By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food
With plenty of exciting restaurant openings constantly taking place across the Capital, here’s our pick of the best new restaurants arriving in London over the coming month.
Ever since their initial inception as a pop-up restaurant, Flat Iron has become increasingly popular. So popular, in fact, that they’re set to open a third restaurant this month, in Covent Garden’s Henrietta Street. As is the case with the two restaurants already open in Soho, the new Flat Iron restaurant will take no reservations, although with a huge 180-cover space, it should be slightly easier to secure a table and one of their signature £10 steaks. What’s more, the new outpost will also feature a new dessert approach, a strong focus on British craft beer, plus an in-house working butchery located in the middle of the restaurant.
Flat Iron is set to open on December 3rd and can be found at 17-18 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8QH.
Fresh from having opened a second restaurant in Fitzrovia just weeks ago, Homeslice pizza will be opening a brand new site on Shoreditch’s Old Street this weekend – located next to the Town Hall and The Clove Club. Taking over a venue with space for 100 customers across a two-floor dining area, outdoor courtyard, and designated takeaway area – there will also be an open kitchen serving 20-inch pizzas either whole or by the slice. Alongside the seasonal pizza toppings on offer, the drinks list will comprise various organic wines served by the magnum, and Frizzante prosecco on tap to wash down the titanic pizza portions.
Homeslice is set to open on December 5th and can be found at 374-378 Old Street, London, EC1V 9LT.
Following the launch of the recently opened Ivy Café in Marylebone, yet another sister restaurant to The Ivy will open its doors in the coming weeks, located opposite the main entrance to Kensington High Street tube station. Set to offer accessible and sophisticated food, the modern British menu will be all encompassing. Breakfast and brunch highlights include avocado and spinach Benedict, and griddled buttermilk pancakes with streaky bacon and maple syrup. Meanwhile, the all-day menu will boast the likes of grilled while lobster, brioche crumbed chicken Milanese, and more. There will also be an extensive cocktail list with 12 new specially crafted drinks.
The Ivy Kensington Brasserie is set to open on December 15th and can be found at 96 Kensington High Street, London W8 4SG.
After opening one of our favourite new restaurants – The Richmond – earlier in the year, Brett Redman is set to open another in the same area. Having teamed up with fellow Australian and first-time restaurateur Natalie Lee-Joe, Jidori will serve as the pair’s Japanese yakitori restaurant, inspired by extensive travels to Japan. A strong emphasis on yakitori skewers grilled over coal will be the main attraction, alongside a number of Japanese-inspired small plates and rice dishes. The theme will also continue with a cocktail list that uses mainly Japanese spirits, as well as having a selection of Japanese craft beers on offer.
Jidori is set to open on December 4th and can be found at 89 Kingsland High Street, London, E8 2PB.
With the success of ex-Gaucho executive Martin Williams’ first solo venture – M Restaurants – opened in the city earlier this year, it’s been announced that a second opening is set to grace Victoria’s Zig Zag building. As is the case with the original city opening, M will be split into two restaurants – both M-Grill and M-Raw. The former will focus primarily on specialty steak cuts, including expensive Kobe, while the latter features exactly what the name suggests – a selection of tartares, sushi, sashimi, and tiraditos, while there will also be a number of Bento Boxes on offer. As well as the two restaurants, the new M will also have an adjoining wine shop that’s set to specialise in less easily attainable wines with over 100 bottles on offer.
M Restaurants is set to open on December 5th and can be found at 70 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6AQ.
Although already huge in America, Danny Meyer’s burger chain – has become unbelievably popular since opening their first UK outpost in London’s Covent Garden. And subsequent to a recent new opening at Stratford’s Westfield, plans have been announced for Shake Shack’s third London opening – just a stone’s throw from the Coven Garden original – to open this month, with a menu expected to be very similar to the Covent Garden branch. Trust us, the crinkle cut cheese fries – alone – make a visit to Shake Shack more than worthwhile, let alone the selection of burgers, hot dogs and incredible shakes.
Shake Shack is set to open on December 18th and can be found at 80 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1HB.
