Here are the best new restaurants, bars and pubs in London to try this June. 

1 Empire Empire, Notting Hill

Harneet Baweja, the restaurateur behind Michelin Bib Gourmand Indian restaurants Gunpowder will open up his latest venture in Notting Hill this month. An ode to the Indian disco era, Empire Empire will be reminiscent of old-school curry houses and have music at its heart with custom-made Marshall jukebox playing Bollywood bangers throughout service. Menu will be inspired by northwestern Indian cuisine, with natural wines and beers from 40ft Brewery behind the bar.

Address: 16 All Saints Road, Notting Hill W11 1HH 

Website: gunpowderrestaurants.com

2 Bellanger, Islington

The neighbourhood restaurant on Islington Green has reopened following a major refurbishment that started in 2020, overseen by The Wolseley Hospitality Group. The French-style brasserie comes with a cocktail bar, and a grand dining room with red leather banquette seating and dark wood panelling. There’s also a private dining room for up to 46 guests. The kitchen serves elegant French classics, such as steak tartare and crab linguine.

Address: 9 Islington Green, Islington N1 2XR

Website: bellanger.co.uk

3 The Landmark Hotel’s Winter Garden Champagne Bar, Marylebone

Already a sumptuous destination, the Marylebone five-star hotel’s sublime Winter Garden just got even more ooh la la with the addition of a Champagne Bar. Found under the hotel’s famed eight storey-high glass atrium and up one set of grand staircases the bar has been created by Alex Kravetz Design, with iconic and historical grand dame hotels has inspiration.

Address: 222 Marylebone Road, Marylebone NW1 6JQ

Website: landmarklondon.co.uk

4 Wonderland, Soho

Serving both vegan and meat-based menus, Wonderland is a bustling burger place, open for dining in and take away, from the sibling team behind Genesis, a vegan and plant-based restaurant now found in Palmers Green. The vegan options will steer clear of heavily processed meat-alternatives, while the meat patties are made from British and Irish farmers. Each burger – meaty or otherwise will be served in a pillowy, steamed bun.

Address: 49 Old Compton Street, Soho W1D 6HL

Website: instagram.com/wonderland.soho

5 Amazónico’s OCTO, Mayfair

Glitzy Mayfair Latin American restaurant Amazónico has created a cocktail lounge for late night drinks. Found at the end of a golden-clad staircase, OCTO’s interiors are inspired by the Amazon River’s cenotes, and its cocktail list comes with a range of innovative tipples made with the likes of passionfruit kombucha and kumquat liquor.  Small plates such as apreas corn cakes, lomi lomi maki and langoustine pibil are served until 11pm, and the bar’s resident djs will play a mix of electro-topical tunes, laid back house, nu disco and deep house until late.

Address: 10 Berkeley Square, W1J 6BR

Website: amazonicorestaurant.com

6 Oren Deli, Hackney

Near to Broadway Market, the Tel Avivian deli Oren has now opened for dining in. With an outdoor space for sunny days, the deli now serves up a selection of Israeli small plates – taramasalata and labneh with in-house baked challah and pita, burnt aubergine and romano pepper salad, and Schmaltz herring with beetroot horseradish for example – and natural wines, available by the glass, the selection of which changes daily.

Address: 6c Ada Street, Hackney E8 4QU 

Website: orendeli.com 

7 Gaucho Covent Garden

It’s been 10 years since steak house Gaucho have opened a new restaurant, and it is now bringing the flavours and colours of Buenos Aires to the West End. With all the glamour of its sister venues, this restaurant plates up premium steaks alongside a menu of Latin American dishes and indulgent cocktails in an art deco-inspired dining room. Open for breakfast from 8am and open to mid-night, also look out for tango performances, live music, djs and pre-theatre dining options.

Address: 8-9 James Street, WC2E 8BT

Website: gauchorestaurants.com

8 Counter 71 & Lowcountry, Shoreditch – Opening date TBC

Ex-Fenn Head Chef Joe Laker will open his first solo venture this month, a 16-seater chefs table restaurant, Counter 71, and a bar that pays homage to the cocktails of the American south, Lowcountry. The restaurant’s tasting menu will be a tribute to the British isles and a minimalist style of cooking, and include things like smoked eel, crispy chicken skin, and langoustine and dill Lowcounty’s creative cocktail list has concoctions made with flavour-heavy ingredients such as bacon-wash bourbon, creole bitters, jalapeno infused tequila and basil oil.

Address: 71 Nile Street, Shoreditch N1 7RD

Website: counter71.co.uk

 

9 Meat the Fish, Chelsea

What started out as a delivery service in Beirut has now evolved into a restaurant and grocer with three locations in Lebanon and now, another in west London. Open for breakfast through to late night, post dinner cocktails, Meat the Fish is by the same group behind luscious Japanese omakase in Marylebone and plates up Mediterranean and Asian inspired dishes such as beef carnitas tacos, unagi donburi, sashimi for lunch and dinner, and salted chocolate crisps for dessert.

Address: 39 Cadogan Gardens, Chelsea, SW3 2TB

Website: meatthefish.co.uk

10 Little Kudu, Peckham – open June 21, book from June 7

This South African-inspired tapas restaurant is by the same husband and wife team behind Michelin Bib Gourmand Kudo and Kudo Grill, which are also culinary odes to the African nation. In interiors designed by A-nrd (Kol, Darjeeling Express and the other Kudo joints) featuring a six-seater counter and a fully mirrored back wall, tuck into the likes of chicken liver parfait tartlet, spiced pineapple and calendula and braddibroodjie - a type of grilled cheese sandwich, and South African wines.

Address: 133 Queen’s Road SE15 2N D

Website: kuducollective.com

11 Kima, Marylebone

A new Greek restaurant for Marylebone, Kima focuses on fresh seafood, prepared simply; raw, cured or grilled. With goods on display in the impressive fish counter, diners can feast on whole turbot and grouper, as well as hand dived scallops and freshly caught langoustine. The kitchen also cooks with every part of the dish and animal, so try lightly fried tails served with aioli or charred fish collars.

Address:  57 Paddington Street, Marylebone W1U 4JA

Website: instagram.com/kima.restaurant.london