The 12 best new London restaurant openings in May 2025
For some reason, restauranteurs across the capital have been saving up all their new openings for May. We have no idea why, but we're here for it.
As well as stand-alone spots and independent outings, there are also a handful of non-rubbish chains launching new sites this month, with a new Bancone promised for Kensington, the biggest ever Black Bear Burger opening up in Westfield White City and a new outing for e5 Bakehouse at the V&A East Storehouse in Hackney Wick.
Frankly, there aren't enough days in May for us to visit all of them, so you might have to be picky. Here are some of the best – choose your foodie fighter.
The best new London restaurant openings in May 2025
1. The super-sustainable spot
Town, Covent Garden
There's nowt so buzzy as regenerative farming right now. Town, a new central London spot from Pastaio's Stevie Parle, is all about sustainable British produce, from potato bread with beef dripping and tempura sage leaves drizzled in chilli and honey from Stevie's own bees, to Seasalter clams with sherry and grass-fed butter, and wood-grilled Romney Marsh hogget with Chianti and anchovy butter. 'Town is the biggest, most ambitious project I've ever done. We are helping to pioneer a genuinely new approach to restaurant supply chains, built on knowing every farmer who grows what we cook,' says Stevie. Town opens May 12.
26-29 Drury Lane, WC2B 5RL
2. The one with the views
Setlist, Strand
Somerset House 's riverside space is getting a slick rebrand as an al fresco listening bar (I know! Another one!!!), It's all in celebration of the venue's 25th year as a cutting-edge arts venue. With James Dye of Bambi, Frank's and the Camberwell Arms and Clement Ogbonnaya of the Prince of Peckham on board, there'll be a custom soundsystem as well as a full-throttle events programme, as well as food with a focus on female chefs such as Opeoluwa Odutayo, Sophie Wyburd, and Terri Mercieca of Happy Endings. The views across the river remain impeccable.
Strand, WC2R 1LA
3. Pasta by way of Japan
Osteria Angelina, Spitalfields
The team behind Dalston's ever-intriguing Angelina is opening up a second spot near Shoreditch. Osteria Angelina will do the same Japanese-Italian fusion thing, with eight regular pasta dishes, a focus on binchotan fired grill dishes and oodles of antipasti, crudi and fritti. Expect a serious grappa list, too. It opens May 20.
1 Nicholl's Clarke Yard, off Blossom Street, E1 6SH
4. The brilliant bakery
Panadera, Soho
A small tear ran down Time Out's cheek when Panadera closed its Kentish Town bakery last year, but little did we know that plans were in place to move the Filipino bakehouse up west. Florence Mae Maglanoc just launched the brand new Panadera flagship in Soho with a bigger, broader menu that takes in café specials from further afield in east and southeast Asia. Sign us up for the longanisa sausage roll and ube pan suisse. Open now.
3 Hopkins St, W1F 0HS
5. The breakfast burrito graveyard
Bad Manners, Shoreditch
You might remember Mexican street food slingers Bad Manners from their last graveyard; St John at Hackney Churchyard. This sublime shack has now upped sticks to hang out by the headstones of Shoreditch Church, but will continue to serve the finest hangover cure in east London, as well as a new menu from chef Rodrigo Cervantes that features the likes of a blood orange rib barbacoa burrito. It opens May 7.
Shoreditch Church, 119 Shoreditch High St, E1 6JN
6. The new-wave Caribbean takeaway
Marvee's Food Shop, Ladbroke Grove
First; the adorable part – Marvee's is named after chef Dom Taylor 's mum, Marveline. Opening April 30, Dom describes his new project as a 'playful, soulful nod to the classic Caribbean takeaway', which means plenty of Jamaican patties, bammy flatbreads, fried festival dumplings, and jerk chicken.
UNDR, 3-5 Thorpe Close, W10 5XL
7. The gourmet chicken shop
Norbert's, East Dulwich
'Rotisserie chicken, wine and cocktails'. What's not to like? Norbert's comes from restauranter John Ogier (Lyle's and The Marksman) and chef Jack Coghlan (Planque) – a small, 20-seat spot where chicken is king. So much so that there'll be a margarita with a chicken salt rim on offer.
5-6 Melbourne Terrace, Melbourne Grove, SE22 8PL
8. Another Basque banger
Duchy, Shoreditch
The British obsession with Basque cuisine isn't over yet. Chef Simon Shand has returned to the site of his old stomping ground, the dearly departed Leroy, for the brand new Duchy. Inspired by a trip to San Sebastián, the Med-heavy menu will feature the likes of pork shoulder and smoked eel croquettes, brown crab arancini; and anchovies with lardo on marjoram toast. Expect a bevvy of bagna cauda. Duchy opens May 8.
18 Phipp St, Shoreditch, EC2A 4NU
9. A Carnaby-adjacent French wine bar
Marjorie's, Soho
Ever been strolling down Carnaby Street, and, fed up with dodging influencers making vox pops for TikTok, really, really wanted a drink, but would rather avoid the humiliation of a tourist trap like the Shakespeares Head? Marjorie's might be the answer. A tribute to exceedingly chic Parisian bar à vins, there'll be plenty of juicy reds and a menu stacked full of escargot, tartlets and bavette, as prepared by head chef Giacomo Peretti (ex-Le Gavroche, Temper, Firebird and The Culpeper). It's opening late May.
26 Foubert's Place, Soho, W1F 7PP
10. All-day deliciousness in south London
Hello JoJo, Camberwell
From FM Mangal through to the Camberwell Arms (not to mention Veraison Wines, Falafel & Shawarma, Nandine, Silk Road and etc), it's impossible not to eat well on Camberwell Church Street. Now a new contender steps into the fray in the old Forza Wine site; Hello JoJo is an all-day resto/bakery with head chef Will Faris whipping up smoked potato dumplings with spring greens and Tamworth pork chop with garlic sauce and head baker Jo Garner doing daytime honey buns, bacon sarnies and chocolate rye swiss roll from 8am.
31 Camberwell Church St, SE5 8TR
11. The old master returns
Locatelli, Charing Cross
You thought you'd heard the last of Giorgio Locatelli after his Michelin-rated Locanda Locatelli closed at the start of 2025? Think again! Locatelli will be opening in the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery on May 10. The menu will be packed full of classic Italian dishes and plenty of pasta, from pappardelle with broad beans, pecorino and rucola to braised veal ravioli with parsley gremolata. There'll also be Bar Giorgio, an espresso bar with a mini 'maritozzi' pastry menu.
The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN
12. The one with a fire fetish
Pyro, Borough
Chef Yiannis Mexis's debut restaurant is all about big old flame-cookery and Greek flavour. Mexis knows what he's doing – the former head chef at Hide has also done time at The Ledbury, Elystan Street and Petrus – and his own menu will lean into high end spanakopita and souvlaki. Cocktails have been devised by Ana Reznik (A Bar With Shapes For A Name) and there'll be an open-air garden which should be pretty vibey during the summer. Pyro opens May 1.
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