HIDE Restaurant
Photo: HIDE
As one of the world’s biggest and most competitive hubs for fine cuisine and dining, London’s food scene is constantly evolving. Restaurants come and go, some shut down and others rise to the top, placed among the best the city has to offer. The newest venues are are always under the spotlight as is their success. Here are three of the city’s newest and most exciting restaurants. From relaxed culinary greatness to unbelievable decor, here’s where you should be dining in London right now.
Nest Egg at HIDE
Photo: HIDE
Perhaps the hottest restaurant opening in London in 2018, HIDE is still one of the most popular lunch and dinner spots in the city. Headed by chef Ollie Dabbous, the restaurant won a Michelin star just months after opening and has continued to receive awards since.
The interior design at HIDE is stunning. The venue is broken down into three parts, the dark cocktail bar in the basement, the bustling restaurant on the ground floor and the upstairs section where their famed tasting menu is served. The tasting menu is vibrant and fun, with dishes like Nest Egg, an eggshell filled with creamy yolk, butter and mushroom, a selection of charcuterie wrapped around feathers, and tender lobster. The menu is phenomenal but made better paired with HIDE’s huge wine list, which is the largest in Europe.
‘Bitterballen’ Suckling Pig bonbons at Gezellig
Photo: Gezellig
Warm and welcoming, Gezellig really does showcase the feeling of friendship that brought about the creation of the restaurant. The trio of friends, Wieteke Teppema, Graham Long and James Comyn, have worked together and apart across London’s vibrant food and drink scene for many years. And now, they’ve come together to create something of their own.
Like the atmosphere, Gezellig’s food isn’t flashy or boastful, yet warm and satisfying, with dishes you won’t soon forget. The suckling pig and sweet mustard ‘Bitterballen’ bonbons are a delight, the bread is a course on it’s own, and the duck breast is cooked to perfection. Each dish is carefully created with a balance of flavour and presentation, without going too far. Make sure to leave room for dessert, the peach melba is not to be missed.
WIld Honey London St James
Photo: Abacapress/Pavlos Efthimiou
Wild Honey St. James opened in May this year, on the site where The Balcon restaurant previously stood, within the Sofitel London St James. The new restaurant is part of a huge £16.5 million refurbishment of the Sofitel, which is meant to bring the famed hotel into the modern era while maintaining the classic look that defines it. The new restaurant, headed by Anthony Demetre and head chef Simon Woodrow, focuses on contemporary French cuisine, much like the Michelin-starred Wild Honey in Mayfair.
Lacquered barbecued quail, smoked eel, roasted saddle of rabbit; the menu is well-balanced and pleasantly adventurous. The ice cream topped with chunks of honeycomb scraped off in front of customers is one of the most well-presented and deliciously simple desserts I’ve had in a while. Best enjoyed alongside the restaurant’s balanced honey ale.
