it’s just opened a second location in the heart of Chinatown. It does what it says on the tin, and it does it well. Tuck into noodles – drowned in steamy soup, or not – and sip on Noodle & Beer house larger.
Inspired by the lively, social spirit of the Sichuan region, the new spot will keep the energy going with hot food served until 4 am every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Catch me in the basement dining room, not knowing when the night should end on my once-a-year Soho excursion.
Top tip: upgrade your noodz to handmade thick noodles for extra chew and deliciousness.
Chinatown, W1D | noodleandbeer.com
hello JoJo
Taking over from the old Forza Win site in Camberwell, Hello Jojo is a new concept restaurant bringing you day-to-night dining, opening in April.
From the bakery, expect fresh bread and pastries, with playful twists on traditional recipes, and South London-roasted speciality coffee.
The restaurant menu will evolve throughout the day, from banging breakfast classics to bountiful salads and pasta come lunchtime, and a more refined offering in the evening.
For sipping, low-intervention wines and local beers will be on tap, along with a selection of seasonal cocktails.
This is a combination that will have you saying hello JoJo, again and again and again.
Camberwell, SE5 | hellojojo.co.uk
One Club Row
Opening 9 April, One Club Row takes its name from the address of the Grade II listed Shoreditch building. Inspired by the brasseries of Paris and taverns of New York, the kitchen is led by culinary director Patrick Powell and head chef Attila Gellen, and the sample menu looks unreal.
Expect delicacies such as lobster and country ham croquettes, French onion soup, Comte and gruyere, and the One Club Row house salad, with French dressing, shallot, and soft herb.
If you’re looking for a place to spend an overly long lunch or a dinner that turns into “just one more martini, please”, then it seems One Club Row is the place to go.
Plus, above the restaurant are a series of private dining rooms, in the former apartment of the previous owners, which were once known for some particularly unruly house parties. True to the building’s history, these old spaces will once again return to hosting parties and private events. Be ready for raucousness.
Shoreditch, E1 | oneclubrow.com
IKEA Oxford Street
After what feels like an age, IKEA on Oxford Street is opening on 1 May – forget flatpacks, though, I’ll be heading straight to the restaurant for a meatballs and Daim fix.
Soho, W1T | ikea.com
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