Restaurants of the Year
Best new openings, anticipated launches for 2026, best value picks, top UK getaways, MORE
It’s a challenge to name a Restaurant of the Year after a busy 12 months of openings, including personal favourites Luna Omakase and Ara, and instant-hit late contenders like Poon’s and Martino’s. Perhaps the year belongs to Public House Group, which book-ended 2025 with The Fat Badger in Notting Hill and The Hart in Marylebone, both following its formula of warm service, cosy-elegant décor and fantastic food. There are even plans for a pop-up hotel in 2026.
Newly formed MAD Restaurants had a strong year too, with two stellar openings in Soho. MOI impressed with its Japanese-inspired omakase bar and grill and compelling cocktails, while ALTA introduced Northern Spanish cuisine in surprising, playful dishes like a sardine empanada and coffee-spiked slivers of beef cecina.
While some restaurants seem to come from nowhere, others take years to build, and the one I recommend most often is Legado, the follow-up to Sabor from Spanish chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho that opened in August. It’s the one you can go back to, time after time, because there’s so much worth exploring on the menu, from crab rice to suckling pig to lamb empanadas. It’s easy to see how it was several years in the making, and it’s not done yet – there are plans for a chef’s table and private dining room in 2026.
To close the year in style, a selection of favourites we’ve visited in 2025 (best new openings, best neighbourhood spots, worth the spend, best value, best UK getaways) and the ones we’re most looking forward to in 2026. Here’s wishing you a very happy new year of dining. –Laura Price
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Best new openings, 2025
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in London and further afield. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundldn.com.
Sino (Notting Hill), Ukrainian tasting menu & à la carte w/ unique, earthy design
Legado (Shoreditch, above), flawless second album feat. regional Spanish cuisine, suckling pig from Nieves Barragán Mohacho
The Hart (Marylebone), British comforts like pork pie, mince roll from the team behind The Bull and The Hero
ALTA (Soho), buzzy Spanish w/ Basque-inspired grill off Carnaby St. from Rob Roy Cameron
Poon’s (Covent Garden), legacy restaurant channeling home-cooked Chinese in Somerset House from Amy Poon
MOI (Soho), Japanese-inspired omakase bar and grill w/ compelling cocktails
Ara (Whitechapel), zero hype, flavoursome grilled fare from the Mediterranean and beyond, from humble Turkish chef Murat Kilic
Canal (Westbourne Park), waterside, modern European spot for quality cocktails and seasonal produce
Luna Omakase (City), 12-seat sushi counter serving 12-course set menu inside the maze-like Los Mochis
An honourable mention to new-but-old Kudu, which relocated to Marylebone in August, bringing its meat-centric, South African-inspired cooking and signature swagger to a bigger space without losing its Peckham magic.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Best neighbourhood spots
Miga (Hackney, above), outstanding, multi-generational Korean food, no frills
Joséphine (Chelsea, Marylebone), cosy French bistros by Claude Bosi showcasing Lyon and Paris, respectively
Wildflowers (Belgravia), well-executed grilled fare centred around open kitchen in boutique shopping mall
Bar Brasso (Nine Elms), Italian & Basque-inspired small plates, cheese & charcuterie sharing boards & Negronis from Darby’s chef Robin Gill
Starling (Esher), under-rated bistro just south of London from Great British Menu winner Nick Beardshaw
Gina (Chingford), seasonal comforts and standout chocolate cake from author, TV presenter & pastry chef Ravneet Gill
Camille (Borough Market), Elliot Hashtroudi’s vibey bistro showcasing regional French food and low-intervention wine
Bar Valette (Shoreditch), cosy spot w/ Basque-inspired pintxos and small plates from The Clove Club’s Isaac McHale
51 (Clerkenwell), formerly Ken’s, cosy cave à manger w/ charcoal grill & extensive wine selection
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Worth the spend
BiBi (Mayfair, above), modern Indian tasting menu from talented Chet Sharma, lunch set menu from £65, dinner from £145
Dorian (Notting Hill), neighbourhood bistro beloved of celebs w/ exceptional steak from Max Coen, mains from £29
Kol (Marylebone), inventive Mexican tasting menu w/ British ingredients from Santiago Lastra, from £145
Humble Chicken (Soho), quirky, playful Japanese-inspired tasting menu from Angelo Sato, from £235
Lita (Marylebone), Mediterranean bistro w/ open-fire cooking, à la carte, mains from £16
Da Terra (Bethnal Green), Brazilian-inspired tasting menu from Rafael Cagali (see also Maré, Hove), lunch from £110
Labombe by Trivet (Mayfair), Meat-heavy, Europe-centric sharing plates and strong wine list from Jonny Lake, Isa Bal, mains from £24
AngloThai (Marylebone), punchy Thai tasting menu with British ingredients from John and Desiree Chantarasak, lunch £65, dinner £125
Mountain (Soho), Welsh- and Basque-inspired fire cooking from Brat owner Tomos Parry, mains from £28
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Best value
Singburi (Shoreditch), beloved Thai relocated to industrial-chic dining room, mains from £15
Town (Covent Garden), seasonal British dishes in retro-futuristic dining room from Stevie Parle, two-course set menu from £28
Chisou (Mayfair), traditional Japanese sushi & izakaya w/ counter seating, daily lunch set menus £29.50
Kolae (Borough Market), hard-to-beat Southern Thai, mains from £14.50
Paradise (Soho), flavour-tastic Sri Lankan tasting menu from Dom Fernando, lunch or dinner £59
The Devonshire (Soho), cult pub w/ two-course set menu £25
The Cocochine (Mayfair), old-school hospitality and intimate dining from Larry Jayasekara in four-storey townhouse, two-course lunch £29
Sushi Atelier (Fitzrovia), bento boxes and sushi sets in traditional but relaxed Japanese setting, lunch from £24
Noble Rot (Mayfair), characterful, wine-centric spot w/ indulgent dishes, two-course lunch £24
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Best UK getaways
Margo (Glasgow), seasonal sharing plates w/ counter seating, banquettes & downstairs cocktail bar
The Bull (Charlbury), go-to Cotswolds gastropub w/ rooms from the prolific Public House Group
The Black Swan (Oldstead), North Yorkshire pub turned tasting menu flagship w/ rooms from Tommy Banks
Maré (Hove), Da Terra chef Rafael Cagali’s first foray outside London w/ seafood-centric menu & Brazilian influences
SKOF (Manchester), buzzy dining room w/ high-end tasting menu, local beer & indie rock soundtrack from Tom Barnes
Moor Hall (Lancashire), modern British tasting menu restaurant w/ rooms in nature-filled surrounds
Osip (Bruton), farm-to-table restaurant w/ rooms from Merlin Labron-Johnson
Lyla (Edinburgh), Stuart Ralston’s fine dining flagship, gaining rooms in 2026
Mýse (Hovingham), Noma-like restaurant showcasing North Yorkshire ingredients from Josh Overington
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Most anticipated, 2026
Tiella (Hackney), Dara Klein’s Italian trattoria & bar finds permanent home following successful residencies (opening January)
DakaDaka (Mayfair), Georgian small plates, skewers & khachapuri on Heddon St (January)
MA/NA (Mayfair), Japanese fine dining from Juno’s Leonard Tanyag w/ late-night lounge bar w/ drinks from NoMad’s Pietro Collina (January)
Cometa (Fitzrovia), contemporary Mexican seafood spot taking over Carousel’s existing wine bar (February)
Osteria Vibrato (Soho), Italian spot w/ great wine & fresh pasta from Charlie Mellor of The Laughing Heart & Cameron Dewar of Luca (February)
Burro (Covent Garden), Italian classics in Floral Court from Trullo chef & co-owner Conor Gadd (early 2026)
Padella (Soho), third branch of everyone’s favourite fresh pasta joint w/ great value plates on Kingly St (Spring)
Karam’s (Bloomsbury), vegetarian spot in The Brunswick Centre from Jikoni’s Ravinder Bhogal (TBC)
Kiji (Mayfair), Korean cuisine from New York fine dining restaurant Atomix, in swanky renovated 60 Curzon building (TBC)
Finally, you shared your own favourites. Now we’d love to know:
What was your favourite NEW restaurant of 2025?
What are you most looking forward to in 2026?