What’s cooking in London: latest restaurant & dining highlights in July 2026
London’s food scene isn’t slowing down this summer. This month we have a flurry of new neighbourhood restaurant openings for you, so get booking and discover your next favourite local. July is packed with reasons to get out and eat. Whether you’re planning a Pride brunch, discovering the capital’s newest openings, or making a date with one of the season’s biggest food events, we’ve rounded up the hottest restaurant news, must-visit pop-ups and can’t-miss foodie happenings across the city.
What’s On
The Lost Oasis, Trafalgar Square
This summer, escape the city at a botanical sanctuary in the heart of Trafalgar Square. Created in collaboration with The Lost Gardens of Heligan and Blue Forest, Lost Oasis transforms the grounds of St Martin-in-the-Fields into a lush retreat of greenery, exceptional food, live entertainment, and unmissable sport.
Highlights include the Cornish Orchards Kitchen featuring top Cornish chefs (Nathan Outlaw, Simon Stallard, Jordan Bailey, Emily Scott), chef residencies from Adam Handling MBE and Sally Abé, World Cup and Wimbledon screenings, an F1 British Grand Prix takeover, live music from Sofar Sounds and comedy nights - all set among climbing vines, towering palms, and botanical installations.
Date: 10 June – 30 August 2026. Location St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Sq, London WC2N 4JH. thelostoasis.co.uk ; @lostoasishq
Image credit The Lost Oasis, Trafalgar Square
Free-Flowing London Pride Brunch at Caravan Covent Garden
Caravan Covent Garden will be celebrating London Pride with a free-flowing Pride Brunch on Saturday 4th July and Sunday 5th July. Guests can enjoy 90 minutes of free-flowing drinks, their favourite brunch dish, DJ sets and a few surprises along the way, all for £49 per person. Expect great food, good people and big Pride energy, with £2 from every Pride Brunch sold donated directly to The Proud Trust to support its work empowering LGBTQ+ young people across the UK.
Free-flowing drinks include Prosecco Spumante, Mimosas, Cosmopolitans and Caravan Lager, alongside brunch favourites such as vanilla pancakes, smashed avocado on sourdough, Caravan’s iconic jalapeño cornbread with fried egg, Korean-style buttermilk fried chicken, baked eggs with chickpea ragu, chorizo and potato hash, fry-ups, and more.
Location: 30-35 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5RH Website:caravanandco.com Instagram: @caravanrestaurants
Caravan. Image credits Mariell Lind Hansen
Thai Festival: Thailand Showcase 2026, Potters Fields Park by Tower Bridge
A much-loved fixture in London’s summer calendar, the iconic Thai Festival returns this year in an exciting new location; Potters Fields Park, beside the historic and scenic Tower Bridge. Set against one of London’s most recognisable landmarks, the festival promises an immersive experience that brings the very best of Thailand to the heart of the city. As the largest Thailand-focused public event organised by the Royal Thai Embassy.
The festival will feature more than 50 vendors, exhibitors and sponsors across three vibrant days of celebration. Highlights include Patara offering its delicious mango sticky rice, Kin + Deum with its elegantly spiced massaman curry and Slurp Thai with sir-fried pork with holy basil. This is just a small selection of the extensive culinary that will be on offer at the festival. The festival is free to attend and celebrates the creativity which under pins the amazing culture and people of Thailand.
Location: Potters Fields Park, Tooley Street, London, SE1 2UD Opening times: Friday 17 July 2026: 1pm - 8pm, Saturday 18 July 2026: 10am - 8pm, Sunday 19 July 2026: 10am - 6pm.
Mr Bao’s Peckham Weekender (supporting the Peckham Pantry, supporting local families experiencing food insecurity)
The Peckham Weekender will return for its third year from 24th-26th July, bringing together 19 of Peckham's best restaurants for one delicious community food weekend. Restaurants including Mr Bao, Forza Wine, Peckham Cellars, Ganapati, Lai Rai, Kruk, Rice Paddy and more will each be serving an exclusive £10 special, with £1 from every dish donated to Peckham Pantry, supporting local families experiencing food insecurity. From BBQ mackerel and crispy pork belly bánh mì to fried squid brioche, swordfish tostadas and cocktails, it's a great chance to eat your way around Peckham while supporting a brilliant local cause.
Date: 24 - 26 July 2026. Location: Mr Bao’s293 Rye Lane, LondonSE15 4AU Website: mrbao.co.uk Instagram: @mrbaouk
Image credit Mr Bao’s Peckham
Disco Late Menu at Bun House Disco, Brick Lane
Bun House Disco on Brick Lane, is launching their brand-new Disco Late menu in early July. Step into a late-night haunt in 1980s Hong Kong and be among the first to experience the new food and cocktail menu, soundtracked by classic Cantopop and set against the neon glow of the restaurant. Created in collaboration with Circle 13 and husband-and-wife duo Ana and Meng of TĀ TĀEatery, known for their creative take on Asian and Mediterranean flavours and some of London's most celebrated food collaborations. The menu features six signature food-and-drink pairings, with every cocktail designed to perfectly complement its accompaniment.
The cocktail menu takes inspiration from traditional Chinese herbal remedies, reimagined to cure modern-day ailments such as doomscrolling and post-club existentialism. Some of the highlights include, an Osmanthus Gimlet served alongside a Canton ‘Gilda’ of spicy tofu, quail egg, pickled garlic and cucumber; a Sichuan Paloma paired with stuffed picante peppers filled with whipped Fuyu and chilli oil; and a Pandan Espresso Martini matched with Bun House Disco's indulgent fried milk dessert. If you have never been to Bun House Disco, it’s worth trying this fun vibey spot for some late-night fun.
Location: 118 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 6DG Available: Thurs-Saturday 10pm-12am Website: bun.house Instagram: @8unhouse
Image courtesy of Bun House Disco
KID, Soho
This is a serious heads up….(because you have to wait until September). David Carter of Oma and Smokstak has partnered with Sertaç Dirik of Mangal II (this is his first solo venture).
Besides a grill at the heart of the restaurant with overlooking counter seating, KID will have a wine room doubling as a private dining space and its own in-house bakery downstairs, finished with terracotta banquettes, Turkish architectural detailing, and handmade Anatolian pieces.
The menu will be heavily influenced by the food Dirik grew up with focusing on the Central Anatolia. This is already a highly anticipated opening
Location: 55 Frith Street, LondonW1D 4SJ Website:kid.london Instagram: @kid_soho
Food news
Head Chef and co-owner of Michelin starred Dorian departs
Dorian has established itself as one of London’s standout modern British restaurants led by chef and co-owner Max Coen alongside restaurateur Chris D’Sylva, the produce-led neighbourhood bistro quickly gained critical acclaim for its wood-fired cooking, exceptional sourcing and relaxed take on fine dining. The restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in the 2024 Michelin Guide and has successfully retained the accolade in both the 2025 and 2026 guides, cementing its place among the capital’s top dining destinations.
In June 2026, 30-year-old Coen announced he was stepping down after four years, describing Dorian as “the restaurant that shaped my career”. He announced his plans to get married this year and to travel to explore the culinary delights of Japan, Mexico, Cornwall and the Lake District. His departure marks the end of a notable chapter for one of London’s most influential young chefs, whose previous experience included kitchens such as Frantzén, Kitchen Table and Ikoyi. Dorian has yet to announce who will take over leadership of the kitchen or to outline Coen’s successor.
We fully expect Coen to return after his time off inspired and ready to set fire to the London restaurant scene yet again. We are standing by.
New openings
Bar Blondie, Queens Park
A spate of London restaurants have reinvented themselves in a bid to survive rising costs and to keep diners interested. The converted stables which previously housed Milk Beach Restaurant in Queen’s Park is set to reopen this month as a wine bar and restaurant.
Elliot Milne of Silver Tree restaurants and founder of Milk Beach restaurant has teamed up with award-winning sommelier Alexandra Price in Queen’s Park to open Bar Blondie, a new wine bar and restaurant, on the former site of Milk Beach on Lonsdale Road.
Alexandra has some serious credentials (Top 100 Sommeliers UK 2025; Harper's Top 50 Sommeliers 2025). She opened Bar Crispin as General Manager and Head Sommelier, building the natural list that came to define it, then ran wine across the Ham Restaurant Group, including Bistro Freddie and Crispin at Studio Voltaire. Most recently she was Head of Wine at Plates, the Michelin-starred plant-based restaurant
Expect Southern European-style small plates and a spaghetti western decor designed by Permit Room's Macaulay Sinclairbrining an easy, sociable spirit with good wine, ingredient-led cooking, art, music and design under one roof. The kitchen brings two regions together. Head chef Alastair Walling, formerly of Albers, Noble Rot Mayfair and Maset, cooks the food of southern France. Executive chef Alexander Busca, of Milk Beach, brings his Italian heritage. Both cook around simplicity and seasonality, led by what their suppliers are growing and landing.
Look out for their cultural program including live music, DJs, poetry, chess nights, a speaker series and more
Location: 19-21 Lonsdale Road, London NW6 6RA Website:barblondie.co.uk Instagram: bar.blondie
Image courtesy of Kismet
Kismet, Borough Market
Opening on the 16th of July for a yearlong residency. Kismet has some serious London restaurant experience behind it with chef Keiran Mustafa who’s held senior kitchen roles at acclaimed London restaurants including Chez Bruce, The Harwood Arms, and the progressive Mayfair restaurant BiBi, where he served as the opening head chef. He also consulted on the opening of OMA in London. Partnering with restaurateur Dom Hamdy, they will be launching a Turkish concept in the upstairs dining room which previously homed and array of pop ups of various cuisines including Barang(Cambodian), including Joké & Friends (from Chishuru- West African cuisine), Khao Bird (Thai), and later TÓU (Japanese Sandwiches). Kismet will be inspired by the traditional taverns (meyhanes) of Istanbul and Northern Cyprus focusing on meze and mangal-grilled kebabs, available à la carte or as a set menu priced at £48.
Location: Upstairs at The Globe Tavern, 8 Beadle Street, London Website: Kismet-london Instagram: kismet.ldn
ALTA opens a casual offering next door, Kingly Court, Oxford Circus
Bar ALTA opened last week within ALTA, Soho. The restaurant’s first-floor dining room will remain unchanged andcontinue to welcome diners for the original ALTA menu;elevated sharing dishes centered around the charcoal grill.
Bar Alta is a more relaxed sister offering to the restaurant, inspired by the pintxos culture of Northern Spain and spearheaded by the arrival of ALTA's new Head Chef Robbie Jameson (formerly of HUMO).
The original ALTA menu and experience will be available for guests as usual on the first floor and in Bar Alta expect a small menu of tasty bites such as the House pork sausage “Txistorra”, Carabineros prawns with Iberico fat & garlic, Iberico & Smoked Cheddar Croquettes and Sweetcorn, crème fraiche & chive croquettes as a vegetarian option.
There will be a greater emphasis on wines by the glass, alongside a rotating selection of vermouths and sherries.
The restaurant's ground floor has transformed to include additional high-top and counter seating with increased views of the kitchen. The 20-seat terrace has also been refreshed, incorporating additional high tables and banquette seating.
Location: 9 Kingly Court, Ground Fl, Carnaby Street, London W1B 5PW Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday (12pm-10pm) & Sundays (12pm-5pm) Website: Alta-restaurant.com; Instagram: @alta.london
Image courtesy of ALTA
Rosina Restaurant, Wandsworth Common
Renowned chef and local resident, Adam Byatt has opened neighbourhood restaurant Rosina at 35 Bellevue Road (on the corner of Trinity Road), where Brinkley's was previously located.
Adam is the celebrated chef behind the Michelin-starred Trinity restaurant in Clapham. His new venture is named after his daughter Rosie. Expect Rosina to be inspired by his love of Italian cuisine. The kitchen is headed up by Chef Will Bee previously a No6 in Padstow and Lita Marylebone.
The neighbourhood restaurant is inspired by the love that Adam has for Italian cuisine, produce and hospitality and is named after his daughter Rosie. When announcing the new restaurant, Adam said on his Instagram page:
"Rosina is a space I want people to really enjoy, a restaurant to use all week, a Wednesday on a whim, an intimate Friday date night as well as a family get togethers”
Bookings are now live.
Location: 35 Bellevue Road, London SW Website:rosinarestaurant.co.uk Instagram: @rosina.restsurant
Chez Rose, Mayfair
Chez Rose is in the heart of Mayfair the former site of Little Social, part of Jason Atherton’s restaurant group. Rather than a full overhaul, it’s had a modest refresh: new floors, a new wine room and private dining room at the back, and a handful of other touches resulting in old-school French bistro charm, a warm, intimate room seating around 40 covers, which keeps the atmosphere close and convivial.
Just opened in June Chez Rose is by Chef Spencer Metzger, the talent behind the two-Michelin-starred Row on 5, this time backed by Jason and Irha Atherton’s Social Company.
Day-to-day, the kitchen is run by head chef Mark Catchpole, previously of Roganic, allowing Metzger to split his time between Chez Rose and Row on 5 a few minutes’ walk away.Expect French cooking that rewards a hearty appetite: dishes like steak tartare with pomme gaufrette, Dover sole meunière with Menton lemon, and poulet rôti, vin jaune, morel and frites en cocotte with vin jaune. Desserts are hitting the classics: crème caramel, chocolate mousse, crêpe suzette and a chocolate soufflé for two…and grandma’s cookies to end the meal.
The wine list has been put together by sommelier Christian Dobriceanu, who has moved across from Row on 5 to lead the list. Bottles start at a reasonable £35
There is also a set lunch menu available- two courses £30, three courses £36.
Location: 5 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NE Website:chezroselondon.com Instagram: @chezroselondon
Image courtesy of Chez Rose
Hons BBQ, East London
After many successful pop ups Hons BBQ, serving Chinese – Texan BBQ, has found a permeant site in East London at a canalside location in Hackney Wick after a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Located in a huge post-industrial space they are already putting some fun events hosting during the world cup. At a later stage there will be space to host parties, music events, small exhibitions and chef collaborations. There will also be a retail space for home cooks and BBQ classes.
We expect the menu will feature his bestselling Sichuan peppercorn beef ribs, and the Smoked Duck Breast with pancakes and home-made Hoisin Sauce and smoked macaroni cheese. Meats will be cooked over low heat in an outdoor smoker for up to 12 hours, with cuts sold by weight until they run out. Drinks are receiving the care and attention of Oliver Dibben (Brat’s sommelier) which includes wine and cocktails that will complement the BBQ menu.
Bookings open Friday 17th July. In the meantime, they are opening on the 1st July at 5pm to host the England vs Congo match. For each match, the kitchen smokes a signature dish from the opposing nation.
Location: Unit 7 Queen’s Yard. Hackney Wick, London E9 5EN Website: unclehonsbbq Instagram: @honsbbq
Sure Thing, Acton
For fans of West London’s famous No Drama burgers, there’s been a shake up you need to know about. After moving from Acton they found themselves collaborating with the Bush Tavern (Shepard Bush’s) since November of last year. They have now parted ways after a successful collaboration and have headed to Churchfield Road in Acton where Portobello’s much loved bakery Layla opened last year.
The heat was on when they opened during London’s recent heatwave. At Sure Thing they have expanded their offering and will be experimenting with new dishes - Burrata with hazelnut salsa and cured egg yolk, Tonkotsu AubergineBurger, Chicken Club Sandwich and of course their famous burgers.
Location: 46 Churchfield Road, London W3 6EB Instagram: @surethingsurethingsurething & @nodrama.w3
Langosteria, OWO
Langosteria launched in back in 2007 in the Italian city's Design District in 2007. They had a short collaboration at private members club Annabel’s and now they will open with a permanent home at the OWO (home to the Raffles Hotel. The London location will mark Langosteria's third international outpost following successful openings in Paris and St. Moritz.
Langosteria is a fine dining restaurant with Italian rootsinspired by the Amalfi Coast and a foodie favourite of Milan Fashionistas. Bookings are open and the soft launch begins on the 1st July
Location: Whitehall Place at the OWO, London SW1A 2BD. Website: langosteria.com Instagram: @langosteria
