August is all about making the most of summer, with rooftop terrace season in full swing and celebrations to be found in parks and gardens. These are the London restaurants to book in August.
In addition to some enticing new openings, this is a month of anniversary menus, Carnival feasts, Champagne-fuelled garden games, day trips to the coast, and catch-them-while-you-can collaborations. Whether you’re after a long lunch in the sunshine, a one-night-only dining experience or a rooftop that transports you to the Balearics, this is a jam-packed month of foodie experiences.
La Sagra di Shoreditch Ferragosto celebrations
You don’t need a flight to Italy this August to enjoy the country’s biggest summer celebration. On 15 August, Big Mamma Group’s Gloria is bringing the spirit of Ferragosto to East London with the first-ever Sagra di Shoreditch, transforming the Museum of the Home gardens into a 300-person Italian street festival. Inspired by the traditional village feasts held across Italy every summer, there will be one long communal table, free-flowing Italian wine, live music, dancing, tombola and a four-course feast prepared by some of Shoreditch’s best-loved food names. Gloria will serve a giant five kilogram Mozzarella di Bufala, burrata, homemade focaccia and its signature pasta, while other London favourites Kricket and Blacklock also join the line-up. Wines from Luca and Passione Vino will flow throughout the afternoon, with local venues including Pinot & Picasso providing entertainment. Even better, every penny of profit from the day will be donated to The Felix Project and Shoreditch Trust’s Community Table, making this a joyful day of eating, drinking and giving back.
Arcus Bloomsbury's first rooftop
For such a busy London neighbourhood, it’s surprising that Bloomsbury has never really had a destination rooftop. Until now. This month Arcus opens atop the revamped The Imperial Hotel, offering near-360° views of the capital. Perched above Russell Square, diners can take in the views while enjoying a menu that takes its cues from the changing seasons. Former Le Gavroche chef Abismael Urena Castillo (who also knows a thing or two about rooftops having previously been at London venues Wagtail and Madison), has created a menu of small plates celebrating British produce, such as yellowfin tuna tartare with Honeycrisp apple and Campari gel, and heritage pork loin with rosemary, pesto and black olives. The drinks deserve equal attention. Created by bar manager Floriano Cubeddu (formerly of CÉ LA VI and The Goring), the cocktail menu takes inspiration from the skies above London, with bright, citrus-led serves evoking sunrise before evolving into richer creations inspired by dusk and nightfall.
Cordelia's Live-fire grill opens in Mayfair
Opening on Clarges Street, Cordelia’s is bringing the theatre of live-fire cooking to Mayfair. Built around an open theatre kitchen and bespoke charcoal grills, every steak is finished over glowing coals in full view of diners, creating a dining experience that’s as much about the spectacle as it is the food. The food offering champions British beef first, sourcing from smaller UK farms before dry-ageing it in-house for up to 45 days. Alongside it sits an impressive international line-up of heritage varieties, from richly marbled Galician beef from Spain to the highly prized Finnish Sashi, giving guests the chance to discover how breed, ageing and terroir shape every cut. In an interesting twist, the drinks list champions tequila and agave spirits rather than relying solely on your usual reds. Aged tequila’s smoky caramel notes mirror the char from the grill, while its peppery finish cuts through the richness of the meat, making it a surprisingly natural pairing – although oenophiles can also find plenty to indulge in via the curated wine list. A resident DJ programme will see the venue transition from relaxed daytime dining to a livelier evening atmosphere.
Stubby's Australian hospitality pitches up in Parsons Green
If These Days in Bermondsey is anything to go by, Stubby’s is set to become another neighbourhood favourite. Founded by childhood friends Oli Man and Greg Weaver, the duo behind the much-loved restaurant that describes itself as “a neighbourhood restaurant by way of Sydney,” their latest venture brings that same relaxed approach to Parsons Green. Open from morning coffee through to evening drinks, Stubby’s is part café, part sandwich shop, part deli and part wine bar, inspired by the years the pair spent working in Australia’s hospitality scene. Coffee sits at the heart of the experience, served using cult Antipodean roaster Allpress Espresso, while the drinks list continues the theme with Australian and New Zealand wines, Byron Bay’s Stone & Wood beer and a handful of nostalgic Aussie favourites. The sandwiches, however, are likely to steal the show – freshly made each morning with inventive fillings such as shiso porchetta, koji chicken and tempura aubergine. There are also seasonal salads, homemade sausage rolls and deli staples to take home. Designed to be relaxed and welcoming, it’s the sort of place you’ll pop in for a coffee and end up staying for lunch. For locals, there’s even the opportunity to become a founding member, with a year’s worth of daily coffee, tea or matcha available for £365, a price that will work out cheaper than your daily cappuccino order.
Waterhouse Northumberland flavours come to Shoreditch
Tucked away inside a Victorian warehouse on Ezra Street, moments from Columbia Road Flower Market, Waterhouse is the new restaurant from husband-and-wife team Gabriel Waterhouse and Patricia Wakaimba. Following the closure of their acclaimed The Water House Project, the pair have created a series of intimate, interconnected spaces centred around a flourishing kitchen garden, open-fire cooking and just 24 seats. Inspired by Gabriel’s upbringing in Northumberland, the menu draws from the produce of Britain’s northern coastline. Lindisfarne oysters, hand-dived scallops and Lake District Herdwick hogget will be served, with ingredients harvested from the restaurant’s own garden. Throughout the year, the team preserves produce at its peak, building a pantry of house-made vinegars, misos, garums and infusions that continue to shape the menu long after the seasons have changed. From early September, the adjoining wine bar will serve low-intervention wines and seasonal cocktails infused with herbs and botanicals from the garden. Ambitious, despite its unassuming address, Waterhouse looks set to become one of this summer’s most exciting openings.
Two Twins Tacos A new taco spot for Spitalfields
If it feels like tacos are having a moment in London right now, you’re not imagining it. The capital’s appetite for bold, flavour-packed Mexican cooking shows no sign of slowing, and the latest to join the party is Brixton favourite Two Twins Tacos, opening its fourth site in Spitalfields this August. What began as a street food pop-up in 2023 has quickly built a cult following thanks to its California-inspired take on Mexican flavours, affordable prices and queues that regularly snake around the block. The menu ranges from OG Soft Shell tacos to crispy birria served with rich beef consommé, alongside punchier fillings such as achiote lamb and pineapple jerk chicken. Two Twins Tacos Spitalfields is further proof that tacos are one of the capital’s hottest casual dining trends.
STK A new menu for the established steakhouse
With London’s steakhouse scene welcoming a string of ambitious new arrivals, one of the capital’s best-known names has had a menu revamp. This summer, STK has refreshed its food and cocktail offering across its Strand and Stratford restaurants, proving there’s still plenty of life in the globally recognised steakhouse. The refreshed menu introduces new dishes including corn ribs and A5 Wagyu Cigarols, while the new bone marrow butter is a rich, indulgent addition that’s well worth ordering with any steak. Long-standing favourites, including the grilled lamb rack and braised short rib, have also been refreshed with new flavours and sides. Complementing the food menu is STK’s new cocktail list. Our pick? The Wagyu Old Fashioned, where Maker’s Mark bourbon is fat-washed with Wagyu beef for a silky finish, or the standout Peppercorn Margarita. A venue for those moments when you’re planning to make a night of it.
Soleil by Claude Returning for summer at The Peninsula
One of summer’s most stylish pop-ups is back. While Claude Bosi’s two-Michelin-starred Brooklands takes its annual summer break, the rooftop at The Peninsula London is once again transformed into Soleil by Claude, a relaxed Mediterranean restaurant and bar serving leisurely lunches, sundowners and sunset dinners until early September. Overlooking Hyde Park, this year’s menu offers fresh crudo, generous sharing plates and a selection of seasonal dishes. Dishes are designed to capture the sunny mood – with sea bass and Galicia beef carpaccio, lobster rolls, lemony roast chicken and the signature Tarte Tropézienne, and a drinks list including bespoke cocktails such as a Coconut Negroni. With DJs taking over the terrace from Friday to Sunday, Soleil captures the warmth of a European summer right in the heart of the city and is a spot for everything from a long, lingering lunch right through to evening sundowners.
Babur x Horniman Museum and Garden x Together in Bloom
Two South London institutions are celebrating landmark anniversaries together this summer. As the two AA Rosette Indian restaurant Babur marks 41 years and the Horniman Museum and Gardens celebrates its 125th anniversary, the pair have joined forces on a limited-edition Together In Bloom menu inspired by the herbs and botanicals found throughout the Horniman’s gardens. Available until 20 September, Babur’s executive chef Jiwan Lal has woven fragrant ingredients including wild lavender, catmint and thyme into Babur’s signature Indian cooking, while a matching cocktail menu draws on the same garden-inspired flavours. There’s also a limited-edition bottled cocktail gift set, available both at the restaurant and in the Horniman’s gift shop, as a take-home gift set to mark the occasion. It’s a charming collaboration marking not only two impressive anniversaries, but also the enduring community spirit at the heart of South London.
Luca A special menu for 10 years
Ten years is very much an anniversary worth celebrating in London’s ever-changing restaurant scene, and Michelin-starred LUCA is marking the milestone by revisiting the dishes that have defined the restaurant over the past decade. The limited-edition LUCA10 Menu sees head chef Robert Chambers curate a three-course journey through some of LUCA’s most memorable plates, acknowledging both its modern Italian heritage and the evolution of its cooking. The set menu begins with the restaurant’s iconic Parmesan fries – a menu fixture since opening day, before moving onto seasonal favourites including Cornish lobster taglierini with datterini tomatoes and coastal herbs. Dessert sees the welcome return of LUCA’s caramelised lemon tart with fennel ice cream, revived especially for the anniversary, while every guest will also receive a glass of LUCA-cello to round off the meal. Available in limited numbers throughout August, with booking essential, the menu is complemented by a special LUCA10 Martini and an optional wine pairing curated by Head of Wine Bella Babbitt. For anyone who has had LUCA on their restaurant bucket list for a while, there’s never been a better time to visit.
The Cinnamon Club The established Indian returns to 2001
Also enjoying a milestone this year is The Cinnamon Club. This August, the Indian restaurant continues its 25th anniversary celebrations by bringing back a taste of 2001. Following a sell-out run earlier this year, its nostalgic Retro Menu returns, reviving original signature dishes and cocktails at their opening prices, with dishes and drinks starting from just £5. For those after the full Cinnamon Club experience, there’s also a new six-course tasting menu (£58) showcasing some of the dishes that have defined the restaurant over the past quarter of a century. Highlights include Nawabi lamb pasanda kebab, Balmoral Estate venison loin and alphonso mango, and honey shrikhand with mango and dill salad. From 12 August, the restaurant will also mark the start of the British game season with a rotating selection of grouse, mallard, teal and venison dishes, continuing chef Vivek Singh’s long-standing approach to pairing Britain’s best game with the flavours and techniques of Indian cooking.
Maison François x Rocks A shucking good summer takeover
If you can’t make it to the sea this summer, then Maison François is bringing it to you, with a summer-long takeover by Rocks Oysters at its downstairs bar, Frank’s. Every Thursday to Saturday Frank’s is transformed into a lively seafood bar, complete with freshly shucked oysters, chilled wine and a very tempting oyster happy hour. There’s also an impressive guest line-up: every fortnight, Max Halley of Max’s Sandwich Shop, Seamus Sam of Evelyn’s Table, Tom Fraser of Scott’s and the team from Rambutan will take it in turns to put their own spin on the oysters with exclusive dressings and specials. If you’re after something more substantial, there’s also a generous fruits de mer platter, piled high with mussels, clams, Atlantic prawns, langoustines and dressed crab. Upstairs in the restaurant, the seafood offering continues with Maison François’s summer Surf or Turf menu, where diners can choose daily between the restaurant’s classic steak frites or a shrimp burger for just £20.
Sera x Karla Knowles Supper Club A taste of things to come
Before opening her first permanent restaurant in the same spot this autumn, former Kiln head chef Karla Knowles is hosting a series of one-off collaborative dinners including an event with cult London foodie community, Sera, on 13 August. The evening draws on Karla’s recent travels through Bangkok and northern Thailand, combining the area’s traditional fire-led cooking and flavours with peak British summer produce. Dishes include Cornish crab and summer fruit miang, pork-stuffed squid with nahm jim, coconut chicken curry and chocolate mousse with crispy peanuts and mung beans. It’s an early taste of the ingredient-led, flavour-first cooking that’s set to define her next chapter. If you can’t make the collaboration dinner, then Karla + Friends is taking place on 15 August. It’s free to attend (with a ticket) and will bring together the chefs, artists and collaborators who’ve helped shape the summer for an afternoon and evening of guest dishes, cocktails and music – before Karla embarks on the next stage of her journey.
alto by San Carlo x Cotton Beach Club From Ibiza to Selfridges
Can’t make it to Ibiza this summer? One of the island’s most iconic beach clubs is coming to London instead. Across two dates this August and September, Selfridges European rooftop restaurant, alto by San Carlo is teaming up with Ibiza’s iconic Cotton Beach Club for an exclusive rooftop takeover that promises all the glamour of the White Isle without the need for a plane ticket. The two one-off events will showcase a collaborative Mediterranean menu featuring signature dishes from both alto and Cotton Beach Club Ibiza, alongside Riviera-style champagne service, roaming caviar and cannoli bars, and cocktails inspired by long Balearic afternoons. As the day continues, DJs, live saxophonists and percussionists will transform the rooftop from a leisurely lunch destination into a Balearic sunset experience, all without leaving Oxford Street.
Idalia A Titanic Feast
With Titanic: The Exhibition docked at Olympia this summer, nearby restaurant Idalia is serving a limited-edition four-course menu, The Maiden Voyage: A Titanic Dining Experience, taking inspiration from the First-Class dining rooms aboard. Available for a limited period, the menu reimagines the elegance of early 20th-century dining with classic dishes that include North Atlantic prawn cocktail and head chef Pierre Rousseau’s Chicken Lyonnaise. Dessert is a nod to Titanic’s legendary pastry chef, Charles Joughin, in the form of a delicate éclair filled with chocolate crémeux, rose and raspberry confit. Whether you’re fascinated by the ill-fated story of the Titanic or want to experience a taste of First-Class dining from a bygone era, it’s a tasty way to immerse yourself in history.
The Goring Games, Set, Cham'Pong
You might have heard of beer pong, but have you heard of Cham’Pong? In possibly the most elevated garden game of the summer, Bollinger and The Goring have teamed up to launch a Champagne-fuelled ping pong pop-up to mark 100 years of the sport. Until 17 August, the hotel’s beautiful private garden has been transformed into the home of Cham’Pong, where guests are invited to pick up a paddle, order a bottle of Bollinger and attempt to land ping pong balls into Champagne coupes, with the rules deliberately relaxed and impromptu tournaments encouraged throughout the day. The experience is perfect for the gardens of The Goring, a hotel known for its signature blend of British tradition with an irreverent twist. And guests are invited to make a day of it with the hotel’s iconic Afternoon Tea in the Veranda or with dinner in Michelin-starred The Dining Room. Five pounds from every bottle of Bollinger sold also goes to Hotel School, the hospitality training charity founded by The Goring to support people affected by homelessness.
John Dory x Khao Bird
A seaside escape
Sometimes the best lunch reservations are worth leaving London for. Just under an hour by train, Folkestone makes the perfect day-trip destination and, on 8 August, there’s even more reason to head for the coast as Soho favourite Khao Bird takes over John Dory for a one-day-only collaboration. Chef Luke Larsson brings the aromatic flavour of Northern Thailand that Khao Bird is known for to the acclaimed wine bar, joining forces with wine writer and consultant Zeren Wilson and John Dory co-founder Louisa Walls, for a carefully curated meal. The menu covers Khao Bird favourites and seasonal specials, from beef and Campari larb to hake ceviche, legendary mutton fries and grilled duck with wild ginger curry, all paired with wines from John Dory’s cellar.
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.
Lead image: alto by San Carlo
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