We know you’re a sucker for a new opening. Just the word ‘new’ in the title of this article was enough to lure you in, the promise of fresh drinking and dining spots too enticing to miss. And luckily, London has one of the most exciting food scenes in the world; an ever-changing tapestry of fusion flavours, best-in-class chefs, and ritzy, glitzy openings you simply must try.
So, as we’re the world’s leading luxury lifestyle group, we’ve selected the finest new restaurants this July. From posh pub grub to pan-Asian pizzazz, here are five you won’t want to miss.
The Chalk Freehouse, Chelsea
Best for: posh pints and polished pub grub.
Over in SW3, Tom Kerridge and Head Chef Tom De Keyser are swapping your usual scampi and Scotch eggs for a Chelsea spin on classic pub grub. Or, if we’re being more precise, ‘nduja and smoked mozzarella sausage rolls to start, followed by Cornish crab with crushed Jersey Royal potato salad and brown crab aioli. The Chalk is the city cousin of his two-Michelin-starred The Hands and Flowers in Marlow – and we’ve no doubt the family resemblance will soon show.
Opened: 16th June | thechalkfreehouse.com
25–27 Tryon St, SW3 3LG
Island, King’s Cross
Best for: surf and turf.
If you can’t pick sides between seafood or sirloin, Tom Brown (Pearly Queen) and Brad Carter (Carters of Moseley)’s latest spot will be right up your street – or rather, right inside Mare Street Market. Brown’s on the surf, Carter’s on the turf, and together they’re cooking up creative combos like quail stuffed with prawn paella or mussels cooked in duck-fat coconut curry. And for those after a throwback, they’re mixing fishbowl cocktails – a definite upgrade from your uni days.
Opened: 1st July | island.com
2 Lewis Cubitt Sq, N1C 4DY
Battuta, Hyde Park
Best for: a pop-up from the legendary Yannick Alléno.
Yannick Alléno is a man with 17 Michelin stars under his belt – but he’s also a man who’s just opened a pop-up at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane until 30th September. Set on the hotel’s al fresco terrace, Battuta brings spice-slicked sharing plates bursting with Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African bites. Think mango-and-black-sesame-stuffed samosas, couscous with clams and green sauce, or etlimek flatbread topped with tender minced beef, lamb, and a yoghurt dressing.
Opened: 1st July | battuta.com
Hamilton Pl, Park Ln, W1J 7DR
Shanghai Me London, Hyde Park
Best for: Pan-Asian flavours at altitude.
After dazzling diners in Dubai and Doha, this Art Deco-dressed restaurant is about to touch down in London. After swooshing up the lifts to the 28th floor of Hyde Park’s tallest tower, you’ll sink your teeth (and chopsticks) into pan-Asian plates, from a dim sum library featuring steamed Wagyu and kimchi dumplings to black truffle-topped yellowtail carpaccio and spicy bluefin tuna oshizushi. All with 360-degree views of the capital’s skyline.
Opened: 21st July | shanghaime.com
22 Park Ln, W1K 1BE
MOI, Soho
Best for: standout sushi in Soho.
Yes, Soho is practically swimming in sushi spots – but none are set to make a splash quite like MOI. This two-storey space from Andy Cook (former Executive Chef at Soho Farmhouse) and Nick Tannett (Endo at the Rotunda) features a stunning spiral staircase that seems straight out of the Kardashian klan’s pads. But interiors aside, it’s the Japanese-inspired plates that have piqued our interest. Artichokes smoked with caviar on magnolia leaves? Orkney scallops glazed with juniper kombu? Consider us hooked.
Opening: 29th July | moi.com
