London’s restaurant and bar scene continues to develop at an incredible pace, with September already bringing a host of new arrivals.
45 Park Lane is The Dorchester Collection’s latest hotel where each of the spacious 45 rooms and suites offer views of Hyde Park, and the first floor features the stunning Bar 45, a library and a private media room.
The restaurant at 45 Park Lane is ‘Cut’ by Wolfgang Puck, the celebrated US chef, who opened the original ‘Cut’ at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills in 2006. The restaurant will have a focus on steaks.
The Ignite Group recently announced the opening of Senkai restaurant in London’s West End on the former ‘Cocoon’ site. Senkai is a modern Japanese inspired restaurant serving mainly British, sustainable produce, which also features a signature ‘raw bar,’ which seats 20 people and offers seafood platters, tiradito and tataki dishes and ceviche, as well as an extensive drinks menu.
There is also a relaxed cocktail lounge, which has a feature wall of Japanese prints, seating up to 50 people with a drinks menu of contemporary and classic cocktails and bar food.
Situated on the edge of Spitalfields, Sky Lounge has launched with floor to ceiling windows and breathtaking views across the capital. With a contemporary chic style, the champagne and cocktail bar will offer seafood, oysters and bar food to nibble and share, and cool music from the resident DJ. The pop-up bar and dining spot, located on the 32nd floor of Nido on Frying Pan Alley, will be open until April 2012.
Dukes Hotel in St James has re-launched its fine dining restaurant as Thirty Six, with Michelin starred chef Nigel Mendham at the help, making his first step into the London restaurant scene. The restaurant has its own entrance at 36 Little St. James Street, and also has seating for thirty six diners.
Covent Garden continues to improve with the opening of 10 Cases, a ‘bistro a vin’ offering classic European dishes with only 10 cases of 10 types of red wine and 10 types of white wine on offer, which will be changed when each case runs out.
West London has witnessed much excitement with the arrival of Hedone in Chiswick. The chef and owner is an ingredients’ specialist, therefore the restaurant places a huge focus on sourcing the right ingredients, which shine through in the two set menus on offer.
It seems that the next few months will be even busier, with new openings arriving at a relentless pace, starting with Bread Street Kitchen, the latest restaurant from Gordon Ramsay Holdings, which will open on 26 September at One New Change near St Paul’s. Bread Street Kitchen will offer a relaxed dining experience set in a large warehouse-style room, with a menu that includes a raw bar, a wood-burning oven and dishes from an open kitchen.
The owners of the Italian restaurant Babbo have announced the launch of their second venture, Fornata, opening in early October on Kingly Street, Soho. Fornata will be a relaxed all day dining restaurant with a rustic design over two floors, including a long cocktail and dining bar. The menu will have an emphasis on oven-cooked dishes from southern Italy that are suitable for sharing.
Aurelia will be launched by the team behind Zuma, Roka and La Petite Maison in Mayfair later this month, which will surely be as popular as its siblings.
The team behind Hawksmoor have announced their third steak restaurant and cocktail bar, Hawksmoor Guildhall, which is set to open on Basinghall Street in the City in October. The menu will include several new dishes alongside the traditional offering of steaks, burger and chips.
Other notable openings include 34 Grosvenor Square, the latest venture from Caprice Holdings; Alyn Williams at The Westbury, Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley’s former head chef opening his first restaurant at The Westbury Hotel; and Pizarro from Jose Pizarro, following the success of his tapas bar, Jose, which will feature London’s first tapas bar.
Let’s also not forget about Thomas Keller, one of the most celebrated chefs in the US, popping-up at Harrods with his French Laundry restaurant for 10 days from 1 October 2011.
For further information or for reservations, please contact your concierge.
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