12 Exciting Restaurant & Bar Openings Landing This April

The Princess Royal

Returning to its former glory, The Princess Royal opens its doors after a major renovation. The pub, from the Cubitt House group, features a stunning restaurant and bars, as well as two private feasting rooms and four bedrooms. 

The restaurant, spearheaded by chef director Ben Tish, is influenced by the flavours of the Mediterranean, offering a wide selection of sharing plates designed with feasting in mind. Tuck into the likes of whipped n’duja with fennel biscuits; three cheese pizzette fritta with spring truffle; red prawn crudo with rosemary and orange; and larger plates of Dorset coast monkfish with borlotti beans, chilli and salsa verde. 

The interiors too are beautiful. Designed by director Georgie Pearman, they encompass the pub’s Victorian heritage, home to Victorian doors and stained glass panels.

Ochre

The National Gallery welcomes a new restaurant opening this month… Introducing Ochre, the new restaurant that champions seasonality and English produce through a contemporary European menu. 

Executive chef Alex Drayton has created a menu that’s centred around local to the UK ingredients. Expect dishes such as saddleback pork and Westcombe cheddar croquette with wild nettle pesto and aged parmesan; beetroot and macadamia ‘ricotta’ with horseradish, macadamia, sorrel and red amaranth flowers; saffron fettuccine with Indian spiced ricotta, mint pesto, pickled shallow, aged parmesan and crispy chilli; and a moreish beer battered hake fillet sandwich on farmhouse loaf with tartare sauce and garden peas. 

There’ll also be brunch and dinner options too, plus afternoon tea that’s launching in May!

Tattu

Moody atmospheric lighting and stunning traditional Chinese dishes presented immaculately… Could you get anymore Instagrammable? That’s what you can expect from London’s hottest new restaurant opening, Tattu. 

Tattu London will open its doors at Outnernet’s The Now Building, located in the heart of the city on Denmark Street, and will bring the traditional Chinese flavours and ingredients that the restaurant group has become famed for. As well as its stunning interiors. 

Executive chef Andrew Lasseter has devised a brand new menu, featuring dishes such as dim sum of pearly king crab dumpling; small plates of seven spiced seared tuna; and larger plates of XO scallops; Szechuan red pork belly; Chilean sea bass; and desserts of bubble tea and cotton cheesecake.

Apricity

Championing sustainability, Apricity is the new opening from multi-award winning chef, Chantelle Nicholson. Opening this month, the restaurant will be a veg-forward restaurant, centred around hyper-seasonal, sustainable produce from local growers and foraged ingredients. 

The restaurant has been designed by Object Space Place, and will boast floor to ceiling windows overlooking Duke Street and a small terrace that spills out into the street. A chef’s table will also be available for small groups to get the real kitchen experience. 

On the menu, expect dishes such as Cornish mackerel and Shetland mussels with sambal butter and pickled pear; roasted Kuri squash with fermented fire flame chilies, miso aioli, squash seed crumb and Thai basil; venison with elderberry and walnut butter; and crispy brussels sprouts with spent beer vinegar and rosemary.  

Cellar at Kindred

Hammersmith’s independent members’ club, Kindred is built around community and connection, providing Londoners with a space to come together and connect in a beautiful setting. This month sees them relaunch their on-site restaurant Cellar on 11th April. 

Led by acclaimed chef Andrew Clarke, the ground floor restaurant is open to the public and will boast a menu that’s inspired by Clarke’s travels around the world. 

Showcased through a selection of small and larger plates, enjoy dishes such as home-cured sea trout with radish, kohlrabi and dill; Korean spiced tartare of Dexter beef served with straw chips; mutton merguez flatbread with pink onion, herb labneh and salsa verde; and celeriac schnitzel with cavolo nero, wild mushrooms and wild garlic butter.

Nightjar Carnaby

When I think of London’s speakeasy-style cocktail bars, Nightjar always springs to mind. It’s become a London institute when it comes to innovative cocktails and the perfect intimate date night destination. This month sees it spread its wings and expand with a new opening in Carnaby. 

Opening on 20th April, the bar will be bringings its old-school glamour, cocktails and live music to central London. The interiors will evoke the roaring twenties, bringing soft rose gold and mirror details to centrefold. While the menu will honour three distinct historical eras of 20th century cocktail-making – pro-prohibition, prohibition and post-war.

Sip on cocktails such as Aztec Tapache , a savoury tipple of Herradura, Chinotta & camomilla liquor, pineapple huacatay & purple corn tepacher, fino sherry and freshly squeezed lime juice; and the Toronto, a rich, smoky old-fashioned style cocktail of Woodford Reserve Bourbon whiskey, orange blossom smoke, coffee & roasted pecan maple syrup, Fernet Branca and candyfloss. Or go for a signature Nightjar creation with their London Mule or Name of the Samurai.

Revolve Brasserie

From Andrew Fishwick, Tristram Hillier and Romain Pottier, Revolve is the new brasserie to look out for. The draws inspiration from the brasseries celebrated and loved in Paris and New York, and will feature an all-day menu centred around brasserie classics made with British provenance. 

Alongside the everyday menu, Revolve will be launching a guest chef series, featuring an exciting roster of culinary superstar chefs and up-and-coming talent. Names already confirmed include Lee Westcott (formerly Michelin-starred Pensons and The Typing Room), Josh Eggleton (Michelin-starred Pony Restaurant Group, and Anna Hansen (Formerly The Modern Pantry).