It might be the shortest month of the year, but London’s dining calendar is packed. These are the new London restaurants to book in February.
Across the city, some of the most loved homegrown restaurants are expanding into new neighbourhoods, from South London wine bars arriving in Soho to cult curry houses, pizza favourites and Sri Lankan icons opening fresh chapters across the capital. There is also a wave of new openings, hearty Italian, hotel hotspots, the return of a Caribbean favourite, and an exciting addition to London’s Mexican dining scene.
Alongside the openings, established names are finding inventive ways to refresh familiar formats, from afternoon tea to intimate sushi counters, while a rich run of one-off dinners and limited residencies adds extra reason to book ahead. Whether you’re planning something special or simply looking for a welcome distraction from the winter weather, these are the tables worth securing this month.
Endo Upstairs at Annabel’s A rare omakase residency
Third-generation sushi master Endo Kazutoshi is bringing his celebrated omakase to Annabel’s for a rare five-month residency. Taking over the top floor of the exclusive Mayfair club Endo, Upstairs at Annabel’s offers a highly-intimate ten-seat counter experience, open to both members and non-members. With a strict no-photography policy, the experience is designed to encourage complete immersion and is a rare opportunity for diners to engage with one of the UK’s most respected sushi masters close-up. Endo’s approach is rooted in techniques and rituals passed down through his family, with dishes shaped by omakase traditions and slow, considered recipes originating from his grandfather. Guests will be hosted by Endo and his team, who bring to life the Japanese principle of omotenashi, the art of selfless hospitality. The evening unfolds as a blind 14-course tasting menu, with dishes revealed as they are served. The menu is designed to deliver a deep, authentic connection to Japanese culture for the guests, with Endo’s famous precision, restraint and respect guiding every course. Highlights include Endo’s signature ‘business card’: a hand-rolled sushi passed directly from the itamae to the guest, and designed to be eaten immediately.
Napoli on the Road Award-winning pizza comes to Soho
Opening on Wardour Street this month, Napoli on the Road Soho marks the third London site for pizza-maker Michele Pascarella, who was named ‘Best Pizza Maker in the World’ at the 50 Top Pizza Awards in 2023. Following success in Richmond and Chiswick, this Soho arrival brings his distinctive approach to central London. The menu continues to focus on exceptional dough and a thoughtful balance of traditional, modern and seasonal toppings, a style that has earned Pascarella widespread recognition over recent years. Soho also introduces a new aesthetic. Designed in collaboration with Barcelona-based studio Isern Serra, the two-floor space swaps rustic Italian cues for something more minimal with white-washed walls and silver steel counters, with a more atmospheric, pared-back basement below. Later in the year, the restaurant will also introduce a dedicated pizza tasting menu, offering a deeper look at Pascarella’s craft, paired with curated wine flights.
Forza Wine Soho A South London favourite heads west
The much-loved South London wine bar, Forza Wine, is set to open its third site in Soho later this month, bringing its relaxed approach to the heart of the West End. Since launching on Peckham’s Rye Lane in 2019, Forza Wine has built a loyal following for its unfussy combination of seasonal snacks and small plates, natural wines and relaxed, social settings. The Soho opening continues that same easy-going formula of both its Peckham and National Theatre venues. Designed as a meeting point for any hour, it’s as well suited to casual afternoon drinks as it is to a late-night gathering with friends. Food stays deliberately simple, centred around the restaurant’s much-loved ‘sort of Italian’ snack menu, with returning favourites such as its cauliflower fritti with aioli. Wine remains the focus, with an accessible natural wine list and is supported by a regularly changing seasonal house cocktail list. Lively, sociable and low-fuss, Forza Wine Soho should settle in very well to the neighbourhood.
Cometa A new Mexican restaurant from Carousel
Carousel’s evolving chefs concept has often championed Mexican cooking and now the owners are taking things further with a new Mexican seafood concept – Cometa. Taking over the group’s former Charlotte Street wine bar space, Cometa will be led by Carousel co-founder Ollie Templeton alongside chefs José Lizarralde Serralde and Alejandra Juarez. The menu celebrates British waters through a modern Mexican lens. Raw plates set the tone, from ceviches and aguachiles to generous sharing dishes such as crab chilpachole rice finished with brown butter and chives, followed by larger grilled plates for the table, including lobster with chintextle and smoked butter sauce. Inspiration is drawn from Mexico City institutions like Contramar, filtered through Carousel’s own creative approach. The space has been completely reworked, with a new layout and earthier palette giving the restaurant a more focused identity. Margaritas and mezcal-forward cocktails complete the picture, making Cometa a welcome addition to London’s contemporary Mexican dining scene.
Brasserie Angelica and Gambit Bar New dining venues at the Newman Hotel
Brasserie Angelica:
Set within The Newman in Fitzrovia, Brasserie Angelica is an elegant all-day brasserie that moves easily from breakfast through to late evening. Led by executive chef Christian Turner, the menu focuses on comforting classics with a contemporary spin. Ingredients are sourced from London and UK suppliers, with curing, smoking and a wood-fired grill adding depth to dishes without heaviness. A street-side terrace has been optimistically set up for the summer months, while the breadth of the offering incorporates both a lunchtime sandwich trolley and private dining rooms, making it ideal for a range of meetups. Interiors blend historical references with contemporary polish, as the hotel pays homage to pioneering local figures, including writer and activist Nancy Cunard. The space also nods to furniture designer Gerald Summers, whose Charlotte Street workshop helped shape the area’s design legacy, through bespoke plywood details and a focus on craftsmanship.
Gambit Bar:
Directly below, Gambit Bar offers a more atmospheric escape. The subterranean space draws on Fitzrovia’s bohemian past, with the bar’s rich design taking inspiration from artist Percy Wyndham Lewis, who called the neighbourhood home. Cocktails are led by head of food and drink, Eder Neto, with a focus on well-made classics and understated originals. Equal attention is paid to every drinks category, with all signature cocktails available alcohol-free, alongside a curated selection of London beers on tap, including Two Tribes from King’s Cross and Kernel from Bermondsey. A succinct menu of bar snacks, including flatbreads, oysters and rullepølse (Danish cold cuts), is designed to pair effortlessly with the drinks offering.
Tamila The popular South Indian restaurant arrives in Soho
Another new opening in Soho, Tamila Soho, opening on Poland Street will be the third London site from Glen Leeson and Prince Durairaj, the team behind The Tamil Prince. Following well-received openings in King’s Cross and Clapham Junction, Tamila brings its refined take on the classic curry house into the heart of Soho. The South Indian menu draws on Durairaj’s Tamil Nadu heritage, with a focus on balance, technique and depth of flavour. Expect made-to-order rotis, cult favourites such as Thanjavur chicken curry and Chettinad lamb, alongside small plates, tandoor-cooked meat and vegetarian dishes. The two-floor space stays true to the social spirit of the curry house, with a lively ground-floor bar and a more intimate basement dining room suited to group celebrations. Interiors evolve the Tamila look for its Soho location, with marble tabletops, wooden shutters and deep purple tones, striking a balance between familiarity and polish. Indian-spiced twists on classic cocktails such as Gunpowder Margaritas, Tamil Negronis and Charcoal Old Fashioneds, sit alongside cold beers and a concise selection of draught wines. This is a great new addition to Soho’s Indian restaurant offering.
Hoppers Marks a decade with a new Shoreditch opening
Over in Shoreditch, another popular London-born restaurant group, Hoppers, is opening in the iconic Tea Building. Founded by Karan Gokani, Hoppers has played a defining role in bringing Sri Lankan cooking into the city’s mainstream over the past decade, and this fourth site expands that story even further. While Sri Lankan dishes remain at the heart of the menu, the Shoreditch opening looks more deeply to South India and the regions that have been a long-time influence on the nation’s cooking: Chettinad, Madurai, Bangalore, Kochi and Chennai. Expect familiar Hoppers signatures alongside new dishes shaped by these culinary heartlands, from spice-led curries and street-food influences to coastal flavours and aromatic biryanis. The restaurant’s design, led by Atelier Wren, reinterprets South Indian architecture through a contemporary Shoreditch lens, with layered textures, tropical modernist influences and subtle nods to temple and palace design.
The Good Front Room A permanent home for Caribbean chef Dominic Taylor
Opening in Dalston, The Good Front Room marks the return of chef Dom Taylor’s elevated Caribbean dining concept, now in a permanent East London home. Following a residency at The Langham and a run of sold-out supper clubs, Taylor brings his bold, joyful cooking back to the neighbourhood that shaped him. Inspired by the women of his family, including his great-aunt Myrtle, and the ‘front rooms’ found in the Caribbean homes of his childhood, spaces kept for special guests and layered with pride and memory, Taylor’s menu is both quietly nostalgic and designed for sharing. Expect modern interpretations of Caribbean classics, from rum and raisin pork belly strips to short rib brown stew, seafood boils and whole jerk chicken for two. Desserts lean nostalgic, with sweet potato sticky toffee pudding and mango soft-serve with sorrel and ginger. The drinks menu features a signature rum punch alongside a lively selection of bespoke cocktails and wines chosen to pair with the food, plus classic Caribbean beers including Red Stripe and Dragon Stout. The space itself is relaxed and colourful, centred around a large central bar, with an outdoor terrace set to come into its own for summer drinks and dining.
Muse by Tom Aikens Launches its Culinary Creators Series 2026
This February, Tom Aikens’ Belgravia restaurant Muse introduces Culinary Creators, a new dinner series built around collaborative, creative cooking. The opening evening welcomes chef Kate Austen for a one-night-only, eight-course menu cooked alongside Aikens in Muse’s open kitchen as guests look on. The series is designed to go beyond the traditional guest-chef format with each dinner created collaboratively and a menu that unfolds as the chefs cook side by side, sharing stories, techniques and inspirations. The open, informal format gives diners a front-row seat to the creative process and provides both an intimate and high-energy experience. The first guest chef, Austen made history on Great British Menu as the first woman to win the main course in the programme’s 19-year run. Her career spans some of Europe’s most exacting kitchens, including Restaurant Frantzén and Copenhagen’s AOC, alongside a senior development role within the Gordon Ramsay group. Coming up in March, the series continues with Ben Marks, Phil Howard, Ruth Hansom and Jules Wiringa.
Alain Ducasse x Harry Maguire MasterChef winner returns to the kitchen
Also taking place on 25 February, another four-hands dinner unfolds across town at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, where Chef Patron Jean-Philippe Blondet is joined in the kitchen by Harry Maguire, the newly crowned amateur winner of MasterChef 2025. The collaboration marks Maguire’s return to professional cooking following his standout win on the programme, and is a reunion of sorts with Blondet, who cooked alongside him during one of the competition’s most memorable episodes. Together, the pair will create a bespoke menu shaped by Maguire’s journey and Blondet’s refined, three-Michelin-starred approach to modern French cuisine. Maguire, a Clapham-based fishmonger by trade, brings a deep understanding of produce and seasonality to the table and the evening offers a rare opportunity to see an emerging culinary talent working alongside one of London’s most accomplished chefs, with a menu created exclusively for the night.
Milk Beach Toast returns with Yalumba Winery
The relaxed yet quietly refined Soho spot continues its monthly wine dinner series, Toast, this February, pairing standout Australian wines with a bespoke three-course sharing menu from head chef Alex Busca. Designed as an intimate celebration of Antipodean food and wine culture, each evening brings together just 20 guests around two communal tables. The February edition partners with the excellent Yalumba Winery, one of Australia’s most historic family-owned estates. Now in its sixth generation, Yalumba is one of the few wineries in the world still making its own oak barrels on site, allowing for exceptional control over how its wines age and evolve. The estate also has a long-standing commitment to sustainable, carbon-neutral winemaking. Hosting the evening is Master Sommelier Stefan Neumann, who will guide guests through a curated selection of Yalumba wines, thoughtfully matched to Busca’s menu. Toast is a regular fixture at Milk Beach, with further collaborations planned for March and April, making this a series well worth bookmarking.
SACHI x SAYURI Launch a tasting menu dedicated to matcha
Japan’s most iconic tea is a trend that is going nowhere and this month at SACHI it is taking centre stage with a dedicated matcha tasting menu that runs across every course, from starter through to dessert. Created in partnership with the ceremonial-grade matcha specialists SAYURI, head chef Joonsu Park alongside SAYURI founder Yuri ‘Yureeka’ Yasuda, have created a menu exploring matcha’s depth and versatility through inventive, savoury dishes as well as dessert. Expect plates such as octopus karaage finished with matcha honey and salt, salmon chazuke served with a fragrant matcha broth, and a warm soufflé tart paired with matcha ice cream. A vegetarian version of the tasting menu is also available. It is an imaginative way to experience matcha beyond the cup, revealing its umami richness and surprising adaptability across a full menu.
Duck & Waffle A dramatic new afternoon tea
In a city synonymous with afternoon teas, it takes something special to stand out. This February, Duck & Waffle does exactly that, launching its first-ever ‘Sky High Afternoon Tea’, served forty floors above the City with panoramic views that are hard to rival. True to the restaurant’s playful spirit, the experience leans into theatre as much as taste. The afternoon begins with a hand-painted duck egg presented tableside, a whimsical nod to the restaurant’s signature dish, which, once cracked open, reveals a curated selection of sweet and savoury bites created by executive chef Jonathan Bowers. Expect cult favourites and new creations alike, from duck liver tartlets and Cubano sandwiches to lobster rolls, Jaffa macarons, sticky toffee waffles and a hazelnut croquembouche finale. Optional Champagne and bespoke, specially created cocktail pairings are available, and for a limited time guests will receive a complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot with every booking until the end of March.
NIJU Presents intimate new ‘At The Counter’ experience
For the ultimate, intimate sushi experience NIJŪ has introduced ‘At the Counter’, a new dining format limited to just four guests at a time. Overseen by third-generation sushi master Endo Kazutoshi and led day-to-day by head sushi chef David Bury, the experience offers a front-row seat to their precise, seasonal sushi craftsmanship. The menu begins with miso soup and sashimi, before unfolding into a series of NIJŪ-style sushi prepared and served directly across the counter. Dishes change daily depending on what is at its best, but may include handrolls, nigiri such as seared otoro with caviar, yellowtail and scallops. The meal closes on a lighter note with matcha gâteau and winter fruits, paired with jasmine silver tip tea, while a sake pairing curated by head sommelier Antonio Roveda is available. This is a refined, and surprisingly affordable way to indulge on a special evening.
Mauro Colagreco and Saison Host annual Citrus Festival at Raffles London at the OWO
Looking for something bold to brighten your February? Head to Raffles at the OWO where the spirit of the French Riviera has arrived at Saison with the return of its annual Citrus Festival. Inspired by the legendary Fête du Citron in Menton – the seaside town closely associated with chef Mauro Colagreco – the celebration brings a burst of colour, acidity and Mediterranean warmth to the capital. At the relaxed Riviera-inspired restaurant Saison, citrus takes centre stage across a dedicated menu that champions the sweet-sharp intensity of Menton lemons alongside other seasonal fruits. Dishes might include Orkney scallops brightened with lemon, saffron risotto lifted with kaffir lime, and lamb saddle perfumed with kumquat, finishing with desserts such as Citrus Glacé. For the first time, the festival is also extending to Colagreco’s Michelin-starred Mauro Colagreco restaurant, located just next door, with a citrus-led tasting menu running through early March offering a rarer, more immersive way to experience the chef’s Riviera roots, echoed from his flagship restaurant Mirazur. This is a welcome flash of sunshine in the middle of winter.
Giacco’s Chef residencies begin with Akira Sugiura
Highbury’s Giacco’s has quietly become one of the city’s most interesting places for fans of good wine and food, thanks to its rotating programme of international chef residencies and a focus on low-intervention wines. This month, until the 8 March, the kitchen is taken over by Japanese-born, Paris-based chef Akira Sugiura, whose nomadic neo-izakaya cooking reflects a career spent moving between Tokyo, Sydney and kitchens across Italy and Spain. Following the closure of his Paris restaurant PAPI, Sugiura has embraced a roaming approach, popping up in more than 15 countries. His food resists easy categorisation, blending Japanese precision with Italian influences and the spontaneity of travel-led cooking.
Bicester Village Prepares to Dish & Tell
Best known as a fashion destination, Bicester Village is now giving food lovers a reason to visit too, with the launch of a new culinary series for 2026. ‘Dish & Tell – Tastemakers’ pairs guest chefs and food creators with some of the Village’s most popular restaurants for one-night-only supper clubs, each with a signature dish that then remains on the menu for four weeks. The series launches on 19 February with cook and creator Justin Tsang at Chinese restaurant Shan Shui, timed to coincide with Lunar New Year celebrations. For one evening, the restaurant will close to host an intimate eight-course, sharing-style supper club inspired by Tsang’s indulgent Asian cooking style, shaped by his own upbringing in family-run Chinese restaurants. The menu blends familiar flavours with a contemporary touch, with highlights including Sichuan wontons, Cantonese roast duck and Tsang’s hero dish, lemongrass chicken with herb salad, which will then remain on Shan Shui’s menu. The programme continues later in the year, with Theo Randall set to collaborate with La Tua Pasta in April, one to bookmark for combining a shopping trip with a special dining experience.
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: Milk Beach
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