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Hospitality is a cruel mistress.

On the face of it, who in their right mind would open a restaurant in London right now/ever? The first year failure rate reportedly hovers around 60%, climbing to a crazy 80% that will have shut within five.

Yet no sooner has one beloved local trattoria, overleveraged chain joint or stupidly luxe Mayfair eatery gone tits-up, but another plucky operator inevitably moves in, convinced their own variation on sustainably-sourced menus, elegantly designed interiors and on-trend cocktails will deliver the smash hit their predecessors failed to achieve.

It seems the idea of running one’s own restaurant is so compelling; presents such a dream that just has to be realised, that no end of people will risk their mental, physical, social and financial health to make it happen.

And to be honest, thank goodness they do.

Dining out is a source of huge joy, delivering rich cultural and social impacts, too. As customers, we choose to overlook the spiraling costs, annoying booking systems and occasional disappointments because when everything comes together, the experience nourishes our souls, just as much as our bellies.
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This week I thought we’d look at just a few of the new restaurant ventures that have opened in recent weeks (or whose arrival is imminent) in our part of the city.

The excitement of hearing about somewhere new to eat - even if we never get around to going/probably can’t afford it - is still something that infuses people’s experience of living in London with the requisite urban vibrancy. Oh, the thrill of all that culinary potential on our doorsteps!

The same can be said about the boundless arrival of new art shows, galleries and pop-ups, so I’ve got a section on those this week too, which I promise will conjure up the exact same feelings of pride at the creativity of our neighbours and titillation at the prospect of all that’s out there, just waiting to be discovered.

FOOD & DRINK

12 tasty new openings to try

🍽️ The prime triangle site vacated by Vinoteca on the corner of Pancras Square is reborn next week as Harry’s, Richard Caring’s Venetian-inspired all-day Italian (with existing branches in Knightsbridge and alongside Selfridges). It’s got a great terrace, so expect alfresco Bellinis to be one of the main attractions as well as the black truffle menu.

🫛 Our friends at Hot Dinners have helpfully eaten they way through loads of dishes at Bubala, the exciting new vegetarian Middle Eastern diner that’s just opened in the striking red arched building at Lewis Cubitt Square. I have to say it all looks fabulous and is definitely my next target to try in the rich and varied restaurant landscape of KX.

🥩 Meanwhile, just across the square, inside Mare Street Market King's Cross, The Chandelier room is preparing to open as The Island, a swish surf and turf offering, where you can expect nose-to-tail rare-breed meats alongside huge lobster rolls, oysters and Sunday roasts with a twist.

🥗 Down at the decadent Midland Grand Dining Rooms, the kitchen has been relaunched as Victor Garvey at the Midland Grand, which sees the Michelin-starred chef take the historic and stunning space in a new, haute cuisine direction.

🍠 That’s opposite Voyage by Adam Simmonds, which has been serving intricate tasting menus since early this year, the refined preparation of which can be watched in the central kitchen. Ideal for embarking upon the proverbial grand culinary journey with the special foodie you need to impress.

🟢 For something lighter, Frothee is the new matcha tea, coffee and cold foam specialist over on Caledonian Rd that’s been playing a very strong TikTok game since opening a couple of weeks back. It’s family-run, 100% halal and pulling the crowds, plus there are cakes and pastries on hand, too.

🍝 Covent Garden’s new Taiwanese night market-inspired Kung Fu Mama has been going great guns since opening last month with its colourful sundried noodle dishes, creative baos and afternoons-only mango shaved ice special summer treat.

🍨 Even more decadence is about to come to the former Lloyds Bank in Kentish Town Road as The Urban Chocolatier brings such creations as the ‘Triple Bypass Freakshake’ to NW5. It’s a huge tower of ice cream loaded with rich chocolate and peanut butter and chunks of fudgy brownie.

🍣 KT’s legendary if tired curry house The Bengal Lancer has finally given up the ghost, to immediately be replaced by KIKI, a Japanese joint with an extensive menu of sushi, sake and attractive special lunch plates. Ingratiated themselves with many locals by offering free food on their opening weekend, they have been really working the high street with a strong charm offensive ever since.

🍜 Chelsea’s hit HUŎ is preparing to open in time for the summer in Belsize Village, in place of the ridiculously short-lived Caldesi which lasted only 9 months. The hope is that dishes all prepared from scratch using traditional Chinese, Thai, Malay and Singaporean disciplines will work where premium Italian did not.

☕ Innovate new schnitzel-focused café, Von Crumb, opened a month ago in Belsize too (near the station) and our spies tell us that their crispy, golden schnitzels, dips and fresh salads are all excellent. Additionally there’s top coffee for the daytimes and top cocktails for later on.

🥐 After a few delays, chic bakery Sourdough Sophia finally opened in Parliament Hill last weekend, on the site of the former Creamery ice cream stop. The new venture looks particularly stylish with it’s pink decor and the baked goods present yet another reason to make Swain’s Lane the half-time destination for all your weekend Heath walks.

ART

🗯️ Giant ball pit art alert!

Galleries can be reborn spaces, rather like restaurants (and require a lot less fit-out waste, too), so it’s brilliant to see the former Zabludowicz Collection come back to life as contemporary art and film centre Camden Arts Projects.
Perhaps even a teeny bit more exciting than that is that the beautiful former Methodist chapel’s inaugural show, Everything Is Going To Be Alright, by Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed, transforms the space into a massive ball pit. Visitors get to gleefully play with the exhibit in free, but pre-bookable 15-minute slots. Runs until 29th June.

🎞️ On the very same road, Hypha Studios and the Council have opened up the former Palace Cinema at 2 Prince of Wales Rd to house a residency for a collective of local artists and creatives. They’re now busy hosting open studios, workshops, discussions, readings, 24-hour cinema programmes, supper clubs and more.

🥸 New this year in Fitzrovia is the arrival of Tache Gallery, devoted to nurturing, supporting and platforming emerging contemporary artists. The gallery works with artists to build their first solo presentations, providing guidance throughout and dismantling the usual barriers to early-career artistic development.

🖼️ Don’t forget the more traditional spots, as Kenwood House has announced fairly dramatic reductions in visitors despite being free entrance. To stem the tide, they’ve just opened an exhibition full of power, glamour and intregue. John Singer Sargent’s portraits, Heiress, reveals the real stories and faces behind the fascinating American women who crossed the Atlantic to marry British aristocrats in an exchange of money for titles. Runs to 5th Oct. 

…and some of your comments

“Basically all of the above, but I am actively trying to go more analog”

“I curate, however I spend a LOT of time on my phone for the things I do value!”

“I have made a conscious effort in the past year or so to cut down on social media, forced to really due to the toxicity of Twitter/X since the advent of the ghastly Musk. I switched to Bluesky but find I don’t use it much. I am a rubbish Facebook user, only really going on to post petitions and the occasional Happy Birthday. I have not been tempted by TikTok (I’m too old) and despite joining Instagram early, never really started to use it. I read quite a few books on my tablet during lockdown, largely free/re-reading favourites and classics, then subscribed to an ebook service, but have largely gone back to real books from charity shops passed on by my son, and reading some of the silly amount of books in the house. I always have a book or two on the go with me travelling - almost always Sci Fi- the best escape from the horrors of human folly for a few hours at a time. Apologies for lengthy response!”

“I look forward to the weekly Friday updates from Camdenist highlighting the best of the local things happening. Plus I really enjoy reading your ‘one big piece’! ”

“As ever, the writing about tech is outstanding and insightful. I found the comment about London park festivals sucking money out to the US very interesting. It may be space as much as legal challenges which precluded saying more. It would be great, in a future article, if any more pointers to how much is involved and if there is scope for a campaign for Councils to consider favouring British run festivals so the profits build creative and entrepreneurial talent here. It is an issue I was completely unaware of so thanks for raising awareness.”

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