13 London Openings To Have On Your Radar
JAKE EASTHAM
HOTELS
Georgian House Hotel, Pimlico
New for summer, Georgian House Hotel has expanded its accommodation offering with three private rentals, the Chinnery House Apartments. On a neighbouring street in Pimlico, the serviced apartments have all the benefits of the hotel (itself a lovely under-the-radar, affordable spot) with added privacy and flexibility. Ideal for longer stays or group getaways with friends or family, Chinnery House’s Scandi-meets-Victorian self-catered apartments sleep two to four people. Each has a different design: expect earthy warm tones on the walls, wooden floors, panelling, high ceilings and beautiful original windows. Each comes complete with a kitchenette, and breakfast consists of hampers of fresh juice, fruits and pastries delivered daily. Room service is provided via an app, allowing guests to order in from a handpicked list of local favourites, like an in-house Deliveroo.
Visit GeorgianHouseHotel.co.uk
The Skyline Penthouse At Ten Trinity Square, City
Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square has opened the Skyline Penthouse. The four-bedroom space is the largest of the hotel’s 35 residences, featuring a private gym, cosy cinema room, elegant office, state-of-the-art kitchen, open-plan living and dining spaces, and four full-marble bathrooms. Tucked inside one of the building’s historic turrets, the space offers sweeping views of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge below, visible from the floor-to-ceiling windows and wraparound rooftop terrace. The penthouse comes with 24-hour butler service and the hotel is on hand to organise any extras or itineraries its guests need.
Visit FourSeasons.com
The Emory, Belgravia
The Emory is London’s first all-suite hotel and the latest opening by Maybourne, the group behind Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Berkeley and wellness and longevity members club Surrenne. The hotel has 61 suites, complete with light-filled floor-to-ceiling glass windows set over nine floors, including a spectacular wraparound glass penthouse. Different floors showcase the creative aesthetic of a different world-class designer studios, including Champalimaud Design, Andre Fu, Pierre-Yves Rochon and Patricia Urquiola. Truly, the bedrooms are some of the best-looking we’ve seen in ages. On the food front, you’ll find abc kitchens from renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, where guests can experience his much-celebrated trilogy of restaurants from New York – abc kitchen, abcV and abc cocina – under one roof. Then, with unparalleled 360° views of the capital’s skyline, The Emory’s rooftop Bar 33 on the tenth floor is a special place for a nightcap.
Visit The-Emory.co.uk
Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair
One of the world’s most luxurious hotel brands has opened its second London outpost. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair joins its sister property in Hyde Park and is set on Hanover Square with the same contemporary interiors. Rooms and suites are filled with plush decorative accents and thoughtful touches to make your stay feel extra special, while the state-of-the-art spa features a 25m indoor pool, vitality pools, an ‘experience shower’ and rooms where you can enjoy bespoke treatments. Food-wise, we’ve enjoyed a lovely evening at Akira Back’s first UK restaurant, where diners can enjoy Japanese dishes including his signature ‘AB Tuna Pizza’ (genuinely a must-try), before slipping into the late-night cocktail bar.
Visit MandarinOriental.com
JAKE EASTHAM
RESTAURANTS
Henri, Soho
Renowned chef Jackson Boxer and the hospitality pioneers behind the Experimental Group have opened Henri, a Parisian-inspired restaurant. This collaboration follows their success at Cowley Manor Experimental in the Cotswolds, and once again draws on Boxer’s experience at leading London restaurants like Brunswick House and Orasay. Designer Dorothée Meilichzon has reimagined the space with a blend of French brasserie and British pub elements, featuring botanical shapes and art-nouveau accents. The menu, drawing on Boxer’s love of British suppliers, offers a range of snacks, entrées and dishes from the charcoal grill. Highlights include fried pieds de cochon, seaweed canelé, grilled snails, globe artichoke, roast duck and Brixham cod.
Visit HenriettaHotel.com
Paradise, Soho
Dom Fernando has reopened the doors to Paradise 2.0, with a design overhaul that softens its brutalist bones and a new set menu. The new-look Soho hotspot now offers a six-course menu in the evenings, with a choice of two menus, Land+Sea and Veg+Plant, and a selection of suggested drink pairings. An à la carte menu is available at lunchtimes, riffing off each course and highlighting producers and growers who inspire the team. The Sri Lankan restaurant’s new menus feature plenty of traditional cooking techniques, such as heritage clay pot cooking, creating in-house spice pastes, braising in coconut milk and bamboo grilling. The standout dish? Lamb saddle with black garlic curry, nettle and coconut, served with southern-style turmeric and saffron dahl, fried long aubergine and jaggery moju, Yorkshire rhubarb lunu-miris and hand-stretched buttermilk roti.
Visit ParadiseSoho.com
Julie’s, Holland Park
Neighbourhood restaurant Julie’s opened in W11 in November 1969. Named after its owner and interior designer, Julie Hodgess, the restaurant caught the eye of rock stars, Hollywood celebrities and royalty, including the Rolling Stones, Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Moss and Diana, Princess of Wales. What took place behind its curtained booths is the stuff of legend. Now the celebrated Holland Park restaurant has opened its doors once again. The much-loved dining and drinking haunt is under the direction of new owner Tara MacBain, showcasing a new look courtesy of interior design Rosanna Bossom and an all-day menu of French brasserie classics with contemporary twists – think skate wing and potato terrine; crab and scallop tortellini, spinach, brown shrimps and beurre blanc; and lobster caesar salad. Keep an eye out for the roving martini trolley to kick things off.
Visit JuliesRestaurant.com
Tollington’s, Stroud Green
Who needs a European city break in the diary when the talented team behind cult boozer The Plimsoll and Four Legs at the Compton Arms have opened Tollington’s, a fish bar in north London celebrating regional Spanish cooking? On Tollington Park, just off the high street on Stroud Green Road, it’s a classic neighbourhood fish and chip restaurant with a European twist. A light-touch refurbishment protects the historic building’s original details, including tiling, Formica and – most importantly – its original chip fryers. Dishes include cured, fresh and fried options, with beers, wines and vermouth by the glass.
Follow @Tollingtons.FishBar on Instagram.
BARS
Morchella Wine Bar, Clerkenwell
Perilla has been a Newington Green destination restaurant for years. Earlier this year, the pair behind it opened a new space in Exmouth Market with Great British Menu finalist Daniel Fletcher. In a former bank, and making the most of its high ceilings and huge windows, Morchella offers a modern interpretation of classical Mediterranean dishes prepared with seasonal produce. Most recently it’s opened its Wine Bar, next to the restaurant with its own entrance just around the corner off Rosoman Street. The bar serves snacks and small plates, with a short cocktail list and extensive choice of wines curated by co-founder Matthew Emmerson and head of wine Juste Karbauskaite, divided into coastal, classic and funky categories.
Visit MorchellaDining.co.uk
The Roof Gardens, Kensington
An 80s and 90s institution, Richard Branson’s Kensington Roof Gardens was a sky-high nightclub where everyone from Madonna to Kate Moss would hang out. Famed for its flock of flamingos, the sixth-floor space is now in the process of being relaunched as members club The Roof Gardens. Following a multimillion-pound refurbishment, membership applications are open now and – as we spied a collective of celebs and influencers being hosted there a few weeks back – we imagine the opening date is round the corner. As it’s a Grade II-listed site, its Spanish-style buildings will remain alongside its three striking gardens and famous skyline views.
Visit TheRoofGardens.com
Labombe, Bermondsey
Labombe Wine Bar at Trivet, the two Michelin-starred neighbourhood restaurant in Bermondsey, is a dedicated space for drinking and dining. Only open on Monday evenings, when the main restaurant takes a break, the bar serves a by-the-glass list from sommelier Isa Bal, complemented by bar bites from head chef Jonny Lake. Diners can enjoy wines from Isa's award-winning list alongside dishes like focaccia with salume rosa and farinata with onion and rosemary. Seasonal small plates include green asparagus with anchovy cream and scallop roe; and a hot tongue bun – brioche filled with braised angus wagyu ox tongue, anchovy mayo, pickles and blackcurrant mostarda.
Visit TrivetRestaurant.co.uk
The Hero, Maida Vale
The duo behind Notting Hill’s The Pelican and The Bull in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, have opened a third impressive site. The Hero in Maida Vale is a gorgeous four-storey space that makes the most of the building’s 1878 heritage – and has already received rave reviews in the broadsheets. The pub itself does traditional British comfort food (think brown crab and cucumber soup, ham, egg and chips, and smoked eel and bacon salad), while the Grill Room specialises in meats and fish cooked over an open fire, providing a more elevated experience with signature sharing dishes. The space features high ceilings and an open kitchen with traditional detailing, returning the room to its original grandeur. On the second floor, the Library is the place to enjoy classic cocktails and bartender-in-residence nights.
Visit TheHeroW9.com
Nyx, Mayfair
Members club Nyx is a fresh addition to London’s Mayfair nightlife. Found under popular new Greek restaurant Gaia in Mayfair, Nyx is a speakeasy club that offers an ‘immersive experience blending mythological inspiration with modern sophistication’. Among moody, atmospheric interiors – think lots of marble, individual table lamps, plush booths and mirrored ceilings – live DJs keep the party going until 4am every night of the week.
Visit Gaia-Restaurants.com
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