6 New Restaurants Coming To London This September

By Ellie Smith

3 weeks ago

The hottest newbies for autumn


It’s always sad saying goodbye to al fresco dinners and ice cream in the park – but fear not: there’s plenty to be excited about on the London food scene this autumn. A whole host of buzzy restaurant openings are primed for September, including the first UK outpost of France’s cult smash burger brand Junk, a larger version of The Barbary and much more. These are the new restaurants to have on your radar this September in London.

New Restaurant Openings: September 2024

Drew Snaith and Hannah Kowalski

Drew Snaith and Hannah Kowalski, photo by Tom Atkin

Sesta, Hackney

Earlier this summer it was announced that Hackney stalwart Pidgin was closing its doors. However, an exciting new restaurant will launch in its place this September, Sesta, created by culinary duo Drew Snaith and Hannah Kowalski, who worked together at Pidgin (Snaith as head chef, Kowalski as general manager). The restaurant will offer creative takes on British and European classics, with a focus on live fire cooking. Highlights will include starters of braised beetroot with blackcurrant molasses and sunflower seed cream, followed by mains of cider flambee mussels, mutton bacon ribs, and Cornish brill with aioli. Many ingredients will come from Shrub, a company which connects restaurants with Sussex farms, and dishes will change according to the seasons. Drinks-wise, there will be a focus on natural wine, particularly from France and wider Europe, alongside an array of cocktails.

When? Opening 11 September 2024

Where? 52 Wilton Way, London E8 1BG

BOOK: sesta.co.uk

Sael, St James’ Market

This year will see a number of new openings for Jason Atherton’s culinary brand The Social Company. He recently opened Hot Dogs by Three Darlings in Harrods Dining Hall, and his Mayfair restaurant Pollen Street Social is soon to relaunch as Mary’s. But his biggest launch this year is a new brasserie called Sael, opening this September in St James’s Market. Helming the kitchen will be executive chef Dale Bainbridge – formerly at Pollen Street Social – who will be changing up the traditional three-course meal structure with an array of small and large plates. Guests can choose their base ingredient – meat, fish or a vegetable – which will then be cooked on the wood-fire grill, and served with a choice of sides. Think Orkney scallops, Cumbrian lamb and Highland wagyu, to be enjoyed alongside wines from the British Isles.

When? Opening 16 September 2024

Where? 1 St James’s Market, London SW1Y 4QQ

BOOK: saellondon.com

Amélie, Belgravia

The former Pantechnicon building at 19 Motcomb Street is welcoming a number of new culinary spots this autumn. Alongside the relaunch of Japanese restaurant Sachi, there will be a new Provençal restaurant called Amélie. Led by ex-Annabel’s head chef Steve Raveneau, the eatery will bring the flavours and spirit of the French Riviera to London, open for lunch and dinner. The decadent food offering will include an exclusive caviar menu, alongside an extensive wine list spotlighting vineyards from France and beyond.

When? Opening September 2024

Where? 19 Motcomb St, London SW1X 8LB

BOOK: amelie-restaurants.com

Junk Burger

Junk Burger, Soho

London’s burger scene is about to get a whole lot more exciting, as French-based concept Junk is opening its first UK debut. Founded in 2021 by Majed Mansour and Wissem Ben Ammar, the smash burger brand has numerous sites across France in places like Paris and Bordeaux. Its first international outpost will open this September on Soho’s Old Compton Street, serving the brand’s signature smashed patties complete with brioche buns and the beloved secret Junk sauce. The concise menu will include the Classic Cheeseburger, the Truffle Double Cheeseburger, and the Crispy Veggie Burger (made from cauliflower, potatoes and emmental panko breadcrumbs), alongside panko chicken bites. Finish on a sweet note with one of the freshly made cookies from Parisian brand Puffy.

When? Opening September 2024

Where? 49 Old Compton St, London W1D 6HL

BOOK: junkburgers.com

Food at The Barbary Notting Hill

The Barbary, Notting Hill

Siblings Layo and Zoe Paskin are the duo behind some of London’s best loved restaurants. They opened Israeli-inspired eatery The Palomar back in 2014 to high acclaim, followed by The Barbary in 2016: a counter bar restaurant in Neal’s Yard serving food inspired by the Barbary Coast. Now they’re expanding their repertoire even further with a larger branch of the latter, helmed by chefs Daniel Alt and Aika Levins. Diners can expect the same vibrant fare as the original – think homemade merguez, crispy pork belly skewers, aubergine ajo blanco and fried fish collar, alongside an eclectic 250-strong wine list. Housed in a Grade II listed building on the corner of Westbourne Grove and Chepstow Road, the restaurant will feature stylish interiors courtesy of Archer Humphryes: think bamboo pendants, dark wood furniture and patterned textiles, with both counter seating and plush blue banquettes to choose from.

When? Opening 12 September 2024

Where? 112 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 5RU

BOOK: thebarbary.co.uk

Dosa Mandarin Oriental

Dosa, Mayfair

The Mandarin Oriental Mayfair was one of 2024’s biggest London hotel openings. The culinary offering is headed up by esteemed Korean chef Akira Back, who is already making waves at the hotel with his eponymous restaurant. This September, he’ll be expanding the offering further with Dosa, a new London branch of his intimate chef’s table concept. Diners are invited to watch executive chef Jihun Kim and his team in action as they cook up an impressive eight-course tasting menu, featuring dishes like ‘Molhoe’, a fisherman’s chilled soup from Pohang on the Korean peninsula, and ‘Majangdong’, three cuts of Korean beef. 

When? Opening 18 September 2024

Where? 22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JP

BOOK: mandarinoriental.com