All the new places to dine in the capital and beyond, complied by hungry hacks Jo Aspin and Paloma Lacy. Try these new restaurants this November.
AngloThai
Husband and wife team John and Desiree Chantarasak are opening their debut restaurant AngloThai this month. They’ve run several popular pop-ups and residencies, and are now having a punt at their first official site on Seymour Place, Marleybone. AngloThai dishes will combine bold Thai flavours with contemporary presentation. Traditional Thai cooking methods including charcoal cooking, coconut smoking, and wok-hei (the breath of the wok) will be used and curry pastes and freshly pressed coconut cream will feature heavily. Expect elevated dishes like Ryall Farm Hogget (a mix between mutton and lamb) Massaman with Black Fig, and Monkfish Jungle Curry with Holy Basil. A menu of European wines will also feature. JA.
Open 11 November
22-24 Seymour Pl, London W1H 7NL
Artusi Soho
Peckham stalwart Artusi has branched out into Soho. The winning formula has moved up West. Fans of the South London restaurant can expect similarly cool Italian vibes. Working in partnership with Underbelly Boulevard Soho, a commitment to unfussy, seasonal dishes and Italian wines remains. The menu changes throughout the week to reflect seasonal products available. Pasta made fresh daily is a focus on the menu.
Artusi Soho is located on the first floor of show venue, Underbelly Boulevard Soho. Open Tuesday to Saturday between 5pm and 7pm, Artusi Soho offers a pre-theatre menu, two courses for £25 or three courses for £30. PL.
Now open
6 Walker's Ct, London W1F 0BT
Pizza Pilgrims
The pizza empire for these pilgrims expands this month with the latest opening on Chelsea’s King’s Road, marking their 25th site across the UK. This latest Pizza Pilgrims has been ‘designed to feel like a beach bar straight out of the iconic, sun-drenched island of Capri’. Expect ornate tiles and parasols on the ground floor with an arch made out of pizza flour bags and the ceiling an ode to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. In the basement, you can sip spitzes under an Amalfi lemon grove and dream of the Med. JA.
Opens 18 November
Pizza Pilgrims Chelsea, 219 King’s Road, London, SW3 5EJ
Forza Restaurants Win CODE Hospitality’s Happiest Place to Work 2024
The restaurant industry is notoriously tough. Forza Restaurants – comprising Forza Wine, Forza Win and Forza Wine at The National Theatre - have won CODE Hospitality’s Happiest Place to Work 2024. The award, supported by rota scheduling tool, Planday, highlights employers that care for the welfare and wellbeing of their employees. Such values and practices are as important as high quality food and drink is.
A spokesman for Forza Restaurants believes putting employees first is the key. "Employee focused processes include regular appraisals and reviews, 1-2-1 pastoral care meetings, the encouragement of open and honest conversation," he added. PL.
Forza has restaurants in Peckham, Camberwell, and at the National Theatre.
Busters
Is Brixton ready for a burger joint serving only Wagyu as its beef option? The South London suburb is about to find out. Brought to diners by the same crowd behind Battersea's Ploussard, it already has a following. Perhaps rumoured Ploussard fan, chef Michel Roux Junior, has already shown his support? So it's high-end burgers, they look like juicy smashed patties, and fries. Oh so simple and no doubt, simply delicious. PL.
Now open
3 Atlantic Rd, London SW9 8HX
Quill
Quill at Borough Yards sees a third bar added to the Fables & Company stable. Joining Plume in Covent Garden and Finch in Brixton, Quill is set to wow with stunning interiors. Just like its sister properties, it appears so cosy and comfortable, long-stay visits are easy to commit to. The group continues to champion the modern-day wine bar, with a compact food menu, that makes you want to order one of every dish. The wine and cocktail is expected to be more expansive but just as seductive. PL.
Now open
Borough Yards, Arch 232 Bank End, London SE1 9FJ
Mayfair Chippy Knightsbridge
Posh fish and chips is popular all over the UK. It doesn't come much posher than The Mayfair Chippy Knightsbridge. This second restaurant opened at the beginning of November. Once again, in it's own inimitable style, the restaurant has elevated this humble cuisine to dizzy heights. An impressive drinks list, offering 12 types of gin. Not much mixology seems to be going on with MOTH Cocktails on the menu. I don't mind this one little bit. MOTH is one of the finest ready-made cocktail brands on the market. Expect some surprising starters, Coronation Chicken Fritters is a new one on me. Kedgeree Scotch Egg sounds worth a punt. The classic main - fish & chips - comes in at just over £20 all -n. Considering the postcode, this is not a bad price point. The all-important batter looks spot on. The fish finger sandwich presents a challenge most will relish. Afternoon Sea is a quirky take on that quintessentially English mealtime. This fish platter, including crab, smoked salmon and oysters, is £38 per person. PL.
Now open
The Mayfair Chippy Knightsbridge, 138 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1HY
La Bellezza, Birmingham
Photo Credit: Joann-Pai
New from Big Mamma Group - Le Bellezza opens in Birmingham’s grand Chamberlain Square this month. Inspired by a wild, overgrown courtyard in Perugia, step into the restaurant to see 5,000 vintage bottles on the walls, seven-metre-long tapestry curtains, handmade shiny Murano glass chandeliers and a white and green Italian marble floor. Expect Big Mamma classics like Burrata fresh from Puglia, 24-month-aged prosciutto di Parma DOP from Emilia-Romana, Il Gran Carbonara, served from 8kg pecorino wheel, and the Instagram-famed 6-inch tall lemon meringue pie. JA.
Opens 29 November
Paradise, 2 Chamberlain Square, Birmingham
Features Editor, Chatting Food: Jo Aspin
Jo Aspin is a freelance writer specialising in UK restaurants, travel, food and drink. She is also a Director at hospitality PR agency Amy Williams Consultancy, based in London.
Follow Jo at:
Instagram: @welovechilli
Contributor Paloma Lacy
Paloma Lacy has been writing on food and restaurants for 15 years. Follow her on Instagram: paloma.lacy
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