5 New Restaurants To Book This September

Nando’s fans, listen up: there’s a new peri-peri chicken joint in town, and it offers the chain’s best bits – and more – in amplified style. Located in Borough, Casa Do Frango specialises in Algarvian-style ‘frango’ chicken, which is cooked over wood charcoal. The result is extra tender (and extra flavourful) half joints of chicken. This wood-fired grill is the centrepoint of the open kitchen, which is the housed in a striking 85-cover glass-vaulted space, resplendent in greenery and industrial architectural finishes. Its counter-top seats and long communal tables make for a convivial spot to enjoy exceptional Portuguese starters, ranging from grilled whole chorizo with black olive mayo; and Algarvian gazpacho (a garlic-laden must-order); to grilled prawns served with white wine and parsley. Don't even think about leaving without sampling one of the kitchen's pastel de nata egg tarts – they're the best we've had outside Portugal. Pretend you’re on a city break in Lisbon by ordering a port and tonic or a bottle of ice-cool vinho verde; at Casa Do Frango, summer never left.

32 Southwark Street, Borough, SE1 1TU

Visit CasaDoFrango.co.uk

After a long wait and a false start, Michelin-starred TV favourite Tom Kerridge has finally opened his first London restaurant. Housed in a grand dining room in the Corinthia Hotel, Kerridge has brought many of his team from the Hand & Flowers, The Coach and The Butcher’s Tap in Marlow to recreate his relaxed fine-dining vibe in the capital. A vibrant space that mixes old-school burgundy banquette seating and forest-green walls with modern art and sculptures, here guests can expect to sample some of Kerridge’s famed staples: think fish and chips with pease pudding, tartare and Matson spiced sauce; dry-aged rib of beef with ox cheek bordelaise, gherkin ketchup and triple cooked chips; and glazed omelette ‘lobster thermidor’. Expect rich comfort food, cooked to absolute perfection – and just in time for autumn, too.

Whitehall Place, Westminster, SW1A 2BD

KerridgesBarAndGrill.co.uk

A familiar face in this year’s Great British Menu (so far, 1251 owner James Cochran has made it into the semi-finals, having won the London and South East heats), Cochran is having an eventful 2018. Away from his TV appearances, the Kent-born chef has broken ties with his first restaurant – the eponymous James Cochran EC3, which is still trading under his name – and opened a new beautifully-designed joint in Islington, which focuses on Kentish produce. In a nod to Cochran’s heritage, the seasonal small-plate menu brushes up against Scottish and Caribbean influences, encompassing flavoursome dishes such as picked white Devon crab tartlet and brown crab butter; potato spaghetti, Italian truffle, cured egg yolk and burnt butter cream; organic Kent breed lamb with smoked cod’s roe, artichokes, black olives and garlic; followed by toasted oat custard tart with raspberries, clotted cream and pepper. From the end of the month, the kitchen will offer two five-course tasting menus (one vegetarian), and Sunday roasts for sharing.

107 Upper Street, Islington, N1 1QN

Visit 1251.co.uk

Harneet and Devina Baweja’s second Gunpowder restaurant is the latest opening at the One Tower Bridge development, where it joins The Ivy Tower Bridge, The Coal Shed and by Chloe. Following this summer’s closures of the group’s much-missed Madame D and Gul & Sepoy, the duo has focused their efforts on a follow up to Gunpowder in Spitalfields. A much larger and sleeker site, the open-plan space seats 100 across high-bar seating, shared tables and ‘love seats’. It might have a new look, but the menu is more familiar: the team has made sure to serve popular dishes such as the Keralan beef pepper fry; spicy venison and vermicelli doughnut; and Kashmiri lamb chops. That said, we love the new additions, particularly the peanut masala chaat with chopped onions and chillies; and a fragrant lentil and beetroot salad with spicy orange and ginger dressing. Next month, the space will also be home to Custard, the team’s first bakery, inspired by the old coffee houses of Kolkata.

4 Duchess Walk, Tower Bridge, SE1 2SD

Visit GunpowderLondon.com
 

Aiming to bring the spoils of UK farms into central London, Farmer J is a veg-heavy new space that focuses on seasonal, organic ingredients, cooked with care. Located at London Bridge, the restaurant offers a healthy approach to working lunches, and a relaxed, contemporary spot to enjoy weekend brunch, cocktails on tap or dinners with friends. Comprised of small plates designed for sharing, we like the look of the whole roasted cauliflower served with spiced black sesame and tahini; slow-cooked lamb, pickles, coriander and Laffa flatbread; and roasted beetroot served with crème fraiche, honey, paprika and spring onions. Come Saturdays, groups should head in for healthy juices, Redemption Roastery coffee, avocado on toast three ways, and The Shak – the Farmer J approach to shakshuka: runny eggs, radish chilli salad, feta and Laffe flatbread.

107 Leadenhall Street, City, EC3A 4AA

Visit FarmerJ.com