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There are only a matter of days to go until Michelin hands out (or takes back) a new set of its esteemed stars (the ceremony is next Monday, January 9). But before restaurants can be in with a chance of being awarded one of those stars, they must first be added to the Michelin Guide. The guide is updated with new recommendation-worthy eateries every single month, but January was the final chance for any restaurants hoping to be considered for a star this year. So, let’s take a look at the London spots that made the cut.
Of its January newcomers, the Michelin Guide spotlighted Bonheur, the hotly anticipated first solo project of Matt Abé. It said: ‘Suffice to say that Bonheur doesn’t disappoint, with the very best ingredients presented in expertly judged combinations and cooked with immense technical skill.’
It also gave a shoutout to new luxury bistro Corenucopia by Clare Smyth, which serves an array of elevated traditional dishes like fish and chips, toad in the hole and sticky toffee pudding.
Time Out favourite Belly earned recognition thanks to its ‘concise menu’ that’s ‘full of originality and appeal’. The Kentish Town Filipino bistro may be best known for its tempura cod pandesal, a sort of posh filet o’ fish served a slice of American cheese and salty salmon roe in a sweet Filipino bun. That dish so good, it featured on Time Out’s roundup of the best things we ate in 2025. Guides editor Ella Doyle said: ‘Belly Bistro is full of great dishes, but I’d come back again and again just for this sandwich. Absolutely no notes.’
Other notable additions include the Royal Opera House’s Cicoria and Mayfair seafood spot Lilibet’s. When Time Out’s food editor Leonie Cooper stopped by the former, she gave it three stars, commenting that it’s ‘lacking punch and personality’. She said: ‘Lobster linguine is heavy on the tomatoes and light on the lobster, while breaded lamb cutlets are fun, but come with a strangely sweet caponata. Of course, the tiramisu is perfect, light, fluffy, not too rich. A few tweaks, and Cicoria has the promise to be as impressive as the building it’s in.’
As for Lilibet’s (named after the childhood nickname of the late Queen) Michelin praised it for its ‘pleasing selection of lesser-seen produce such as hake head and garfish’. Leonie called it ‘high camp and monarchical fabulousness’. And it wasn’t the only Mayfair spot that made it into the guide last month. Four out of London’s 10 new entries, including Bonheur, hail from the ultra posh neighbourhood.
London restaurants added to the Michelin Guide in January 2026
- 74 Charlotte Street by Ben Murphy, Fitzrovia
- Belly, Kentish Town
- Bonheur by Matt Abé, Mayfair
- Cicoria, Covent Garden
- Corenucopia by Clare Smyth, Chelsea
- Lilibet’s, Mayfair
- Kerfield Arms, Camberwell
- Mezzogiorno, Westminster
- Rosi, Mayfair
- Tobi Masa, Mayfair
The best restaurants in London, according to Time Out.
Plus: the 9 best new London restaurants opening in February 2026.
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