Taste Update – February 2024
From traditional Mexican tacos by a Hollywood star in London to modern British fare in Yorkshire, Britain’s new restaurant scene is booming in 2024. Look out for French-inspire cuisine in Leeds, Scottish fine dining from a Michelin star chef in Edinburgh, and Singaporean delights in London. No matter the flavour, Great Britain has it covered.
Recently opened
Big Night, London
Opened 11 January 2024
Big Night offers a simple, flavourful menu, developed by chef pairing Jack O'Connor and Joshua Ralphs. The main event is various meat and veg offerings on skewers, beers from The Kernel Brewery, cocktails and wines. Look out for the seasonal kimchi, kraut + vodka and pork. The restaurant takes the space of the previous food and beverage occupant, Nest, on Morning Lane, Hackney.
Opening in February
Bar Bruno, London
Located in the heart of East London’s Victoria Park Village, Bar Bruno will be an intimate neighbourhood wine bar, housed within an old stable block. Owner and wine importer, Michael Sager, is opening the bar in gratitude to his father, Bruno. Using salvaged materials for the interior, expect a well-established feel to the space, including a repurposed teak worktop from Nottingham University. Alongside a varied choice of wines, diners can enjoy small plates including filled pretzels, inspired by Sager’s Swiss homeland.
Singapulah, London
Showcasing a broad range of Singaporean cuisine, Singapulah will be the latest opening from Ellen Chew’s ‘Chew On This’ collection. Following on from a London pop-up several years ago, the restaurant will open on Shaftesbury Avenue. The menu is set to feature Singaporean products not previously available in the UK, while diners will also be able to buy them to take home. Dishes will include, Bak Chor Mee, a minced pork noodle dish, and Singapore Laksa. Meanwhile the drink’s menu features a range of cocktails featuring The Orientalist Spirits, plus grass jelly drinks and coconut shakes.
Hansom, Yorkshire
Taking bookings from February to April 2024, chef Ruth Hansom is opening her first solo restaurant, Hansom. Located in Bedale, Yorkshire, the modern British menu will incorporate a contemporary 16-seater tasting menu with offerings from the land, earth and sea.
Bavette Bistro, Leeds
Bavette Bistro represents the first joint venture from ex-Culpeper head chef Sandy Jarvis and his partner, sommelier Clément Cousin. Situated in the Horsforth neighbourhood, the relaxed restaurant will offer a seasonally-led menu of French-inspired dishes using small sustainable suppliers. Dishes will include comté cheese croquettes, pork belly rillons and whole grilled plaice. Wines from Cousin’s family farm will be on the wine list alongside other French bottles.
Camille, Borough Market, London
The team behind Ducksoup and Little Duck, Clare Latting and Tom Hill, are launching a new Borough Market restaurant, Camille. Helmed by head chef Elliot Hashtroudi, the 32-cover restaurant is set to present French cuisine curated from top British produce, with a wine list featuring small French producers. Crab toast with three cornered garlic and crab bisque, langoustine cassoulet, and lemon sole with snail butter all feature on the menu, while desert includes Yorkshire rhubarb mille feuille.
Morchella, London
Directed by chef Danile Fletcher, restaurant and wine bar Morchella will occupy a former bank space in Clerkenwell. It’s a follow-up restaurant to Perilla, which serves European flavours in Newington Green. Look out for classic Mediterranean dishes with a modern twist, produced with high quality ingredients. The wine list will be formed of old-world wine, while diners can expect a range of offerings on the seasonal menu, including Sicilian fish stew, mushroom panzerotti and sirloin with aged mushroom.
Trejo's Tacos, London
Actor Danny Trejo is launching Trejo's Tacos on Portobello Road in Notting Hill, a first venture outside of the USA for the esteemed star. The menu will include breakfast burritos, alongside a large selection of tacos to be served right through into the evening. Look out for dishes including shrimp Tostadas, blackened salmon and beer-battered fish, Baja-style. There will also be two cocktail bars serving mezcal and tequila, as well as a DJ area.
Opening soon
Cardinal, Edinburgh
Opening March 2024
Chef Tomás Gormley is set to open his first solo venture, Cardinal, encompassing modern Scottish fine dining with a lunch offering and a 13-course evening tasting menu. Awarded a Michelin star at Heron in 2023, Gormley plans to keep the menu fresh and packed with local suppliers, produce and ingredients. The tasting menu will feature fermentation, pickling, and cooking over fire. Diners can expect deep colours and atmospheric lighting at this 24-cover space. A curated cocktail list and nature-led wine selection will complement the menu.
Psycho Sandbar, Leeds
Reservations from 8 March 2024
Chef Michael O'Hare is opening new dining concept, Psycho Sandbar, in the space of his former Michelin star winning restaurant, the Man Behind the Curtain. Guests can expect a fish-heavy menu with a relaxed vibe in a "surf shack" style space, while retaining the fine dining experience. With a focus on quality produce, there will be a tasting menu (limited to 12 people per service), as well as a la carte and vegetarian options. Look out for grilled fish, caviar served with wasabi, and lobster lightly cooked over wood with a Thai bisque.
Josephine, London
Opening 2 March 2024
Nestled on Fulham Road in the heart of Chelsea, Claude Bosi and his wife Lucy are set to open Josephine Bouchon. Taking diners on a journey through France with a menu of family dishes inspired by Bosi's hometown of Lyon, the space is named after his late grandmother, Josephine. The 76-cover restaurant plans to feature a simple menu that is big on flavours. Look out for the curated selection of wines and Chartreuse, a French herbal liqueur.