January generally sees a slower start to the restaurant scene, but there’s still plenty to indulge in. These are the London restaurants to book in January.
A nourishing lunchtime collaboration between a fan-favourite nutritionist and one of Chelsea’s most popular Japanese spots offers a lighter start to the year, while winter magic comes in the form of hot air balloon dining beneath glass at Syon Park, perfect for those planning a more celebratory kick-off for 2026. Plus there’s a Georgian debut on Heddon Street, the arrival of Richard Hart’s much-anticipated bakery in Mayfair and celebratory menus marking landmark birthdays.
These are our top tables for January 2026.
DakaDaka: Modern Georgian Cooking Comes To Heddon Street
Arriving on Heddon Street this January, DakaDaka places Georgian cuisine over open fire, reworking traditional flavours with high-quality British produce. The address alone is enough to suggest this is an opening to get excited about, having previously been home to acclaimed restaurants, including Fallow and Manteca, before both moved on to their current locations. DakaDaka takes over the two-floor space, blending rich Georgian textures with modern London décor to create a modern, yet welcoming aesthetic. Upstairs centres around an open kitchen, complete with a wood-fired hearth and charcoal grill. Downstairs, a wine and cocktail bar and a vinyl DJ station promise to set a lively tone for later evenings. In the kitchen, chef patron Mitz Vora works alongside head chef Adrian Hernandez Farina on a menu that moves from plant-based Georgian dips and wood-fired breads, through to dishes like charcoal-grilled quail with blackberry tkemali. Heavier plates include khinkali dumplings filled with lamb and sour plum or wild mushroom and black garlic, duck breast mtsvadi with blackcurrant, and short rib kharcho, a traditional stew, slow-cooked with smoked walnuts. The wine list spotlights Georgia’s centuries old winemaking traditions, while cocktails, led by Jack Porter, focus on house-made chacha – a traditional Georgian spirit, alongside a selection of Georgian beers.
Claridge's Bakery: A New Mayfair Bakery From Richard Hart
Claridge’s opens the doors to its much-anticipated new bakery this month, with internationally acclaimed baker Richard Hart stepping in as executive baker and creative director. Tucked away on Brooks Mews, just behind the hotel, Claridge’s Bakery is conceived as a neighbourhood favourite, and promises to be a love letter to British baking, executed at the highest level. A London native, Hart is best known as the founder of Copenhagen’s Hart Bageri, widely regarded as one of the world’s best bakeries, which he opened in partnership with René Redzepi of Noma. He was also previously head baker at San Francisco’s legendary Tartine. The bakery’s all-day offering draws on Hart’s heritage with classic British nostalgia albeit with a Claridge’s twist. The menu champions traditional favourites alongside Hart’s globally renowned sourdoughs, with bloomers and granary loaves, Jammy Dodgers, custard tarts, Belgian buns and iced fingers baked fresh throughout the day. Those with a more savoury tooth are catered for with sandwiches, quiches and hot specials available each lunchtime.
som saa: Spitalfields' Thai Kitchen Returns, Refreshed
After a six-month closure following a fire, som saa has reopened with a revitalised offering. Founded by Andy Oliver and Mark Dobbie, som saa was one of the restaurants that helped stir London’s appetite for regional Thai cooking. The Shoreditch favourite returns with a refreshed menu, new bar snacks, and an updated drinks menu. The kitchen balances new dishes with much-loved signatures: expect vibrant plates like lemongrass salad with squid, pork and cashew nuts, and salted beef with fresh bamboo braised in coconut cream, alongside classics like the Isaan-style deep-fried seabass. A bar-snacks menu delivers a more relaxed element, with a selection of inventive and punchy bites designed for grazing. Cocktails have been given equal attention, with winter standouts including a pandan-laced Green Negroni and the Snowglobe Sour, blending bourbon, coconut cream and Thai tea. Subtle interior updates completed during the closure round out the relaunch, marking a confident return for one of London’s most influential Thai kitchens.
Feast On Cloud 9 At Syon Park: A Magical Winter Residency
For a celebratory start to the year, Feast on Cloud 9 has landed at Syon Park. After three sold-out summer seasons at The Grove in Hertfordshire, this magical winter residency features the iconic hot air balloon dining experience inside the park’s Great Conservatory, inviting guests to dine inside softly glowing hot air balloons, set beneath the conservatory’s soaring architecture. While the balloons remain firmly grounded, the experience feels anything but – and this continues with the well-thought through and creative menus. Choose between afternoon tea or a five-course dinner, both inspired by Syon’s gardens and grounds. Afternoon tea features sandwiches, freshly baked scones and playful patisserie, including edible statues and a nest of clementine panna cotta ‘eggs’. As evening falls, festoon lighting leads diners through the grounds for dinner beneath the illuminated dome, with highlights including beetroot-cured salmon, fillet of beef with truffle mash, and a whimsical chocolate ‘plant pot’ finale. A dedicated children’s menu is also available at the early dinner sitting.
Kolamba East: Sri Lankan Warmth For January With Ceylon Crab Table
A perfect foodie antidote to the January blues – and another Shoreditch venue – Kolamba East has recently introduced the Ceylon Crab Table, a new monthly Sunday lunch centred around one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated dishes: whole crab curry, made for sharing. Designed as a relaxed, communal feast, it’s an invitation to gather friends and family around the table for a warming dish from sunnier climes. The experience begins with grilled prawns and green mango papaya salad, before the main event arrives: a one-kilogram crab curry, slow-cooked with moringa, coconut milk, tamarind and Kolamba’s signature spice blend. The table is completed with a generous spread of Sri Lankan favourites, including dhal, kos, roast paan and saffron rice. An affordable treat, packed full of flavour.
Dinings SW3: A Nourishing January Menu With Emily English
Nutritionist and bestselling author of So Good and Live to Eat, Emily English has built a loyal following of millions thanks to her pragmatic approach to nutrition and recipes that prioritise pleasure as much as nourishment. Her philosophy is simple: eating well should never mean sacrificing joy. This January, she brings that ethos to the table in collaboration with Dinings SW3 and chef-owner Masaki Sugisaki for Jiyo 滋養. Translating as ‘to renourish’ in Japanese, Jiyo is rooted in Emily’s ‘Vitamin Joy’ philosophy, delivered through a thoughtfully balanced three-course set lunch menu that blends Japanese technique, vibrant produce and genuine comfort. Dishes include a collagen-rich miso broth, followed by a superfood chirashi-style bowl layered with omega-3-rich fish, avocado, edamame, seaweed and pickled ginger. Dessert is very much part of the experience, with cacao truffle bites made from coconut cream and popped brown rice, making it indulgent yet light. This is a perfect-for-January menu that proves nourishment never has to mean compromise.
The Cinnamon Club: An Indian Icon Marks 25 Years In London
To mark 25 years at the forefront of modern Indian dining in London, The Cinnamon Club is turning back the clock. From 12 to 31 January, the Westminster institution will serve a limited-edition Retro Menu, revisiting the dishes that defined its early years, with prices rolled back to 2001, beginning at just £5. Housed in the Grade II-listed former Westminster Library, The Cinnamon Club helped rewrite the rules for Indian fine dining when it opened in 2001, blending classical Indian flavours with British ingredients, seasonal produce and game. Remarkably, it remains under the leadership of executive chef Vivek Singh, alongside members of his original team including Rakesh Nair and Hari Nagaraj – a rare continuity in London’s restaurant scene. The Retro Menu includes classics such as sweet potato cake with crisp okra and spiced yoghurt; home-smoked lamb kebabs; tandoori chicken; pork chop vindaloo with pilau rice; and pan-seared Gressingham duck. Desserts nod to the era too, with steamed mango rice cakes and wild berry sorbet. It’s a celebratory look back, not just at the dishes, but at the ambition and skill that has helped cement The Cinnamon Club’s place in London’s dining history.
The Mayfair Chippy Kensington: A British Classic At 2015 Prices
Another restaurant celebrating an anniversary in January is The Mayfair Chippy in Knightsbridge – with an offering for those seeking some comfort food. As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, they are turning back the clock and serving the signature Mayfair Classic fish & chips dish at its original 2015 price of £13.50 throughout January. This is a British staple that needs little introduction. Responsibly sourced haddock or hake, perfectly crisped, is served with proper chips, mushy peas, tartare sauce and the diner’s choice of curry sauce or HP.
Roka Express Lunch: A Signature Lunch Offering, Streamlined
Another popular lunchtime dining destination offering a great deal this winter is Roka. The ever-popular Japanese robatayaki restaurant group which has four locations – Charlotte Street, Mayfair, Aldwych and Canary Wharf – is kicking off 2026 with a £26 express weekday lunch menu, available until the end of February. The menu delivers the same finesse and quality that Roka is known for, just in a streamlined, more purse-friendly format. The experience begins with familiar favourites, from crisp ebi furai to avocado maki (crispy prawn, avocado and sweet soy), before moving on to a generous choice of signature dishes from the robata grill, with options including seabream fillet, baby, chicken and tender baby back pork ribs. Dessert comes in the form of a selection of mochi ice cream, offering a light, satisfying finish. An excellent-value lunch that doesn’t have to mean compromising on taste.
Sarah Jackson is a dining contributor at Citizen Femme. A Londonophile, she has previously lived in Dubai and Copenhagen, building her career in international communications. When not discovering the capital’s hottest new restaurants and bars, she loves to jet off for a European city break, always with the next meal in mind.
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Lead image: Feast On Cloud 9 At Syon Park
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