Cannoli Cigars, a Ten-Seat Sushi Counter and Rare Wine by the Glass: London’s Hottest New Restaurants to Book This Autumn

London has never needed much persuading to turn dinner into an occasion, but this autumn it’s practically insisting. On October 7, Quaglino’s, the glamorous St James’s dining room that has hosted royalty since 1929, reopens with three new bars and a stage back at the center of the room. Sushi master Endo Kazutoshi has returned with just ten seats in Chelsea, the team behind Cloth Fair has brought a historic City tavern back to life, and Dante, New York’s beloved aperitivo bar, has settled in for good at Claridge’s. There’s Basque cooking over charcoal, Persian feasting, a wood-fired tasting menu in Mayfair and rare wines poured by the glass at The Savoy. In other words, clear your calendar.

These are the new arrivals, glamorous reinventions and hotly anticipated openings to have on your radar, and the reasons each deserves a reservation.

Photo Credit: Dante Mayfair/Claridge’s

Dante Mayfair at Claridge’s

Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair

Claridge’s and Dante make a delicious match: one a London institution with an unmistakable sense of occasion, the other a New York favorite that helped turn aperitivo hour into a destination. After a residency, Dante became a permanent restaurant at the hotel this summer under owners Linden Pride and Nathalie Hudson.

The original New York bar was named The World’s Best Bar in 2019, so the cocktail credentials are impeccable. But come hungry, too. Carlingford oysters, shrimp cocktail, lobster linguine and chicken alla diavola bring Italian-American generosity to the dining room, with a dedicated cocktail menu to carry you from first drink to dessert.

Haute Living take: For the night when the martini matters every bit as much as the meal.

ENDO

8–9 Blacklands Terrace, Chelsea

Ten seats. One sushi master. A new chapter worth paying very close attention to. Endo Kazutoshi’s Chelsea counter puts the third-generation chef within arm’s reach of every guest, so watching his craft unfold becomes as much a part of the evening as the food itself. His former flagship, Endo at the Rotunda, held a Michelin star before a fire cut its run short; this new address brings his singular approach to omakase into a far more intimate room.

The luxury here is attention: following the rhythm of the meal and experiencing sushi through the hands of someone whose relationship with it spans generations. With only ten places, persistence is required. The restaurant’s booking notice currently points guests to a cancellation waitlist for November and December.

Haute Living take: The hardest seat in London this autumn, and worth every minute on the waitlist.

Cloth Cornhill

38½ Cornhill, City of London

For anyone whose ideal afternoon involves a handsome old dining room and a very good bottle, Cloth Cornhill is an opening to take seriously. The team behind Cloth Fair has taken over the former Simpson’s Tavern, restoring its wooden booths and keeping the character that makes the address so easy to linger in.

Opening dishes include venison, bacon and bone marrow pie, grilled lemon sole with potted shrimp and a Barnsley chop for two with anchovy and rosemary butter. The wine list is just as compelling: older vintages, large formats and rare bottles sourced from private cellars and auctions, with an emphasis on Bordeaux, the Rhône and Champagne. The upstairs restaurant, open since October 1, takes reservations for weekday lunch and dinner; the downstairs pub welcomes walk-ins.

Haute Living take: A historic City tavern, reborn for people who take their claret seriously. Book a long lunch.

Photo Credit: Justin DeSouza

Quaglino’s

16 Bury Street, St James’s

Some restaurants are made for dinner. Quaglino’s has always been made for the whole night. Reopening October 7 after a major restoration by The Evolv Collection, the 1929 institution has honored its Art Deco bones and famous staircase while moving the stage back toward the center of the room for cabaret and live music. The menu traces founder Giovanni Quaglino’s journey from Piedmont to Cannes to The Savoy.

The details are gloriously extravagant. A Champagne bar pours 24 cuvées by the glass, and a seafood counter serves shellfish, ceviche and tiradito. The dessert bar is inspired by a Cannes tabac, complete with cannoli cigars, chocolate ashtrays and edible smoke-filled balloons. The beloved Q Bar stays, and daytime brings accessible “Ten Pound Plates.” Book dinner when you have nowhere else to be afterward; lunch begins October 9.

Haute Living take: London’s most glamorous comeback of the year. Go late, stay later.

Prince Arthur

96 Draycott Avenue, Chelsea

Prince Arthur’s move from Belgravia to Chelsea gives chef Adam Iglesias, formerly of Brat and Barrafina, room to fully realize the Basque-inspired live-fire cooking that made the original a hit. A bespoke charcoal grill anchors the new kitchen, backed by a dedicated seafood counter, fish and meat aged in-house and the restaurant’s own caviar.

Upstairs, Chelsea Music Bar takes its cues from Tokyo’s late-night listening bars, with cocktails, vinyl and live performances on a late license. Opening October 6, it’s the one to book when the plan is excellent food followed by another round, and then possibly one more.

Haute Living take: Basque fire downstairs, vinyl and cocktails upstairs. That’s the whole night handled.

Alto 19

Locke London Canary Wharf, 19th Floor

A skyline view gets you through the door; a chef with Daphne’s and J Sheekey on his résumé gives you a reason to stay. Opening October 15 on the 19th floor of Locke London Canary Wharf, Alto 19 pairs its elevated setting with a Mediterranean menu led by executive chef Chris Dargavel.

The restaurant, bar and lounge comes from White Rabbit Projects, the group behind Lina Stores and Kricket. Seasonal cocktails, a strong wine list and a late-night music program give it ambitions well beyond the obligatory sunset drink. Settle in for dinner as London lights up below, then let the night carry on at the bar.

Haute Living take: East London’s new sky-high dining room. Time it for sunset.

Soraya

Marylebone

The Pachamama Group has a gift for restaurants that understand how people actually want to spend an evening. At Soraya, its Persian-inspired Marylebone arrival, that means generous, shareable feasting rooted in the flavors of Persia and the Silk Road.

Flame-cooked grills and slow-cooked khoresh give the menu substance, with saffron and barberries shaping its character. From the team behind Nina, Bottarga and Zephyr, Soraya adds a welcome new direction to London’s dining calendar. Its official launch is reported for October 15, with some diners already being welcomed. Gather a group and let the table fill up.

Haute Living take: Bring friends, order everything and let the saffron do the talking.

Photo Credit: The Savoy

Beaufort Wine Bar at The Savoy

The Savoy, Strand

For wine lovers who want to explore extraordinary bottles without committing to each one, The Savoy’s new Beaufort Wine Bar is a most indulgent proposition. Head sommelier Romain Audrerie oversees more than 250 wines from 18 countries, with over 120 by the glass.

Coravin lets the list reach into rare vintages spanning five decades, turning a single glass into a voyage of discovery. Tableside carving and live music add to the occasion. Come curious, and leave enough time for the sommelier to steer you toward something you’d never have ordered on your own.

Haute Living take: Five decades of great wine, one glass at a time. Let the sommelier choose.

IGNI

Mayfair

Theo Clench, who led Michelin-starred Cycene, takes on a very different stage at IGNI: a four-meter wood grill in the heart of Mayfair. Fire drives the tasting menus through ember roasting, smoking and ash curing, while seafood, coastal influences and Japanese flavors set the direction. Fermentation, preservation and aging add further depth.

Already open, IGNI earns its spot on the autumn list with a particularly timely collaboration. On October 12, Clench hosts Michelin-starred LYLA chef Stuart Ralston for a one-night tasting dinner, uniting two chefs with a strong coastal sensibility.

Haute Living take: Fire, fish and finesse. Book October 12 if you can get in.

Salone

Near Regent Street

The forthcoming Salone has two compelling names attached: the group behind Michelin-starred Lita and executive chef Luca Natalini, celebrated for his seasonal cooking at Autem in Milan. Together, they make this Italian opening near Regent Street one to watch.

The draw is the chance to taste Natalini’s produce-driven approach in London, backed by a team already responsible for one of the city’s most notable recent successes. Salone is slated for autumn, though an exact opening date and reservations have yet to be confirmed.

Haute Living take: Not open yet, but set an alert. This one will go fast.

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