Welcome to our weekly digest of all that’s happening in London’s food and drink scene.
Inside this week: ranking, roundabouts and restaurant openings
Restaurants get ranked
This week saw the latest World’s 50 Best Restaurants list announced, with the top spot going to Spanish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca which also took pole position the year before last. London’s highest achiever was Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner which made it to number seven (down from five last year), followed by The Ledbury at 20 (down from 10 last year). It was better news for The Clove Club in Shoreditch which reached number 55, climbing a whopping 32 places from last year, and for Hedone in Chiswick which rose three spots to number 60. The award ceremony has been held in London each year since the list began in 2002, but it was announced on the night that as of next year it will move to New York — well, see you then.
Conceptual cuisine
If you want to eat at one of the highest-ranked restaurants from the aforementioned awards, then you’re in luck. Italian chef Massimo Bottura, whose restaurant Osteria Francescana came in at number two, will be hosting a three day pop-up in Sotheby’s auction house from 27-29 June. It will serve a seven-course tasting menu of Bottura’s classic dishes — which are influenced by the worlds of art and design and include such creations as Beautiful Psychedelic Spin-painted Veal, Not Flame Grilled and Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart — and diners will be surrounded by work from the artists who have influenced Bottura. The catch? Well, you’ll need to stump up £250 a head for tickets before you even start on drinks. Register for the dinners here if you’re feeling flush.
Roundabout refurb
It’s not the most scenic of spaces, but Old Street roundabout will soon be transformed into a food and music venue for the summer. The unglamorous traffic island will be relaunched as the Magic Roundabout on 12 June, complete with a pop-up shack from seafood stall Prawnography and a restaurant from street food sensation Burger Bear. It’s Tom Reaney of Burger Bear who is behind the project, and he’s raised £36,000 on Kickstarter to fund the concept — which also includes a central DJ booth, a bar and a coffee shop.
Dishoom the fourth
Bombay café-styled Indian restaurant group Dishoom has announced plans to open a fourth branch later this year. The site in Soho’s Kingly Court will join existing restaurants in Covent Garden, Shoreditch and King’s Cross — and given the long queues at these it should be very well received.
New openings
The past week has marked the re-opening of The Ivy — possibly London’s most iconic restaurant — after a six month refurb, while upmarket Indian Chutney Mary has reopened in St James’s after shutting up shop on King’s Road. Elsewhere, gastropub The Trading House has opened in the City; street food traders Vinn Goute, who serve Seychelles cuisine, have started a two month residency at Clapham pub The King & Co; and Indian start-up Kricket has opened in Brixton, in one of Pop Brixton’s shipping containers. On Friday Korean street food restaurant Jubo will open a site on Exmouth Market, joining its original space in Shoreditch’s Bedroom Bar.
Next week will see the arrival of Jason Atherton’s latest restaurant Social Wine & Tapas in Marylebone; a branch of Spanish tapas chain Camino will open in Bankside; and The Doll’s House — the latest bar, restaurant and club from The Dead Dolls Club — will open in Peckham.
We round-up London’s biggest food and drink news stories and the latest new and upcoming restaurant openings in this handy digest every Thursday afternoon. See our previous editions.
Also see:
The Best Food And Drink In London: recommendations of where to enjoy the capital’s top food and drink, categorised by cuisine, food type and more.
New Restaurant Reviews: our views on London’s latest openings.
More food and drink on Londonist.
