Corner table
Kudu, Rafael Cagali, Upstairs at The Crown, Notting Hill properties, MA/NA, Crocadon, best Knightsbridge restaurants, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Double horns
The Skinny: The new Marylebone location of Kudu is a long way from Peckham, the Kudu Collective’s spiritual home. But Peckham’s loss is Marylebone’s gain. In August, the group closed all their South London sites (Kudu, Smokey Kudu, Curious Kudu and Kudu Grill) to consolidate their South African-inspired cooking inside one snazzy new building. It’s adorned with parquet floors, rope ceiling, stylish furnishings with African touches, and a spanking new open kitchen with a towering charcoal grill.
The Vibe: The space could easily be formal and fancy, but the vibe is relaxed, service is friendly, and the mix of counter seats, high tables, window booths and tables in the back offers different vantage points for quick business lunches or leisurely catch-up dinners. It’s sufficiently swanky and special to merit a trip, but anyone based nearby will likely consider becoming a regular.
The Food: You can tell a lot about a restaurant’s ambition by its bread and butter offering, and Kudu’s may force other joints to up their game. Airy, pillow-soft and presented in a cast-iron pot alongside a pool of citrus, herbed, brown shrimp butter (there are other dipping options too), it set the expectations appropriately high. Smoked prawn crullers were dainty, delicious morsels, and the biltong – a beloved South African snack – was a far cry from its dry, chewy classic iteration. This version was tender, moreish, delicately spiced with punchy pepper and coriander seed, and with just enough chew to remain true to its origins.
But the star of the show is the meat coming off the braai. We went for the pork chop with monkey gland sauce (a rich, tangy and, crucially, primate-free South African concoction) which delivered everything you could hope for from grilled meat: the blackened, smoky hit of charcoal; crisp, beautifully rendered fat; and tender meat that had been properly rested.
The Drink: Kick off with an innovative cocktail – maybe a Braai Negroni – then get into the extensive South African wine list. There’s an impressively curated selection of spirits, especially tequila and mezcal. Want more? Head upstairs to the Smokey Kudu bar and really get to know the drinks.
The Verdict: “Everything is bigger here,” our French maître’d commented, about bringing the Peckham experience to Marylebone without losing the magic. This is clearly a different beast – bigger menu, more covers and a broader, more demanding clientele. There are still a few kinks to iron out in terms of service but this new opening adds scale and swagger to the Kudu brand. –David Bard
→ Kudu (Marylebone) • 7 Moxon St • Mon-Fri 12-3p & 6-10p, Sat 11a-3p & 5-10p, Sun 1130a-3p & 6-9p • Book.
RESTAURANTS & GETAWAYS • Intel
MAYFAIR WEATHER: After opening Luna Omakase earlier this year, the group behind Los Mochis and Sale e Pepe is planning to start 2026 with one of its biggest restaurant launches yet. Located in Mayfair, MA/NA promises Japanese fine dining plus a lively, late-night lounge bar. In charge of the kitchen is Leonard Tanyag of Luna and Juno, while drinks are in the trusted hands of Pietro Collina, who has worked at NoMad, Eleven Madison Park and Claridge’s. Opens January 2026; sign up for news.
PASTURES NEW: Chef Dan Cox has closed Crocadon, his farm-to-table restaurant at Crocadon Farm in Cornwall, which opened in 2023. After eight years at the farm, Cox is moving on to new projects. More. –Laura Price
LONDON RESTAURANT LINKS: In Shoreditch, Som Saa finally reopens after fire • Guinness readying Covent Garden brewery and restaurant to debut next month • In Islington, Bistro Sablé taking over from Smokehouse • Goodbye service charge, hello admin fee.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale properties in Notting Hill that recently came to market:
→ Clarendon Rd (Notting Hill) • 3BR/2BA/1R, 109 m2 maisonette • Asking price: £2.0mn • private garden, permission for basement and reconfigured lower ground floor • Ownership type: share of freehold • Agent: Rigby & Marchant.
→ Talbot Rd (Notting Hill, above) • 3BR/3BA/1R, 142 m2 flat • Asking price: £3.0mn • fully refurbished in period conversion on tree-lined street • Ownership type: share of freehold • Agent: Jack Thomas, Knight Frank.
→ Leamington Rd Villas (Notting Hill) • 3BR/3BA, 206m2 flat • Asking price: £3.5mn • period character and expansive floor space in Victorian villa • Ownership type: freehold • Agent: Charles Hamshar, Sotheby’s.
WORK & PLAY LINKS: Plans revealed for 9-acre new development Quarter Yards in Southall • Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration details new Clerkenwell home, sets May ‘26 opening • What if you ran an office building like a boutique hotel? • Digging for stolen mobile phones.
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Town & country
RAFAEL CAGALI • chef-owner • Da Terra & Maré
Neighbourhoods you work in: Bethnal Green (Da Terra, Elis) & Hove (Maré)
Neighbourhood you live in: Havering-atte-Bower
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Usually I spend the morning catching up with the kitchen team at Da Terra, going through plans for the week and discussing ideas, improvements or new ideas for dishes or the organisation in general. We have a quick breakfast bite all together, followed by a catch-up with the senior team, including front of house. After staff dinner at 4p, I do testers with the food at 5p, then there’s the staff briefing at 530p, and we’re ready to open for dinner at 6p.
What’s on the agenda for today?
I’m at Maré for lunch service, so I drove down to Hove from Essex early this morning. We’re hosting a private takeover of the restaurant – one of our first since opening in September, which is exciting. It’s my first time opening a restaurant outside London, and Hove has such a great energy, with a strong community of independent hospitality businesses that we’re really happy to be a part of. Tonight, I’ll head back to the city for dinner service at Da Terra.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
I’m desperate to go to Miga, a newish Korean restaurant that opened right on our doorstep. It’s around the corner from Da Terra but I haven’t made it yet and have heard great things. I recently visited Legado, also in East London, which was amazing – congratulations to Nieves [Barragán Mohacho] and her team.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I take our dog, Rolo, for long walks – we have lots of nice parks around us. I also like going to the gym, particularly for swimming. Looking ahead, my partner Charlie and I have a tradition of going to the theatre in the lead-up to Christmas. We’re always quite last minute with the show we pick, but this year we’ve landed on one surprisingly early – it’s Oliver!
Any weekend getaways?
I want to go back to Stockholm to return to Frantzén, which is a must… but also ABBA The Museum. The ABBA museum is wicked – such a fun spot, and because it’s a little further outside town, you can make a lovely day of walking there and back, stopping for food along the way. Stockholm’s also great for wine bars, spotlighting local produce – one of my favourites is Rolfs Kök. For restaurants, I recommend Aira, Sushi Sho and Babette.
What was your last great vacation?
When Da Terra closed for refurbishment, we took the senior team to Brazil for two weeks, travelling and cooking along the way. It was good to show them my home culture and get some inspiration for the menu. I try new places every time I go to São Paulo as the food scene there is constantly evolving, but I always go back to Tuju and Evvai for fine dining.
For more traditional food, you have to try pastel [a Brazilian empanada, or pasty]. For breakfast from a local bakery, go for a pão na chapa, which is bread toasted over a plancha, with butter. I also like it topped with requeijão (soft cream cheese) and ham, with a side of café com leite or a filter coffee. I never miss out on breakfast at the Fasano hotel – they do great spreads with the freshest fruit. For cocktails, head to Tan Tan.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I love coffee and recently upgraded my machine to the Sage Barista Touch Impress.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I always have a good time walking around Selfridges – especially the homeware section.
Where are you donating your time or money?
We work with StreetSmart, a charity aimed at tackling homelessness in the UK.
Photo: Matheus Luz Cagali
GETAWAYS LINKS: New hotel Six Senses London sets early ‘26 opening • Virgin Trains eyeing direct St Pancras-CDG and Disneyland routes • Closed since 2023, fine dining restaurant AO reopening at new site in Southampton 21/11 • The modern homes hiding inside ancient ruins • Checking in at The Verse, an irreverent new Lisbon hotel.
BARS • First Round
Upstairs, downstairs
The Skinny: Right at the top of Highgate Hill, The Crown is surrounded by clear air and quiet roads, and boasts one of the finest views in the city from its front door. While the pub is already a favourite Highgate haunt, its beautifully refurbished upstairs dining room is proving popular with locals and destination diners too. Opened in August with food from up-and-coming head chef Charley Samuelson, Upstairs at The Crown feels like its own distinct entity, though it still benefits from pints pulled from the bar downstairs.
The Vibe: In contrast to the downstairs pub with its wooden furnishings, comfy armchairs and charming beer garden, Upstairs at The Crown has a chic, intimate, modern dining room that feels like it’s been there for years, despite the renovation. In this leafy, tranquil corner of London, you may feel like you’re out in the countryside, though in reality, Kentish Town and Highbury and Islington aren’t far.
The Food: If you’re just hoping for a pint and some dinner, the pub has impeccable chips, a banging burger and an exemplary fish bap, but upstairs is where the magic happens. It’s the sort of food that people would be shouting from the hills about in a splashier restaurant from a big-name chef in a glitzier part of town. As it is, Highgate locals can enjoy it before word gets out. It’s big flavours and proper cooking, wonderfully executed.
Elegant dishes like sea trout carpaccio with pickled chilli or peach and stracciatella salad rub shoulders with ballsy classics, like a perfectly seasoned beef tartare with homemade crisps, roast chicken with tomatoes and girolles. Meanwhile, slow-cooked lamb shoulder is perfect for colder months. Having trained for several years at Spring, Samuelson is likely to change her menu as the seasons progress. Among desserts, ice creams (that night, a burnt caramel) are a notable highlight.
The Drink: Beers on tap with a wide selection of crafts and real ales, a wine list to suit all tastes, or a cocktail, if you ask nicely.
The Verdict: A charming space in a lovely part of town with an exciting chef at the helm, Upstairs at The Crown is serving some of the very best food in this corner of North London. –David Bard
→ The Crown (Highgate) • 86 Highgate High St • Mon-Sat 12-11p, Sun 12-10p • Book.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Fri Night
Patrick Watson • Troxy (Stepney) • Fri @ 7p • GA, £38 per
Ricky Gervais • London Palladium (Soho) • Fri @ 730p • grand circle, £284 per
Blood Orange • Alexandra Palace (Haringey) • Fri @ 630p • GA, £136 per
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RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Restaurants, Knightsbridge
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The Aubrey (66 Knightsbridge), late-night izakaya w/ eccentric, colourful interiors, live DJs nightly