TASTE December 2018

London – recently opened

London’s restaurant scene has continued to excel as we enter the winter months, welcoming a number of new venues and experiences. The Great Northern Hotel, in Kings Cross, has opened Anthracite, a three-roomed martini lounge in the Grade II listed Italianate Victorian building offering a carefully curated selection of vodkas, gins and vermouths so guests can create a bespoke martini. They will also enjoy luxury food including caviar, charcuterie and cheese boards.

Following on from hugely successful pop-ups and venues across London and Bristol, founders Tim Vasilakis and Neo Christodoulou have launched The Athenian in the capital’s financial district, bringing authentic Greek street food to Canary Wharf. Grab-and-go eatery HOP Vietnamese has set up in the base of The Leadenhall Building, offering their signature HOP box with curry and steamed rice, alongside a host of other delicious Asian street food. Meanwhile, Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Imperial Treasure, renowned for its Peking duck and other high-end authentic Chinese specialties, made its European debut in Waterloo Place in late November.

November also saw the opening of the latest Comptoir Libanais, this time a flagship offering in London Bridge from founder Tony Kitous. Bringing unique dishes and a taste of Lebanon and the Middle East to Tooley Street, diners can delve into a selection of mezze alongside wraps, salads and delicious meats fresh from the grill.

After tasting success in Shoreditch and Croydon, Boxpark Wembley launched in early December with a Rinse FM takeover, offering a diverse mix of street food and retail vendors, including The Athenian, TapaVino, Bombay Burrito and Cut + Grind. High-end Japanese restaurant Ginza Onodera has also opened its doors in St James, providing a delightful menu styled on traditional Japanese cuisine and techniques. Alongside specialist festive menus, tuck into teppan-yaki, sushi and robata grill dishes from the group that has two Michelin-starred Sushi Ginza Onodera restaurants in New York. In addition, Pan Asian tapas restaurant Gamma Gamma launched at 6 Greek Street in the heart of Soho, with a menu of shareable fusion dishes featuring exotic meats such as kangaroo, zebra and ostrich, coupled with an extensive bespoke cocktail list.

London – opening soon, refurbished or relocated

An Islington branch of Covent Garden’s popular vegan eatery Wild Food Cafe is set to open on Angel’s Upper Street in mid-December, with a ‘wild brunch’ and gluten-free wood fired pizza on the menu. Meanwhile, Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Tamarind in Mayfair has completed an extensive refurbishment and has returned with a reinvented menu to mark the occasion. Ramen pop-up Yamagoya has also relocated from Waterloo to return to Soho, taking over the upstairs space at hot pot restaurant Shuang Shuang, where it first appeared several years ago. Expect a variety of ramen dishes, alongside its famed rainbow cake.

Manchester – recently opened

Manchester has also welcomed both Dishoom and The Ivy to the city in recent weeks, with both looking to build on their legacy of success in the capital. Guests at The Ivy Spinningfields can eat on one of four fabulous floors of a hugely impressive timber framed café-style brasserie, with a menu that blends modern British and international dishes. Meanwhile the award-winning Indian café group

Dishoom has brought its Bombay inspired delights to the remarkable surroundings of Manchester Hall.

Manchester – opening soon

Popular independent Italian cicchetti and charcuterie Bacaro is set to open in the city in early 2019, occupying a space on the ground floor of the iconic shopping emporium Afflecks in the Northern Quarter. In addition, acclaimed chef Gary Usher will open his sixth restaurant, Kala, on Manchester’s King Street in February.