Dining
The 5 Best New Restaurants in London
The openings worth booking now: London's best new restaurants, chosen once the dust has settled.
In short: our top picks are Mountain, Akub and Chishuru. 5 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
London opens restaurants faster than anyone can keep up, and most of the noise fades in a month. This is the considered version: the new openings actually worth your booking, chosen once the launch hype has settled and the kitchen has found its feet.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain | Soho | £££ |
| Akub | Notting Hill | £££ |
| Chishuru | Fitzrovia | £££ |
| Mambow | Hackney | ££ |
| Cycene | Shoreditch | ££££ |
-
Editor’s choice
Mountain
Why we pick itTomos Parry's live-fire follow-up to Brat; Basque-leaning cooking and one of the hottest tables in town.
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Akub
Why we pick itModern Palestinian cooking from Fadi Kattan; warm, personal and quietly groundbreaking.
-
Chishuru
Why we pick itAdejoke Bakare's West African tasting menu; a Michelin star and a genuine sense of occasion.
-
Mambow
Why we pick itPunchy Malaysian cooking from Abby Lee; a small room with very big flavours.
-
Cycene
Why we pick itAn ambitious tasting menu in a design-led Shoreditch room; one to watch closely.
Before you book
New rooms are at their most uneven in the first few weeks, so give them a moment and book for a few months in. Tables at the talked-about openings vanish fast, so set an alarm for when the diary drops. And go with an open mind; the best new places rarely cook quite like anyone else.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Mountain is our editor's choice: Tomos Parry's live-fire follow-up to Brat; Basque-leaning cooking and one of the hottest tables in town. Mountain, Akub and Chishuru lead the guide, with 5 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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