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One of the consistently striking things about London in the midst of the rolling cost of living maelstrom is that so many restaurants around town remain packed, despite the unswervable truth that even a relatively humble meal is guaranteed to elicit sharp intakes of breath when the bill lands.

The only explanation can be that the capital’s food-obsessed masses prioritise regular meals out as one of life’s unequivocal essentials. That, or perhaps just a growing mountain of unsustainable debt. 🤷‍♀️

While we’ve also had the harsh reality-check of reporting the demise of rather too many decent local ventures in recent months, a stream of plucky newcomers enter the fray to replace them all the time.

It’s hard to keep up, so we thought we’d turn this week’s Camdenist lead into a rundown of as many of the new openings and exciting restaurant-related updates that have landed on our proverbial virtual news desk - in the last few days alone.

It can feel like diners are going full-throttle ‘last days of Rome’ vibes out there, (and with the US election looming next week, that approach may yet prove justified), so here’s where you can beat/ignore the eye-watering prices and get in amongst it, right across Camden... if you can get a table.

🍽️ The next big thing(s) in King’s Cross

Fresh from helping transform Regent’s Park Road classic Odette’s into the recently opened Home Kitchen - notable for being the first fine dining spot staffed by homeless people - Michelin Starred-chef Adam Simmonds has announced his next big project; and it’s going to be in the heart of King’s Cross.

He’s taking over The Megaro Hotel’s main restaurant and preparing to open Voyage with Adam Simmonds, with a focus on Scandi influenced dishes and decor. Exciting, but we were slightly troubled to see the photos of Adam standing amidst construction gubbins on his new site, formerly the massively over-styled butterfly-themed Magenta, as it appears all that luxe opulence is currently being ripped out in favour of his new stripped-back aesthetic.

I’m not naive enough to be shocked at the thought that restaurant refits regularly result in horrifying amounts of waste, but not very long ago we stood in Magenta marveling at just how much money and the finest materials had clearly been lavished on creating it, so even a partial rip-out feels fairly savage - unless the unwanted elements are being upcycled, soon to crop up elsewhere, dare we ask?

🍾 Meanwhile, over the road in Pancras Square, the former Vinoteca that we thought was soon to become a branch of the Ivy Collection’s Harry’s Dolce Vita seems to have pivoted, at least for the next couple of months, anyway, into a Christmas tree-stuffed seasonal posh pop-up, the Champagne Chalet by Perrier Jouet.

🍛 Further around the way, Islington’s famous pub curry pioneers Tamil Prince are about to bring a new branch of their informal rotis, dosas and curries joint, Tamila, to the lower stretch of Caledonian Rd which, as we reported two weeks back, has also got a hot new lunch-only food, wine and books destination.

🐔 Guess who's flying in to Chalk Farm?

It’s only South London’s cult fried chicken brand Morley’s, that’s who. There’s scant info available on the opening date, but overnight this week their distinctive red livery has gone up on a unit not so far from another obsessively popular import from down South; Trap Kitchen.

🐅 In other Chalk Farm Rd news, beloved music pub turned bland corporate drinking nightmare The Monarch has unexpectedly reopened its doors after the failure of its bizarre previous incarnation. There’s no name above the door yet, but inside, the decor has made a definitive break with the characterless recent past by adopting, er, fluro lighting and leopard skin upholstery, so we’ll soon see what the next chapter in the building’s turbulent history entails.

🍔 Head towards Camden tube, and you’ll find food hall favourites Black Bear Burgers have arrived as one of the newcomers shaping the direction of the freshly rebranded Boxpark Camden. They make a big play about their quality beef and no fuss approach to the art of the patty.

🍝 Pasta, pasta & more pasta

Tottenham Court Rd has been a good strip for fresh pasta on account of the excellent and affordable Pastation by Goodge St tube, and now it’s being joined by a nearby newcomer, Pastino, offering a range of sauces slathered upon either rigatoni, spaghetti, casarecce or macaroni, ordered at kiosks and reportedly at keen prices, too. Opens Mon 4th Nov.

They’ll join existing fresh pasta specialists in the ‘hood like Notto nearby in Covent Garden, fine grade flour specialists Officina 00 in Fitzrovia and Pastificio Al Dente further up Goodge St, as the march of gaffs offering a decent bowl of Italy’s finest export continues apace.

🍴 _{Even more local food news}

🍺 Highgate Village has been a top spot for a decent pub for hundreds of years, and the latest twist in the area’s storied history is that Heath Ball, landlord of the highly acclaimed Red Lion & Sun has just taken over The Angel Inn, a few short/wobbly strides down the main drag. It reopens after a spruce-up on Monday 4th Nov.

🍚 Eastern Mediterranean home cooking by way of established spots in Shoreditch and Marylebone is the thing at Covent Garden’s Delamina Townhouse, which opens fully today in a lovely Grade II-listed building after a short soft launch period.

🫰 Newly independent local boozer The Grafton in Kentish Town has a fantastic value village table menu at only £12 for 3 courses, every Monday night. The idea is to get the community to join together around a table and is surely one of the best priced meals out to be found.

🍆 Plant-based icons Mildred's have a special ‘taste of Mildred’s’ masterpiece feast for just £25 (min 2 people) that’s just launched at their recently rebooted Camden Town branch and is available at the one in King’s Cross, too.

🪴 Into your own organic food production and urban farming? The Camden Food Growing Celebration aims to foster connections among local like-minded growers with a day of networking, panel discussions, activities, screenings, arts and crafts this Tuesday afternoon, 5th Nov at Castlehaven’s Clarence Hall.

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MUSIC

🎚️ Hip hop royalty and more, here over the next 7 days

🎃 There are four female-fronted live acts on stage up at Haverstock Hill’s Sir Richard Steele tonight, Fri Nov 1st, as Katie and the Bad Sign, Ella Morgan, De La Rosa and Esme White all bring bluesy rock, heavy soul and grungy rock for a Halloween party which is free to get in, but costumes are essential.

🎸 Tickets for The Libertines at the Roundhouse may be long sold out, but whether you’ve got one or not, there’s still the option to join the official aftershow party up the road at Dingwalls, where Carl Barât will be DJing a night of unapologetic indie sleaze until the early hours, Friday 1st Nov.

🕺 Music fans of a certain vintage will have fond memories of BBC2’s trailblazing 1990s club culture show, Normski’s Dance Energy. Now it’s charismatic host is bringing the spirit of the programme back with a party at The Forge this Saturday, 2nd Nov. He’ll be joined by the irrepressible Ragga Twins and Soul II Soul ledge Rose Windross, all performing live.

🎤 Wu-Tang Clan founding member GZA and the Funky Nomads touch down for a rare live in London date at KOKO this Monday 4th Nov. Known as The Genius for his cool, precise flow and intricate, literate rhymes, expect freestyles, classic cuts and anecdotes from his childhood in Staten Island.

🪕 Litvak Days: A temporary stopover that turned into a home at JW3 on Wed 6th Nov is a concert and panel discussion marking the 13th annual Litvak Days event, dedicated to the history of Lithuanian Jewish immigration to the UK.

STAGE

🎭 Scary theatre aiming to spook you

🛶 The world premiere of Reykjavik, a new play about the loss of fifteen trawler boat crew, and the sequence of events this sets off for the survivors, is currently playing at Hampstead Theatre. Runs until 23rd Nov.

😱 In the loose spirit of Halloween, I Screamed a Scream features the songs of the stage and screen’s very best baddies in two shows at Phoenix Arts Club this Sunday 3rd Nov. Expect well-known monster jams and a few hidden evil gems, performed by some of musical theatre’s most frighteningly good stars.

👻 Vrykolakas (and other beings from elsewhere) sees spooky tales hailing from Greece, Cyprus and beyond aiming to frighten the bejesus out of audiences at the final weekend of Etcetera Theatre’s Camden Horror Festival this Sat and Sun, 2nd-3rd Nov.

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