New London Openings and Pop-Ups – Autumn 2013

After a fairly quiet month for London openings in August (the break was rather welcome for all, I’m sure) we really are back with a bang for September and beyond.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it – London is THE place for restaurants at the moment and I for one can’t wait to see what the autumn brings. Read on for a taste of what’s to come, from restaurants to hotels and pop-up events.

Berners Tavern at The London Edition

We told you about The London Edition a while ago (look here), but now we know a little more about Berners Tavern, the restaurant in the hotel that will be part of Jason Atherton’s mega empire.

Touted as ‘a gathering place for all day dining and entertaining, breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea and late supper’ the 140-cover restaurant will offer a contemporary British menu.

The dining room is absolutely stunning – a real contender for the most beautiful dining room in London.

Merchants Tavern, Shoreditch

Merchants Tavern is a collaboration between Angela Hartnett, Canteen founders Dominic Lake and Patrick Clayton-Malone, and chef Neil Borthwick, opening in Shoreditch as a 130 cover restaurant.

The menu at Merchants Tavern is classed as modern European and some tables will be available for walk-ins, with a separate bar menu also available.

Hoi Polloi at the Ace Hotel, Shoreditch

Pablo Flack and David Waddington of celebrated east London restaurant Bistrotheque will open Hoi Polloi at the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch on  3 October.

Hoi Polloi will be a ‘modernist brasserie’ with a ‘dynamic space’ for 100 covers, with an adjacent bar (50 covers) that willl be open throughout the day with a no-reservations policy.

The Ape and Bird, Covent Garden

Russell Norman & Richard Beatty are back with a new opening in the form of The Ape and Bird Public House, due to open in October on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and West Street.

The founders of Polpo, Polpetto, Spuntino and Mishkin’s, will launch the 5000 square foot pub, restaurant and bar that will ‘marry traditional pub values with great craft beer, familiar comfort cooking and meticulously sympathetic design and interiors’.

Talented chef director Tom Oldroyd has been busy developing an eclectic menu of classic pub dishes with a twist.

Bamford Haybarn Spa at The Berkeley Hotel

Bamford Haybarn Spa at The Berkeley

The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge has launched the new Bamford Haybarn Spa at the Berkeley Health Club on the 7th floor of the hotel.

The new spa aims to bring ‘the essence of the English countryside to the heart of the city’, with a gorgeous rooftop open-air pool, secret scented garden, state of the art gym and panoramic city skyline views.

A signature treatment will be the 85-minute Bamford Body Signature Treatment combining shiatsu, meridian and Swedish massage, reflexology and yogic breathing to revitalise the whole body.

Read our guide to our favourite hotel spas in London.

Boulestin, St James’s

Located in St James’s, the new Boulestin (the original closed in 1994 after nearly 70 years in Covent Garden) will offer a 60-seat bistro, serving mostly classic French food, along with a private dining room seating 36 and Café Marcel, a 30-seat casual dining space offering lighter fare.

Gymkhana, Mayfair

Gymkhana is a new restaurant from Karam Sethi, who made his name in London with his Michelin starred Indian restaurant, Trishna, in Marylebone.

Gymkhana, which opens on 10 September on Albemarle Street in Mayfair, is inspired by the Colonial Indian social and sports clubs of the same name. Gymkhana will serve modern Indian food with a focus on the tandoor oven and sigri charcoal grill.

Breakfast with Bond at The Dorchester

The Dorchester Hotel has partnered with William Boyd – the author who has written Solo, a continuation of the 007 novels, which will be released in September.

The novel begins with Bond having his birthday breakfast at The Grill at The Dorchester and on the date of publication, Thursday 26 September, those who quote ‘Solo’ while making a breakfast reservation at The Grill will receive a copy of the book during their breakfast.

Bo Lang, Chelsea

Bo Lang will open in September on Draycott Avenue in Chelsea as a 60-cover dim sum restaurant and teahouse, ‘infused with Eastern mystique’.

As well as the specialist list of dim sum, the menu also features light main plates including salads, grilled and steamed dishes.

Grillshack, Soho

Opening on Beak Street in Soho in September, Grillshack will offer all day eat-in or take away of dishes prepared on the grill in the open kitchen.

The all day menu runs from 11:30am until close each day and will offer grilled rump steak with shoestring fries and smoked butter; a 100% British beef burger; grilled half chicken and halloumi with green leaves, quinoa and beetroot.

Touchscreen order points for self order and payment, and a Grillshack app for ordering and payment at the table (the first in the UK, apparently) will also be available.

Pont St. at Belgraves Hotel

Taking over where Mark Hix left a few months ago, Pont St will open in Belgraves hotel in Belgravia. The ‘contemporary seafood restaurant’ will have chef Sophie Michell in charge.

With a focus on ‘healthy, lighter fare’, the menu will include ‘crudo, small plates, starters, salads to mains comprised of fresh seafood prepared a la plancha’. Meat dishes will also be available.

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