About Time: You Discovered London’s Hottest New December OpeningsBy Alicia Grimshaw
Looking for London’s best new restaurant openings? We’ve got it covered – from amazing Indian eats to fresh, new Korean hotspots, here’s where you need to be dining in London this December:
1. For Japanese Fare: Sticks’n’Sushi
The Lowdown: We’ve had a love affair with Sticks’n’Sushi ever since we tried their beef tataki with smoked cheese, chives, almonds, yuzu-kosho and spicy goma – it’s incredible. So we’re pretty pumped to hear that the Danish restaurant group are opening their fifth restaurant in London, within the landmark Nova development.
Eat and Drink: Opening later this month, Sticks’n’Sushi Victoria’s menu will offer a wide variety of the eponymous dishes; from nigiri and yakitori which can be ordered by the single piece to deluxe sharing sets for two or more, as well as maki rolls, greens, salads and chirashi bowls. True to Sticks’n’Sushi’s ethos of being ‘a sushi restaurant even for those who don’t like fish’, many meat dishes are available, including a Wagyu beef tartare, as well as vegetarian choices for every course – sticks, sushi and beyond.
Where: 3 Sir Simon Milton Square, London SW1E 5EB
2. For British Seafood: Claw Carnaby
The Lowdown: After years of tearing up the street food scene with their British seafood bites, Claw are opening their first bricks and mortar site on Thursday (14th December) in Soho. Set over two floors, the 50-cover restaurant will be open from morning through to late, offering sit-in or take-away dining.
Eat and Drink: True to form, Claw Carnaby will serve a creative and fun loving menu of home-grown produce from the sea, but will go one step further to explore the wider area, using native ingredients found on the surrounding land too. Expect dishes such as crab beignets with crab mayonnaise; fried chicken and caviar; pork stuffed squid with kaffir lime; and roast cauliflower with spelt and tofu yoghurt.
Where: 21 Kingly St, Soho, London W1B 5QA
3. For Oysters, Seafood and More: Wright Brothers Battersea
The Lowdown: Seafood and oyster specialists Wright Brothers are set to open the doors to their fifth site, on Monday (11th December). Designed by Macaulay Sinclair, the 126-cover restaurant and bar will showcase an open theatre-style kitchen, and a brand new addition to the Wright Brothers repertoire: a centre piece Josper charcoal oven.
Eat and Drink: Group Head Chef Richard Kirkwood has created some exciting new dishes bespoke to Battersea including his take on the classic ‘eclade de moules’ – pine roasted mussels, as well as a roast shellfish platter, and grilled Galician octopus with ajo blanco and smoked jalapeño chilli oil. The menu will introduce more meat options cooked in the Josper oven, including East Sussex collar of pork with chimichurri, and Bannockburn beef on the bone alongside Wright Brothers renowned seafood classics.
Where: 26 Circus West Village, Battersea Power Station, London SW8 4NN
4. For Fresh Pasta: Osteria Romana
The Lowdown: Hidden within the lanes of London’s Knightsbridge, Osteria Romana opens its doors to bring the simple elegance and humble dishes of the Eternal City to London, celebrating Roman produce, culinary history and limitless passion.
Eat and Drink: Stars of the show include the Gnocco alla Romana served with a black truffle sauce: a traditional dish rarely seen outside of Rome, that is made using semolina rather than potato flour achieving a lightness of texture not often associated with gnocchi, covered with a creamy truffle sauce. All pastas within the primi course are served to your table in individual padellas like the freshly made Tonnarelli with artichokes and sweet Mazzara red prawns, amongst other classics such as Spaghetto alla Carbonara and Cacio e Pepe. For secondi, the sweet, comfort of Trippa alla Romana or the Torretta di Baccala (salt cod) creamed on leek velouté are both classic dishes from the Lazio region.
Where: 3-4 Park Close, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7PQ
5. For a Taste of Bombay: Dishoom Kensington
The Lowdown: This is a place west London needs, and a new restaurant we’re totally on board with. Dishoom will be knocking up their legendary bacon and egg naans, and other Bombay dishes at their Kensington site from Friday (15th December).
Eat and Drink: Executive Chef Naved Nasir’s lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food will be available all day, and includes Dishoom classics such as house black daal, pau bhaji and the bacon naan roll, as well as newer favourites such as jackfruit biryani and bun maska pudding. Dishoom Kensington will have its own chef’s special: mutton pepper fry, a speciality of South Indian kitchens. Tender pieces of finest mutton are marinated in red chilli, ginger and garlic, cooked with black peppercorns and whole spices, then dressed with curry leaves and fresh lime.
Where: 4 Derry St, Kensington, London W8 5SE
6. For Korean Food and Products: Mee Market
The Lowdown: From the team that brought Korean street food to the masses, the On The Bab gang are behind new opening Mee Maket, a Korean table and market just opened in Soho. A unique location, downstairs at Mee Market features a casual dining space alongside an homeware shop displaying Mee Market branded stationary, leather goods and crockery.
Eat and Drink: With a varied food offering, including hot and cold foods for both takeaway and dine-in (think Korean poke bowls, bibimbap as well as hearty Asian noodle soups/dumplings), alongside a dry, fresh and frozen food section, Mee Market is the perfect all-encompassing location to get your Korean fix, and shop for hard-to-find Asian produce.
Where: 9a Archer Street, London W1D 7AX
7. For High-End Indian Plates: Indian Accent 
The Lowdown: Behold Indian Accent, an internationally acclaimed restaurant opening in the heart of Mayfair on Thursday (14th December). Not your standard run of the mill korma and garlic naan dishes, Indian Accent will serve reinterpreted Indian plates with global techniques and influences.
Eat and Drink: Expect dishes such as soy keema, quail egg and lime leaf butter pao, and kashmiri morels with walnut powder and parmesan papadi. The menu also highlights rarely seen Indian foods such as makhan malai, a medieval dish made of aerated milk infused with saffron; and playful presentations such as the ghee roast lamb with roomali roti pancakes, inspired by the format for Peking duck. The London location will also feature local produce and creative spins on British classics such as black pudding, stuffed here inside kulcha flatbreads.
Where: 16 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4HW
The Lowdown: Peckham Levels is a brand, spanking new development which has seen an unused multi-story car park transform into a creative hub of affordable creative workspaces, workshops, studios and independent businesses. And on the fifth floor is where you’ll find new informal vegetarian and vegan canteen, WILDFLOWER.
Eat and Drink: WILDFLOWER serves highly crafted vegetarian and vegan food in a relaxed, communal atmosphere. At the fore of each service is head chef Joseph Ryan who has risen up through the ranks of Hoi Polloi and Salon in Brixton Village. Opening for breakfast, brunch and lunch every day, WILDFLOWER’s ingredient-led offering centres around core favourites and a daily-changing menu of dishes which are approachable, affordable, and always lovingly prepared.
Where: Peckham Town Centre Carpark, 95A Rye Lane, London SE15 4TG
9. For All-Day Dining: Granary Square Brasserie
The Lowdown: Open now, Granary Square Brasserie is an all-day dining spot offering a welcoming place to meet, hang out, eat and drink, any time of the day, seven days a week. The menu is bursting with classics – from breakfast favourites to lunchtime eats, as well as an amazing selection of salads and sandwiches.
Eat and Drink: Main courses include a classic fish pie with salmon, cod and smoked haddock; slow roasted lamb shoulder with roast vegetables; and steaks including an incredible Cote de Boeuf. There’s also a range of tempting puddings such as warm cappuccino cake, and lemon meringue Alaska.
Where: Granary Square, 1-3 Stable Street, King’s Cross, London N1C 4AB
The Lowdown: Cupcake mavericks Flavourtown are opening their first ever shop in Parsons Green on Saturday (9th December). Situated at 771 Fulham Road, doors will open at 7:30am, seven days a week, to provide their freshly baked, highly addictive award-winning cupcakes and brownies to the cake loving people of south west London.
Eat and Drink: Flavourtown has added some exciting new bakes to the menu, including the Parsons Green Peanut Pie – an Oreo crust with a peanut butter cream cheese filling topped with a layer of single origin organic chocolate ganache; Toasted Hazelnut Tart – toasted hazelnut pastry crust with an unctuous hazelnut truffle filling finished with toasted hazelnuts and gold lustre; and The Boss Brownie – the best Flavourtown classic brownie ever, made with and filled with Original Beans single origin chocolate.
Where: 771 Fulham Road, London SW6 5HA
