Leonie Cooper

Londoners love coffee. In the summer, the city’s coffee shops are swarming with queues of thirsty commuters hankering for an iced latte. During the rest of the year, hot coffee pumps through our veins. Whether it’s a flat white or a chai latte, the capital’s cafés and coffee shops are here churning out caffeine-laden cups to keep you buzzing. There are plenty of spots for speciality drinks too, like pumpkin, turmeric or matcha lattes. Read on for our top picks of London’s best coffee shops, stands and stalls. Many of these super spots are also great for all the freelancers out there, acting as de facto offices – as long as you keep the rounds of cake coming.  RECOMMENDED: Best breakfasts in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Peckham locals have always been proud of the area’s brand: a melting pot of cultural vibrancy, eccentric individuals, and an artsy, young DIY crowd thanks to nearby Goldsmiths University and Camberwell College of Arts. It rivals Dalston and all those other East End upstarts as the place to hang out, and it’s the perfect spot for new restaurants to find their feet. Here are some of the best in the area, as well as a host of notable places to eat just down the road in Camberwell and East Dulwich, too.  RECOMMENDED: The best 50 restaurants in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

June 2026: There's a brand new Number 1, with Maai by Nikita in Clapham taking the top spot. Other fresh additions include Auguste, Cafe Kowloon and Teal in London Fields, Jackson Boxer's Vesper in Clerkenwell, All Roads in Brixton, the latest branch of YeYe's Noodle & Dumpling in Soho, Bar Etna in Newington Green and the nearby Golden Tooth gastropub, Maza in Mayfair, Oudh 1722 in Borough, and the sensational supper club at Haggerston cafe, Logma. Hungry yet? Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened over the past 12 months and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which is updated regularly. Check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene. And look here for all the info about the best new openings in June 2026. London's best new restaurants at a glance: 🍝 Central: Osteria Vibrato, Soho 🍷 North: The Golden Tooth, Newington Green 🦐 South: The Victory, East Dulwich 🍝 East: Holy Carrot, Spitalfields 🥗 West: Maai by Nikita, Fulham Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in London. The hottest new openings,

What’s better than an amazing meal? An amazing meal, served up alongside a delicious pint in a cosy pub, obviously. London is the gastropub capital of the world, full of boozers that can compete with our fantastic restaurants in the culinary stakes – but they just happen to come with cracking Victorian buildings, as well as roaring fires, and the occasional dog. So whether you’re after fish and chips, a roast, an oxtail ragù, or a desi pub serving up sublime South Indian cuisine, you’ve come to the right place.  London's best gastropubs at a glance: 🇫🇷 Best in central London: Upstairs at the French House, Soho 🍻 Best in north London: The Compton Arms, Islington 🥧 Best in south London: Camberwell Arms, Camberwell  🤴 Best in east London: Prince Arthur, Dalston  🐄 Best in west London: The Latimer, Notting Hill  RECOMMENDED: London's 50 Best Restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

May 2026: This list highlights some of London's latest and most intriguing afternoon sarnie sessions. Indulge at a themed tea, such as the 'Brat' of afternoon teas aka the martini-fuelled London By Lily Vanilli at Four Seasons Tower Bridge or the Wes Anderson afternoon tea at the Design Museum, which coincides with their exhibition about the film director. Now the weather is on the up, why not channel some English country cottage energy at Petersham Nurseries and if your pockets are deep, there's the new caviar afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason. London’s best afternoon teas at a glance: 👛 Best value: The Wolseley, Piccadilly  💸 Best for splashing out: Palm Court at The Ritz, Mayfair 💃 Best for a modern take on tea: London By Lily Vanilli at Four Seasons Tower Bridge, Tower Bridge 🌷 Best for tea in a greenhouse: Petersham Nurseries, Richmond  🐟 Best for something different (and very expensive): Caviar afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason, Mayfair Afternoon tea is what makes a trip to London truly iconic – even if you already live here. You’ll find some of the best at London’s chicest hotels and restaurants, and even art galleries and theatres. We’ve worked out what makes an afternoon tea a truly memorable (and delicious) experience. It’s not just perfect pastries, the most elegant of teeny tiny cakes and chic little sarnies with the crusts cut off, but swish service, the option to have something boozy and bubbly and a characterful room in which to enjoy it all. From The Rit

So you like ice cream? You’re not alone. We’re all just big children waiting for a little bit of sweet, cold milk to numb the pain of navigating adulthood (even if, for some of us, it does have to be dairy-free milk). It’s no wonder there are often massive queues for our city’s best ices, especially when a heatwave hits.  Want to make sure the cone you’re standing in line for is worth the 30-minute wait ahead of you? Look no further. These are Time Out’s favourite places to get a cone (or cup) of premium gelato or soft serve, as well as chomp on ice cream sarnies, and feast on sundaes. Go forth and get cool.  RECOMMENDED: The best brunches in London.  The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now to tuck in.

Of course greasy spoons are great – but our national cuisine is about way more than fry-ups, roasts and fish and chips. London is a veritable goldmine of national culinary treasures: from 250-year-old aristo joints and top-hatted doormen to smoked eel sandwich-slinging brasseries, modern British steakhouses and scrubbed-up Victorian canteens. We’ve rounded up all the eateries that will make you come over weirdly patriotic with their exemplary takes on homegrown cuisine, featuring some of London’s most historic restaurants and some trad faves too.  RECOMMENDED: London's 50 best restaurants.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and likes nothing more than feasting on a well-stuffed meat pie. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Head to Hackney and you’ve got a seriously exciting dining experience ahead of you, as some of the city’s boldest chefs have set up shop in this patch of east London. High-end restaurants sit alongside brunch spots, inviting gastropubs and well established neighbourhood joints. Whatever you’re after, you’ll more than likely find it here. The most recent additions to the list include the excellent Tiella on Columbia Road, Cafe Kowloon by London Fields, Ace Pizza in Victoria Park, and pubby pasta spot Elephant, as well as Bambi by London Fields. The list also features restaurants previously named by Time Out as the very best in London; modern Korean marvel Miga, chef Abby Lee’s incredible Mambow in Clapton, and the classy canal-side Cafe Cecilia. The best Hackney restaurants at a glance: 🍝 Best for regional Italian food: Tiella 🍀 Best for Indian-Irish fusion: Shankeys 🇻🇳 Best for Vietnamese classics: Hai Cafe 🥂 Best for weekend brunch: Bistrotheque  💰 Best value Michelin star menu: Casa Fofo 💃 Best for dinner and a dance: Bambi  RECOMMENDED: Here are London’s 50 Best Restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor and thinks Hackney restaurants are some of the best in London (but don't tell the other boroughs, they'll only get jealous). For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. So east London it hurts? Follow our Time Out East London WhatsApp channel for the latest news, openings and goss from the coolest bit of the capital. (Ye

The smog and stress of London can really take its toll on your skin. That’s why there’s nothing better than a regular facial (or a one-off treat) to give you that much-needed top-up, leaving you feeling glowing, fresh-faced and dewy.  Just thinking about what we put our skin through is enough to give you frown lines. That’s thanks to the combined efforts of pollution and air-conditioned offices, as well as the added bonuses of harsh weather, booze, sun exposure, dehydration and – our least favourite – the inevitable passing of time. Happily, there are loads of great spas, treatment rooms and estheticians in London who can give your face a break and a much-needed zhuzh. Whether you’re after a relaxing, soothing facial massage, some instant radiance, a total skincare overhaul or something a little more intense such as microneedling or laser treatment, read our pick of facials in London.  RECOMMENDED: The best spas in London. 

Is it safe to say movies are back? Sure, there’s still plenty of anxiety around the film industry and its future. But cinematically speaking, 2026 has gotten off to, arguably, the most blazing hot start since the pre-pandemic glory days, both critically and at the box office.  Of course, for our purposes, we like to focus on the creative successes, and it’s rare for the first quarter of any year to produce so many achievements of various scopes and budgets. Any time you get both a Project Hail Mary and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – not to mention leftfield horror triumphs like Backrooms and Obsession – all before the calendar’s halfway point, you know it’s a good time to be a film fan, especially when there are new spectacles from Christopher Nolan, Marvel and the Dune franchise on the horizon.  But that’s later. Here’s the best of what we’ve seen so far.  📺 The best TV and streaming shows of 2026 (so far)😂 The best comedy movies of 2026 (so far)📕 15 book-to-movie adaptations to get excited about in 2026🔥 The 40 best movies of 2025

May 2026: Al fresco weather is finally here, and here are the spots that truly spring into action when the sun is out. These places are ideal for visiting while wearing your nice new shades looking important and snacking on a little salt cod fritter. Grab a sarnie in the sunshine at Dusty Knuckle's Dalston location, trek out to Epping Forest for seafood at the Oyster Shack, test out the terrace at the new Forza Wine Soho, gorge yourself on gastropub fare in the hidden garden at The Red Lion & Sun in Highgate, try out Mondo Sando's new Deptford location, or trot down the Regent's Canal to Towpath Cafe. Ace Indian restaurant Kokum in Dulwich is also doing al fresco BBQs every weekend until September. When it comes to outdoor dining there are some excellent – and hopefully sun-dappled - options at some of London’s best restaurants. These terraces, canal-side spots, gardens and al fresco restos should make you feel like you’re on a proper holiday in your hometown. Whether you’re in the mood to have spaghetti in the sun or snack on sushi by starlight, our list has you covered. If you don’t mind heights, then check out some of the finest rooftop restaurants with views in London as well. Not all of them are open in the colder months, so do check if you’re booking during a chillier time of year. RECOMMENDED: These are the best rooftop bars in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. The hottest new

One of central London’s most low-key neighbourhoods, Clerkenwell has all the charm of a village but all the high-end dining options of a bustling world city. Catering to office workers, late-night partiers at Fabric and local residents, this historic part of London has it all – and people come from across the capital to sample its seriously good restaurants. Whether you’re looking for a lovely brunch spot, a poshed-up boozer or an old-school French dining room, there are loads of classic and contemporary eateries worthy of a visit. Here’s our pick of the best, including romantic Italian spot Luca, that mainstay of British fine dining, St John, the ultra lovely Morchella and Basque steakhouse Ibai. Our latest additions include a wine bar in an old tattoo parlour, Passione Vino and all-day bistro Vesper on Exmouth Market.  RECOMMENDED: The very best restaurants in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

The Victory has a rousing origin story. Much-loved local restaurant Franklins was a jewel in East Dulwich’s not insignificant dining crown, but closed earlier this year after 26 years in business. Aghast, the locals rallied, including restaurateur Jamie Younger of the nearby and equally beloved Begging Bowl. Within weeks, the place was his. A new name was easy. Before Franklins was Franklins it was a pub called The Victory, and the name, previously hidden by a Franklins hoarding, remained carved in sturdy tile at the top of the building. Suddenly there was a new southeast London gastropub that seemed like it’d been there forever, because in a way, it had.  Grilled langoustines bring some Cajun energy to the table This year has seen a wave of gastropubs doing things a little differently. From The Golden Tooth to The Latimer, these aren’t just traditional restaurants bulldozing their way into a pub space, but proper boozers with proper food, with plenty of room for anyone who just wants five pints for dinner and nothing more. The Victory fits the fresh mould with steely relish and relaxed aplomb. This is by no means Younger’s first rodeo, and he’s got former Noble Rotter Seán Breen in to exec chef the menu, which is a little bit French and a whole lot perfect for the heatwave during which we eat a not insignificant proportion of it.  In the elegant but not overblown back room, classic cocktails (make ours an aviation, captain) are sipped in dainty Nick & Nora glasses as we sna

As I polish off east London’s smallest vanilla ice-cream, I can’t help but think I’ve been dosed with potion and wound up in an Alice's Adventures In Wonderland fever dream. This diminutive scoop comes at the end of a majestic meal pumped full of psychedelic Victoriana from chef Sally Abe.  More greens than a Beatrix Potter illustration You might already be familiar with Teal, as this living room-like space on the quaint Wilton Way has already been home to two great east London restaurants; Michelin star-scoring Pidgin and scotched olive sensation Sesta. Yet the venue feels wildly different from its previous incarnations. It remains shoebox-like in size, but now possesses the gentle energy of a parochial bistro in the Cotswolds, with soft green walls, upholstered bar stools and marble-topped tables.  It makes for a bucolic backdrop to the freshest of veg, the meatiest of meats, and more greens than a Beatrix Potter illustration. Sally Abe’s progressive take on English country garden cookery casts her as a millennial Mrs Beeton, and with her years at game-tastic Harwood Arms (there’s a framed picture of her Fulham alma mater by the loo), the menu is rooted in tradition, but unafraid to give it a tender kick up the arse.  Our timewarp feast starts with ‘savouries’, i.e. salty little Victorian picnic snacks. Locket’s savoury is the best, a pissed-up Beau Brummell-worthy midnight feast where pears and stilton are served on toast, while a girthy brawn scotch egg hums even more vi

Ornella is a bit of a looker. Sat on London Fields’ village-y Wilton Way, its quaint, butterscotch exterior gleams, and, as if placed there by central casting, two elegant girlies sip orange wine in the Sunday afternoon sunshine. It’s a Pinterest-perfect scene, and inside is even more aesthetically perfect; half-pannelled wood walls, a 1960s trattoria energy, and daubed floral paintings that have either been done by a six-year-old genius or a 78-year-old drunk. Either way, lovely stuff.  Tajarin al brodo di cipolla is a lesson in minimalism The latest from the team behind Highbury’s Lupa (which does hearty Roman cookery, such as creamy pastas with plenty of guanciale, as well as hunks of porchetta and salty spuds), Ornella’s thing is contrastingly chic Milanese cuisine, meaning everything is a little more stripped back. For some dishes this works a treat, the tajarin al brodo di cipolla is a lesson in minimalism; a dark and moody roscoff onion broth provides a murky moat around a proud hillock of tagliolini, with two squares of molten cheese on toast provided for mopping up purposes. Branzino in a bag is also impressive, the sea bass flaky, the beurre blanc heroically buttery, and a fresh and bright preboggion sauce of green herbs to add into the mix. Yet our chicken Milanese, though cooked well, lacks pizzaz. Unlike the fennel and apple-accessorised version at Tiella down the road, there’s little to tart up this smashed cutlet aside from mayo. For £26, couldn’t they have se

Perhaps the most iconic motel in America, the Madonna Inn is a roaringly fun roadside attraction. From its Disney-esque Alpine turrets and bright pink tennis courts to the swirling, psychedelic carpets and 110 themed guest rooms and suites, a stay here is comparable only to being locked inside Dolly Parton’s powder room.  Construction king and rancher Alex Madonna and his wife Phyliss opened this vast monument to kitsch just outside the small central coast town of San Luis Obispo in 1958. Surrounded by the rolling hills of California wine country it’s a theme park and hotel rolled into one and no two rooms are the same. Spanning the sublime to the ridiculous, you can hunker down in a room that recalls 1880s riverboats, an English country estate, the story of William Tell, the cliffs of Yosemite or antique cars. The throughline is a very blousy, very 1960s brand of camp. I stayed in ‘Romance’, a baby blue confection of Louis XVI-style sofas and flock wallpaper with a mezzanine level and Swiss-style wooden balcony which wouldn’t seem out of place on a Lee Hazlewood album cover. Most bathrooms feature showers hewn from rock, while a number of bedrooms are modeled entirely on Flintstones-like caverns and giant boulders make up much of the resort’s main building. If you’re looking for lowkey minimalism, you’ve come to the wrong place.  Alex Madonna died in 2004, but this landmark property is still run by the Madonna family and retains the friendly feel of an independent operation.

What’s the vibe? When people talk about Glastonbury, it’s usually in reference to the internationally renowned local music festival or its major league status on the druidic scene. They probably aren’t talking about the Somerset town as a food destination. But Queen of Cups might change all of that. With chef Ayesha Kalaji in charge, this Michelin Bib Gourmand-recommended gastropub opened in 2021 and has been quietly wowing locals ever since. Set inside a 17th century coaching inn off the town’s main drag of crystal shops and incense emporiums, there’s a small nod to Glastonbury’s hippy heritage in the restaurant’s tarot card-referencing name, but that’s where the woo-woo ends. The innovative menu is the product of Ayesha’s Welsh-Jordanian heritage, meaning Middle Eastern flavours peppered with Welsh touches – such as laverbread falafels – all made with local Somerset and West Country produce.  What should I order? Let’s talk some more about those falafels. Dark and crunchy on the outside, gloriously green on the inside and with some perky fronds of lime-pickled fennel on the top, they’re a must-order, hot and oily in the best possible way. This being Glastonbury, the menu is extremely vegetarian and vegan-friendly, but there is a decent amount of meat and fish available. You can order the silky hummus with crispy chilli and sweetly spiced date confiture with or without a dollop of creamy apricot and harissa hogget. Puffs of Moroccan-style frena bread come hot and pillowy and

Mayfair is on a voyage of discovery. With The Dover leading the charge, this once shamelessly flashy neighbourhood is currently seeing a barrage of actually really quite good restaurant openings. Cringe outposts for oligarchs and confused tourists be damned!  The Greek salad is a primo example of the form Maza is proudly one of the new guard. That’s not to say that this Greek ‘neo-taverna’ isn’t plush. Situated directly opposite old school steakhouse Guinea Grill on bougie Bruton Place, it’s a convivial, low-ceilinged space with conspiratorial, 1970s conversation pit energy, and a mirrored walkway to the bathrooms that you may find overwhelming after two cocktails. The trouble is, you’ll want to have at least three, because their tzatziki martini, which is laced with the pine forest hum of mastiha, is enthralling.  When it comes to food, the menu is big and – pleasingly – the portions even more so. A complimentary puck of ‘maza’ bread comes first, but it’s the leek loaf, brushed with olive oil and flaunting its char marks, that really impresses, especially when dipped into a tzatziki that’s as thick and rich as the fellas loitering by the Lamborghini shop around the corner. The Greek salad is a primo example of the form; succulent cherry tomatoes, crumbly feta, crisp cucumbers and snappable chunks of rusk to soak up all the juice. The tuna crudo, dressed with sundried Mediterranean ponzu, is beautifully thick and fleshy, and round courgette cakes come on like falafel after a

This stately hotel is as much part of the fabric of Rome as the Colosseum or Trevi Fountain. Hotel Eden dates back to 1889 – which is pretty recent for such an ancient city – and was built as an apartment building before quickly being converted into a hotel. Swanky from the start, it was the first hotel in Rome with elevators and electricity and remains the height of luxury. Since 2013 it’s been part of the Dorchester Collection, alongside the London hotel of the same name, the Beverly Hills Hotel in California and Le Meurice in Paris, so you’re in safe (and extremely) fancy hospitality hands. Why stay at Hotel Eden? This lavish six storey hotel had a thorough revamp in 2017, and the number of guest rooms was cut from 121 to 98, meaning bigger and better suites in addition to a glitzy new rooftop restaurant. If you’re used to the finer things in life, you’ll feel very at home here, and if you’re set on exploring Rome by foot (the easiest way to traverse such a hectic city), then you’ve found the ideal base. Painted bright yellow and sat on the corner of Via Ludovisi, it’s situated directly to the south of the landscaped Villa Borghese gardens. You’re also a moment’s stroll from the Spanish Steps as well as the ultra classy Via Veneto. Ten minutes more and you’ll get to the chaos of the Trevi Fountain. Compared to the crowds outside, Eden feels like an oasis.  What are the rooms like at Hotel Eden? There are 68 rooms and 30 suites. Ours has high ceilings, mirrored wardrobes, a

Hiding in plain sight, you’ll find the demure Camille in one of the busiest foodie destinations in London, if not the world. Happily, it’s on the very edge of Borough Market, meaning you don’t have to experience the full chaos of the foodie nexus, merely skirt around the rim.  Eating at Camille is basically a religious experience  Camille is a small, pretty place. There are a handful of tables outside, and a chic burgundy and primrose colour scheme within. It doesn’t shout about its elegance, but rather whispers it seductively into your ear. There are white candles dotted about the mirrored dining room, some of them dripping with so much built-up wax one might confuse the place with a bijoux gothic cathedral. You’re not too far off, though, because eating at Camille is basically a religious experience.  Opened a couple of years back by the same team behind Soho’s Ducksoup, this French bistro immediately blew its forebear out of the water thanks to the skill and tenacity of head chef Elliot Hashtroudi. Learning his way around a carcass at St John (and his way around Borough Market at Padella across the road), he was tempted into the kitchen following a run of giddily-received pop-ups across the capital, ready to indulge in the regional cookery he fell in love with when visiting his aunt in the south of France, but with local British produce.  Like Keith Floyd in a trucker cap, he’s not French himself (he grew up in Devon), but is committed to the full-throttle nature of the c

Ever wanted to ditch real life and run away to the Tuscan countryside? We’ve found the perfect place to do just that. Bid farewell to friends, family and significant others before pitching up at the luscious L’Andana. Set amongst vineyards and olive groves, and with rolling mountains in the distance, this historic hotel has an exclusive-feeling energy, which makes sense – the main building was the summer gaff of Grand Duke Leopold II in the mid 1800s. It remains deeply regal – as well as the sprawling grounds, dotted with roses and rosemary, there are three pools, a classy spa and a Michelin star restaurant.  Why stay at L'Andana? Come here for a peaceful stay with a hint of Godfather-worthy majesty. First impressions count for a lot, and the one made by L’Andana is spectacular. Guests reach this hillside escape via a long, umbrella pine tree-lined approach which makes for a fittingly cinematic build-up to one of the loveliest hotels I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. There’s also a helipad, should you wish to arrive in a James Bond-like fashion. There’s not much to do at the hotel apart from chill the hell out, which you can do by the picture perfect pool, or by sauntering around the landscaped grounds, indulging in a cake-heavy breakfast buffet and sipping Vermentino at the on-site winery. Come sunset, swallows chirp wildly as they murmurate around the main – they’re the only souls here who are in a less than majorly relaxed state, the poor things.  What are the rooms

It’s always a pleasure to see folks evolve and mature. With The Golden Tooth, the duo behind puckish scenester bistro Papi have levelled up to gastro greatness.  Once a rampantly mid pub called The Leconfield, this vast Green Lanes boozer’s makeover is subtle but important. It’s fabulously roomy inside, with a designated dining area under colossal sky lights. There are a couple of discreet paintings, a few flourishing pot plants, but no wanky or unnecessary touches. Unlike Papi (which closed earlier this year, its building now home to the excellent Auguste), The Golden Tooth is not particularly ‘London’, it’s simply a pub; the ideal blank canvas for the regal cookery and wondrous wine choices of the Papi chappies, aka chef Matthew Scott and sommelier Charlie Carr.  This is powerful and intense food A gin pickle martini, mellowed with a splash of elderflower, and the liquid roast dinner that is a rosemary vodka version, are greedily sipped as the first menu highlight amongst many arrives. It’s chunky beef tartare, bound together with a creamy tonnato dressing, and topped with a gleaming egg yolk. The Golden Tooth twist? Instead of traditional tuna, the tonnato is made with smoked eel, offering an unparalleled decadence. On top are some naughty summer truffle shavings, and there’s a glistening slab of beef dripping toast to pile it onto. Yet despite the indulgent ingredients, there's a playful lightness to the dish. Bury me with a bowl of it.  Next comes plump mussels resting

You can’t move for excellent pizza in London right now. A new wave of pub residents (Dough Hands etc), slice shops (Vincenzo’s etc) and sit-down parlours (Ace Pizza etc) have transformed the city’s mozzarella-slathered fast food scene. And yet, Bar Etna in Newington Green is utterly correct in assuming there’s still room for more.  Ed McIlroy is now coming for London slice supremacy Not content with serving one of London’s best burgers at his iconoclastic Finsbury Park gastroboozer The Plimsoll, Ed McIlroy is now coming for London slice supremacy. And working with Joe Beddia of Philadelphia’s Pizzeria Beddia (which was once declared ‘America’s best pizza’ by Bon Apétit magazine), he stands more than a fighting chance.  Much like McIlroy’s other excellent restaurant, Spanish-styled fish counter Tollington’s, Bar Etna is an immediate vibe. There’s a classy-but-fun bar up front, with Barbarella-worthy midcentury chrome lights, a big shiny bartop and sparkling bottles on the shelves. It’s a sleek 1960s Sicilian vino den which raises your cool factor by 10 points as soon as you step inside. Drop by for a £5 negroni while performatively reading some Nabokov, why don’t you?  The restaurant itself is on a raised mezzanine, with splashy canvases of assorted nudes and animals on moody wood panelled walls. It’s at once welcoming and slightly intimidating, but smells great (pizza often has that effect), and there’s a satisfying mix of hot dates, chaotic families with sticky-pawed kids,

I’m still not sure if Big Cypress Lodge is real or if I dreamed the whole thing up. A rustic, southwestern-style hotel, you’ll find it inside the ninth wonder of the world; the Memphis Pyramid. Built in 1991 as a concert and sports arena, this beast of a building was turned into a massive branch of Bass Pro Shops in 2015, and is now a one-stop-shop for all things hunting, shooting and fishing. Kind of like Disneyland for alligator tour guides, it comes complete with an indoor swamp, aquatic-themed bowling alley and some 1,800 living fish. The deeply unique hotel sits halfway up the 535,000-square-foot store, with some rooms boasting ‘outdoor’ balconies and porches that overlook the shop floor—a particularly strange experience late at night, when everyone, apart from the in-house gators, has left the store. Big Cypress Lodge is almost as bonkers as California’s ultra-camp Madonna Inn. We loved it. What are the rooms like at Big Cypress Lodge? There are 103 rooms and suites at Big Cypress Lodge, including five stand-alone cabin suites with rustic wood paneled frontages, which appear to float halfway up the inside of the pyramid, looking not unlike the moment in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy’s house takes flight mid-tornado. Wild. The Governor’s Suite is the biggest, complete with a boardroom area, full kitchen, leather couches, fireplace and space for six. There are also treehouses. Because of course there are.  Much like the rest of the pyramid, there is taxidermy everywhere t

In a year that’s seen a host of great London restaurants closing, we bring you sad news of another.  Bethnal Green’s excellent Italian restaurant Ombra will be shutting its doors at the end of this week, with owners citing rising costs and rates as the reason. ‘In our 15 years at Hackney's canalside we've never traded through an environment quite like the one we're experiencing now,’ said an Instagram post announcing the closure. ‘In the last couple of years we've been consumed by a rising tide of labour costs, utilities, rent hikes, business rate increases and the most stubborn VAT policy in Europe.’ Photograph: Harriet LangfordOmbra The pasta restaurant, which opened in 2011, was a Time Out favourite. ‘A canalside restaurant that wears its scuffed edges and imperfections with pride, Ombra just might be one of Hackney’s most well-loved restaurants,’ said Time Out’s most recent review. ‘Since Milanese super-chef Mitshel Ibrahim took over in 2018, this unapologetically ramshackle neighbourhood Italian has gone from being a local favourite to a city-wide smash.’  Ombra’s spin-off bakery, Forno, will remain open at sites in Hackney, Leytonstone and at the cafe in the Ragged School Museum in Mile End. Their ‘Brillo’ Friday night pizza evenings at Forno on Andrews Road in Hackney will also continue to run.  🇮🇹 The best Italian restaurants in London. Did you see that an iconic north London pie and mash shop has reopened? Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from

It’s been a bit of a bloodbath when it comes to the number of great London restaurants that have closed so far this year.  At the halfway point of 2026, a host of legendary London eateries have shuttered, from our favourite east London graveyard burrito takeout spot Bad Manners to Holloway laksa bar Sambal Shiok. Many have cited rising operating costs such as business and VAT rates, which has lead to the likes of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which is supported by many of the industry’s leading chefs, and is calling for hospitality VAT to be cut to 10 percent.  Other restaurants we wish to RIP include vegetarian pizza joint Flat Earth in Bethnal Green and historic Notting Hill Italian Da Maria. The best London restaurants that have shut in 2026 so far Here’s a full list of Time Out’s most-missed restaurants, which all closed in the past six months.  Photograph: Rebecca DickinsonOmbra Ombra, Bethnal Green Closing June  This is your last chance to grab fresh pasta from canal-side Italian Ombra. They’re open until the end of this week. Happily, their bakery Forno – which has sites in Leytonstone and Hackney – will remain open. ‘In our 15 years at Hackney’s canalside we’ve never traded through an environment quite like the one we’re experiencing now,’ said the owners on Instagram. ‘In the last couple of years we’ve been consumed by a rising tide of labour costs, utilities, rent hikes, business rate increases and the most stubborn VAT policy in Europe.’ Photograph: Alex Lambert

When is a pub not a pub? When it’s a gastropub. To be fair, some of our favourite gastropubs are ones that feel as much like a proper boozer as they do a real restaurant. Our brand new list of the very best gastropubs in the UK reflects this approach and we’re lucky enough to have two of Time Out’s top 21 UK gastropubs in London. One of them is south of the river, and one is north, which makes it nice and even. RECOMMENDED: The best gastropubs in London. Time Out’s best UK gastropubs 2026: The Camberwell Arms The south London champ is The Camberwell Arms, a legend of the game and a place that’s been pumping out spectacular food since it launched as a gastropub back in 2014. Expect the likes of crispy barbecued mackerel on sweet and sour peppers, pork loin chop with red cabbage, and crispy fried pig’s head with piccalilli. Find it on the gourmand’s paradise that is Camberwell Church Street, where you can also feast yourself stupid at one of our favourite London Cheap Eats, Falafel and Shawarma. It’s just down the way from sandwich diner Cafe Mondo, too.   JW HowardCamberwell Arms Time Out’s best UK gastropubs 2026: Red Lion & Sun Red Lion & SunRed Lion & Sun Our north London entry is Highgate’s deeply charming Red Lion & Sun. This longstanding and historic 1920s-built spot is cosy in the winter and blissful in the summer, with an intimate garden at the back and a larger outdoor area facing the road at the front.  It might also be the only gastropub known as much for its po

Camille - which we recently crowned the best restaurant in London for 2026 - is branching out into burgers.  Head chef of the Borough-based French restaurant, Elliot Hashtroudi, will be teaming up with Zula Burger in Marylebone next month for a limited edition offering inspired by his favourite burger to make at home. Called ‘The Eric Cantona Burger’, it compromises one Aubrey Allen beef patty, with British blue cheese, homemade caramelised onion chutney, mayonnaise and pickles. It’ll be served in Zula Burger’s homemade brioche buns.    ALBERTO ZAMANIEGOZula x Camille   ‘Bold, brazen and blue!’, says Hashtroudi of the burger. ‘A classic combo of cheese and onion in the French way.’ The burger will be available for two weeks only, from July 6-20. There will only be 20 available per day, so get a wiggle on if you want to sample its pungent loveliness.  Find Zula Burger at 5 Old Quebec Street, W1H 7AF. It’s open daily from midday until 10pm and is walk-ins only. It opened in 2024 and was founded in Istanbul in 2017. Zula’s series of special chef takeovers has already seen one-off burgers from the likes of Ana Ortiz and Rahel Stephanie.  These are Time Out’s favourite burgers in London.  Plus: a London burger was named best in the world. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight

We’ve been waiting for this news for a while and frankly, we’re thrilled to announce that former Mangal II chef Sertaç Dirik is opening a brand new restaurant in Soho. Dirik is joining forces with restaurateur David Carter of Oma, Agora and Smokestak to launch Kid in Soho this September. Kid will take inspiration from Dirik’s Turkish heritage and be the chef’s first standalone restaurant, following his years at his family ocakbaşı, Mangal II, which he left in 2023.  Kid will open at 55 Frith Street. The menu will based around the central Anatolian food Dirik was raised on, with pide bread, meze and salatas and çökelek cheese made in-house as well as içli köfte with aged ex-dairy beef, as well as Cornish lamb saddle with roast garlic and sivri pepper ezme, and braised goat kid. There will also be traditional Turkish coffee and teas, as well as Turkish delight and cherry and pecan baklava to finish.  Speaking about the opening, Sertaç Dirik said: ‘At its core, KID is a restaurant that aims to show the vastness of Turkish cooking, expressed with the warmth you’d come to expect from someone’s home. Utilising the techniques I grew up learning from my parents, I feel it is an absolute privilege to serve you this summer in London’s most distinctive neighbourhood.’ Photograph: KidKid, new restaurant in Soho David Carter added: ‘I have been a long-term supporter of Mangal II, both in its OG days and then in its reincarnation in 2020 when Sertaç boldly reinvented what Turkish cooking

There’s an awful lot happening in West Kensington right now. Earlier this week, the historic Olympia exhibition centre began its lavish £1.3 billion relaunch, complete with a 3,800 capacity live music venue, and reimagined rooftop space full of drinking and dining options.  As well as Mexican-styled Bar Arriba, Japanese cocktail bar Wolves of Tokyo and English small plates at Lillie’s, the rooftop will host a brand new (and massive) food hall called Arbour under its vast retractable glass roof. Despite its size, the sprawling 9,000 square foot Arbour will contain only four dining and drinking destinations, including Fry Baby, which will serve gourmet fried chicken, a ‘farm-to-fork’ diner called The Rambler, Whammy Burger for smash burgers and coffee and pastry spot Café Modo.   Image: IncipioWhammy, Arbour   These new dining spots join the all-day restaurant, Idalia, which opened in Olympia’s Grade-II*-listed Victorian Pillar Hall earlier this year. Inspired by an English country house, Idalia is draped with greenery and flanked by Corinthian columns. It’s next to the speakeasy-style Pepperbird cocktail bar.  The new music venue opens this week, with two gigs from Self Esteem. It will be known as the British Airways ARC (British Airways is the venue’s naming rights partner), and will be located above the 140 year old building’s existing west exhibition hall.  More openings are set for the space over the next year, including two hotels; the Hyatt Regency London Olympia and c

Now that we’re fully in al fresco drinking season, we’re more than happy to welcome a brand-new terrace boozing venue to London. Coppa Club will be launching a two-floor new site just across the way from its original Tower Bridge location later this summer. Coppa Club London Bridge will open on July 23 at 2 More London Place, SE1 2JP, looking directly out onto HMS Belfast on the south side of the Thames. The ground floor will have an outdoor terrace, and the top floor will have a wrap-around mezzanine restaurant with epic London views.  There are 14 Coppa Club locations across the south of the UK, including in Bristol, Bath and Guildford. The two-floor London Bridge opening will join other London outlets in Marylebone and Putney, and will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as drinks and remote working, if you’d like to be a freelance creative with a view. You can probably wave to punters at the Tower Bridge Coppa Club from your table, as it’s situated just opposite on the north bank of the Thames at 3 Lower Thames Street. Speaking about the new Coppa Club, Mark Loughborough, Chief Executive Officer of Coppa Collective, said: ‘Few locations in London combine the energy, footfall and iconic surroundings of London Bridge. Having built one of our most successful venues opposite Tower Bridge, we know the area incredibly well and have long believed there was an opportunity to create something special on the south bank.  ‘With unrivalled views of Tower Bridge, a stunni

Iconic Camden music venue Barfly is set to relaunch later this month. Promoters Barfly took over a Victorian pub called The Monarch at 49 Chalk Farm Road in the early 2000s, hosting gigs in the upstairs room, including one of the first London shows by The Strokes. Other artists to have played the venue include Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand, Adele, Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse.  The venue ceased trading as the Barfly in 2016, and was operating under the name the Camden Assembly, which hosted shows by the likes of Yungblud, Olivia Dean, The 1975 and The Last Dinner Party. The Barfly name will return on June 22 with a special re-launch gig from Frank Turner.  Photograph: phaustov / Shutterstock.comCamden Assembly The new Barfly will be run by Dan Ickowitz-Seidler and Richard Buck of Propaganda Independent Venues, who are working with Camden resident and 3 Colours Red guitarist Chris McCormack. In a statement, Ickowitz-Seidler said: ‘Barfly means so much to us all, and we’re honoured to be starting a new chapter in its story. We’ll be announcing more very special shows shortly, but Frank Turner is the perfect artist to relaunch the Barfly stage. He embodies everything Barfly stands for.’  Turner has played Barfly a number of times, as both a solo artist and with his old band, Million Dead. Other upcoming shows at the venue include two sold-out nights with Violet Grohl in September. 🎸 The best music venues in London. ICYMI: One of London’s best music festivals has revealed a bloc

Right now, London is gagging for full-throttle flavour and a decent dose of fat. Restaurants across the capital are boldly blanking Ozempic culture and serving the sort of rich, decadent fare that leaves GLP-1s cowering in the corner.  Our newly launched list of the best restaurants in London for 2026 giddily embraces the city’s current fondness for such indulgence. Opulent steak tartares, lavish langoustines, stargazy pies brimming with shrimp and chicken, and so much high-octane pizza – our favourite dishes in London are all a little extravagant. Time Out London’s new Top 50 of the finest places to eat encompasses original players in the OTT cuisine game, such as relaunched temple to gout Simpsons In The Strand, pasta paradiso Trullo and old school icon Oslo Court. It also features relative newcomers, with family-run chophouse Gina, fulsome Italian trattoria Tiella, disco dining at Bambi and Filipino flavour bombs at Belly Bistro, right through to our brand new Number One; the casually debauched and offaly good Camille. David LoftusSimpsons in the Strand Though you might be charmed by its quaint appearance – candlelit tables, a chalkboard specials slate and outdoor seats that spill onto the edge of Borough Market – Camille isn’t a delicate kind of a place. Camille is a beast. A hedonistic hideaway for gourmands after unrestrained, anything-goes feasting, this bloodthirsty bistro doesn’t shy away from the more visceral components of French cuisine. Picking on a salad is si

Hold onto your napkins; it’s time for the annual announcement of Time Out’s number one restaurant in London. Every year we crown a new restaurant as our favourite, as well as releasing a fully updated list of the 50 best places to eat in the capital.  After much deliberation and much eating, we’re pleased to put our arteries on the line to crown Camille in Borough Market as our new number one restaurant in London. Read the full top 50 list here.   CamilleCamille, Borough Market Camille, which opened in 2024, is a French bistro with head chef Elliot Hashtroudi in the driving seat. Our most recent, five star review, called it ‘a triumph of imagination, talent, and guts’. Expect plenty of offal (Hashtroudi learned his way around a carcass at St John, which also makes our new Top 50), fabulous fish dishes, and a daily specials board brimming with French country classics.  The restaurant follows in the footsteps of Miga (2025), Mambow (2024), Cafe Cecilia (2023) and Chishuru (2022) and Singburi (2021) as Time Out’s London Restaurant of the Year. It’s the first spot south of the river to score the position since Chishuru, which was based in Brixton when it secured the honour, however you’ll now find Joke Bakare’s acclaimed, Michelin-star scoring West African restaurant in Fitzrovia.  Read our full review of Camille here.  Want another helping of London food news? Europe’s first major international chicken festival is coming to west London.  Plus: You can now eat one of the best

It’s hot, it’s sticky and we’re not going to complain about it, because London in the sunshine is the greatest city in the entire world. Happily, there are some extremely fitting openings set for June, including a lavish ice cream parlour in Soho and a boozer with a massive beer garden in Stoke Newington.  And in what will come as very good news to people in south London who like baked things, there’s a brand new branch of Camberwell’s legendary Toad Bakery set for Deptford.   Here’s the best of June.  RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in London. The 10 best new London restaurants opening in June 2026 Photograph: No Forty NineNo Forty Nine 1. The one with an amazing young chef No. Forty Nine, St John’s Wood We recently named Ella Williams as one of the best young chefs in London and she’s now bagged her first ever head chef role. Coming from the kitchen of Peckham’s hip Hausu, she’s crossed the river to St John’s Wood, where she’ll be leading the team at the newest restaurant from the same group as the excellent Cinder. An all-day bakery and bistro, No. Forty Nine will offer Mediterranean-meets-New-York dining, with dishes like cornbread madeleines with scotch bonnet honey butter, tagliolini with prawns and crab choux buns on offer, alongside a special mini pizza menu. We’re also deeply interested in the Baby Guinness sundae. Opens: June Address: 49 St John’s Wood High Street, NW8 7NJ AppalachiaAppalachia 2. The sweet soul food one  Appalachia, Shoreditch   Open for just

Time Out editors from across the world have eaten a hell of a lot of burgers and come up with a definitive list of the very best. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. The list of 14 perfect patties (which you can read in full here) takes in everywhere from Sydney to Lisbon, with stop-offs in Paris, New York City, Rio, Hong Kong and more. Of course, London features too – with one of the finest burgers around to be found in this fair city.  To find it you’ll need to visit Asian-inspired burger joint Hanbaagaasuuteeki in Victoria, and then you’ll need to order the shrimp kong baga. This ‘fabulously frilly’ smash burger comes with shrimp, crispy seaweed, cheese and thousand island-style dressing. Think of it as Korean-inspired surf and turf.  Photograph: HanbaagaasuuteekiHanbaagaasuuteeki Other burgers in the list include the dry-aged beef chuck and gruyère cheese burger in a pretzel bun at Nolita in Madrid, the triple bacon cheese classic smash burger at Smash Things in Tokyo and the dry-aged Red Hook Tavern burger from Red Hook Tavern in Brooklyn. We’re drooling just thinking about them.  Hanbaagaasuuteeki is at 36 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0RE and you can find a full list of the best burgers in London here. 🍔 The world’s 14 best burgers in 2026. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the be