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Hot Restaurant Openings - September
- Jo Aspin
- Aug 25
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
As summer slips away, (yep it's time to get off that sun lounger), we're here to help you immerse yourself into autumn and start planning your dining out diary. Jo Aspin and Paloma Lacy round up the hottest new restaurant openings monthly. Read on foodies.
Legado
Excitement is building in Shoreditch with the news of celebrated chef Nieves Barragán’s second opening – Legado. Meaning ‘legacy’, the new restaurant will explore the lesser-known regional Spanish dishes Nieves grew up with, in a space taking up a seat main dining room and 16 counter seats. La Taberna, a dedicated all-day bar and outdoor terrace serving tapas and pintxos throughout the day will also be on site. The kitchen team will work with whole animal butchery in-house, honouring farmers, animals, and the regions that rear them. The wine list is entirely Spanish, with a particular focus on Sherry and Cava.
Nieves said “Spain’s food heritage is incredible and has rightly deserved recognition in London and globally. Its colours, tastes, and smells are rooted deeply within me. However, many dishes I love, I have never seen outside the country and want to bring them and even more to London.”
Opens 28 August
1C Montacute Yards, 185-186 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6HU
Vraic
Chef Nathan Davies has upped sticks from Wales and taken his family to set up a new culinary adventure in Gurensey. Vraic is a stunningly located coastal restaurant overlooking Chouet Bay. Named after the Guernésiais word for seaweed, Vraic champions the island’s rich and bountiful produce, with a particular focus on local fish, shellfish and the diverse seaweeds that flourish along its coastline. At the heart of the open kitchen is a Basque-inspired grill, where Nathan and his team craft a seasonal 10–12 course tasting menu.
Nathan Davies has said, “These first months in Guernsey have confirmed everything we hoped for when making the move. The island's generosity has blown us away, meeting all the incredible local producers and cooking with their ingredients has been a true privilege. There's a real pride here in what's grown and harvested locally, and that's exactly what we want to celebrate at Vraic. It’s taken a lot of work to get here, and we’ve faced a few challenges along the way, but we’re now open, back in the game, and can’t wait to share what we’ve created.”
Now open
Mont Cuet Road, GY3 5AT, Guernsey
The General Tarleton
Jeopardy Hospitality (a group consisting of restaurateur Tommy Banks and his partners Matthew Lockwood, James Banks, and Neil Armstrong) have resurrected 18th-century coaching inn The General Tarleton in Yorkshire, which opens with a definitive dining offering alongside eight bedrooms. You can find it in the village of Ferrensby, just outside Harrogate. Hearty British pub classics will include Steak and Guinness Pie with baked potato mash, Savoy cabbage and rich gravy, Barnsley chop, beef fillet and pork cutlet options, as well as a Côte de Boeuf for two - all served with triple-cooked chips, a wedge salad and homemade accompaniments.
Opens 29 August
General Tarleton, Harrogate Rd, Ferrensby, Knaresborough HG5 0PZ
BEAR
Chef Carlo Scotto is now operating an intimate 14-seat chef’s table experience at Crazy Bear hotel in Beaconsfield. Known for his work with Gordon Ramsay, Angela Hartnett, and the Galvin Brothers before opening Amethyst, BEAR marks Carlo Scotto’s first new venture since 2022, and his vision is that it will be his boldest and most personal culinary vision to date. The eight-course tasting menu, (there’s also a small 6-course version on offer), will feature Scotto’s unique creations like ‘Pickled Attika Kohlrabi’, ‘Langoustine, Jalapeno, Purple Shiso’ and ‘Moroccan Spiced Duck’ with morels poached in a home-brewed pickled aged rum, tempeh fermented British Asparagus, with wild garlic and lacquered in a beetroot jus.
Now open
Crazy Bear Hotel, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire HP9 1LX
Il Bambini Club
The Hoxton in Shoreditch welcomes a new Italian Trattoria offering this month. According to the press release Il Bambini Club promises 'a vibrant escape filled with fresh pasta, delicious pizza, and plenty of spritzes, all served in a buzzy, welcoming setting that feels equal parts trattoria and Italian holiday'.
The menu will be focused around classic Italian dishes with a twist, desserts, and a unique drinks menu. The brand already has sites in Paris and Megève.
Opens September, date TBC
Il Bambini Club, 81 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3HU
Aki London
A modern Japanese dining concept from Maltese hospitality brand Lifestyle Group makes its London debut this September on Cavendish Square. The Grade II-listed building, a former bank, has undergone an eye-watering 15 million pound renovation. High end 'haute' cuisine will be on offer at Aki London featuring a mix of sushi, robata and Kushiyaki matched with a Japanese-influenced cocktail list featuring Maltese favourites such as Rising Sun with Gin L’Arbre, Yuzushu, Bianco Vermouth, honey, green tea ice cube and green tea air foam. Wowzers!
Opens September, date TBC
Aki London, Cavendish Square,
Emilia's Crafted Pasta
Emilia’s Pasta welcomes a fifth site in Victoria. The new Emilia's Pasta Victoria can fit a colossal 100 diners. Spread across two floors, there is additional outdoor seating, ideal for summer dining. The menu is simple: fresh, house-made pasta, including classic indulgent Casarecce Truffled Cacio e Pepe to their rich, slow-cooked-for-a-minimum-of-four-hours Pappardelle Béchamel Bolognese. Pasta is made fresh every morning on-site using 100% natural ingredients. Diners can also purchase house-made pasta to cook and consume at home from the on-site shop.
Now open
56 Victoria St, Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6QW
Pizza Openings
Pizza continues to take the UK by storm. A recent trip to Birmingham threw up an impressive range of pizza offerings at every street corner. London has followed suit, with three new openings this month.
Pizza comes in oh so many different styles. First up is urban-influenced Bad Boy Pizza Society (BBPS) in Bethnal Green. Specialising in 18-inch New York-style pizza, customers can experience a slice or two of award-winning pizza. Celebrated winner of UK National Pizza of the Year 2024, BBPS now operates four London locations.
Another purveyor of the New York slice, Alley Cats has opened a third London restaurant in Notting Hill. All the restaurants are in rather prestigious locations, with the original in Paddington and a second in Chelsea. The menu looks fit for a mobster, with meatballs for starters and pizzas including: Sausage, Pepperoni and Pulled Pork and Pineapple. Prices start at £16 and nothing goes to waste. Crusts can be dipped in a range of sauces, including: Marinara, Smoked BBQ, Honey and Scotch bonnet.
The poshest of the lot is Berbere Pizzeria, in St James. There are now four Central London locations. Following the nation's obsession for sourdough pizza, it's served in eight slices to encourage people to share. The smoked Margherita uses smoked Provolone, and Diavola Piccante packs a double chilli punch, with spicy salami and nduja.
Alley Cats Notting Hill, 84 Westbourne Grove, London W2
Bad Boy Pizza Society, 419 Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 0AN
Berbere Pizzeria, 50 James Street, London, W1U 1EU
KOKUM
The chefs at KOKUM in East Dulwich are in charge of keeping the summer vibes going well into Autumn, with the launch of a new menu and its open-air BBQ. In fact, while the weather stays mild, the chefs will keep grilling until the wind and the rain knocks them off the restaurant's terrace. Fresh new plates like the Chicken Chop, Kasundi Prawn, and summery curries such as Makrut Lime Prawn and Malvani Fish Curry. KOKUM has shaken up its biryani selection, with highlights including a fragrant Chicken Tikka Biryani and the earthy Wild Mushroom Biryani. Both work incredibly well alongside BBQ fayre of marinated meats, seafood, and veg grilled to order . The open-air BBQ is available Thursday to Sunday on the terrace - the perfect spot for late summer/autumn dining.
There's plenty of advice on hand for suggestions of the best wine pairing or diners may want to take the cocktail route. Pink Peppercorn Old Fashioned or Chocolate Orange Negroni, anyone?
The BBQ menu is available during September and October 2025.
KOKUM - 56 - 80 East Dulwich Road, London, SE22 9AX.
The Chancery Rosewood
Most hotels struggle with one opening but the mighty The Chancery Rosewood has orchestrated the opening of FIVE hospitality spots this month. Sounds like a pretty tall order. First up, SERRA reminds diners about the soul of the Mediterranean at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The menu is inspired by Southern Italy and Greece, with generosity, simplicity, seasonality and above all sharing, lies at its heart.
At the stove is Chef de Cuisine Alex Povall, formerly Executive Chef at Berenjak in Soho, whose confident, produce-first approach is shaped by experience under Angela Hartnett at Hartnett Holder & Co and senior roles at Michelin-starred Murano.
At new tearoom and dessert salon, Jacqueline, has been created with seasonality, scent and sculptural precision. Its signature Flower Collection captures “the flavour of the scent,” with pastries inspired by single blooms and created using perfumery techniques. An afternoon tea builds on this sensory concept with a curated three-course journey.
Open 11am -11pm daily.
EAGLE BAR
Little surprise this is a rooftop bar. Enviable views of Eagle Bar overlooking Grosvenor Square, make it the perfect spot to quaff cocktails and nibble on bar snacks. A scenic sundowner location and no doubt a draw to the later evening party crowd, with a stellar line up of DJs to entertain. What's the vibe? Late-night energy.
GSQ
There's only one thing more enticing than a deli, and that's one open all day. GSQ promises top-notch flavours delivered in a deli and cafe setting, right in the heart of Mayfair. take your pick between the takeaway counter, retail pantry or service on the terrace. What's on te menu? High quality coffee and freshly baked pastries first thing in the morning, to bold seasonal salads, sandwiches for lunch, and afternoon/early evening snacks.
Serra, Jacqueline, Eagle Bar and GSQ open on 1st September 2025. Tobi Masa - celebrated sushi restaurant, with three Michelin-starred chef Masayoshi Takayama at the helm - follows on 16th September 2025.
The Chancery Rosewood Hotel, 30 Grosvenor Sq, London, W1K
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.
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Instagram: @welovechilli
