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 September. From celebrity-approved rigatoni to caviar-topped tuna tartare, here are five you won’t want to miss.
CÉ LA VI, Paddington
Best for: sky-high Asian cuisine.
Order: miso Chilean sea bass.
CÉ LA VI will take the title of West London’s highest rooftop restaurant when it opens later this month. It’ll also take your taste buds to new heights with its sharing-style menu stacked with showstoppers – like miso Chilean sea bass with a green Szechuan sauce and black truffle risotto with Parmesan mousse – perfect for passing plates around the table. Such is life.
Opening: 12th September | celavi-london.com
1 Paddington Sq, W2 1DL
Solaya, Shoreditch
Best for: dinner with a view.
Order: bouillabaisse with lobster.
Shoreditch is in for a sky-high treat when multi-Michelin-starred chef Kenny Atkinson opens his first London outpost on the 25th floor of art’otel London Hoxton. Heads up: the sleek, O-shaped restaurant offers sweeping skyline views from every seat. But don’t let that distract you from the equally impressive Southern France-inspired dishes: silky scallop crudo, tangy steak tartare with confit yolk, and lobster bouillabaisse (a Provençal seafood stew). Sounds right up our Rivington Street.
Opening: 12th September | solaya.com
1–3 Rivington St, EC2A 3DT
Kudu, Marylebone
Best for: South African dishes.
Order: Parmesan churros.
Kudus to Kudu – after eight successful years in Peckham, this South African sensation is dashing north to Marylebone. We’re already peckish for dishes in the running, such as the Parmesan churros with miso mayonnaise and a sprinkling of smoked paprika, or the oysters topped with trout roe and tomato dashi. The full details are still under wraps, but one thing’s for sure: don’t walk, sprint to Moxon Street.
Opening: 16th September | kudu.com
7 Moxon St, W1U 4EP
Carbone London, Mayfair
Best for: celeb sightings and creamy pasta sauces.
Order: spicy rigatoni vodka.
NYC’s Manhattan hotspot is hopping over the pond to make its European debut in Mayfair – fittingly housed in the former U.S. Embassy-turned-hotel, The Chancery Rosewood. A mega celeb magnet, this Italian-American spot is set to draw the same starry footfall, plenty of paparazzi, and palate-pleasers like its equally viral, velvety, spicy rigatoni vodka.
Opening: 16th September | carbone.com
24–31 Grosvenor Sq, W1A 2LQ
Aki London, Mayfair
Best for: European-Japanese cuisine.
Order: tuna tartare.
There’s a new Kyoto-inspired kid in town – and we’re already putting our money on it being one of the capital’s hottest openings (partly because it’s inside a former Grade II-listed banking hall on Cavendish Square). The tuna tartare with Japanese brown puffed rice is worth its weight in caviar-topped gold and the hay-smoked scallop with tofu and apple tosazu jelly is sure to drum up some serious interest.
Opening: 20th September | aki-london.com
