The London restaurant industry is nothing if not predictable. The easiest call of my life was to suppose the then newly opened Yellow Bittern would become the talk of the town in the autumn of 2024. To identify paradigms as regards New York-style pizza, smashburgers and “home comforts” last year felt only straightforward.
And so forgive my hubris moving into 2026. Many wheels are already in motion. Spice bags are a mainstream “a thing” — the fact a version of the Irish takeaway is available in Spoons speaks volumes — and only furthers Britain’s current obsession with Irish lore. And if you’re not already in the queue for a sandwich at Logma, a new Iraqi-Iranian bistro in Hackney, good luck getting one.
