Summer might well be just around the corner, but there are still a few dreaded clouds looming. Banish them with a visit to one of these new eateries inspired by sunnier climes. You won’t regret it.
Carmel
Rejoice! The team behind Carmel in Queen’s Park is championing Eastern Mediterranean flavours in central London. Expect to find their delectable trademark flatbreads and quirky takes on pasta, such as seafood parpardelle with saffron.
Now open. 7-8 Market Pl, W1 (carmelrestaurant.co.uk)
Yasmin
Cocktails! Middle Eastern Sharing Plates! A terrace! In Soho! Thank you, head chef Tom Cenci, for sharing what you learned living in Istanbul with us. We’ll take the lamb rump skewer, baklava ice-cream sandwich and three rounds of the Shapash (a twist on a spicy Margarita with chilli, watermelon and green strawberry), please and thank you.
Now open. 1 Warwick St, W1 (@yasmin_soho)
Agora
Alright, so this one actually opened last week, but we simply can’t let its arrival pass you by. Crafted by Manteca and Smokestak founder David Carter, this is part one of two new Greek restaurants about to take Borough by storm. The bookings-free spot is a love letter to ‘the grit and bold flavours found in the lively streets and markets of Athens’, revolving around jazzy cocktails and a two-metre charcoal souvla (rotisserie) stacked with a rotating (sorry) selection of meats. Think garlic and lemon marinated lamb shoulder, and native breed pork kontosouvli, brushed with rosemary and pork fat, to be served on freshly grilled flatbreads.
Now open. 2-4 Bedale St, SE1 (@agora.ldn)
Al Dente
Listen, this restaurant is not going to change the world, but it is certainly worth adding to your list of casual, go-to spots to swing by for a delicious, trusty supper. Al Dente is its name and fresh pasta is its game, so simply switch off, order the carbonara and a side of aubergine parmigiana, and enjoy.
Now open. 4 Upper St, N1 (pastificioaldente.com)
The Orange
Built sometime in the 1800s, this Belgravia pub is by no means new, though the Cubitt House Group has given it a rather marvellous zhuzh. Pop in for a pint, a spectacularly juicy roast chicken, an array of bright, hearty salads — or all of the above.
