#london-restaurants

#london-restaurants

London's dining scene has always been big on provenance, but a new breed of restaurants is taking things even further by curing, smoking, and ageing their own meats in-house. Curing and crafting in-house isn't just about chasing flavour, it allows chefs to control the quality of their product, reduce waste, and celebrate nose-to-tail cooking. From silky slices of coppa and spicy nduja to rich pâtés and terrines, these spots are cutting, curing, and serving up some of the city's best hand-made charcuterie.

The famous Simpson's Tavern - an 18th century London institution - is set to re-open next year. After over 250 years in business, the Grade II-listed restaurant closed in 2022 after a rent dispute . However, the team behind nearby restaurant and wine bar Cloth have taken over and will be relaunching the venue under the new name of Cloth Cornhill.

The Galvin brothers, Chris and Jeff, have been synonymous with the London restaurant scene since 2005, when they opened Galvin Bistrot de Luxe on London's Baker Street. With its sophisticated, intimate and urbane high-quality French bistrot, the restaurant changed the London scene, which had been in thrall to the super-brasseries of the 1990s such as Quaglino's, Mezzo and The Bank. Successive restaurants were established: Galvin Windows at the Hilton on Park Lane gave us rooftop glamour, and Galvin at The Athenaeum brought the brothers' classic dishes into the West End's hotel scene.

At the top end, sushi masters are practising a truly creative art, turning out delicate dishes that are almost too pretty to eat.

2025 is proving to be one of the most challenging years yet for the hospitality industry in the UK, with the increase in National Insurance contributions and London Living Wage, the decrease in business rates relief, and the 20% rate of VAT putting a huge strain on the industry. Venues continue to close, with two hospitality sites closing per day in the first six months of the year and the hospitality sector accounting for 53% of all job losses in the UK since the Budget.

Humble Grape, Bow Lane - the seventh location for the wine bar and importer - will launch in the Norman arches of St Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside this November. Better known as the Church of the Bow Bells, the church dates back to 1080, with the current building the work of Sir Christopher Wren, who rebuilt the church following the Great Fire of London in 1666.

opening at the Monohaus development in London Fields in October, will be a reflection of Ivan's 15-year exploration of food cultures and sustainability practices around the world. The menu will be British but with international influences and nods to the flavours of his childhood. It'll also be constantly evolving but you can expect dishes like morel har gow, brown crab tikka masala, and pickled cockle flatbread. He'll also be doing reimagined versions of old faves, like his fermented potato waffle and his fish fillet.

Big news for the south London massive - Nathaniel Mortley, aka NattyCanCook, is launching his very first restaurant. Opening in October 2210 by NattyCanCook will be landing in Herne Hill, serving up bold Caribbean flavours with a fine-dining twist. If you don't already know Natty, you're about to. He smashed it with his sold-out pop-up at The Greyhound in Peckham (and picked up Condé Nast Traveller's "One to Watch" award while he was at it).

Tom Cruise is known for his blockbuster roles, but it’s his love for a humble curry house in St Albans that’s making headlines.

The Sanxia Renjia restaurant in London, renowned for its authentic Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine, celebrates 15 years of offering customers deep-flavored dishes with Ma La spice.

Owner Xiaoxiao Wang has infused the menu with the riot of spicy flavours of Sichuan cuisine, while adding innovative twists inspired by his childhood and international influences.