The Time Out London blog team

This December a host of excellent new restaurants opened up across the city, from the Dover Street Counter in Mayfair to Passione Vino wine bar in Clerkenwell. We’re truly spoiled for choice this festive season, but before we get too wrapped up in decadent Christmas dinners and mulled wine binges, let’s say our goodbyes to the London restaurants that have shut up shop for good over the past few months. Here are the 11 we’re going to miss most.  London restaurants that closed in autumn 2025 Anton Rodriguez 1. Saltine  This neighbourhood offering in Highbury was known for grab-and-go bites by day and small seasonal plates by night, as well as great wine. Opened by the founders of north London cafe chain Fink’s, the beloved bistro is shutting after just two years. The owners said: ‘The climate for small restaurants is a tough one – and though we would love for the Saltine story to be a longer one, this was not our time.’ It shut in December.   Photograph: Joe Mackertich 2. FKABAM  After 10 years, this cult classic, previously known as Black Axe Mangal, has sort of closed its doors. But if this heavy metal grillhouse, famous for its flatbreads and fusion flavours, was your Islington go-to, don’t fret. Owner Lee Tiernan has said: ‘This is a pause, not a stop. For now, I want to focus my creative energy towards a ‘pop up’ within my own restaurant space.’  Photo: Andrew Livingstone 3. Sesta  Sesta opened on Hackney’s Wilton Way in September 2024, and quickly made its way...

There’s going to be all sorts of travel disruption hitting Londoners in the new year. As well as already announced closures along the Northern and Piccadilly lines, another rail shutdown has just entered the chat. There are going to be several weekends of closures on the Brighton Mainline in the first few months of 2026, affecting travel from London to Gatwick Airport. If you’re planning on jetting off for a bit of winter sun (not jealous at all btw), you are probably going to need to plan your travel ahead. Here’s what you need to know.  Which rail routes from London to Gatwick Airport will be affected? The closures will mean there will be no connection between Purley / East Croydon and Gatwick airport. The route between Brighton / Lewes / Hove and Three Bridges will also be affected on dates separate from those affecting trains to Gatwick.  What dates will the line be closed? The Brighton Main Line will be closed between Gatwick Airport and Purley / East Croydon, as well as its branches between Reigate and Redhill and between Redhill and Tonbridge, on these dates: January 10-11 January 17-18 January 24-25 The Brighton Main Line will be closed between Brighton / Lewes / Hove and Three Bridges (not affecting London travel to Gatwick) on these dates: February 1 March 21-22 May 10 How to get to Gatwick during rail closures  Don’t panic, you’ve still got options – however it is going to take a bit longer to get to LGW during the disruption. Rail replacement buses will...

There’s a lot of great sushi in this city (and some serious sashimi, too). But how to know where to go to get the very best? Well wonder no longer, as Time Out has just crowned the absolute finest sushi restaurant in London right now.  Our brand new list of London’s top 20 sushi restaurants – written and curated by Japanese cuisine expert Erin Niimi Longhurst – features no frills takeaways such as Sushi Show in Islington and classic conveyor belt spots like Soho’s Kulu Kulu, as well as Michelin star restaurants Endo at the Rotunda in White City and Umu in Mayfair.  But number one in the list is the excellent Sushi Tetsu in Clerkenwell. Praised by Erin for its elegant omakase sushi, the restaurant has been open since 2012. It remains one of the most in-demand tables in town due to limited seatings and the fact that there are only seven counter spots in the restaurant. Seven! The menu is a pretty punchy £187 per person for the full omakase experience, with a slightly reduced price of £167 on Saturday lunchtimes. So you not only have to be fast off the mark to enjoy eating here, you also have to be a bit flush.  Even so, it’s worth saving up for. ‘The husband and wife team behind Sushi Tetsu continue to serve some of the most expertly crafted sushi you can get outside of Japan in a warm, intimate setting - a truly wonderful experience,’ writes Erin. If you’re desperate for a table, Erin suggests solo dining. ‘A midweek solo booking is always easier to nab,’ she suggests.  If...