Spring delights and al fresco experiences: Discover ten new restaurants in London

Spring is a season of renewal, a time when the days get longer and the air gets warmer, and with it comes a fresh wave of excitement in the food world. Chefs are busy sourcing the season’s best ingredients, from tender asparagus and peppery watercress to juicy strawberries and fragrant herbs. This shift in produce is reflected in the menus, with restaurants embracing the new bounty of spring. It’s also a time for dining al fresco, soaking up the sunshine in tranquil gardens or buzzing terraces. To help you make the most of this exciting season, we’ve rounded up ten new restaurants that are worth a visit in London. From Mediterranean odysseys to Wonderland-inspired wonderlands, there’s something for everyone. So dust off your sunglasses, grab a light jacket, and get ready to explore the city’s vibrant dining scene.

The Rosarium in Waterloo

A whimsical culinary journey in Waterloo’s hidden enchanted wonderland

The Rosarium, a new restaurant opening in May, promises an enchanted dining experience hidden beneath the bustling streets of Waterloo. With executive chef Harvey Ayliffe at the helm, this 96-cover restaurant offers elevated British dishes with an added Wonderland twist. The menu features performative and sense-heightening experiences that promise to bring out the inner child in diners. Guests can choose from grazing dishes and simple starters like Woodland mushroom soup with truffled straws or Scampi scotch egg with asparagus soldiers, to main dishes like Cod in a Chip, Ale-Braised beef mac with Montgomery cheddar, or Lentil and caramelised shallot pie for plant-based options. The dessert menu includes Rhubarb and custard tart, Mad Hatter’s strawberry sundae for two, and a Champagne trifle with raspberry and elderflower. A magical afternoon tea menu is also available, featuring finger sandwiches, savoury bites, scones, patisserie, and a range of tea and coffee. Designed by Faber, the restaurant’s interiors draw inspiration from the architecture of the quintessential English gardens of Lewis Carroll’s era.

For further information about The Rosarium, Labyrinth The Sidings Waterloo Station SE1 8SW, visit the website here.

Abajo by Humo

Unforgettable Japanese multi-course seasonal menu with premium drink pairing options

Abajo by HUMO, the latest addition to the Mayfair restaurant scene, offers an intimate dining experience for up to ten guests at a comfortable chef counter-style dining table. Located downstairs in the HUMO restaurant, Abajo offers a carefully curated multi-step menu with each menu chapter championing a seasonal core ingredient. The restaurant prides itself on cooking with the finest produce and experimenting with the precision of Japanese cooking techniques.

Abajo’s menu is perfectly paired with three premium drink options, including a wine pairing menu curated by HUMO’s Head Sommelier Merlin Ramos and a signature HUMO drinks pairing by HUMO’s Bar Manager Tom Kapanadze. Abajo also offers a non-alcoholic option for guests.

The exclusive dining experience at Abajo by HUMO starts at £130 per person and promises to take diners on an unforgettable and ever-changing culinary journey. Come and enjoy the theatrical nature of the HUMO chefs skilfully preparing an elevated array of dishes.

For further information about Abajo by Humo, 12 St George Street W1S 2FB, visit the website here.

The Parakeet: Kentish Town’s new gastropub

Flames, flavour and finesse: The Parakeet’s locally-sourced menu is fire

Located on Kentish Town Road, The Parakeet is a new culinary pub and dining room that is set to open in March. The head chef, Ben Allen, previously worked at fine dining restaurants, including the two-Michelin-starred Steirereck in Austria and London’s renowned BRAT. Alongside sous-chef Ed Jennings, Ben Allen will serve a debut menu of locally sourced, seasonal dishes expertly cooked over flames on their custom-made grill.

Diners can expect a produce-led, seasonally changing blackboard menu with modern European dishes influenced by the chef’s professional experience. The menu will feature meat and fish-based sharing dishes built around locally sourced Ox-Cheek and Bream. Signature dishes include Poached Oyster with Pickled Elderflower, Braised Leeks with Pecorino and Smoked Mushrooms, and Wood Roasted Rabbit with Kohlrabi and Curry Leaf.

The Parakeet is the brainchild of Steve Ball and Riz Shaikh of The Columbo Group, who are long-time residents of the area. The pub occupies the space of the prominent Victorian landmark pub The Oxford Tavern, and its interior, lighting and ornate antique furnishings have been designed to complement the ample natural light and airy space. The Parakeet will also serve a carefully curated wine list, centering around biodynamic and low intervention wines.

For further information about The Parakeet, 256 Kentish Town Road London NW5 2EN, visit the website here.

Cavo in Soho

Mediterranean-inspired menu and interiors. Don’t miss the scallops

London’s newest restaurant, Cavo, has just opened at The Outernet on Tottenham Court Road. A vast open-plan space, Cavo is an immersive dining experience celebrating the best of Mediterranean cuisine and culture. Designed by a team of global designers from Italy, Spain and the UK, the interiors transport guests to the Mediterranean, with its laid-back, sun-soaked lifestyle and relaxed approach to dining.

Head chef Alberto Gargiulo, hailing from Naples, oversees the menus that span the entire Mediterranean, featuring delectable dishes like signature seared Scallops in Champagne, Zuppa di Cozze, and Tagliolini al Tartufo Piemonte. For mains, guests can mix and match with the Mediterranean Seafood Celebration or opt for the authentic Mediterranean barbeque experience.

A succinct selection of classic cocktails with Mediterranean flair accompanies the food, including the Aegean Negroni and the Mediterranean Mary. Champagne and a curated list of wines sourced from around Europe are also available.

Cavo’s outside terrace, set to open in April 2023, is poised to become one of London’s most glamorous dining locations. Guests will enjoy unrivalled views over bustling Tottenham Court Road and London’s theatre district while savoring an all-day brunch.

For further information about Cavo London, The Outernet London WC2H 8LH, visit the website here.

Riviera in Mayfair

Escape to the Côte d’Azur at Mayfair’s new restaurant

Mayfair’s newest opening, Riviera, will transport you to the glamour of the French Riviera from the moment you step in. Set to launch on 21^st April 2023, this high-end restaurant offers an exclusive dining experience across its main dining room, vast outdoor terrace, and ground floor bar & lounge. Inspired by the South of France, Riviera’s menu is based on sharing-style dishes that celebrate the best of French cuisine. Starters include Grapefruit King Crab Salad and Lemongrass Marinated Scallops, while the meat section offers a succulent Veal Chop marinated in Dijon mustard and Chateaubriand. Seafood lovers can indulge in Lobster with Yuzu Butter and Sea Bass Papillote sourced from the shores of Cote d’Azur. Riviera’s dessert selection is equally impressive, featuring the famous Tarte Tatin and Pistache Millefeuille. The restaurant also boasts a carefully curated wine list, with high-end wines and Champagnes from France and beyond.

For further information about Riviera, 23 St James’s Street London SW1A 1HA, visit the website here.

Kibako in Fitzrovia

Indulge in expertly curated omakase-style boxes and refined Japanese dishes

Kibako, a new contemporary Japanese restaurant in Fitzrovia, is set to open its doors in mid-March. The restaurant’s signature dish is its namesake Kibako, an omakase-style box that contains six to 12 hand-crafted sushi and sashimi dishes per diner, curated personally by the kitchen for each guest. Kibako’s menu features re-imaginings of classic dishes that combine specialist Japanese ingredients with the highest-quality produce from around the world, such as hand-picked Maldon rock oysters and 36-month-aged organic Parmigiano Reggiano alongside Kagoshima Wagyu beef and Sanpuku nori. Guests can choose between two three-course set menus, both featuring a Kibako to start. Diners can also opt for a-la-carte menu items, such as sushi, sashimi, maki, and carpaccio. Kibako is headed by executive chef Padam Raj Rai, who brings over 20 years of experience as a sushi chef. The intimate dining room features traditional wooden paneling and warm lighting, and diners can also sit at the sushi bar for an up-close and personal experience.

For further information about Kibako, 3 Windmill Street, Fitzrovia London W1T 2HY, visit the website here.

Larch in the City

Experience the flavors of Italy with a stunning view

Larch, the latest addition to Rhubarb Hospitality Collection, has opened its doors at 1 Sky Garden Walk, offering a modern Italian trattoria experience in the heart of the city. The restaurant, bar, and café boast a desirable location and expansive al fresco terrace, making it perfect for all occasions, from a quick working lunch to after-work drinks or dinner with friends. The menu offers authentic Italian dishes, including cicchetti, antipasti, pasta and pizza, with a focus on the Burrata Bar, which offers the creamy and indulgent cheese three ways. The interior design of Larch pays homage to the evolution of re-wilding, featuring natural plaster walls brought to life with real pressed flowers, a bespoke oak honeycomb tile bar, and painted murals commissioned from University of the Arts London students.

For further information about Larch, 1 Sky Garden Walk London EC3M 8AF, visit the website here.

Charco Charco Hot Pot in Covent Garden

Experience Chinese Hot Pot and Sushi in Covent Garden

Charco Charco Hot Pot is a newly launched restaurant that offers authentic Chinese hot pot and regional street food dishes, as well as a sushi bar, in Covent Garden. Leo Jin, one of the leading suppliers of Asian food in the UK, is the person behind the operation. The restaurant has a smart and sleek interior, with lots of marble, polished charcoal quarry tiles, and illuminated aqua blue glass. The sushi counter and bar, decorated with ornate glazed cherrywood, is a central feature on the ground floor. The lower ground floor is perfect for enjoying a more intimate dinner, and there is also a brilliant 40-cover private dining room. Signature dishes include Sliced Whelk with Grilled Pepper, Emei Bamboo Shoots with Sichuan Pepper, Konjac Tofu with Hot and Sour Sauce, Tripe with House Chilli Sauce and the Dragon Roll, Topped with Avocado, Tobiko Orange Mayonnaise and Eel Sauce.

For further information about Charco Charco Hot Pot, 60 St Martin’s Lane London WC2N 4JS, visit the website here.

Emmanuelle in Clerkwell

Unleash your passion for wine at Yuma Hashemi’s new venture

Emmanuelle Wine Bar, the second venture from Yuma Hashemi, the chef-owner and sommelier behind Tehran Berlin (formerly The Drunken Butler), is set to open this spring on Rosebery Avenue in Clerkenwell. The informal wine bar, named after Yuma’s beloved “Emmanuelle” chair, will offer a selection of both new and old-world wines, including natural and biodynamic wines, as well as an extensive list of champagnes. Ad-hoc Persian dishes and French-style charcuterie snacks and small plates will be served from Emmanuelle’s open kitchen, with the menu changing daily. Yuma’s lifelong passion for exploring small-scale winemakers will be on full display, with specialist tastings, masterclasses, and producer talks throughout the year. The retro interiors, featuring vintage and antique finds, will provide a perfect spot for pre or post-dinner hangouts for Tehran Berlin’s guests. Emmanuelle Wine Bar will be open for walk-ins only and seat 24 covers.

For further information about Emmanuelle Wine Bar, 5A Rosebery Ave London EC1R 4SX, visit the website here.

Maene in Spitalfields

Seasonal British cuisine in a historic warehouse with rooftop terrace

Maene, a new relaxed European bistro-style restaurant and bar, is opening this Spring on Fashion St, Spitalfields, London. Set atop a 14,000 sq ft four-storey Victorian warehouse, the restaurant offers a modern, unfussy menu using British produce. With different areas including a cocktail lounge, intimate banquettes, an open kitchen, and terrace with stunning views of Spitalfields, the 54-cover restaurant encourages long lunches, impromptu dinners, and cosy night-caps. The menu takes guidance from seasonal offerings, featuring dishes like Mersea Oysters with Pickled Jalapeno and Sorrel, La Latteria Stracciatella with Pickled Squash and Springfield Farm Chicken with Green Goddess Sauce.

Maene is the second opening from Nick Gilkinson, who opened Townsend in 2020. The design is understated and relaxed, allowing the building’s architecture and unique wrap-around views to take center stage, featuring natural textures and patina, zinc, tonal wood finishes, cement, rough walls and soft linens.

For further information about Maene, visit 7-9 Fashion Street, London, E1 6PX, or their Instagram @maene_restaurant.

The Food Desk