Small batch
Martino’s, best cookie shops, Sally Abé, Margo, Oudh 1722, Levan, Teddington properties, Cowley Manor, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Hats off
The Skinny: Just as the nation’s publications were finalising their best restaurants lists for 2025, a late contender swept the board. Enter Martino’s, a buzzy all-day Italian spot in Sloane Square from Martin Kuczmarski, former COO of Soho House Group and the restaurateur behind The Dover. Two months after its November opening, it’s the most talked-about table in town.
The Vibe: Lively, old school, romantic. A large, circular bar is the focal point of the huge dining room, which occupies a former Hugo Boss store opposite Sloane Square tube. There’s a sense of luxury and opulence, with candlelit tables, servers in white suits and bowties grinding giant peppermills tableside, and trilby-clad customers sipping martinis at the bar. But it’s also unpretentious; you’re as welcome in trainers as you are in that hat, and despite the Chelsea address, it’s reasonably priced.
The Food: Classic Italian with a touch of Italian-American. From the antipasti, tonno tonnato is terrific, with its generous portion of thinly sliced, seared tuna in a rich, creamy and moreish sauce, while seabass carpaccio is fresh and mildly spicy. Among the pastas, the signature tagliatelle reveals huge chunks of braised beef short rib in a rich, meaty hug of a ragú. A main course of meatballs zuppetta is also generous, with plenty of beefy sauce to be mopped up with toasted sourdough. Roasted potatoes were a little on the dry side, but chopped greens brought a real assortment of avocado, lettuce and rocket in a zingy, three-citrus dressing. To finish, a light, fluffy tiramisu served in an elegant coupe glass.
The Drink: Italian-centric wines, old-school cocktails and aperitivi like Martino’s Shakerato, with Campari, gin and orange juice.
The Verdict: An instant classic for hearty Italian and buzzy vibes. –Laura Price
→ Martino’s (Chelsea) • 37 Sloane Sq • Mon-Fri 8a-4p & 530p-1230a, Sat 9a-4p, 530p-1230a, Sun 9a-4p, 530p-12a • Book.
RESTAURANTS • Intel
MIDLAND MAGIC: Aktar Islam, chef-owner of Birmingham fine-dining spot Opheem, is opening his first London restaurant. Set over three floors of a listed Victorian building in Borough, Oudh 1722 will serve Islam’s interpretation of Awadhi cuisine, a historic style from the royal courts of northern India. Expect silken kebabs, biryanis and aromatic curries. Opens spring 2026.
NEW YEAR, NEW TRICKS: Chef Sally Abé has something up her sleeve. Only a year after leaving The Pem for The Bull at Charlbury, she’s moved on and is about to announce her next endeavour.
STATUS QUO: Jeremy Lee’s Soho institution, Quo Vadis, is marking an impressive 100 years with a banging line-up of guest chefs. Running throughout the year, the centenary edition of Quo Vadis & Friends features everyone from Asma Khan to Margot, Fergus and Hector Henderson. Book.
NEW NEIGHBOURS: Peckham neighbourhood restaurant Levan has a new head chef. From Naples, Rani Raimondi has worked at The Clove Club and Planque and brings his own touch to Levan’s French-leaning menu, with dishes like beef tartare à la Parisienne and tortelli filled with Tunworth and truffle. –Laura Price
LONDON RESTAURANT LINKS: Taiwanese noodle bar Kung Fu Mama opening second location in Canary Wharf • Tamila opening third curry house in Soho • Milan seafood restaurant Langosteria finally coming to The OWO • Brisbane’s sAme sAme taking over Noisy Oyster for Lunar New Year • Trending in London: Portuguese food • Gemma Bell dishes on restaurant PR.
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Home comforts
IONA GRAHAM • brand & marketing controller • Graham & Brown
Neighbourhood you work in: Chelsea
Neighbourhoods you live in: between Imperial Wharf and Knutsford, Cheshire
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I walk to the Graham & Brown showroom along the river from my sister’s flat in Imperial Wharf. I enjoy getting some early morning steps in as the city starts to come alive. I stop for my morning coffee at Charlotte’s Cloud – the best coffee and the kindest people.
What’s on the agenda for today?
I’m finalising an exciting collaboration that launches in April with a very exciting US tastemaker. The designs are beautiful and have a really lovely and authentic story behind them. I have a press meeting over lunch, then an exciting licensing meeting this afternoon, so lots going on!
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
I’m heading to The Hart for a midweek dinner with friends. The Dover [from Martin Kuczmarski of Martino’s, above] is also a great dinner spot with friends and family.
How about a little leisure or culture?
My family are big fans of rugby and we like to go and watch the games together and make a day of it. We recently watched England play at Twickenham, which is always a fun day out with a great atmosphere. The Swan is a lovely place to grab lunch in Richmond if you’re out that way.
Any weekend getaways?
I recently went to Cowley Manor in the Cotswolds. It was a weekend full of relaxing and good food. I recommend The Cotswolds Guy, The Fox at Oddington and The Woolpack for great food and old-school pub vibes. I always love a walk around Daylesford with a coffee too.
What was your last great vacation?
Our favourite place is the South of France, down near Sainte-Maxime. We’ve been going since I was around five years old. It’s a place that holds special memories for me and my family and is always full of lots of great food to enjoy. The best recommendation would be Les Graniers in Saint Tropez, perfect for a relaxed lunch on the beach with feet in the sand. Or stop off for a pizza or a vongole at Fatto-Bene in Sainte-Maxime.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I fell in love with the Liz Rug from Soho Home. An investment piece for our home.
What store or service do you always recommend?
RIXO’s King’s Road flagship for vintage-inspired fashion that will stay in your wardrobe as timeless pieces for years to come.
WORK & PLAY LINKS: Residents fighting giant housing scheme by Notting Hill • After 14 years, AIDA Shoreditch to close at end of month • New Peckham Farmers Market to debut 24/01 • What’s in and what’s out for wellness in 2026.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale properties in Teddington that recently came to market:
→ Langham Rd (Teddington) • 4BR/1BA/2R, 170 m2 semi-detached house • Asking price: £1.75mn • Edwardian with period features and ‘significant potential to extend’ • Ownership type: freehold • Agent: Chase Buchanan.
→ Claremont Rd (Teddington) • 5BR/3BA/3R, 221 m2 semi-detached house • Asking price: £1.895mn • full refresh since ’21 sale • Ownership type: freehold • Agent: Dexters.
→ Cambridge Rd (Teddington, above) • 6BR/2BA/4R, 332m2 detached house • Guide price: £2.95mn • spacious, double-fronted Victorian with converted loft • Ownership type: chain-free freehold • Agent: Hamptons.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Afterlife
Superheaven • O2 Forum (Kentish Town) • Fri @ 7p • downstairs standing, £35 per
Leela James • Cadogan Hall (Chelsea) • Fri @ 730p • band A, £40 per
Too Much Too Young • Harrow Arts Center (Hatch End) • Sat @ 730p • stalls, £29 per
GETAWAYS • Scotland
Chips and dips
Glasgow’s food scene has been on the up for a while, but one restaurant has accelerated the city’s appeal since opening at the end of 2024. From the team behind popular sharing plates spot Ox & Finch, Margo showcases seasonal produce, Scottish seafood, house-made pasta and bread, and in-house butchered meat.
Start with soft, warm, malted focaccia with salty, whipped butter and a portion of the signature chipsticks. These chunky, rectangular hash browns come with a choice of two dips: taramasalata, or an intensely umami-laden smoky red pepper and seaweed dip.
On our visit, the star small plate was West Coast crab on toast, with layers of fresh, juicy crabmeat, crunchy apple slices, dill and a spicy kick of green chilli pepper. Similarly refreshing was cured chalkstream trout in a Peruvian-style tiger’s milk marinade with salted melon, sorrel and radish. Grilled mackerel barely needed its accompanying rouille sauce and puttanesca. A side of ratte potatoes was rich and crispy, while charred broccoli with romesco and smoked almonds was wonderfully nutty and textured. For pudding, brown butter almond tart with poached pear and crème fraîche was a gooey-middled, sweet-and-sour masterpiece.
There’s a real range of seating in this vast former warehouse, including family-sized booths and huge banquettes. Some of the counter seats drift into a thoroughfare at the very end of the bar, with no real kitchen view. We found the mezzanine level warmer and more vibey, while service was super-friendly throughout.
Below the restaurant is Sebb’s, a popular cocktail bar from the same group, with wine on tap, food on fire and rotating music and DJs – a great place to bookend your meal at Glasgow’s most exciting restaurant.
FOUND Pro: If you’re travelling up from London, get the Caledonian Sleeper, which whisks you to Glasgow in less than eight hours for a dose of proper adventure. We were greeted on the platform at Euston by a cheery chap who instantly got us in the Scottish mood, and staff on board were similarly chirpy. It’s not glamorous – we had a laugh navigating our cramped bunk room – but there’s nothing like being gently rocked asleep to the light of the moon and the gentle swish of the train. From our experience with breakfast on board, food is not its strong point, so save your appetite for Margo. –Laura Price
→ Margo (Glasgow) • 68 Miller St • Mon-Thu 12-3p & 5-10p, Fri-Sun 12-10p • Book.
GETAWAYS LINKS: All the new routes launching from STN this year • With views to Skye, historic manse lists in northern Scotland • Cabins, but make them floating.
ASK FOUND
Three fresh subscriber PROMPTS for which we request your immediate attention:
Which restaurant opening are you most looking forward to in 2026?
What Pilates instructor do you call on to bust your post-holiday malaise?
What colourist are you relying on to refresh your highlights?
Got answers or more questions? Hit reply or email found@foundldn.com.
GOODS & SERVICES • The Nines
Cookie shops
Blondies Kitchen (Marylebone, Covent Garden, above), specialising in small-batch, handmade, freshly baked cookies, w/ signature and thicker bakes