What’s cooking in London: latest restaurant & dining highlights in May 2026
May has arrived with long lunches, golden-hour drinks and the annual scramble to secure a seat in the sunshine. In this month’s FLO Food Round Up, we’re spotlighting the apps helping Londoners track down the city’s sunniest terraces, alongside the latest restaurant openings, standout seasonal menus and food events worth booking now. From seafood feasts at Borough Market and the return of the British Library Food Season, to Soho lunch gems, nostalgic Italian escapism and some of the capital’s most exciting new openings, here’s everything to have on your radar as London heads into summer.
What’s on
An Evening of Seafood, Borough Market
Food lovers are invited to experience Borough Market like never before as it launches Evening of Seafood. The brand-new evening event is dedicated to seafood in all its forms with fresh line-caught fish, seasonal British shellfish, beautiful tinned delicacies, and traditionally smoked specialities, from the simplest dishes served raw, to thoughtfully crafted small plates and inventive one-off dishes.
Location: Borough Market, Southwark Street Instagram:@boroughmarket Date: Wednesday 20 May 2026, 6pm-9pm Price: £7 and are available to book here.
Image credit Jonas Allert
British Library Food Season Big Weekend
Heads up. In June the much-loved British Library Food Season returns with the Big Weekend – two days of culinary conversations with leading chefs and cooks, food writers, historians and more. We wanted to give you plenty of time to get your tickets which are around £10.
Over the weekend you can deliciously delve into Ireland’s rich culinary traditions, celebrate Southern American food through the enduring legacy of Edna Lewis, and explorecurries on a journey around the world. Alternatively, step into the kitchens of Shakespearean England or travel along the Silk Roads through flavour and spice, and reimagine the barbecue – exploring how its meaning and mastery transform in the hands of women. It’s time to book tickets now.
Location: 90 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB Website:bl.uk Instagram: @britishlibrary Dates: Saturday 13 - Sunday 14 June Tickets: book 3 or more sessions and receive 20% off your total booking. Book 5 or more sessions and receive 30% off your total booking. Book here
Moi launches seasonal set menu
The critically acclaimed Japanese-inspired restaurant with live fire cooking in Soho, has launched a new lunch time experience with its new Chef’s Choice Lunch Menu, a seasonal three-course journey priced at £38 per person available Wed-Fri. Changing with the seasons, the menu invites guests to choose from a curated selection of sushi alongside wood-fired mains. Immediately one can see why @moi.soho was entered into the Michelin Guide in March of this year. The stylish aesthetics of the restaurant are sublime with warm wood tones and organically shaped tables with a beautifully laid out open kitchen where guests can observe the stellar kitchen brigade at work helmed by Chef Neil Tannett. Every dish was perfection on a plate bursting with unique flavours balanced by a variety of textures which sing on the palate.
Our experience began with House Pickles- sounds ordinary, but they demonstrated just how special the meal would be here. The three courses are savoury, beginning with options of tamaki, nigiri or sashimi. We then tried Wya Valley Asparagus with a sensational Miso Hollandaise and Mandarin Jam and delightfully tender Cornish Squid with Watercress, Bitter Leaf & Radish. For mains we had the perfectly rendered 36 Day aged sirloin (for a £10 supplement).
The red mullet dish with a scattering of salmon roe gives a delicate saltiness to the better blanc style sauce balanced by yuzukosho: a fermented paste of chilli peppers, yuzu peel and salt. The main are served with a generous side of wood fired pink fir potatoes. Dessert is an additional cost that is 100 percent worth it if you order the “Kakigori” An elevated version of a traditional Japanese shaved ice dessert which bursts with citrus flavours. Pure sunshine in a bowl and one of the best desserts you will taste this year. With serene interiors, attentive service and cooking that is precise yet unpretentious, MOI offers a welcome retreat from Soho’s midday bustle, ideal for business lunches or relaxed solo dining.
Location: 84 Wardour Street, London W1F 0TQ Chef’s Choice Lunch Menu: Wed-Fri Website: moirestaurant.com Instagram: @moi.soho
Nessa
Just because it is a FloLondon favourite we wanted to share the great value “Nessa Express” serving a 2-3 course menu with a choice of two dishes for each course. The cooking here is always exceptional and the interiors on point. Two Courses £24.50 and Three courses £29.50
Location: 86b Brewer Street , London W1F 9UB. Website: nessasoho.com Instagram: @nessasoho
Carlotta Ground Floor. Image credit Jerome Galland
Restaurant Highlight
Carlotta
We recently visited Carlotta, a wonderful Italian restaurant open since Spring 2023. The interior of Carlotta delivers pure escapism, champagne gold draped curtains and mirrors along the walls, art deco touches and the teams family wedding pictures decorate the walls. The ambiance is entirely unique and fun. Serving a menu is filled with nostalgic comfort dishes (with not a pizza in sight). Standouts include the tempura Big Shrimp Cocktail with retro Marie Rose sauce, a generous Lobster Spaghettoni worth sharing (or not), and a theatrically unveiled Pistachio Wedding Cake that’s reason enough to book. A superb spot to leave the outside world behind for lingering lunches, date nights or just an all round good time.
Read our full review here.
Location: 77-78 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5JX Website: bigmammagroup.com Instagram: @bigmamma.uk
Image courtesy of Arcade London
In the Pipeline
Arcade Covent Garden opening this month
Arcade’s third Food Hall location in Covent Garden is scheduled to open on May 15, bringing global cuisines and some special cocktails. There will be favourites like Plaza Khao Gaeng, already hugely popular at their Tottenham Court location serving Southern Thai Cooking, Manna smash burgers will have a space of its own and a stand-alone Greek Cypriot taverna - Zylia. a Greek Cypriot taverna from Athens-born chef Nick Molyviatis (ex-Kiln, Smoking Goat, Oma and co-owner of Singburi) and Cypriot hospo operator Barry Karacostas. Being picante lovers we have our eye on the “Little Pedro” cocktail with Chilli Infused Altos Blanco Tequila, Cucumber, Yuzu, Citrus & Orgeat one of many cocktails served at the large central bar.
Location: 6 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9HZ Website: arcade_london.com Instagram: @arcadelondon
Image courtesy of Holy Carrot
New openings
Holy Carrot has officially opened in Spitalfields
Holy Carrot, the vegetable-forward restaurant, founded by Irina Linovich and led by Executive Head Chef Daniel Watkins (ex-Acme Fire Cult), have opened their second site in Spitalfields offering new vegetarian dishes alongside its plant-based offering. The kitchen is helmed by Head Chef Maria Criscuolo, with menu highlights including Miso-marmite pizzetta finished with grated pecorino and Fire-grilled leeks with smoked Holy Carrot hot sauce and hazelnuts. The site sits on the edge of Spitalfields market, and the interiors are a contrast to the sleek minimalist vibes of the original restaurant on Portobello Road, Notting Hill. The new brand-new on-site fermentation vault, transforming vegetable by-products into ferments, pickles, miso, soy sauce, and garums.
Location: 61-63 Brushfield Street, London E1 Website: holycarrot.co.uk Instagram: @holycarrotrestaurant
Tavern
Opening last week in Shoreditch is the stellar restaurant Tavern with nostalgic interiors giving us a British bistro concept combining pub culture with culinary prowess adding to the ever-increasing casual and convivial establishments serving outstanding food using open fire cooking. The menu is laden with British produce and dishes that make choosing difficult. That’s if you can make it past the snacks of giant pig skin crackers and the dish everyone is talking about - the Chunion “puffs”, a choux pastry filled with a cheese and onion cream to kick off the meal. For mushroom lovers the Miso Merit Mushrooms is a flavour bomb with a selection of morels, hen of woods, girolles and shitake mushrooms are marinated in their own miso and reduced Mushroom beer resting on a barley koji porridge & finished with a yeasted sauce.
As you can imagine coming from the acclaimed team behind Michelin-starred Restaurant St Barts everything is spot on here including the cocktails. We suggest you book a table as soon as possible.
Location: 374-378 Old St, London EC1V9LT Opening Hours: Open Tuesday – Sunday. Closed Monday Website:tavernlondfon.co.uk Instagram: @tavernlondon
Image courtesy of Tavern
The Latimer
West London has itself a new local to flock to on Latimer Road from the Spiteri family. The sons are in the kitchen, their daughter in operations with their parents John and Melanie hospitably floating around making sure everyone feels welcome and that The Latimer will be as successful as their foray at Rochelle Canteen was. The interior is paired back and simple. Tables are clothed and the chairs we hope are temporary as they aren’t the best looking but all is forgiven. The food is outstanding. We enjoyed seasonal Asparagus with a very tasty her sauce. The Masala Haddock was tender and had a perfect touch of Masala without overpowering the dish.
We finished off our dinner perfectly by ordering both deserts on the menu. The lightest chocolate mousse served with blood orange and the Amaretti Crumble with custard and Rhubarb.
Location: 274 Latimer Road, London, W10 6QW. Website: thelatimer.co.uk Instagram: @the.latimer
Jolene
The beloved bakery has landed in Soho inside the Airies flagship store. Jolene opened its Soho location as a natural evolution of the cult-favorite bakery and restaurant that first made its name in Newington Green.
Set among the dense, energetic streets of Soho, the space hasan unfussy aesthetic using natural materials, and an open, welcoming layout with a large communal table. The bakery serves pastries, snacks, soft serve ice cream and a daily changing sandwich menu.
Location: 13 Bridle Lane, London W1F 9BT Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8.00-16.00 Sat & Sun 9.00-16.00 Website:jolenebakery.com Instagram: @jolene_bridelane
Image credit Jodi Hinds. Image courtesy of Teal by Sally Abé
Teal by Sally Abé
Teal by Sally Abé is a modern British bistro that opened on 26 March 2026 in East London. This is Abé’s first solo venture and early reviews have been very positive. Ex Chef at Pem and the Harewood Arms brings a menu of refined yet approachable dishes. Focusing on modern British cuisine, combining nostalgic influences with polished execution and high-quality ingredients sourced from across the UK. Dishes such as a Deville crab tartlet, Cornish mussels with Jersey Royals, and English Asparagus with ricotta dumplings with hazelnuts and lemon alongside more playful touches like retro-inspired desserts and creative snacks. Don’t miss the inventive “penny lick” ice cream.
Location: 52 Wilton Way, London E8 1BG Opening Hours: Thursday to Sunday Website: tealbysallyabe Instagram:@tealbysallyabe
Padella
The third Padella has opened in a key central location at Kingly Court, Carnaby Street. Spread across two floors with around 80 covers, the restaurant continues Padella’s signature approach, hand-rolled pasta made daily, an open kitchen, and a relaxed, no-reservations format. The vibe is a touch more polished, Soho-inspired design. The menu remains true to its roots, with much-loved dishes like pici cacio e pepe and slow-cooked Hereford beef shin ragù alongside seasonal additions, reinforcing Padella’s reputation for simple, high-quality Italian cooking at accessible prices - £9.50 for Tagliarini with dried chilli, garlic & pangratto!
Location: 2 Kingly Street, Carnaby, London W1B 5PBOpening Hours: Open daily for lunch & dinner Website:Padella.co Instagram: @padella_pasta
Image credit: MIKO Mei Fair
MIKO Mei Fair
A new Thai restaurant opened on the 23 April in Mayfair with fire-led cooking and spicy Thai flavours. Located inside a beautiful Georgian townhouse on Curzon Street, the space is intimate and atmospheric - teal panelling, red leather booths, warm brass and tropical details throughout. Menu highlights include, Spicy Thai fish cakes, Black pepper crispy squid, Grilled XL tiger prawn Pla-Ra, Spicy krapow gai and Crab fried rice. The dessert to look out for is a reimagined Mango sticky rice which sits in a mango panna cotta.
Location: 54 Curzon Street, London W1J 8PG Opening Hours: Open daily for lunch & Dinner Website:mikomayfair.com Instagram: @mikomayfair
