September is shaping up to be a seriously exciting month for London food lovers. As summer winds down, a fresh batch of restaurants is set to open across the city, bringing everything from Turkish cooking and Japanese ramen to French bistro food, pizza, and Indian-inspired pub dishes.
What makes this lineup especially interesting is the mix of familiar names and brand-new ideas. Some openings come from chefs and restaurant groups already known around London, while others are introducing concepts that are completely new to their neighborhoods.
If you’re ready to swap summer plans for long lunches, casual dinners and new places to discover, here are 10 September openings worth knowing about.
From Turkish Food to Japanese Ramen
KID, Soho
One of the month’s biggest openings is KID, a new Turkish restaurant from chef Sertaç Dirik and restaurateur David Carter. Dirik previously worked with Mangal II, while Carter is behind restaurants including OMA. KID will focus on Turkish cooking, with dishes including meze, salads, braised kid goat and köfte. The restaurant is opening at 53-55 Frith Street.
Nakimushi, Notting Hill
Japanese food gets a major new address with Nakimushi at 7 Kensington Mall. The restaurant will have a ramen bar downstairs, while the upper floors will offer a broader Japanese menu. Chefs Robin Kosuge and Yuji Shimokawa Kelly are leading the two sides of the concept, following successful food residencies.
Marrion’s Bar, Hackney
Marrion’s Bar is bringing a relaxed neighborhood feel to Morning Lane. Chef Elliott Kaye, whose background includes Lyle’s, The French House and Leroy, is behind the project. The menu is expected to include comfort-food favorites such as devilled crab rarebit, moules frites, cheeseburgers and tuna melts. Kaye says he wants the restaurant to be somewhere people can “have a drink, eat something good and feel at home.”
Beefbar, Soho
The international Beefbar brand is returning to London with a new home inside Broadwick Soho. The restaurant is known for its meat-focused menu, including premium beef from places such as Japan and Australia. The Soho opening follows the closure of the brand’s Chelsea restaurant earlier this year, giving London diners another chance to experience the concept.
French, Filipino and Pizza Arrive in September
Lunette, Temple
Chef Florence Knight is returning to the kitchen with Lunette, a new restaurant at the St Clement hotel. The restaurant will take a tasting-menu-led approach, with Knight creating dishes around seasonal ingredients. The design is also expected to make use of the building’s distinctive brutalist character.
Cassette, Covent Garden
The team behind Peckham’s Levan is heading into central London with Cassette. Located at 42 Maiden Lane, the restaurant will focus on modern French food, drawing inspiration from Parisian bistros and French countryside restaurants. Former Planque chef Essa Fakhry will lead the kitchen.
Bunso, Kentish Town — Late September
Bunso is taking the day-to-night restaurant concept in an interesting direction. Omar Shah’s new Kentish Town venue will operate as a bakery during the day, serving coffee and pastries, before becoming a pizza and pasta spot in the evening. Shah says he wants it to feel like a genuine neighborhood restaurant, not simply another destination venue.
Five Feet, Bermondsey
Pizza lovers have another reason to visit Bermondsey this autumn. Five Feet comes from Jay Patel of Legare, WatchHouse founder Roland Horne and chef Jack Ellingham. The restaurant will specialize in thicker, pan-baked pizza, with British ingredients playing an important role. A stone mill will also produce flour from British heritage grains.
Indian Pub Food and Texas Barbecue Round Out the Lineup
Talli Queen, Shepherd’s Bush
Chef Avi Shashidhara is bringing Indian food into the pub setting with Talli Queen, opening at the former Queen Adelaide site on Uxbridge Road. The menu will draw from different parts of India, with dishes including Kerala chili beef, dosa and an Indian take on the Sunday roast. The drinks list will include draught beers, cocktails and Indian spirits.
InterStellar BBQ and La Barbecue at The Ned
For something a little different, two Austin barbecue names are joining forces for a temporary London residency. InterStellar BBQ and La Barbecue will take over Electric Bar & Diner at The Ned from September 4 through October 4. The menu will focus on Texas-style smoked meats, giving London diners a chance to experience the two barbecue businesses together without booking a flight to Texas.
With all these openings arriving within the same month, London’s September restaurant scene is looking anything but quiet. The variety is arguably the biggest attraction: one week could mean Turkish food in Soho, the next Japanese ramen in Notting Hill, followed by French cooking in Covent Garden or pizza in Bermondsey.
The area also offers a nice mix of dining styles. Some of these restaurants are designed for leisurely dinners, while others are built around casual neighborhood eating, daytime coffee and pastries, or a quick bowl of ramen.
So if your restaurant list has been looking a little repetitive lately, September offers plenty of opportunities to change that. London’s food scene is heading into autumn with new chefs, new menus and plenty of fresh addresses to explore.
