With summer inching closer, it’s time to start organising some trips out into central, and what goes hand-in-hand with London planning? Ticking off your ever-growing restaurant bucket list.
We’ve got another line-up of brilliant restaurants opening their doors for the first time this month, from Fortnum & Mason’s new trendy bar to Imad’s Syrian Kitchen’s relocation. These are the ones to bookmark…
Imad’s Syrian Kitchen 2.0
One of hospitality’s most heartwarming stories, chef and restauranteur Imad Alarnab had to restart his life when he was forced to flee his home country of Syria in search of safety. Arriving in London in 2015, he began working a number of jobs just to get by. Along with help from friends, he began hosting charity supper clubs and pop-ups and managed to open the doors of his first London restaurant in May 2021. Fast-forward to 2023 and Imad’s Syrian Kitchen is expanding and opening a larger site in Kingly Court.
Paying homage to his homeland, the menu features some crowd-favourites and mezze options, including traditional hummus; baba ganoush; his signature falafel; lamb biwa, a burger of minced lamb baked in the oven and served with onions, tomatoes, peppers, chilli and herbs, topped with cherry tomatoes and Turkish peppers; and a Syrian version of moussaka, which is vegan.
OPENING DATE: MAY TBC
WHERE: TOP FLOOR, KINGLY COURT, W1B 5PW
WEBSITE: WWW.IMADSSYRIANKITCHEN.CO.UK
20 Berkeley
The new Mayfair restaurant to give the British Isles the love it deserves is 20 Berkeley, the new restaurant from the team behind Humo.
Located on Berkeley Street, the restaurant will offer up a seasonally changing menu showcasing the best of British produce from all four corners of the Isles. Expect a farm-to-fork approach, with earthy flavours take centrefold.
OPENING DATE: 17.05.2023
WHERE: 20 BERKELEY STREET, MAYFAIR, W1J 8EE
WEBSITE: WWW.20BERKELEY.COM
The Midland Grand Dining Room
Hidden away inside St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, The Midland Grand Dining Room will offer guests the chance to dine on traditional French dishes with a contemporary creative twist. Expect the likes of crab on toast with elderflower and shellfish sauce; hake en papillote with ratatouille vegetables, soft polenta and salsa verde; tomato tarte tatin with artichoke, courgette and parmesan cheese; and whole roast chicken with vin jaune, mores and wild garlic.
As part of this exciting opening will also be the Gothic Bar, headed up by Jack Porter. The opulent space has been designed by architect and interior designer Hugo Toro, known for his interiors at the Booking Office 1869 and Gigi. Expect classic cocktails with French influences and a small bar light menu.
OPENING DATE: 02.05.2023
WHERE: ST. PANCRAS RENAISSANCE HOTEL, EUSTON ROAD, NW1 2AR
WEBSITE: WWW.MIDLANDGRANDDININGROOM.COM
BAO Mary
BAO has only gone and done it again. This month sees BAO Mary land, bringing the bao restaurant’s famous Taiwanese buns to James Street, Marylebone.
The focus at this restaurant will be on dumplings – think boiled cull yaw dumplings filled with tender mutton; boiled dumplings with scrambled eggs and kelp broth; and pan-fried mushroom guo tie dumplings with a black garlic dip. Alongside a cold dish and small plate menu, featuring soy braised lu wei assorted vegetables; street food-style Majiang noodles; and ox tongue.
OPENING DATE: MAY 2023
WHERE: 56 JAMES STREET, W1U 1HF
WEBSITE: WWW.BAOLONDON.COM
3’6 at Fortnum & Mason
A brand new bar is landing at Fortnum & Mason this month. Named 3’6, the space has been reimagined in partnership with French architect Arthur Mamou-Mani and will act as a bar-cum-exhibition space.
During the day, the space will open up as a bookable workspace serving hand-roasted small-batch coffee, tea, smoothies and soft drinks. By night it’ll operate as a laboratory for Fortnum’s mixologist Mustafa Tumburi, home to creative cocktails and dining.
OPENING DATE: 01.05.2023
WHERE: THIRD FLOOR, 181 PICCADILLY, ST. JAMES’S, W1A 1ER
WEBSITE: WWW.FORTNUMANDMASON.COM
Truffle Burger Marylebone
On the hunt to find London’s best burger? We have our eyes set on Truffle Burger’s latest opening in Marylebone that’s guaranteed to win you around with their stacked burgers and filthy sides.
On a mission to create the ultimate finer diner, Truffle Burger has elevated the fast food game and taken the humble burger up a notch. Head over to try their signature Truffle Burger, complete with a 90-day aged rare-breed British beed, melted raclette cheese, home-made fig jam, black-truffle mayo and handmade demi-brioche buns.
OPENING DATE: NOW OPEN
WHERE: 16 PICTON PLACE, MARYLEBONE, W1U 1BP
WEBSITE: WWW.TRUFFLE-LONDON.CO.UK
The Campaner
Opening at Chelsea Barracks this month is the first international restaurant from Los Reyes del Mango, the names behind Terraza Martinez and Frankie Gallo Cha Cha Cha in Barcelona. The Campaner will be bringing that relaxed all-day Barcelona experience to London.
Although imbued with Barcelona spirit, the restaurant will proudly offer a simple, seasonal menu with ingredients sourced locally and veggies and herbs grown in the kitchen gardens.
Menu highlights include oyster gratin with bearnaise sauce; roast leek with pickled tomatoes, goat cheese and hazelnuts; steak tartar served on bone marrow; monkfish and lobster casserole; and scallops with celeriac and caviar.
OPENING DATE: 02.05.2023
WHERE: CHELSEA BARRACKS, 1 GARRISON SQUARE, SW1W 8BG
WEBSITE: WWW.THECAMPANER.COM
The Apollo Arms
Posh pubs are opening up all over the city and this month sees another addition landing. Introducing The Apollo Arms, Clapham’s latest opening from the team behind The Hunter’s Moon and Ganymede.
Celebrating British food through quality, locally sourced ingredients, the menus have been curated by owner-chef director Oliver Marlowe and head chef Daid Halewood. Daily-changing, expect tuna sashimi with whipped avocado; Fowley mussels with ‘nduja and cider sauce; and braised feather blade with truffle mayo and tripled cooked chicken truffle and parmesan chips.
OPENING DATE: 21.05.2023
WHERE: 13-19 OLD TOWN, CLAPHAM, SW4 0JT
WEBSITE: WWW.APOLLOARMS.CO.UK
By The Handbook
Imad’s Syrian Kitchen 2.0
20 Berkeley
The Midland Grand Dining Room
BAO Mary
3’6 at Fortnum & Mason
Truffle Burger Marylebone
The Campaner
The Apollo Arms
