Socca
Two Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi returns to Mayfair, teaming up with restaurateur, Samyukta Nair, to create the French/Mediterranean-inspired Socca, which promises to pay homage to the French Riviera hotspots of Cannes and Antibes. Opening on the former Richoux site on South Audley Street this summer, the glamorous interior is inspired by the Villa Santo Sospir, home to socialite Francine Weisweiller who once entertained the likes of Picasso and Yves Saint Laurent. You may only be entertaining friends, but the seasonal sharing dishes are sure to gather a discerning crowd. Opening Summer 2022. Check it out here.
Cedric Grolet at The Berkeley
Opened on Valentine’s Day, world-renowned pastry chef Cedric Grolet has taken up residency at The Berkeley with his first patisserie outside France. There will be a takeaway counter featuring the chef’s daily bakes of Viennoiserie, cookies, cakes and patisserie, as well as a ‘pastry theatre’ (the best kind), offering intimate seating overlooking the kitchen. Here sugar-hungry spectators can sip Champagne and watch Grolet’s magic unfold as he brings his signature ‘Trompe-L’oeil’ artistry of fruit and flowers together into saccharine perfection. Open now. Check it out here.
Lisboeta
Literally translating to ‘a person from Lisbon’, Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes of Chiltern Firehouse prestige open his own three-storey eatery on Charlotte Street this spring. There will be a relaxed, cafe-style ground floor and more formal upstairs dining room with cosy banquette seating. Serving ‘petiscos’ or small plates, alongside larger sharing dishes, the cellar bar will be open as part of phase two and will feature a glass-fronted kitchen and wine cellar. Opening spring 2022. Check it out here.
Bubala
Despite the turbulent past few years, vegetarian Middle Eastern restaurant, Bubala has been a huge hit since opening in Spitalfields in 2019. And now its in-demand second branch is due to open at Easter on Soho’s Poland Street, with popular signature dishes including potato latkes and halloumi with black seed honey promised to feature. Not in town? You can also order from their vibrant veggie menu via the Dishpatch app, nationwide. Opening April 2022. Check it out here.
V Honest
From the Honest Burger chain, the Garrick Street-based V Honest opened in January with the brand’s most extensive vegan menu to date. This is its very first 100 per cent meat-free eatery, offering plant-based takes on their classic burgers, plus new combos including buffalo, teriyaki and pesto. Open now. Check it out here.
The Aubrey
Eccentric izakaya restaurant The Aubrey has replaced the hole Bar Boulud left at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park this February. Modelled on its existing Aubrey at the MO Hong Kong, the menu includes delicacies of wagyu tartare, king crab leg as well as dishes cooked on the robata grill. The venue will also feature the city’s first omakase cocktail bar, showcasing rare Japanese spirits. Linger over drinks in the velvet and marble clad library, salon or curio lounge/ With music and dancing till late, this new Knightsbridge hotspot is one to see and be seen at. Open now. Check it out here.
Manzi’s
The latest launch from the Corbin & King empire, the delayed opening of their 240-cover fish restaurant Manzi’s is rumoured to be worth the wait. Paying homage to the legendary and much-missed Manzi’s fish restaurant in Leicester Square, the catch of the day is fun, affordable seafood in a nautical-themed two-floored restaurant, with large covered terrace for summer dining. Opening spring 2022. Check it out here.
Riding House Bloomsbury
A decade after the first Riding House Cafe in Fitzrovia, the second is popping up at The Brunswick Centre, taking over the former 165-cover Carluccio’s site and reimagining it into a casual all-day dining zone and more formal dining area. The popular menu will be replicated, with new twists to explore executive chef Henry Omereye’s Caribbean heritage. Opening spring 2022. Check it out here.
Noci
Islington residents are in for a treat with Noci, the neighbourhood Italian from Louis Korovilas of Locatelli fame. Inspired by his travels around Italy, unsurprisingly pasta features highly on the menu alongside seasonal produce from local suppliers. Expect the likes of Neapolitan ragu, lamb shoulder ravioli and Sicilian-inspired small plates for sharing. Dine at the central communal style table or people-watch from the cosy window seats. Opening March 2022. Check it out here.
By Lydia Mansi
February 2022
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