20 of the Best Restaurants That Opened in March
We started the year running and things aren’t slowing down as March’s new venues show. We saw Rick Stein go back on his word as he opened in Barnes and Masterchef’s Monica Galetti open Mere, her eagerly awaited debut restaurant. It wasn’t all upscale dining, though – The Cheese Bar and Bubblewrap saw ridiculous success across social media accounting for queues upwards of an hour to sample the goods. For everything from cocktails with a view to photogenic brunch spreads, here are 20 of the best restaurants and bars that opened in March…
The Cheese Bar
Alfie, the bright yellow van, better known as The Cheese Truck, has (finally) found a permanent home in The Cheese Bar, Camden. The bar’s food menu includes The Cheese Truck’s classic Cropwell Bishop Stilton sandwich with bacon and pear chutney, as well as new additions like a Mexican fondue-inspired dish named the Queso Fundido and the Breakfast Poutine, which comes with bacon gravy, candied pancetta, a fried egg and cheese curds. An actual shrine to cheesy goodness.
Number 177 Bar & Kitchen
The Number Group (Number 90 Bar & Kitchen, Hackney Wick) have opened Number 177 Bar & Kitchen in Hoxton. The 350-capacity venue, inspired by the bars of Berlin, boasts a menu of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free dishes alongside burgers, cocktails and craft beers. With tables that fold up to clear way for a dance floor, Number 177 hosts local and international artists, DJs and musicians, whilst playing host to numerous creative workshops, pub quizzes and bingo events.
Rail House Café
Finding home in Victoria’s new Nova development, Rail House Café focuses on healthy dishes and switching up traditional classics. A haven for Instagram-worthy spreads, make sure you try the Burgerdict; the eggs Benedict-burger hybrid, or the Green Tea Waffles. The lunch menu includes grilled octopus, confit pork belly and chili bean chicken. Ceviche and miso take place alongside comfort favourites such as the truffled macaroni, with the whole vibe mirroring that of sister venues Riding House Café and Village East; relaxed, cool and atmospheric.
Il Pampero at The Hari
Designed by acclaimed designer, Tara Bernerd, and under the direction of Executive Chef Claudio Covino, Il Pampero delivers a traditional Italian menu complemented with an impressive wine list and cocktail menu. Expect vintage Italian glamour, great music and gorgeous interiors. Dishes include a summer vegetable breakfast risotto, pappardelle pasta with native lobster and cherry tomatoes, Venetian style calf liver with onion and white wine, and a range of traditional Italian desserts.
Blacklock City
Blacklock’s second opening in the City is in the basement of an old electricity sub station, on the site of a Medieval meat market. The restaurant sees some of the same cuts of meat as the Soho restaurant as well as new additions, a cocktail trolley and wines on tap. Suits optional.
The Game Bird
A nod to Nancy Wake, a former spy who lived at the hotel during her last years, The Game Bird at The Stafford boasts an executive chef extraordinaire, a menu making the most of British produce, and even an entirely separate oyster menu. With a repertoire that includes stints at Claridge’s and Gordon Ramsay’s Royal Hospital Road, you know you’re in for a treat; James Durrant doesn’t disappoint. Diners can indulge in a range of cured fish served on a trolley with caviar and garnishes. But if seafood doesn’t take your fancy, there’s also the game pie, deer tartare or roast grouse.
Pizza Pilgrims Shoreditch
From Southern Italy back home to London, Pizza Pilgrims went on a 45,000 journey to perfect their pizza. March saw the opening of their first permanent East London site. Featuring classic green and white checked tablecloths with pizza box art on the walls, the menu will showcases classic Neapolitan pizzas and new creations like chocolate bar calzones. There’s no alcohol license, but they invite you to BYOB, fine by us…
Mere
Culinary royalty, Monica and David Galetti, opened their eagerly-awaited restaurant in the heart of Central London. A result of the duo’s long-term personal dream, every element reflects their personal touch, from the interiors to the carefully curated menu. Guests are offered a small selection of dishes per course, focusing on the best seasonal produce. Starters feature scallop with black curry, basmati, lime, kumquat and puffed rice, whilst mains include roast squab breast with confit leg pastilla, cauliflower, rhubarb and ras el hanout. Fine dining, certainly, but with a personal, simple touch.
Bun House
Taking inspiration from the Hong Kong tea houses of the 1960’s and open street stalls, Alex Peffly and Z He’s joint venture combines Z’s upbringing in southern China with their shared love of the country’s cuisine. Boasting a variety of buns, from Taiwanese open baos to closed Canton-style bao with fillings of sticky barbeque pork belly, lamb, chicken, fish and vegetarian. Alongside the buns are house-made Chinese pickles, cucumber salad, and, not for the faint-hearted, ‘House Fries’ (deep-fried marinated duck tongues); a street food staple in China. Desserts include a Red Choc Bun made with pig’s blood and chilli, and a custard bun made using salted duck egg, coconut milk and carrot juice. They also have a hidden Chinese speakeasy below the restaurant, open til 3am, it’s the perfect intimate setting in Soho.
Borderline
Soho institution Borderline has had a makeover, with the old building being completely upgraded to make way for sleek new layout. The much-loved venue has a history of giving countless bands, acts, and performers an intimate space to perform, so no doubt, will be full again in no time.
Rick Stein, Barnes
A family affair, Rick Stein’s new restaurant brings him into London – somewhere he said he’d never set up shop. Naturally, Stein’s menu has a focus on seafood, with its own small seafood bar serving up fresh oysters, langoustines and sashimi. It also serves dishes focusing on meat, game and vegetarian options with classic dishes including Dover sole a la Meunière and Singapore chilli crab, and new offerings feature a Greek-inspired rabbit stew, Stifado, served with caramelised onions, red wine, cinnamon and currants and a duck confit with braised red cabbage and sautéed potatoes.
Mister Lasagna
Offering 24 freshly prepared lasagnas daily, it’s easy to see why this is Mister Lasagne’s third opening. Diners can expect lasagna staples: bolognese, truffle, and carbonara, as well as würstel and potato, pumpkin and blue cheese, and arrabbiata. New additions to the menu include two dessert lasagnas (!) – Nutella and Oreo – and, in a bid to include something for everyone, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options.
The Refinery Citypoint
Statement wallpapers and furniture are complemented by soft lighting and cosy faux fur to create an uber chic, contemporary bar. The all-day dining bar and restaurant suits all occasions from early morning breakfasts right through to late night drinks. Their breakfast menu includes all the usual favourites, as well as saffron baked eggs, buttermilk chicken on waffles, and steak – yes steak – for breakfast.
Bōkan
Laid out over three floors of the Novotel Hotel in Canary Wharf, Bōkan features panoramic views of London’s skyline, the first to do so in Canary Wharf. Head Chef Altemaire’s menu is casual, with small dishes of pugliese burrata, squid with classic ratatouille, spicy oatmeal dust and a luxurious saffron sauce, and sea bass carpaccio with zingy lime. Mains include Scottish salmon with wasabi green bean salad and slow-smoked Blythburgh pork belly. If a sit-down meal isn’t for you, you can head up to the 38th floor for lobster rolls, or to share boards of charcuterie and cheese. Plenty of space to explore, the terrace is also home to London’s highest gin collection. Excellent news.
Soul Store West
Soul Store West is your new all-day diner, cocktail bar and hotel with soul and funk records on repeat, served up with a side of hearty Southern-style food. Headline and emerging talent play on Soul Store’s centre stage from Thursday through to Sunday, with DJs taking over later to keep people dancing late. But it’s not just about the music, in collaboration with the Chicago Rib Shack, Soul Store champions smokey flavours with a central smokery preparing applewood chips for a minimum of six hours, and baby back, St. Louis and beef ribs on offer, using authentic slow-cooking techniques for truly Southern roots.
Onodera
Formerly Matsuri, the hugely popular restaurant been closed for six months for renovation, made-over and reopened as Onodera. Moving away from teppanyaki cuisine, Onodera caters to a more refined palate, serving authentic Japanese cuisine in the swanky settings of St. James’s Park. Expect Kobe beef robata yaki, served with a luxurious red miso truffle sauce, 15-hour slow-cooked duck confit with red cabbage, marinated in orange vinegar as well as a good selection of robata-grilled seafood.
Rumpus Room
Following a swift but thorough refurbishment, the Rumpus Room at Mondrian has finally reopened. The year-round bar, located on the 12th floor of the well-known Thames-side hotel, has an entirely new feel and design, along with a new food and drinks menu. The innovative new look, curated by London based designer Jacu Strauss, previously of Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio, encompasses the transatlantic essence that runs throughout the hotel, taking inspiration from 1920’s glamour with splashes of hot pink and peacock blue, the inclusion of foliage amongst floor to ceiling windows mimicing summers in the Hamptons. Guests can find their way to the rooftop bar via hot pink neon signage before walking through a hall of mirrors – the perfect photo-opportunity in our opinion.
Bubblewrap
Taking Instagram by storm, this grab-and-go eatery is in the heart of Chinatown, serving up its namesake; egg waffles in the shape of bubblewrap. The menu features a choice of three waffle flavours – plain, matcha and cocoa – with a tempting array of toppings, sauces and gelato. House favourites include Fudge Lover, Oreo Crunch and Pistachio Time, but its all about you, so what whatever you want, and get popping.
A little tip: head over to their website for a truly beautiful look inside how each Bubblewrap waffle is made. It’s design/foodie heaven all in one place.
Florentine
Florentine is a new all-day dining restaurant far enough away from the Waterloo bustle to actually get a seat. An egg menu dominates the breakfast offering, which includes the Florentine signature dish – an Ostrich egg for six to share. Main courses are a selection of organic meat and fish, keeping Florentine focused on seasonality and well-sourced ingredients.
www.florentinerestaurant.co.uk
Sparrow
Husband and wife team Terry Blake and Yohini Nandakumar serve dishes made using British meat and vegetables, changing based on what’s available seasonally. The actual dishes are borrowed from all over the world where you’ll find Italian, Malaysian, Sri Lankan food and more, with dishes such as roast pork belly with harissa and malt duck with chilli jam. Weekend brunch options include eggs benedict and appam, a Sri Lankan pancake made from fermented rice batter and coconut milk, and coffee from Ozone.
Keep up to date with all the latest restaurant, bar and hotel openings, as soon as they are announced.
