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 February. From London’s loftiest dining venue to the UK capital outpost of a French Riviera classic, here are five to add to your list.
La Môme
It’s been almost a year since Marcus Wareing closed the doors to his beloved restaurant at The Berkeley. But this month, they’ll be opened once again by restaurateurs (and brothers) Ugo and Antoine Lecorché, AKA the minds behind the pair of A-lister La Môme hangouts in Cannes and Monte Carlo. They say they want to ‘bring the elegance of the 1960s French Riviera to Belgravia’, and they’re doing so via Slim Aarons photographs, nightly live music, and a menu that favours tableside preparation (try the flame-grilled fish of the day).
The Berkeley Hotel, Wilton Pl, SW1X 7RL
Alba Restaurant
Here comes the sun. No, this isn’t the start of a Beatles song, but just the beginning for Knightsbridge’s brand-new Italian restaurant, named after the sunrise. Surrounded by canary yellow and the scent of real citrus trees, Alba shines brightly on Brompton Road but will send you straight to southern Italy. Start with Sicilian carpaccio gambero rossi di Mazara (red prawns freshly caught from the coast), followed by tagliatelle topped with slivers of white truffle.
70 Brompton Rd, SW3 1ER
Gordon Ramsay at 22 Bishopsgate
It’s high time we talk about London’s latest (and loftiest) dining venue: a 12-seat chef’s table in the clouds from the team behind the celebrity chef’s three-Michelin-starred Chelsea restaurant. But that’s not all – he’s also opening four further sites in the capital’s tallest skyscraper, including the much-loved Lucky Cat on level 60 which will take the title of the UK’s highest restaurant. He’ll be taking bonito fried duck leg bao bun with spicy hoisin sauce and pickled apple to the next level – literally.
22 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AJ
Voyage with Adam Simmonds
Adam Simmonds is always up to something. And after stints at the Ritz, Le Gavroche, and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, the Michelin-starred chef is making his own mark at The Megaro Hotel in King’s Cross this month. The menu will mirror the restaurant’s minimalistic, Scandi-inspired interiors with simple yet standout dishes such as tender, thyme-crumbed venison, served with ember-roasted beetroot and blackberry vinegar.
23 Euston Rd, NW1 2SD
HIMI London
Sushi lovers, listen up: London’s first neo-Izakaya (modernised takes on traditional Japanese dishes) has landed – and here’s the lowdown. After temporarily closing Roji, their much-raved-about Mayfair restaurant, husband-and-wife duo Tamas Naszai and Tomoko Hasegawa have returned to spice up Soho’s dining scene. Cop a spot at the eight-seat chef’s table to chat with the chefs and order the isobe-age: hand-dived scallop tempura wrapped with seaweed – it’s hands down the best dish.
