Best new bars and restaurants: London, September 2023
From the Peckham favourite bringing its wares to the National Theatre, to a futuristic sushi restaurant and a hangout for Kens…
Forza wine at the National Theatre, South Bank
The NT’s food and drink offering is going from strength to strength. In May, they brought in the guys behind Hackney’s stellar gastropub The Marksman, who have provided the institution with an upmarket dining experience in the form of new restaurant Lasdun. Now, they’ve called in the team behind Peckham wine and small-plates joint Forza Wine to cater for the sippers and pickers. Expect seasonal drinks and gourmet snacks that, in their own words, are ‘sort of Italian’.
Read more ...CHŪŌ, Shoreditch
It’s Tech 1, Workforce 0 at this futuristic Japanese restaurant. Claiming to operate Europe’s first sushi monorail system, it sees dishes delivered to guests on wheels. ‘We’ve tried this before at Yo! Sushi,’ you say. Not quite: while sushi conveyor belts have been in the UK for some time, the difference here is that dishes are made fresh to order. It’s just cutting out the role of waiters essentially, which we can’t say we fully support at a time when the threat of AI taking over jobs is becoming ever-more worrying. However, a meal here will certainly be a novelty.
Read more ...Hiden, Finsbury Park
‘Don’t overcomplicate it’ could be the motto behind grab-and-go curry outlet Hiden. It serves just three dishes: beef curry, its milder chicken-based equivalent and a lentil-based vegan option. Who needs more? Having found success at Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, the egg-yellow, minimalist restaurant is opening a second branch in Finsbury Park, where there’s room for just 23 diners. Here, the offering will be very much the same, because, to borrow another motto, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.
Read more ...Ken’s, Exmouth Market
Had they already named it Ken’s, or did a certain Barbie movie and subsequent torrent of ‘he’s just Ken’ memes inspire the naming? We may never know. But the team behind Dalston’s trendy wine bar Dan’s (pictured) are opening a ‘fun time restaurant’ in Exmouth Market. Heading up the kitchen is chef-director Fergus Shields (of Sessions Arts Club and Noble Rot acclaim), while the wine list will champion… you’ve guessed it… natural varieties.
Read more ...Honey & Co Daily, Bloomsbury
Can Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, chef-proprietors of Middle Eastern delight Honey & Co and its offshoots, put a foot wrong? We don’t think so. So news that they’re opening a new deli, bakery & café close to the original restaurant was met with a 'hurrah!' at CW's headquarters. In addition to baked goods, expect sandwiches, salads, dips and the like. A casual affair, it’ll sate your cravings when you’re in the area but don't fancy the faff or formalities of a full meal out.
Read more ...Finch Wine Bar, Brixton
South Londoners, we see you! As do the team behind Finch, a new wine bar from the Grays and Feather company of Covent Garden’s Plume. It’s the latest in a line of wine bars (see also Brixton Laundry, and Bottle and Rye) bringing seriously studied vinos to SW9. Self-described as a ‘pocket-size cabinet of curiosities’, it’ll showcase English varieties first and foremost, while the bar snacks promised sound just as enticing: lobster and crawfish roll, anybody? With just 12 seats inside, you'll want to plan your visit wisely.
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