They open their doors, we open the menus. From a hot grill September to relaunches and restaurant expansions, here’s five restaurant openings worth marking your calendar for
1 Get ready for the relaunch of L’Atelier Robuchon London
The Joël Robuchon International group is relaunching its Mayfair restaurant as L’Atelier Robuchon London from Friday 15th September. The restaurant will be a counterpart to the starred international L’Ateliers; Hong Kong***, Miami**, Taipei**, Las Vegas* and Geneva*.
The relaunch is spearheaded by Executive Chef Andrea Cofini who joined the Robuchon brand in 2014, serving at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon** in Paris and more recently, Robuchon Shanghai**. Cofini has worked alongside Group Executive Chef David Alves to ensure L’Atelier Robuchon London adheres to the group’s incredibly high standards.
On the menu, expect some of the legendary Robuchon classics – from the much-revered Purée de Pomme de Terre (often described as the best mashed potatoes in the world thanks to the 2:1 potato to butter ratio), the Sea Bream Carpaccio – simply dressed with lemon and chive, to Quail with Foie Gras, all made using the incredible supply chain the group gained its initial success with. Cofini’s influence is felt in the regularly-changing modern and elevated additions to the menu, bringing his experience working across the globe to create elegant plates with accents of Asian flavours.
For Robuchon, provenance and quality of ingredients is of the highest importance, and to this day, all of the restaurants world-wide still hold a loyalty to legacy suppliers that have a decades long relationship with the brand.
The restaurant will also see the return of the much-loved dessert trolley; a sleek, marble-topped display of the best sweet treats from the kitchen including fresh á la minute Madeleines and expertly made patisserie classics. If one trolley wasn’t enough, L’Atelier will also boast a trolley dedicated to their exceptional cheese offering, with a daily-changing rotation showcasing the best of southern French and Italian cheeses.
Of course, this restaurant is all about experience. To create a distinct night-time offering, L’Atelier will showcase a changing roster of DJs and live musicians to provide the perfect backdrop for the new bar area. The bar at L’Atelier will be open until midnight Monday to Saturday and 11:30pm on Sunday, serving Mayfair locals and London residents excellent drinks in a cosy and atmospheric lounge area.
How: Find out more and make a booking via robuchonlondon.co.uk
Where: 6 Clarges St, London W1J 8AE
When: From 15 September 2023
2 Have a hot grill September at KGK
Head down to KGK, the first and only Korean grill in the Kensington area. KGK is the only restaurant in London to offer a Korean Omakase dining experience. Omakase literally means ‘I leave it up to you,’ diners leave it up to the chef to select and serve seasonal specialities.
New to Korean food? Get ready to flip meats on a grill, drink Korean traditional soju and enjoy seasonal Korean milkshake for dessert. KGK has compiled everything you need to know about savouring a traditional Korean BBQ experience…
Embrace your inner MasterChef and get ready to grill – KGK King Kalbi is a signature dish, diamond cut beef short rib marinated in KGKs signature sauce, ready to be grilled. KGK offers a journey into Korean dining BBQ culture. Each table at KGK has an inbuilt tabletop style grill for a traditional Korean BBQ cuisine of grilling meat over a hot grill in the centre of the table.
Diners will be provided with chopsticks and tongues to grill, and a good tip is only to flip the meat once for a good texture of meat. Non marinated yummy Japanese Wagyu rib eye steak is on the menu to grill as well as whole tiger prawns and seasonal vegetables for non- meat options.
Lettuce love – Koreans never become fatigued by eating too much meat, a must-try is Ssam, lettuce, and perilla leaves used to wrap meats, served with assorted sauces. A traditional Korean meal will break up eating bite after bite of meat by eating fresh greens in-between to balance out the sweet flavours of the marinated meat.
Journey through Korean dining culture – KGK’s menu explores traditional Korean dishes throughout from the appetisers, try out Yukhoe, Korean Beef Tartare, aromatically flavoured with sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic and Korean pear served with an egg yolk on top. A La Carte main dishes include pork belly Su-yuk with ssamjang, the kimchi pork belly is an extremely popular Korean dish. Savour Soybean ice cream or traditional Korea desserts – if you have room, of course.
Wallet: KGK will be offering lunchtime set menus between £22-25. The evening menu A La Carte comes in at around £65.00 per head and the pièce de résistance the Chef’s Omakase experience.
Where: KGK, corner of Courtfield Road and Ashburn Place, South Kensington, London, SW7 4Q
How: Find out more and make a booking via koreangrillkensington.com
3 Close your eyes for Michelin-starred modern Californian restaurant SOLA’s new refurbishment unveiling
Michelin-starred modern Californian restaurant SOLA is to undergo a dramatic refurbishment which will see it double in size, adding a completely new lower-ground floor with lounge area and private dining room. The refurbishment is being supported by landlord Soho Estates, reflecting their belief in Soho as being “London’s greatest gastronomic destination.”
SOLA, which ranked 40th in the UK’s 100 best restaurants at the 2023 National Restaurant Awards, will close on Tuesday 12th September and will reopen, says chef-patron Victor Garvey, “in time for Thanksgiving” in November.The refurbishment, by Lerose Design Studio with John Lacey as architect, will add a new lower-ground-level floor, more than doubling SOLA’s overall capacity.
Guests will begin their experience on this floor with cocktails and canapés in an elegant lounge area, before moving upstairs to their table.There will also be a private dining room seating 18, with concertina doors which can be opened to transform the entire lower-ground floor into an exclusive-hire events space. Accessible toilets and a lift between the two floors will ensure that the new SOLA experience is available to all guests.
The ground floor, which currently comprises the entire restaurant, will house the main dining room – whose capacity will increase from 24 to 32, with new banquette-style seating – as well as a much-enlarged, open service-kitchen designed by Mark Rees.
Throughout September and October, SOLA’s kitchen team, led by Victor Garvey, head chef Andy Parker and pastry chef Megan Stafford, will be cooking on various dates at Carousel, the Fitzrovia restaurant and events space renowned for its ever-changing roster of chef residencies.
When: Reopening early November 2023
Where: SOLA, 64 Dean Street, London W1D 4QQ
How: Find out more and make a booking via solasoho.com
4 Bite into La Dolce Vita with Bocconcino Soho
Experience a slice of La Dolce Vita in the heart of Soho with the opening of Bocconcino Soho on Thursday 21st September. The renowned Italian restaurant from Mayfair – famed for its authentic Italian cuisine, wood-fired pizzas and handmade pastas – will open its second restaurant on 59 Great Marlborough Street. Prepare for refined Italian dining with a contemporary flair.
Open seven days a week for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, expect a luxurious dining experience full of Italian soul, including new aperitivo dishes and a first for Bocconcino,cicchetti (Venetian inspired small dishes specially designed for sharing) with mini versions of its popular handmade pasta and antipasti, served alongside signature wood-fired pizzas, fresh seafood and meats. The menu, created by Head Chef Simone Serafini – previously of Cecconi’s and private members’ club 5 Hertford Street – will take diners on a culinary journey across Italy with dishes playing homage to the country’s myriad of regions.
Feast on Bocconcino favourites such as Tagliatelle with Black Truffle or Tagliatelle with Pistachio Pesto and Sicilian Red Prawns (available in full or cicchetti servings) as well as the popular Pizza Diavola, made fresh by pizzaiolos using traditional Roman dough. Chef Simone will also introduce a Tasting Menu, inspired by his upbringing in Florence and Turin.
There will be an extensive selection of cocktails featuring both classic and contemporary creations, plus a generous wine list (specialising in Italian wines but also featuring well-known brands from across the globe) as well as small, artisan producers from across Italy.
How: Find out more and make a booking via bocconcinorestaurant.co.uk
Where: 59 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7JY
When: Open from 21st September 2023
5 Lap it up with London Stock
Fine dining restaurant London Stock has announced it will be unveiling its new home in the heart of Mayfair, opening on Wednesday 4th October.
This is the first restaurant founded by Le Cordon Bleu-trained Assem Abdel Hady and Andres Bernal, which originally opened in Wandsworth in January 2020, with the aim of redefining the traditional fine dining experience. Aside from their stunning seasonal 8-course tasting menu (£85), the restaurant offers an à la carte 3-course lunch (£40), and then a 3-course pre-theatre menu (£50) and 4-course set menu (£60) in the evening, to emphasise the restaurant’s ethos to create an approachable, yet luxurious fine dining atmosphere.
Since establishing itself on the South London food scene since its genesis, the kitchen is run by Head Chef Sebastian Rast, previously of Above at HIDE.
London Stock is committed to cooking sustainably through striving towards a zero-waste kitchen and using only the highest quality, fresh produce which accentuates the team’s passion for excellence. With a flexible, ever-changing menu, there is no compromise on seasonality, provenance or quality – each ingredient is sourced from meticulously selected and trusted suppliers, including Bethnal Green Fish, Natoora, and HG Walter, among others, which results in unforgettable flavours that captivate and delight. To compliment is an expertly curated wine and drinks list by Head Sommelier Lazaros Engonopoulos, including a wine flight for the signature 8-course tasting menu.
When: Open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday – Saturday from 4 October 2023
How: Find out more and make a booking via londonstockrestaurant.co.uk
Where: 6 Sackville Street, London, W1D 3DD
