The Best New Restaurants in London This Summer
Another day, another restaurant opening in London. While we always love more options to mix up the eating-out routine, the question of how to choose is always a difficult one. Lucky for you, we’ve picked through the onslaught of new spots to help make sure you never have to eat somewhere less spectacular than you are. On the docket are a few new Basque tastes, Mexican worth snacking on, plenty of seafood, and more...
Eneko at One Aldwych
StrandHoused in the grand hotel over at One Aldwych, this new Basque restaurant has a few aces up its sleeve. This spot has been developed by the talented hands of chef Eneko Atxa -- who already has a cool three Michelin stars over at Azurmendi in Spain. Taking the best flavours of his home region and updating them for a fresh, modern take, and focusing on easy eating, quality, and simplicity, the menu is divided up into the classifications sea, land, and garden. Think dishes like Basque chicken liver parfait served with txakoli apple, and seared duck with oyster mushrooms and pickled red onion.
Casita Andina
SohoMartin Morales returns to where it all began with his second Soho spot. Taking his East London hit, Andina, and making it a little more concentrated, this bi-level 58-seater offers a fully gluten-free menu. Some of the ingredients are bought directly from Peruvian farmers, including the chocolate, chilies, and quinoa. The decor is traditionally Peruvian, and the pisco bar is very much worth admiring. Tucked away on Great Windmill St, this is a perfect oasis from the busy central life.
Clipstone
FitzroviaThe little sister to the much-lauded, Michelin-starred restaurant Portland, Clipstone is testing to see if lightning will strike twice. This spot echoes its predecessor’s minimalistic rustic decor, friendly yet polite service, and a serious focus on fresh and local ingredients -- it’s very clear that the two spots are related, and that’s not a bad thing. Try to grab one of the pavement-side tables, where we recommend ordering the flatbreads (one option involves slow-cooked goat, aubergine, yoghurt, and mint), and sipping one of the delicious wines available on tap.
Squirrel
KensingtonWhile the thought of eating like a squirrel might leave some a bit nonplussed, the Inception Group has taken an interesting spin on it. Falling somewhere between a grab-and-go number and a kitschy cafe, this place is all about healthy eating, with properly balanced bowls of cold salads, hot grains, and fresh juices. Better known for bars like Bunga Bunga and Cahoots, Inception Group's new spot is alcohol-free, and features an indoor treehouse (no, really) where you can munch your ridiculously colourful and tasty bowl of health and look out at the treetops.
SAGARDI
ShoreditchAfter conquering Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Portugal, Grupo SAGARDI has come to London with this massive space on Curtain Rd. Boasting 141 seats, this space is divided up into a separate bar space and a huge dining room, a kitchen built around a central charcoal grill, and an exposed dry-aging room where protein is visibly hanging from the ceiling. The food is mainly inspired by San Sebastian and the coastal region, offering up plenty of fresh fish, plus a wine list filled with Basque wines, sherry, and ciders.
Belpassi Bros
TootingThis band of brothers ditched their day jobs for a pilgrimage across Italy in search of the perfect meatballs. After spending the last couple years slinging their tasty meat on the street and in Spitalfields, they finally put down roots in this 40-seater on Tooting High St. They’ve filled out beyond just the spherical start, adding polenta, cicchetti, salumi, and sandwiches.
Killer Tomato
Shepherd's BushLooking for good Mexican food in London is a bit like a hunt for a tube line that doesn’t have service delays. Luckily, Shepherd's Bush is now home to a permanent location for the formerly roving burrito stall. Serving up its famous Torpedo Burrito, which has a guac-filled taquito wrapped in the middle(!), Killer Tomato has also added a few new treats, like deep-fried avocado tostadas, cheeseburger tacos, and more.
Rök Islington
IslingtonAfter beating the odds with its tiny, out-of-the-way first venture, the Swedish smokehouse has expanded north to a Grade II-listed building on Upper St. Executive chef Matt Young has once again created a menu filled with super-easy sharing dishes full of delicate and unusual flavours, like beef rump with creamed cow's curd and sorrel vinegar, along with old favourites from the original location. The ever-talented Mr. Matt Whiley is once again behind the drinks, with a cocktail list filled with esoteric and delicious ingredients, and an expanded wine list.
Cure & Cut
Covent GardenThe latest on the Jewish deli-inspired train, this spot is filled with all things cured, smoked, spiced, and cut. Open from 8am on, it'll let you in to try freshly baked fig & honey muffins. Or come by before it closes at 9pm for bigger dishes like the house specialty of pepper-cured pastrami with Tewkesbury mustard and pickles on honey-rye. Armed with a liquor license, it'll be adding craft wine and beer shortly.
Chicama
ChelseaPescetarians rejoice; this one is just for you. Little sister to the ever-popular Pachamama in Marylebone, this seafood-only Peruvian spot is headed up by head chef Erren Nathaniel, who earned his stripes over at acclaimed Nikkei in New York, as well as London spots like Viajante, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, and 28-50. Seafood is at the center of the eating game here, with dishes like tuna tiradito, smoked tamari egg with black radish, and crispy confit sea bass rolls vying for your attention, along with a killer cocktail menu filled with plenty of agave, pisco, and Japanese whisky. Pro tip: ask about the 12-seater chef’s table.
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